COVERT LIGHTNING! LETHAL F-35A THE AVIATION ADVENTURE — PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE

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German Ace Hans-Joachim Marseille

COMBAT SURVIVOR

MK V SPITFIRE STILL FLYING OVER THE UK July/August 2022

GOLDEN AGE BEAUTY Stinson SR5A Reliant

BREITLING WARBIRD FORMATION and the pilots who fly them

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FLIGHT JOURNAL | JULY/AUGUST 2022

REGULARS

FEATURES

4 ‹ Editorial

6 ‹ Combat Veteran

60 ‹ Gallery: Albatros D.Va

Spitfire AB910 flew 143 wartime operations and has amazing stories to tell

By Gene DeMarco

64 ‹ In Theater: The Spoils of War By Stan Piet

66 ‹ Tailview

By Clive Rowley, MBE RAF (Ret.)

22 ‹ Stinson

SR5A Reliant

Harry Ballance’s pursuit of perfection By Jan Tegler

32 ‹ Covert Lightning

40 ‹ Breitling Dials Up

a Unique Formation

A Mustang, Mosquito, Corsair and Warhawk bring the Super AVI collection to life By Jan Tegler

50 ‹ A Month Like

No Other

The epic final days of Luftwaffe ace Hans-Joachim Marseille By Robert Tate

The A-Model F-35 By Ted Carlson

THIS PAGE: Harry Ballance Jr. positions his stunning Stinson Reliant SR5 with the photo ship over the beautiful Wisconsin landscape and Lake Winneconne. (Photo by David Leininger) ON THE COVER: Flight Lieutenant Andy Preece brings Spitfire Mk.Vb AB910 of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight close to the cameraship above RAF Coningsby, UK. (Photo by John Dibbs/Facebook.com/theplanepicture)

FLIGHT JOURNAL (USPS 015-447; ISSN 1095-1075) is published bimonthly by Air Age Inc., 57 Danbury Road, Suite 202, Wilton, CT 06897 USA. Copyright 2022, all rights reserved. Periodicals postage paid at Wilton, CT, and additional mailing offices. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40008153. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Go to FlightJournal.com. U.S., $39.95 (1 yr.); Canada, $50.45 including GST (1 yr.); international, $54.95 (1 yr.). All international orders must be prepaid in U.S. funds; Visa, MC, Discover, AmEx, and PayPal accepted. EDITORIAL: Send correspondence to Editors, Flight Journal, 57 Danbury Road, Suite 202, Wilton, CT 06897 USA. Email: fl[email protected]. We welcome all editorial submissions but assume no responsibility for the loss or damage of unsolicited material. All material contained herein is protected under the terms of U.S. copyright laws. Reproduction in any form, including electronic media, is expressly prohibited without the publisher’s written permission. Copyright 2022 Air Age Inc. All Rights Reserved. ADVERTISING: Send advertising materials to Advertising Dept., Flight Journal, 57 Danbury Road, Suite 202, Wilton, CT 06897 USA; 203-529-4604. Email: [email protected]. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: To ensure that you don’t miss any issues, send your new address to Flight Journal, P.O. Box 7337, Wilton CT 06897 USA, six weeks before you move. Please include the address label from a recent issue, or print the information exactly as shown on the label. For faster service, email [email protected]. POSTMASTER: Please send Form 3579 to Flight Journal, P.O. Box 7337, Wilton CT 06897 USA.

EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL

Editorial Director Louis DeFrancesco Executive Editor Debra Cleghorn CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

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Defender of the Homeland

here is something fundamentally different about the Spitfire compared to American fighters that transcends the elegance of its elliptical wings and beautiful lines. It’s the powerful old black and white photos of bombed-out buildings and British citizens cowering in bomb shelters that the very sight of a Spitfire brings to mind. Americans have never known that kind of threat or seen firsthand aerial combat in the skies above our cities and towns. Spitfire Mk Vb AB910, operated by the RAF Battle of Britain’s Memorial Flight, was one such defender of the homeland. What makes this survivor even more special is that it saw service throughout a significant part of WW II and is still airworthy today. In our feature story “Combat Veteran,” former RAF jet fighter pilot Clive Rowley tells us the remarkable story of the wartime service of this aircraft and the pilots who flew her. Squadron Leader Rowley also gives us a flight report of this rare warbird when he had the privilege of flying this Spit with the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight for 11 years! Introduced into service in August 1941, Spitfire AB910 immediately saw combat. While with the 133 (Eagle) Squadron in 1942, one of the regular pilots was Pilot Officer Eric Doorly from New Jersey—a Yank! The Eagle Squadrons were comprised of numerous American volunteer pilots who continually flew fighter sweeps over German-occupied France. Spitfire AB910 would later be placed in the capable hands of a Canadian, Flying Officer George Boyd “Geordie” Lawson, who would fly this aircraft over the beachheads of Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Lawson’s recollections of that historic day don’t include any enemy fighter contact, “but we saw plenty of action on the ground and from our own battleships firing at us!”

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The Golden Age was another period that was known for elegant and beautiful airplanes, and the Stinson SR5A Reliant in our feature story by Jan Tegler is no exception. The Swift Reliant series of elegant high-wing aircraft helped usher in the era of luxurious business flight. Harry Bellance Sr. purchased his SR5A in the 1930s and flew himself to the 20th Century Fox branch offices he oversaw in the southeast. You’ll read how his son, Delta Airlines pilot Harry Bellance Jr., reunites his family with this lost airplane decades after it was sold and continues to fly this classic today. There’s plenty more in this issue, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did creating it. Climb in the cockpit and enjoy this flight into history. —Louis DeFrancesco

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JULY/AUGUST 2022 | VOLUME 29, NO. 4

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Spitfire AB910 flew 143 wartime operations and has amazing stories to tell BY CLIVE ROWLEY, MBE RAF (RET.)

ONE OF ONLY NINE MK V SPITFIRES still flying worldwide, the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Spitfire Mk Vb AB910 is a truly remarkable example of its type. A combat veteran with an amazing pedigree, this incredible aircraft flew operationally for almost three years during World War II and has defied the odds to survive in flying condition today.

A beautiful picture of a beautiful aircraft. Spitfire Mk Vb AB910 in its element above the English countryside. (Photo John Dibbs/ Facebook.com/theplanepicture)

COMBAT VETERAN

August 1941 Spitfire AB910 was built as part of the initial batch of 500 Mk Vb Spitfires ordered from the Castle Bromwich Spitfire “shadow” factory in 1941. It was fitted with a RollsRoyce Merlin 45 engine and armed with two 20mm cannons and four 0.303-inch machine guns. It first flew in August that year.

Initial operations Spitfire AB910 was delivered to its first operational unit, 222 (Natal) Squadron at North Weald, Essex, on August 22, 1941. Its first operation was flown on August 26, with Pilot Officer Norman Ramsay, a 22-yearold Battle of Britain veteran at the controls, as part of a force of 24 Spitfires patroling off East Goodwin to cover the withdrawal from St. Omer of a fighter sweep, known as a “Circus.” Five days later, when returning from only the fourth operation in AB910, Ramsey had to force land in a farmer’s field near Ashford, Kent, when he ran out of fuel after low cloud and fog prevented him from landing at either Hawkinge or Lympne airfields. The Spitfire was damaged in the wheels-up landing, and the accident ended its brief

service with 222 Squadron. It was sent to a Maintenance Unit for repair.

Operations from Cornwall In December 1941, Spitfire AB910 was reallocated to 130 (Punjab) Squadron, based at Perranporth, Cornwall. It flew 12 operational sorties with this unit, including convoy patrols and escort missions for daylight bombing raids over northwest France. One example was a sortie on December 18, when it took off from Predannack on the Lizard peninsula, to act as part of a force of Spitfires providing high cover for 18 Short Stirling four-engine bombers on a daylight bombing raid to Brest. On December 30, while pre-positioning at Predannack for another bomber escort mission to Brest, AB910 was damaged when it overran the short runway on landing and tipped on its nose. It was to be out of action until June the following year.

Eagle Squadron Spitfire Having been repaired again, Spitfire AB910 was delivered to 133 (Eagle) Squadron, at the famous RAF fighter airfield of Biggin Hill, Kent, in June 1942. It was allocated

Spitfire Mk Vb EN951 MD-U, the personal aircraft of the acting CO of 133 (Eagle) Squadron, Flight Lieutenant Don Blakeslee in 1942. Spitfire AB910 wore the code letters MD-E with 133 Squadron. (Photo author’s collection)

Eagle Squadron shoulder patch worn on the right shoulder of their uniform jackets by American pilots serving with the RAF Eagle squadrons. (Photo author’s collection)

133 (Eagle) Squadron Spitfire Mk Vb AB910 flew operationally with 133 (Eagle) Squadron in 1942. Having been disbanded in 1918, 133 Squadron RAF was reformed in July 1941 as the third Eagle squadron, with American volunteer pilots (the other two being 71 and 121 Squadrons). When 133 Squadron’s first RAF CO, Squadron Leader George Brown, addressed the pilots for the first time, he said, “Gentlemen, no Englishman is more appreciative than I to see you American volunteers over here to assist us in our fight. It is going to get a lot tougher as time goes by, so take a good look around this room, because a year from now most of you will be dead.” Unfortunately, his words proved to be tragically accurate; two pilots died in a mid-air collision within weeks and in the first two and a half months of its existence, eight further pilots were killed in training accidents, without even facing the enemy. Initially, 133 Squadron was equipped with Hawker Hurricanes, but converted to Spitfires in October 1941. The squadron flew its first operational fighter sweep across enemy-occupied France in April 1942 and moved to Biggin Hill in May. After the fierce combats of the Dieppe Raid on August 19, 1942, the squadron continued to fly fighter sweeps until late September. Then on a bomber escort mission to Morlaix on September 26, 1942, strong winds and cloud cover resulted in the squadron descending over Brest instead of the English coast, into intense anti-aircraft fire. 11 out of 12 of their new Spitfire Mk IXs were shot down, four pilots were killed, six captured and one, Eric Doorly, evaded capture. It was a disaster that marked the end of the squadron’s time with the RAF. On September 29, all three RAF Eagle squadrons were transferred to the USAAF VIII Fighter Command, where they formed the 4th Fighter Group, with 133 Squadron becoming the 336th Fighter Squadron. The squadrons of the 4th FG flew Spitfires until Republic P-47 Thunderbolts became available in sufficient numbers to equip the group in 1943. A year later the group was re-equipped with P-51 Mustangs, which it flew until the end of the war. Operating from Debden, England, the group was the first fighter group to fly combat missions over German airspace, the first to escort bombers over Berlin, and the first selected to escort bombers on shuttle bombing runs landing in Russia. As part of the 4th FG, the 336th FS contributed to the Allied air campaign in Europe, escorting Allied bombers, engaging the Luftwaffe and helping to establish air supremacy in preparation for D-Day, countering Hitler’s V-weapon offensives, and attacking German aircraft on the ground in the final stages of the war. The 336th FS was credited with the destruction of 358 enemy aircraft, whilst the 4th FG was credited with 1,016 enemy aircraft destroyed. Today the 336th FS, nicknamed “The Rocketeers,” is still active with the USAF, flying F-15E Strike Eagles from Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina.

A rather poor and grainy image, but the only one showing Pilot Officer Eric Doorly from New Jersey, who was Spitfire AB910’s regular pilot with 133 (Eagle) Squadron in 1942. (Photo author’s collection)

the code letters MD-E and flew its first operation with its new unit on June 23. The RAF Eagle squadrons were manned almost entirely by American volunteer pilots who had been recruited before the U.S. entered the war, some of them having arrived as members of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). At the end of the month, 133 Squadron moved to Lympne, near Hythe on the southeast coast of England, which permitted more time on task during operations over the English Channel and northern France. A number of 133 Squadron pilots flew Spitfire AB910 during its time with the unit, but it was flown most—on 15 of its 29 operational sorties with the squadron—by 20-year-old Pilot Officer Eric Doorly, a college graduate from New Jersey, who considered AB910 MD-E to be his personal aircraft. In a letter that Eric sent to the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) in 1984, he wrote: “MD-E brought me back safely from one fighter sweep where I foolishly peeled off after three Fw 190s, only to find that three more 190s were behind me. After a strenuous descent to sea level July/August 2022 9

COMBAT VETERAN

in an induced inverted spin, I was able to out-turn the one remaining 190, who had followed me down to confirm a kill, until he ran out of ammo and left. What a wonderful aircraft that Spitfire was!” (Eric Doorly was shot down over France on September 6, 1942. He evaded capture, returned to England, transferred to the USAAF, survived the war and died in 1994 aged 74.) Another pilot who flew AB910 twice in July 1942 was the then Pilot Officer Don Gentile, from Ohio, who subsequently became a legendary fighter ace. The son of Italian immigrants, he had joined the RCAF in July 1941 and arrived on 133 Squadron in February 1942. His first air-to-air kills, against a Junkers Ju 88 and a Focke-Wulf Fw 190, were made on August 19, 1941, during Operation Jubilee. After transferring to the USAAF in September 1942, he flew P-47 Thunderbolts and P-51 Mustangs with the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, of the 8th Air Force. He became one of the highest-scoring American fighter aces of the war. In addition to the two kills he claimed while flying with the RAF, he is credited with 19 aerial victories, three damaged and six ground kills, in 350 combat hours flown with the USAAF. After the war, Don Gentile remained in the Air Force. Sadly, he was killed flying a T-33 Shooting Star jet trainer in January 1951. Operation Jubilee Amongst the operational sorties flown by AB910 with 133 Squadron were four on August 19, 1942, in support of Operation Jubilee, the ill-fated Dieppe Raid, which generated one of the largest air battles of any war ever. The Allied, mostly Canadian, ground forces that invaded the French port of Dieppe that day suffered severe losses, with over 1,000 men killed and a further 2,000 taken prisoner. In the skies over the English Channel and Dieppe, the RAF flew almost 3,000 sorties during the day and were involved in many fierce combats. The RAF fighter pilots flew virtually round the clock as Fighter Command tried to capitalized on this opportunity to draw the Luftwaffe into action. At the end of the day, the RAF had 10 FlightJournal.com

Spitfire gun film of a German Dornier Do 217 under attack on August 19, 1942, during Operation Jubilee. (Photo author’s collection)

Lt. Richard “Dixie” Alexander at Debden in 1942, after he had transferred to the USAAF. He had previously served with the RAF’s 133 (Eagle) Squadron and shot down a Dornier Do 217 in Spitfire AB910 on August 19, 1942. (Photo courtesy of John Dibbs/Facebook. com/theplanepicturecompany)

Flying Officer George Boyd “Geordie” Lawson, RCAF, who flew Spitfire AB910 with 402 Squadron RCAF on D-Day, June 6, 1944. (Photo author’s collection)

lost 106 aircraft, including 62 Spitfires—the largest number of Spitfires lost in a single day of the war. Amid this mayhem, AB910 flew four operational patrols, each time as one of 12 Spitfires from 133 Squadron. Three of these sorties were with Eric Doorly at the controls. During a combat on the first sortie, he claimed a Fw 190 as damaged. AB910’s third sortie of the day was flown by American Flight Sergeant “Dixie” Alexander, a former professional baseball player from Illinois, who claimed a confirmed kill against a Dornier Do 217 twin-engine bomber. Alexander followed it down and saw it crash-land in a field about five miles south of Dieppe. In total, 133 Squadron claimed seven enemy aircraft destroyed during the day, plus one probably destroyed and 10 damaged; it suffered no losses of its own. Spitfire AB910 survived the battles unscathed.

The Spitfire Mk V was originally conceived as a stop-gap variant to counter the improved performance of the Messerschmitt Bf 109F, especially at altitude. Using what was effectively a Spitfire Mk II airframe, but fitted with a more powerful Rolls-Royce Merlin 45 engine generating approximately 1440 hp, the Mk V had a useful increase in speed and ceiling over the earlier marks of Spitfire. Produced in numerous sub-types, the Mk Va retained the original eight 0.303-inch machine guns, the Mk Vb was armed with two 20mm Hispano cannon and four 0.303 machine guns, while the Mk Vc was fitted with the so-called “universal” wing that could accommodate either of the previous armament configurations or four cannons. With the advent of the formidable Focke-Wulf 190 in August 1941, the Spitfire was for the first time truly outclassed, until the introduction into service of the Spitfire Mk IX in 1942. It was found that removing the ellipsoidal wingtips of the Spitfire, which shortened the wingspan by four feet and eight inches, increased the roll rate and the airspeed at lower altitudes and helped to counter the Fw 190’s superiority in those respects. The Mk Vb was the first production version of the Spitfire to use clipped wingtips as an option. Some Mk V Spitfires had modified, “cropped” supercharger impellers to increase their performance at lower altitudes. As these Mk Vs became older and battle weary, pilots said they were “clipped, cropped and clapped.” Spitfire Mk Vs flew operationally with the RAF up to the end of 1944, when they were used mainly at lower altitudes and increasingly on ground attack missions. The Mk V became the most widely produced variant of the Spitfire family, with 6,464 manufactured. Today there are just nine Mk V Spitfires in the world in airworthy condition.

With the Canadians AB910’s next operational duties were with 416 (Lynx) Squadron RCAF, which it joined at Digby on July 2, 1943. In January 1944, 416 Squadron’s Mk V Spitfires were replaced with Mk IXs and, on February 17, AB910 was transferred to 402 “Winnipeg Bear” Squadron RCAF at Digby. AB910 was to see out its operational flying career with 402 Squadron, operating from Digby, Horne, Westhampnett and Merston, mainly in the ground-attack role. 402 Squadron was one of three squadrons forming a Spitfire Wing within 11 Group. The three squadrons, all equipped with Mk Vb Spitfires, typified the international and cosmopolitan nature of the RAF at the time. 130 Squadron’s pilots came from England, Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Meanwhile, 303 “Kosciuszko” Squadron was manned entirely by Polish pilots, and 402 Squadron was entirely Canadian. The squadrons flew their first operation together as a Wing over enemy territory on May 2, 1944 and were then heavily involved during the build-up to D-Day. One of 402 Squadron’s Canadian pilots

Spitfire Mk V

July/August 2022 11

COMBAT VETERAN

was twenty-one-year-old Flying Officer George Boyd “Geordie” Lawson, who had been with the Squadron since August 1942. He later gave a brief account of how AB910 became his personal Spitfire shortly before D-Day and had its code letters changed to “AE-H”: “We still had the Mark V Spitfires at that time. We had clipped-wing Mark Vs and, as we were training for D-Day, we were actually taking off and landing in the dark, which was a bit unusual for Spits. We were doing quite a bit of night flying so that we could handle the takeoffs in the dark, be over the beachhead at dawn, or stay there until dusk and land afterward. While training, we still flew our regular missions. On May 21, my usual aircraft, AE-H [EN767], was hit by flak during a sweep along the

SPITFIRE Mk Vb SPECIFICATIONS WINGSPAN

WEIGHT

POWERPLANT

Full span wings: 36 ft., 10 in. Clipped wings: 32 ft., 2 in. Empty: 5,065 lb. Maximum loaded: 6,650 lb. 1 ×Rolls-Royce Merlin 45 12-cylinder liquid cooled engine, 1440hp LF Mk Vb: Merlin 45M, 50M or 55M, 1,585hp

FUEL CAPACITY

85 imperial gallons internal fuel (plus 30-, 45- or 90-imp. gallon belly slipper tank)

RATE OF CLIMB

3,250 feet per minute to 20,000 ft.

TIME TO 20,000 FT.

6.4 min.

MAXIMUM SPEED

371 mph at 20,000 ft.

SERVICE CEILING

37,000 ft.

RANGE

470 miles on internal fuel Up to 1,135 miles ferry range with 170-imp. gallon underbelly slipper tank

ARMAMENT

2 x 20 mm cannon with 60 rounds each (120 rounds total) 4 x 0.303 in machine guns with 350 rounds each (1,400 rounds total) 500-lb. bomb on centerline

12 FlightJournal.com

Douai coast at deck level. According to my logbook, we were shooting up trains and gun posts. My ‘H’ was washed out; even the aerial mast was shot off. I received a new AE-H [AB910]. It had clipped wings and, like most of the 402 Squadron aircraft, it had a red Maple Leaf on a white circle below the cockpit. It became the one I flew regularly and this was the aircraft I flew on D-Day, June 6, 1944, for which it was painted up with black and white stripes.” D-Day Spitfire Records show that George Lawson flew AB910 on a beachhead cover patrol (“Eastern Area”) on D-Day, from 0945 to 1215 hours. Lawson’s subsequent recollections of this historic sortie were typically brief and understated: “I was over on D-Day in the morning. I don’t recall any combats, that is between ourselves and other fighters, but we saw plenty of action on the ground and from our own battleships firing at us!” Later, on that momentous day, from 2200 to 2359 hours, AB910 was flown on a night beachhead cover patrol by Pilot Officer H. C. Nicholson. On D-Day+1, June 7, George Lawson flew AB910 on a dawn beachhead cover patrol taking off at 0430 hours. Two and a half hours after landing, the aircraft was airborne again as a spare for another beachhead patrol, this time in the hands of Pilot Officer K. E. Heggie. (George Lawson survived the war. He passed away in September 2008, aged 86.) AB910 continued to fly beachhead cover patrols and some convoy and shipping protection patrols in support of the invasion up to July 13, 1944, at which point her long and remarkable operational flying career came to an end and she was transferred to training duties. In almost three years of front-line service, AB910 had flown a remarkable 143 operational sorties, including playing a part in the great D-Day invasion that eventually resulted in the Allied victory of World War II.

Passing the camera ship in a vertical bank, Spitfire AB910 displays its classic Spitfire planform and D-Day invasion stripes, markings it actually wore on June 6, 1944, when it participated in the D-Day operations. (Photo John Dibbs/Facebook.com/theplanepicture)

COMBAT VETERAN

Flight Lieutenant Neill Cox DFC and Bar, who flew Spitfire AB910 with a WAAF girl on the tail by mistake on February 14, 1945. (Photo author’s collection)

Girl on the tail From July 20, 1944, up to the end of the war in Europe, AB910 served in a training role with No. 53 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at Hibaldstow. On February 14, 1945, AB910 famously flew with a girl on the tail by mistake. Leading Aircraft Woman Margaret Horton, a WAAF aircraft mechanic, rode on the horizontal tail surface of the aircraft as it taxied out to the takeoff point (a standard procedure at Hibaldstow in windy conditions). The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Neill Cox DFC and Bar, did not know she was there, so did not give her a signal to get off. The result was that he took off with Margaret still on the tail. As the Spitfire

lifted off, Margaret flung herself around the fin, so that the top half of her body was on one side of the tailplane and her legs and feet on the other. With the airflow pressing her against the fin she was able to hang on. The combination of her weight on the tail and her grip on the elevator very nearly had disastrous results. The author met Neill Cox in 2005 and heard from him firsthand about the incident. He said that he needed two hands on the control column to wrestle the aircraft to level flight and then had to wedge the stick with his knee to stay level, as he was not strong enough to hold it. Of her grip on the elevator, he said: “Sometimes I had control and sometimes she did!” Fortunately for them both, he was able to maintain control and one circuit later he landed, with Margaret still wrapped around the fin and none the worse for the experience! (Neill Cox died in 2011, aged 88.) Continued on page 18

AS THE SPITFIRE LIFTED OFF, MARGARET FLUNG HERSELF AROUND THE FIN, SO THAT THE TOP HALF OF HER BODY WAS ON ONE SIDE OF THE TAILPLANE AND HER LEGS AND FEET ON THE OTHER. WITH THE AIRFLOW PRESSING HER AGAINST THE FIN SHE WAS ABLE TO HANG ON. Some of the RAF ground crew with a Spitfire Mk Vb at 53 Operational Training Unit, Hibaldstow in 1945. Leading Aircraft Woman Margaret Horton, who took an inadvertent flight on the tailplane of Spitfire AB910 on February 14, 1945, is standing in front of the wing at the left, with her hands in her overall pockets. (Photo author’s collection)

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IN THE COCKPIT OF AB910 BY SQUADRON LEADER CLIVE ROWLEY, MBE RAF (RET.)

“During the 11 years that I served with the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF), I was privileged to fly Spitfire Mk Vb AB910 on numerous occasions.” ON THE GROUND “Taxiing out to the runway in AB910 you need to weave to see around the long nose, which blocks the view ahead. The aircraft feels light and skittish on the ground, more so than later Spitfires. You need a yachtsman’s awareness of where the wind is blowing from and what effect it may have as you turn. The Spitfire’s center of gravity is well forward and the control column needs to be held fully back to counter this, as otherwise it would be easy for the tail to lift and for the propeller to contact the ground.” TAKEOFF “On takeoff, the performance is lively; Spitfire AB910 accelerates rapidly from brakes off with the power up to +6-inches of boost (half of what is available) and reaches liftoff speed—65 to 70 knots—in just a few seconds. A big stab of right rudder is needed to keep straight, and another stab

Squadron Leader Clive Rowley with BBMF Spitfire Mk Vb AB910 in 1996. Clive flew AB910 with the BBMF for 11 years. (Photo courtesy Clive Rowley)

to counteract the gyroscopic effect which tries to swing the nose to the left again as the tail is raised. The propeller is very close to the ground with the tail raised and you need to take care not to raise it too far.” IN THE AIR “Spitfire AB910 is an absolute delight to fly. The controls are light and sensitive, and she responds instantly to the

The cockpit of Spitfire Mk Vb AB910 as it is today in service with the RAF BBMF. (Photo John Dibbs/Facebook.com/theplanepicturecompany)

“WHENEVER I FLEW SPITFIRE AB910, I WAS ALWAYS AWARE OF THE RESPONSIBILITY AND WHAT A SPECIAL AIRCRAFT SHE WAS. MY LAST EVER FLIGHT IN A SPITFIRE WAS IN AB910 IN MAY 2007, SO SHE WILL ALWAYS HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART.”

Former Officer Commanding the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Squadron Leader Andy Millikin MBE, puts the nose of Spitfire AB910 into the camera lens in 2017. (Photo John Dibbs/Facebook.com/theplanepicture)

IN THE COCKPIT OF AB910 IT IS APPARENT THAT THE G ONSET RATE IS VERY IMPRESSIVE AND ON A PAR WITH MODERN AGILE FIGHTERS. IT IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE WARTIME PILOTS COULD EASILY SNATCH PERHAPS PLUS 7G. NO WONDER THEY TALKED OF BLACKING OUT. slightest of inputs. The elevators’ aerodynamic horns on the Mk V Spitfire are shaped differently from the earlier Spitfire 1 and II, and the control column counterweight of the earlier marks is removed, meaning that the elevator is lighter and the aircraft feels nicer in pitch. The Spitfire Mk V perhaps feels the nicest of all the Spitfire variants on the controls, the later versions being heavier aircraft. “There is plenty of power available and performance is sprightly even with the limited power settings used today for long-term preservation. The BBMF operates its Spitfires to a normal maximum G limit of plus 3G with plus 4G as a never exceed limit. With practice it is possible to snatch to those G limits rapidly and it is apparent that the G onset rate is very impressive and on a par with modern agile fighters. It is easy to understand that the wartime pilots could easily snatch perhaps plus 7G. No wonder they talked of blacking out.” APPROACH AND LANDING “The approach to land is best flown with a fairly steep and curved final turn, to line up with the runway at about 200 feet. Long straight-in approaches are best avoided as you cannot see over the nose. The flaps are lowered on entering the final turn. There is only one flap setting in the Spitfire and

the pneumatically operated split drag flaps drop 85 degrees in half a second when you move the switch to the down setting. “The final turn is flown at 85 knots with a trickle of power (about 1800 RPM). When you roll wings level on the final approach the runway disappears behind the nose, but the edges reappear at about 50 feet. “You should aim to cross the threshold at 75 to 70 knots, then smoothly flare the aircraft into the landing attitude, closing the throttle very gently, aiming to reach the idle stop as the wheels touch the runway. Spitfire AB910 wants to continue flying and will find any excuse to stay airborne! Touchdown should occur at about 60 knots. The controls are very sensitive in pitch in this phase of flight and it would be easy to overcontrol during the landing flare. It is also vital that on touchdown the aircraft is pointing straight and there is no drift. “Once down, the pilot needs to be very alert to any tendency to swing, as directional control is poor with the Mk V’s small fin and rudder, and coarse inputs are needed to keep straight, while using the ailerons to keep the wings level. The wheel brakes are best not used until down to taxiing speed or the tail will lift.”

Above: The undercarriage lever and “Chassis” quadrant on the right side of Spitfire AB910’s cockpit. The buttons under the red flap marked “DANGER” were originally for blowing up the secret IFF box, if a forced landing was made in enemy territory, so that it did not fall into enemy hands. Left: The spade grip control column in Spitfire AB910 with the rectangular gun-firing button of the Spitfire Mk Vb. Pressing the top fired the four Browning 0.303 in machine guns; pressing the bottom of the button fired the two 20 mm cannon; pressing the center fired everything. (Photo John Dibbs/Facebook.com/theplanepicture)

COMBAT VETERAN Continued from page 14

Post war On May 30, 1946, AB910 was retired from RAF service and placed in storage with a Maintenance Unit. In 1947, Air Commodore Allen Wheeler purchased Spitfire AB910 and converted it into an air racer, with the civilian registration G-AISU. It was painted in a blue color scheme and was fitted with a curved photo-reconnaissance Spitfire windscreen. The Spitfire came third in the 1949 Air League Race. In the 1950 National Air Races, held at Wolverhampton in June, Miss Roy Mary Sharpe MBE – an experienced ex-ATA pilot – set a new British Women’s 100km record of 322.79 mph in AB910. By this point AB910 had been fitted with a Rolls-Royce Merlin 55M engine and a fourbladed propeller for extra performance. It was to fly with a four-bladed propeller until 2015. At the end of the 1950 King’s Cup Air Race, in which AB910 competed, it was damaged when it collided with another aircraft on landing. In 1953 the Spitfire was purchased by Vickers-Armstrong Ltd. After being fully refurbished, AB910 was displayed regularly by the renowned Spitfire test pilot Jeffrey Quill and other Vickers test pilots, until the company donated the aircraft to the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF). With the BBMF Jeffrey Quill personally delivered AB910 to the BBMF, which was then based at RAF Coltishall, in Norfolk, on September 15, 1965. This was his last ever flight in a Spitfire and he later wrote: “As I climbed out of the cockpit of AB910, I felt the sadness of bidding farewell to an old and trusted friend.” In the summer of 1968, AB910 was one of the BBMF aircraft that took part in aerial filming for the Battle of Britain movie, wearing various code letters and serial numbers. AB910 then continued to be used by the BBMF as a display aircraft. In April 2007 it was airfreighted to the U.S. to take part in the USAF 50th anniversary, Golden Air Tattoo, at Nellis AFB, as an ex-Eagle

squadron aircraft. Spitfire AB910 has now been part of the RAF BBMF collection of historic aircraft for almost 57 years, during which time it has been displayed at thousands of airshows and events and thrilled millions of people. D-Day color scheme Spitfire AB910 has undergone a number of significant maintenance programs during its many years with the BBMF. During a

major refurbishment conducted over two and a half years from October 2012, AB910 was stripped down to the barest level and re-built to an “as new” standard, with much improved authenticity, including a three-bladed propeller. It emerged from the refurbishment in February 2015 painted in a new color scheme, which it still wears, representing a 64 Squadron D-Day Spitfire Mk Vb, BM327 SH-F. This was the Spitfire flown on D-Day by Flight Lieutenant Tony Cooper LdH, a flight commander on 64 Squadron, who named it “PeterJohn1” after his baby son, who was born in May 1944, the name being painted on the port side. Tony Cooper flew his invasion-striped Spitfire twice on D-Day and three times on

The renowned Spitfire test pilot, Jeffrey Quill, with Spitfire AB910 after delivering the aircraft to the RAF BBMF at Coltishall on September 15, 1965. This was Quill’s last ever flight in a Spitfire. (Photo author’s collection)

July/August 2022 19

COMBAT VETERAN Tony Cooper LdH, with BBMF Spitfire AB910 in the colors of his 64 Squadron D-Day Spitfire SH-F “PeterJohn 1,” in June 2015 when he was 99 years old. (Photo by Clive Rowley)

Flight Lieutenant Tony Cooper with a Spitfire Mk Vb after he became an instructor with 53 Operational Training Unit at Hibaldstow. He actually flew Spitfire AB910 at Hibaldstow in November 1944. (Photo courtesy Tony Cooper)

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D-Day+1, providing beach-head cover patrols over the American “Utah” and “Omaha” invasion beaches, with some of his sorties flown at night. During the month of June, 1944 Tony flew 75 hours in his Spitfire, of which 25 were at night. In all, Tony completed 160 operational sorties during the war, surviving five forced landings: two of them at night, two on fire, and one as a result of being hit by enemy ground fire. In November 1944, Tony became an instructor at the Spitfire OTU at Hibaldstow, and his log book shows that he actually flew AB910 on one occasion that month. He was also an eyewitness to the girl on the tail incident with the aircraft on February 14, 1945. Tony was able to see AB910 in the colors of his D-Day Spitfire for the first time in June 2015, when he was 99 years old. Sadly, he passed away in January 2017, 11 days before his 101st birthday, but AB910 flies on in his colors and in his memory.

AB910’s modern pilots Spitfire AB910 somehow survived its 143 wartime operations during almost three years of war fighting. It also escaped the post-war scrapping that befell the majority of surplus-to-requirement Spitfires. During its long flying life, spanning eight decades, AB910 has suffered a total of 10 ground incidents or accidents causing varying degrees of damage, but it has bounced back from them all and is still flying today. This Spitfire is a true survivor. The current BBMF fighter pilots, none of whom were born when AB910 joined the Flight in 1965, are very aware of this iconic Spitfire’s history and provenance. They know that when they climb into her cockpit they are following in the footsteps of heroes, including Spitfire test pilot Jeffrey Quill. What modern RAF pilot, given the opportunity to fly AB910, could fail to feel a great sense of honor and privilege at being allowed to occupy the same pilot’s seat, and to experience what Jeffrey Quill said was “very much a pilot’s aeroplane”?  ONLINE RESOURCES RAF BBMF: raf.mod.uk/bbmf Facebook.com/BBMF.Official Instagram @RAFBBMF Twitter @RAFBBMF RAF Memorial Flight Official Club: memorialflightclub.com BBMF Visitor Centre: lincolnshire.gov.uk/bbmf

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Stinson SR5A Reliant BY JAN TEGLER

Harry Ballance’s pursuit of perfection

A masterpiece in design, the Stinson Reliant SR5 flown by owner Harry Ballance Jr. glistens in the early morning light over one of the many lakes of Wisconsin. (Photo by David Leininger)

Harry Ballance Jr. has no memory of his father’s Stinson SR5A or any of the Stinsons his father owned. Born in 1939, he was too young to comprehend the beauty or significance of the Reliant series of elegant, high-wing commercial/private aircraft made in Wayne, Michigan between 1933 and 1941. With 10 principal civilian models, four military versions, and an assortment of subtypes, the SR line was offered as swift, luxurious personal transport for the well-to-do, company personnel, commercial passengers, and successful executives like Ballance’s father, Harry Ballance Sr.

STINSON SR5A RELIANT

Ballance Sr. bought his first Stinson in the early 1930s, an SM8A “Junior” that he used to fly himself to the branch offices he oversaw in 13 states around the southeast for 20th Century Fox. Involved in the distribution and promotion of the famed Hollywood studio’s movies, Ballance Sr. flew the SM8 to commute to offices as far away Oklahoma from his home base near Atlanta, Georgia, much as executives use today’s Gulfstream G650/700/800 and Bombardier Global and Challenger series bizjets to globetrot. By 1934, the elder Ballance and Harry’s mother, Marthe Wall Balance—the second licensed female pilot in Atlanta—were ready for a new Stinson. Ballance Sr. flew the SM8 to Detroit Metro Airport adjacent to the Stinson factory and bought the gorgeous SR5A you see here.

ABOVE: Retired Delta Airlines Boeing 777 captain Harry Ballance Jr.

beams every time he takes his immaculately restored 1934 Stinson SR5A Reliant flying. LEFT: Harry Ballance Sr. and wife Marthe Wall Ballance, the second female licensed pilot in Atlanta, did most of their flying before Harry Jr. was born. But their fondness for aviation was in their son’s DNA, too, and he pursued a successful career as an airline and charter pilot. (Photos courtesy Harry Ballance Jr.)

The SR5 went to work immediately, carrying the executive all over his “territory” until 1938, when he upgraded to a new model once more, an SR9 “gull wing” Reliant, so called because of its taper wings that step up from the fuselage and vary in thickness along their span. Gull wing models began with the SR7 and continued through the final SR-10 versions. In total, 1,327 Reliants were produced. But not long after the SR9 joined the Ballance family, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and Uncle Sam came calling. The government “impressed” the SR9 for the World War II war effort. The airplane went into service with the Civil Air Patrol, hunting German submarines along the Atlantic coast. “The SR9 went into the ocean off Brunswick, Georgia,” Ballance Jr. says. That’s why he doesn’t remember his father’s Stinsons. By the time the war ended, Ballance Sr. was older and “decided he wouldn’t get back into flying again because he had two young kids,” his son remembers. 24 FlightJournal.com

ABOVE: Antique aircraft specialist Harold Spivey fabricated a new instrument panel with a metal base and rich wood-painted finish. All the expected

steam gauges are in place while modern radio equipment discreetly hides in a side panel, preserving the look of the original panel. BELOW: SR5As originally came with heel-actuated brakes, a configuration far less common than the toe-brakes found on most aircraft. Robby Grove of Grove Aircraft Landing Gear Systems Inc. custom-made brakes, axles, thrust plates and rotors to fit the wheels Ballance Jr. uses on his Reliant. Ballance Jr. reports that they work beautifully in conjunction with airplane’s artful rudder pedals, now converted to a toe-brake configuration. (Photos courtesy Harry Ballance Jr.)

But aviation was in Ballance Jr.’s blood. He learned to fly while in college, served with the U.S. Army, then went to work for Delta Airlines in 1964, flying airliners including the Douglas DC-6/7 and DC-8 as well as the Boeing 757. He retired as a Boeing 777 captain after 35 years with Delta and went on to fly corporate jets for charter companies and a private client before retirement. “I had no idea that I would ever see any of my dad’s airplanes,” Ballance Jr. says. I thought they had all gone under the sea.”

Opportunity Calls The SR9 was gone, but much to Ballance Jr.’s surprise, he learned that his dad’s SR5 was alive and flying. “It came into my life in 1980 with a guy named Gary Wilson. He had found the airplane in Painesville, Ohio near Cleveland.” Wilson had recently purchased the Reliant and

moved it to Philadelphia. He was interested in contacting as many of the previous owners as possible. “He got in touch with my mother, Ballance Jr. says. “But she told him to call me because I was into old airplanes.” Wilson called Ballance Jr. and the two discussed the airplane’s history. Sometime after the war, the SR5 was put into service at Tuskegee Army Air Field. “I think they used it for a navigation trainer, but they also tore it up,” Ballance Jr. notes. After Tuskegee, the airplane’s whereabouts are less clear but its current owner says it ended up at a trade school near Detroit where it was repaired. “But I don’t think it flew much,” Ballance Jr. adds. “Gary asked me to come to Philadelphia and take a look at it. I did and a couple years later he offered to sell it to me.” July/August 2022 25

STINSON SR5A RELIANT

But Ballance was now a father himself, with four children in college and other airplanes to feed, including a PT-13 Stearman and a Piper J-3 Cub. So he passed on the opportunity.

Curiosity A quarter century passed following Ballance Jr.’s close encounter with his father’s Reliant, but the airplane never really left his mind. “I was sitting around with my wife one night wondering what happened to the Stinson,” he remembers. “I put out an inquiry on the Stinson website in 2006. I didn’t think too much about it. A month or so later, a retired college professor from Maryland called me and said he knew the airplane.” Shortly thereafter, Ballance Jr. “hopped on a Delta jet up to Baltimore” and made

and the Reliant’s Lycoming R-680 radial had fluctuating oil pressure. “I said I really don’t want to be flying anything at night, much less an airplane with wavering oil pressure. So I landed at Gainesville where the guy I was working for had a hangar.” Fifty miles northeast of Atlanta, Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport in Gainesville, Georgia was expected to be an overnight stop. But two years later, Ballance Jr.’s SR5A was still there. “I flew the airplane around some the next day and the oil pressure wasn’t going to get any better,” Ballance Jr. says. “So I said this is going to kill me and I’ll hurt the airplane if I don’t get the engine overhauled.” He pulled the nine-cylinder, air cooled engine from the Stinson and sent it to radial expert Don Sanders at Sanders Airmotive in Mustang, Oklahoma. Informed that the engine overhaul would take a year,

BALLANCE JR. WAS ON A SLIPPERY SLOPE. MAINTENANCE, AS OFTEN HAPPENS, WAS TURNING INTO RESTORATION. his way to Hayesfield Airport, a privatelyowned grass strip near Clarksville, Maryland. Now closed, the small airfield had been the SR5A’s home since Mike Strieter, a well-known pilot and fly-in organizer in the mid-Atlantic antique aircraft community acquired the four-seater from Gary Wilson. “Mike and I flew it around,” Ballance Jr. says. “He wanted to sell it and I wanted to buy it. I then flew it back to Atlanta in July 2006.”

The Long Trip to Peach State Aerodrome The gleaming Pontiac red/cream color trim Reliant jumping off the page at you wore the reverse of its current livery—cream white with red trim—when Ballance Jr. took off from Hayesfield bound for his home base, Peach State Aerodrome in Williamson, Georgia, an hour south of Atlanta. On the way, Ballance Jr. noticed that SR5A was gulping oil. “After two and a half hours of flying it had used four gallons. That was a lot!” By that point, nighttime was advancing 26 FlightJournal.com

Ballance Jr. started to examine the rest of his father’s Reliant. “The first thing I did was look at the firewall, which was aluminum, and you can’t have an aluminum firewall.” Aluminum is no longer acceptable as a firewall material because its melting point is too low and even historic aircraft struggle to pass FAA inspection if they still have aluminum firewalls. “To get the firewall off I had to take the engine mount off,” Ballance Jr. explains. “So I sent that to a guy in Albany, Georgia who overhauls engine mounts. Five grand later, I got the engine mount. Then I said, ‘While I’m here why don’t I overhaul the instruments?’” By this point, Ballance Jr. was on a slippery slope. Maintenance, as often happens, was turning into restoration. “The instrument panel was full of extra holes, so let’s make a new instrument panel. It blossomed.”

Keep On Truckin’ With the SR5A in a state of progressive disassembly, Ballance Jr. decided to

The rolling farmland of Wisconsin provides a contrasting backdrop as Harry Ballance Jr. banks “Miss Scarlett” away from the photo ship at the end of our photo mission. (Photo by David Leininger)

STINSON SR5A RELIANT

ABOVE: Fabricator Barry Hutton who owns Lost Art

Aviation, a historic aircraft restoration shop, fabricated new sheet metal fairings for the Reliant’s gear legs. BELOW: The SR5A is a “going places” airplane with a 2.5hour range. Luggage stores neatly in a compartment under the cabin. (Photos courtesy Harry Ballance Jr.)

ABOVE: With the SR5A’s cabin door open, it’s almost impossible to resist climbing into its

sumptuously upholstered cabin. It’s a luxurious cross-country airplane with comfort befitting its role as a tool for executives and corporate chiefs, much like today’s bizjets. BELOW LEFT: The overhead pitch-trim crank in Ballance Jr.’s SR5A. The original crank/ pulley/cable arrangement was worn so Spivey designed, built and installed a gearbox/ driveshaft-actuated trim solution that works perfectly according to Ballance Jr. BELOW RIGHT: The original data plates for the Reliant Harry Ballance Sr. purchased in 1934 are still there. (Photos courtesy Harry Ballance Jr.)

28 FlightJournal.com

complete the airplane’s journey to Peach State by truck. He describes the experience as an “adventure with a wide-load permit and back roads.” But by 2008, his father’s Reliant had finally arrived at its new home. “There, we took literally everything apart,” Ballance Jr. says. “No two pieces were left together. Everything was disassembled, stripped or bead-blasted, magna-fluxed, or a new part made or whatever.” The “we” Ballance Jr. mentions was a team that included antique aircraft specialist Harold Spivey, Barry Hutton, Leo Roberson, and Ballance Jr. himself. Working from Ballance’s newly built hangar at the Aerodrome, the team just kept on truckin’, tackling one task after another. With the airplane’s instruments sent away for overhaul, Spivey fabricated a new instrument panel with a metal base and a beautiful wood-painted finish. Ballance Jr. convinced friend Leo Roberson, an awardwinning restorer and aircraft covering specialist, to take on the daunting task of replacing all of the SR5A’s fabric covering. “He’s both a good mechanic and a good pilot,” Ballance Jr. says. “He flew A-7s from carriers in the Navy and was a Delta pilot. Nobody can do fabric work like Leo does.” The Reliant’s spacious cabin was also redone with new wood trim, leather upholstery, carpeting, headliner and modern radio equipment placed discreetly in a side panel that shields it from view. The result is a luxurious interior fitting for an aircraft that was the “Cadillac” or “Gulfstream” of its day. Sheet metal work, including new fairings for the Reliant’s gear legs, was done by Barry Hutton, a former Air Force crew chief and jet engine mechanic. A talented fabricator, Hutton’s experience helping to restore Ballance Jr.’s Reliant inspired him to go into the business full time with his own firm, Lost Art Aviation, where he’s done work on projects including Tom Reilly’s XP82 Twin Mustang, a UH-1 Huey, and a Naval Aircraft Factory N3N. Others, like Robby Grove of El Cajon, California-based Grove Aircraft Landing Gear Systems Inc., contributed custommade components.

Ballance Jr. has Grove brakes on his Cub and wondered if Grove could make brakes that would fit the wheels he planned to use on the Reliant. “I asked Robby if he would be interested in designing a set of disc brakes for a oneoff deal for a 1934 Stinson. It took him about a year. I shipped one gear to him and he designed the brakes for the weight of the airplane and made new axles, thrust plates, and rotors to go with his stock wheels. You never see them but they’re very well done.” Ultimately, Ballance Jr.’s goal was to make his father’s SR5A as perfect as he could. “There were absolutely no corners cut. If we could do something a better way, we would do it a better way.”

ABOVE: Ballance Jr.’s

Reliant always attracts a crowd. The gorgeous classic has wowed onlookers from Sun ‘n Fun to Oshkosh, but its owner likes smaller flyins best. BELOW: Fellow ex-Delta Airlines captain and ex-Navy A-7 pilot Leo Roberson has become one of the best restoration and aircraft covering specialists around. He replaced all of the fabric covering on Ballance Jr.’s SR5A, taking great care to make it almost seamless. (Photos courtesy Harry Ballance Jr.)

July/August 2022 29

STINSON SR5A RELIANT

“Miss Scarlett” flies beautifully All told, the restoration of Harry Ballance Sr.’s Reliant took 13 years. It’s now one of only four airworthy SR5s. In 2019 his son, with more than a little trepidation “after all that effort,” took his father’s airplane, dubbed “Miss Scarlett” by his wife, for its first post-restoration flight. Happily, “Miss Scarlett” flew “beautifully.” “I don’t think it’s an airplane for beginners,” Ballance Jr. notes. “But it’s a very honest airplane.” “I’ve flown other airplanes from the time, a Staggerwing and some cabin Wacos, but this airplane flies great. And it’s very comfortable. My wife has flown back from Oshkosh twice in the back seat and says it’s more comfortable than riding coach on an airliner. You have leg room, you can roll the windows down or listen to music if you want to.” At some point in its history, the SR5A’s original 245 hp R-680 was replaced with a R-680-13, a 300 hp variant that powered later Reliants and became a popular upgrade for earlier SR5s. The more powerful radial gives the restored classic a 120 mph cruise according toBallance Jr., who adds that

artfully hidden cylinder head temperature, exhaust gas temperature, and fuel scan readouts allow him to lean the engine out, yielding a fuel burn of just under 12 gallons per hour with a comfortable 2.5-hour range. “It has a pretty benign stall flaps up and flaps down,” Ballance Jr. reports. “It has a little adverse yaw. So when you roll into a turn you have to lead it a good bit with the rudder and the same thing when you roll out. But it flies so smoothly, even in turbulence.” Aside from the restoration and the newer engine, the only other change Ballance Jr. has made that his father wouldn’t recognize is converting the airplane’s heel-actuated brakes to more conventional toe-brakes, a concession to Harry’s switching back and forth between the Reliant and his other toe-brake equipped aircraft. Ballance Jr. has flown the SR5A to Oshkosh twice, to Sun ’n Fun and even to Cape Canaveral, but finds he enjoys smaller fly-ins most. “I’m beaming when I fly in to a new airfield or a show. It’s a thrill for me!” 

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COVERT LIGHTNING

The A-Model F-35 TEXT & PHOTOS BY TED CARLSON/FOTODYNAMICS.COM

The now combat-tested F-35A has become ubiquitous around the world, and the aircraft can be found residing as the top dog of choice within the various air forces. Born in controversy as are almost all new programs, the F-35 continues to be manufactured at a high rate, aside from some Covid delays. The cost was probably the number one gripe, with program delays coming in second. Regardless, the F-35 is in the process of being as popular as the F-16 was when it made its entry back in the day.

A four-ship of Japanese F-35A Lightnings fly in an echelon formation over the Arizona desert. Staging from Luke AFB, the Japanese were trained by American pilots and support personnel before taking the jets to Japan.

The F-35 is a spiral develop program and it receives periodic validation and software updates to add new weapons and systems to the arsenal of what it can carry. Now that most of the bugs have been stomped out, the F-35 is more reliable than ever and has become a well-oiled fighting machine, with most of the F-35A deployments and exercises having demonstrated over 80% mission-capable rates. There are three primary F-35 variants: the A, B, and C-models. There is also the Israeli I-model, essentially a modified A-model with special Israeli enhancements. The A-model is the groundbased Conventional Takeoff and Landing (CVTOL) model that boasts an internal gun, the B is the Short Takeoff Vertical Landing (STOVL) usually found frequenting assault ships but lacks an internal gun, and the C-model, also lacking an internal gun, is the aircraft carrier variant (has larger wings and beefier landing gear). All three versions can be equipped with the GAU-22/A 25mm gun though, whether internally mounted

or inside a gun pod that can be externally carried. Being a stealth aircraft, a limited amount of weapons can be held in the weapons bay to keep the radar cross-section down to nil. After air superiority has been achieved with enemy air defenses suppressed, the finesse of stealth is thrown out the window, and it re-emerges in “beast mode..” Wing racks adorning a plethora of designer weapons, coupled with ECM and gun pods, can be strapped on the lower half of the jet. Essentially, stealth is no longer as important in theater, and all the other bells and whistles can be utilized to help expedite the end of the conflict. To date, F-35 combat exploits have been centered at attacking ground targets. The USAF employed the F-35A against an ISIS tunnel network and weapons cache in Iraq, the USMC used F-35Bs (13th MEU) against targets in Afghanistan, and the Israelis used their F-35Is to attack ground targets in the Middle East at undisclosed locations (possibly Iranian targets inside Iraq).

The F-35A has an internal weapons bay that removes externally mounted weapons from the eyes of the radar signature. The “clean” loadout would be used early on in a conflict, and after the enemy air defenses are suppressed and air superiority achieved, stealth would take a backseat to loadouts.

AFTER AIR SUPERIORITY HAS BEEN ACHIEVED WITH ENEMY AIR DEFENSES SUPPRESSED, THE FINESSE OF STEALTH IS THROWN OUT THE WINDOW, AND IT RE-EMERGES IN “BEAST MODE..” 34 FlightJournal.com

Teaching the New Guys So what is it like teaching the new F-35 drivers? “The 944th OG/Det. 2 supports both sides, the FMS and the Partner Nations,” said Lt Col Eric “Bodhi” Puels, the 944th OG/Det. 2 “Ninjas” commander. He previously flew F-16C/Ds at Misawa in Japan, has been at Luke AFB since 2006, has worked on the F-35 program since 2008, and in 2015, transitioned from the F-16C/D to the F-35A. He has 2,400 F-16 flight hours and 600 in the F-35A. “We have two Fighter Wings on the base, the active duty 56th FW and the Reserve’s 944th FW. The 944th Operations Group is associated with the 56th FW to help them accomplish their fighter training mission. “Our mission readiness rate is always in the 90-plus percentage range. We consider ourselves the best in the business at the fighter training mission and have been doing this for decades with the F-16. Much of our F-35 training has been modeled off of what we have learned from the F-16. Our student training syllabus starts off in simulators with basic flying, instrument familiarization, and quite a few emergency procedures. Then we get into transition flying, taking actual aircraft into the airspace and get a feel for

how it flies, perform instrument work, get used to the avionics, and have students comfortable in the jet. “Then we very quickly go into the tactical phase, which includes basic fighter maneuvering, air combat maneuvering, and tactical intercepts. Next comes basic surface attack and that differs than what we do in the F-16, since we only carry precision-guided munitions such as the GBU-31s and GBU-12s in the F-35. Unlike the F-16, the F-35 has an air-to-surface radar, which is new for a lot of us unless you came out of the Strike Eagle community. Following ground attack, we get into fourship training, followed by the suppression of enemy air defenses. “Defensive Counter Air, Offensive Counter Air, and fighter escort are next on the agenda. A lot of that training is done in the simulator because of the fidelity of the threats and range limitations. The simulators are extremely robust and pilots feel like they are flying the real deal, it is very representative of what they have experienced flying the actual aircraft. The software is one of the most commonly updated F-35 items, a required process for aircraft systems expansion.”

The F-35A is a pilot’s dream, including a huge touch screen display. It has a vast array of custom-tailored mission loadouts available and a robust fuel-efficient combat range, minimizing fuel concerns during the fight.

July/August 2022 35

COVERT LIGHTNING

Lightnings Down Under “We had RAAF squadron maintainers at Luke AFB learning the F-35A, and the pilots and maintainers made up the cadre of the first Australian F-35A squadron back home,” commented Wing Commander Darren “Clarey” Clare, who is the Commanding Officer of RAAF Squadron 3 under the 81st Wing in Williamtown (close to Sydney) and who was also an F-35A instructor pilot with the 61st FS at Luke. He has a total of 3,900 flight hours, did stints as a PC-9 and Hawk pilot instructor, served in Iraqi Freedom in 2003 originally flying legacy Hornets, and later flew the Super Hornet as the Director of Operations for the training squadron. He continued, “The pilots transitioned from legacy Hornets to the F-35A, and we had a variety of 20 or so maintainers that became subject matter experts, then returned home. The first operational squadron is 3 Squadron, which stopped flying F/A-18As in 2017, and the unit initially performed test and validation roles. The next squadron to receive aircraft was our training squadron, 2 Operational Conversion Unit and that will be followed by 75 and 77 squadrons. Their F/A-18As will eventually be phased out of service as our Lightning IIs materialize, and there will be four total F-35 squadrons in the end, for now. 36 FlightJournal.com

“Luke made a great stepping stone for our needs; it is the biggest fighter base in the world and they have been training pilots for a very long time. To be able to step into a running system is perfect, and to be taken in as a part of the 61st and see what is needed for an F-35A unit gave us a leg up. We have learned a lot and are very grateful to the 61st FS and 56th FW for hosting us. The Luke ramp is full of F-35As, and we would not be able to do this so quickly back home in Australia. With the experience that we bring to the table as our allies do, we all learn from one another. “We did advanced training at Luke, such as four-ship missions and depend more on a wingman to make independent tactical decisions. We data shared with assets like our Wedgetails, Growlers, and more to get the entire shared situational and threat picture, becoming a communication or weapons node as seen fit for the mission. We truly operate as one team, rather than being in a bubble flying your independent specialty aircraft as in the past. “The stick and rudder portion is sort of like flying a Hornet, but with the new weapons, sensor integration and data linking capabilities allowing us to data share with all of the other platforms, that changes the way we fight and it is exciting. I can see this aircraft being something very special for the next 40 years!”

An Australian F-35A relaxes between training sorties. The Aussies are replacing their legacy Hornets with Lightning IIs and have a significant investment into the program.

WITH THE NEW WEAPONS, SENSOR INTEGRATION AND DATA LINKING CAPABILITIES ALLOWING US TO DATA SHARE WITH ALL OF THE OTHER PLATFORMS, THAT CHANGES THE WAY WE FIGHT AND IT IS EXCITING. I CAN SEE THIS AIRCRAFT BEING SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL FOR THE NEXT 40 YEARS!

The F-35A is equipped with an internal 4-barrel 25mm GAU-22/A cannon that fires at just over 3,000 rounds per minute. The fairing on the aircraft’s left side, just above the jet intake, is where the gun resides.

July/August 2022 37

COVERT LIGHTNING

Although not a slouch in air combat maneuvering, assets such as the F-22A may be able to outmaneuver the Lightning II in tight. However, in actual combat, that may not matter too much as the F-35 cannot be seen at a distance on radar and has reliable, long-range, air-to-air missiles to take care of foes early on.

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Cooter Lt. Col Curtis “Cooter” Dougherty is the 56th FW Director of Staff and an F-35A instructor pilot. He graduated from the Air Force Academy and following training, flew F-15E Strike Eagles out of Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina and later with USAFE at Lakenheath, England. He did a stint at Nellis AFB as a Weapons Tactics Instructor and returned to Seymour Johnson with the 335th FS “Chiefs,” amassing 2,200 F-15E hours. He then flew for the Thunderbirds flight demonstration

team for three and a half years, and then went to Luke flying the F-16 with over 1,000 hours in the type. He transitioned to the F-35A in 2015 and has 500 hours in the Lightning II. “There were some challenges adopting the F-35As here, and now that the program is more mature, the squadrons are much more self-sufficient. I mostly fly with the 63rd FS as my assigned unit. Regarding the foreign nations here, we all learn from each other on a daily basis and it is truly a neat melting pot of ideas and future growth capability. “The contract and training terms vary for each country, and all of the countries have a pooling arrangement to have an equitable use of resources as we can reasonably accomplish. The degree at which we want to train pilots, use F-35s, fuel, and maintenance resources all have to be committed up to a level. All of the countries at Luke have meetings to decide what is fair and equitable based on what is available, being unlike any environment I have operated in. It is amazing to walk into a large force exercise, like being at a Red Flag, but in this case, we are all flying the same kind of aircraft. We train together, socialize, and our families even know each other.” “To have that degree of camaraderie that extends around the globe, doing 24jet large force exercises, idea sharing, along with the benefits of pilots with over 15 years of experience in a variety of platforms, is very interesting to see. The FMS side is different and is more contractbased. That is handled separately by the 944th FW, and their requirements are lessfluidic, and mapped out in more detail, in advance. With Luke being a formal training fighter base, we take students that know nothing about the F-35A and teach them to fly it, which takes a special skill set. The more advanced and specific niche mission sets will be done at their home stations. “Luke has a lot of desirable traits for formal student pilot training, the most important ticket item being our instructor expertise. The weather here is mostly sunny and the winds plus crosswinds here are rarely an issue. The base has

The Nine Partner Nations & Foreign Military Sales The Partner Nation and Foreign Military Sales schedules and timelines are always subject to change. This is due to a variety of reasons, including aircraft production flow, pilot availability, individual learning process, budgets, and politics. The F-35 is international and involves numerous foreign allies. United States: The F-35A leader and pioneers, with F-35s now ubiquitous in the USAF, USMC, and USN. Over 1760 F-35As total. Australia: Replacing their F/A-18A Hornets, with 72 F-35s on order. There is a long-term possibility that another buy of 28 F-35s may also replace the F/A-18F Super Hornets currently residing within No. 4 Squadron. Denmark: 27 F-35As on order. Recently began receiving aircraft. Italy: The Italians have both the A-models and B-models. There is a planned buy of 60 A-models and 30 B-models. Norway: The Norwegians have 52 A-models on order and received their first F-35 in country in November, 2017. Turkey: Was going to order 100, and that was cancelled after Turkey had also purchased a Russian air defense system. Netherlands: Have received numerous F35As, with a total planned buy of 46 (possibly more later) F-35As that are slated to replace their F-16s. Their fleet is now IOC (Initial Operational Capability). UK (Britain): The UK have received numerous F-35Bs (have ordered 48 Bs). Long term, the Brits could procure two more batches of F-35Bs, 60 and 80 respectively. Canada: Although a Partner Nation, an order is to be determined. The Canadians just declined the Super Hornet, leaving the acquisition contest between the Swedish Saab 39 Gripen E and the F-35A. A final decision is expected in 2022 and if the F-35A is selected, it would be an order for 88 aircraft. FOREIGN MILITARY SALES NATIONS Belgium: (F-16 replacement) 34 F-35As on order. Finland: (F/A-18C/D replacement) 64 F-35As are on order as of 2021. Israel: 75 F-35A (I) models on order. They have operated the F-35A since 2016, have two squadrons, and have been IOC. The Israeli Air Force gave the F-35A the Hebrew name “Adir,” meaning “Mighty One” in Hebrew. Their specialty version is the F-35I, a modified A-model. Japan: F-35As and F-35Bs. The Japanese training was completed at the end of March, 2018, and all Japanese F-35s have since traveled to their new home in Misawa, Japan. There is a current buy of 105 A-models and 42 B-models in process. The F-35A is replacing the F-4EJ Phantom II. Poland: 32 F-35As on order. Singapore: 4 F-35Bs on order. South Korea: Buying 60 F-35As and 20 F-35Bs. ROKAF received their first aircraft, an F-35A, at the end of March, 2018. Switzerland: 36 F-35As are now on order as of 2021.

dual runways, and because the F-35 is a single engine aircraft, we do a fair amount of practice flameouts using the outside runway, while the inside runway is used for normal operations. The base location is good for being away from general and commercial aviation activity. “We have airspace ranges that are close, both to the south and to the west. That does bring up a challenge though. With the F-35A carrying 18,000 pounds of internal fuel, the range and endurance is superior to that of the F-16. The other factor is the F-35A tactically uses a lot more airspace in order to maximize the benefit of a fifthgeneration platform, both in air-to-air and air-to-ground scenarios. We are currently working with the FAA to expand our airspace options. “We are evaluating the F-16 as being a good fourth generation aggressor for dissimilar air-to-air training, so it is possible not all F-16 activity will eventually be moved to Holloman AFB, NM in the future. As for the long-term future, say in 2025, I’d guess we would see six USAF F-35A squadrons, a small Norwegian presence, and probably an FMS client.”

F-35 Future Lightning resistant fuel tanks will be installed. The latest software version is the 4A software, which replaces the 3f, and F-35As are now being upgraded from the 3f to the 4A now. The newer 3f and 4A software versions allow the use of the gun, AIM-9X Sidewinder, small-diameter bomb, JDAM, AIM-120 AMRAAM, laser-guided bombs, and other classified goodies. A new possible engine upgrade for the F-35A and C is being explored, known as the Adaptive Engine Transition Program. This could involve proposals and testing of the more efficient and higher-thrust GE XA100 and Pratt and Whitney XA101, when ready. 

Other possible prospects with discussion in works: Czech Republic 40 As, Germany 35-45+, Greece 48 As, Spain 25 Bs, Thailand 4-8 As, and UAE 50 As.

July/August 2022 39

BREITLING DIALS UP A UNIQUE FORMATION

A Mustang, Mosquito, Corsair and Warhawk bring the Super AVI collection to life BY JAN TEGLER

ON A SWELTERING DAY LAST AUGUST, liquid-cooled Merlin and Allison V-12s and an air-cooled Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engine idled impatiently at the east end of the Military Aviation Museum’s (MAM’s) beautifully maintained, 5,000-foot grass runway. Sweating through his tan flight suit in the hot cockpit of the Cavanaugh Flight Museum’s P-40N, Taylor Stevenson was less concerned than usual about getting the Warhawk airborne while waiting for the other fighters lined up to take the runway. “The P-40 heats up on the ground pretty quickly, faster than a Mustang and definitely faster than a Corsair,” he notes. “If we’re doing a formation flight, I’m used to being the guy that’s always saying, ‘Hey guys, we need to go!’”

These fighters that are the emblems of Breitling’s Super AVI collection. Ray Fowler flies lead in the MAM P-51D, “Double Trouble Two,” with John Fuentes in MAM’s FG-1D Corsair stepped down on his right wing. Mike Spalding in MAM’s DeHavilland Mosquito is down below abreast of Taylor Stevenson in the Cavanaugh Flight Museum’s P-40N. (Photo by Bradley Wentzel)

BREITLING DIALS UP A UNIQUE FORMATION

“The good news is the Mosquito heats up way faster,” Stevenson quips. “So I wasn’t the guy yelling, ‘Let’s go!’” Just then, Mike Spalding throttled up the two Merlin V-12s on the wings of the MAM’s gorgeous DeHavilland Mosquito. One of just four airworthy examples, the British fighter-bomber sped down the turf and lifted off, its twin Merlins gratefully inhaling cool air as it climbed to orbit, awaiting the other fighters. Ray Fowler, flying “Double Trouble Two,” MAM’s wellknown P-51D, John Fuentes in MAM’s classic FG-1D Corsair, and Stevenson followed the Mosquito into the air for a special flight.

For instance, the Super AVI P-51 incorporates the black and gold of “Double Trouble Two’s” 353rd Fighter Group checkerboard nose livery in its black dial and gold indexes. The Super AVI Tribute to Vought F4U Corsair takes its cue from the Navy blue two-tone and VF-17 markings on the MAM’s FG-1D, while the Super AVI Mosquito combines the black, red and orange elements of MAM’s 487 Squadron RNZAF color scheme. The Super AVI Curtiss Warhawk sports a green camouflage dial with red and white accents from the P-40’s shark mouth. There’s also a silhouette of each fighter on the caseback of the watch dedicated to it.

Breitling’s Super AVI Collection

The Join Up

Rarely have a P-51, Corsair, P-40, and a Mosquito come together in one formation. And though it may seem odd, the impetus for the sortie didn’t come from a warbird meet or a gathering at an aviation museum. It came from Swiss watch brand Breitling. Long known as a maker of timepieces closely associated with aviation—think Chronomat, Navitimer and Emergency among others—the Grenchen-based company has also supported aviation events like the Reno National Championship Air Races, sponsored aircraft and pilots in the now defunct Red Bull Air Races, and even funded its own jet aerobatic team, the L-39 equipped Breitling Jet Team. The formation’s four aircraft represent the chronographs in Breitling’s new Super AVI collection. Inspired by the brand’s “Co-Pilot” model, originally offered in 1953, the five versions in the collection take their cues from the colors of the fighters in the formation.

The four-ship flight took off for what was to be one of two photo missions to provide images and video in support of Breitling’s advertising campaign around the Super AVI collection. The watches debuted at a gala event at the Commemorative Air Force’s National Aviation Education Center in Dallas, Texas last November. The group flew south toward the Virginia coast to escape the busy airspace all around the Military Aviation Museum—from NAS Oceana’s Super Hornets and airliners flying into Norfolk International Airport to the north to the helicopters, E-2s, C-2s, and CMV-22Bs coming out of Naval Station Norfolk to the northwest and the F/A-18s practicing carrier landings at Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Fentress to the west. Joined by a specially modified Beech G-58 Baron photo-ship flown by well-known aviation photographer Scott Slocum, the assemblage was in uncontrolled airspace over the Back Bay Wildlife Refuge within minutes.

The Corsair, Mustang, Mosquito, and Warhawk lined up near the Military Aviation Museum’s terrific 5,000-foot grass runway. (Photo by Chris Otsen)

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Taylor Stevenson, one of the warbird world’s new generation of pilots, gets ready to climb into the P-40N’s cockpit. He’s sporting Breitling’s Super AVI Curtiss Warhawk on his left wrist. (Photo by Chris Otsen) Inset: Stevenson banks the Cavanaugh Flight Museum’s Warhawk over the beach near the Back Bay Wildlife Refuge along the Virginia/North Carolina border. (Photo by Bradley Wentzel)

TAYLOR STEVENSON, P-40N WARHAWK PILOT The special combination of aircraft made an immediate impact on Taylor Stevenson. At 32 years old, he’s part of a new generation of pilots rising in the warbird world, a much-needed injection of fresh blood to carry on the tradition of displaying American history in flight. As number three in the four-ship, Stevenson was last to launch. Once off the ground, he took a bead on Ray Fowler, the flight lead, as the group’s diamond formation began to come together. Climbing and turning, within about 180 degrees he was “on the perfect bearing line, a little acute just coming right into the position” on the Mustang’s right wing, he recalls. “You look up as you’re passing under a beautiful Mustang and a Corsair and slide into position. By the time you get settled you look over your left shoulder and there’s a Mosquito in the slot!” A pilot since his sixteenth birthday, Stevenson “grew up in the back” of a T-6 owned by his father and longtime CAF pilot Ray Kinney. He built time in several taildraggers, including a Stinson L-5 he bought and restored himself while in high school. Thereafter, he logged several hundred hours in his family’s T-6 before flying his first warbird: the Collings Foundation’s TF-51D. Soon afterward he flew the CAF’s P-63A, and for several years he’s been the “caretaker” of the

CAF’s replica Nakajima B5N2 “Kate 310.” Taylor has extensively flown the Kate in the CAF’s “Tora, Tora, Tora!” display. “It was just so cool,” Stevenson says of the opportunity Breitling provided to fly with such different aircraft in one formation. “Having these aircraft and their history encapsulated in a watch is very special. Breitling wants to make sure the history they associate with the watches is accurate and that they get the historic elements right. They actually ask the pilots about what we find most important, what’s relevant historically, and what should be incorporated.” “The amount of history that was in that flight was amazing!”

BREITLING DIALS UP A UNIQUE FORMATION

This page: A unique top-view of the P-51, Mosquito, FG-1D and P-40N, an assemblage of aircraft that have rarely flown together. (Photo by Bradley Wentzel) Opposite page: Ray Fowler, one of today’s most experienced, indemand warbird pilots, flew MAM-owner Jerry Yagen’s “Double Trouble Two” to lead the historic formation Breitling made possible. On his wrist is the Super AVI P-51 chronograph. (Photo by Bradley Wentzel)

These aircraft are famous of course, but these days there are lots of people around the world who may not be familiar with them. Breitling can help bring this history to a wider audience.

RAY FOWLER, P-51D MUSTANG PILOT Ray Fowler describes the opportunity to lead the formation for the Breitling photo shoot as a “treat,” praising the watch brand for showcasing the aircraft in a different way with the Super AVI collection. “Everything went so smoothly and they did such a great job of organizing it,” he notes. “These aircraft are famous of course, but these days there are lots of people around the world who may not be familiar with them. Breitling can help bring this history to a wider audience.” Leading the flight, Fowler kept the formation at between 180 and 200 mph to accommodate the differing performance of the fighters as well as the Beech Baron photo-ship. With the exception of the Mosquito, the experienced warbird pilot has time flying all of the formation’s fighters (and others) as well as the B-17 and B-24. He’s also the only pilot in the world currently rated to fly the XP-82, having piloted restorer Tom Reilly’s prototype Twin Mustang since its first flight in 2019. Chatting with me from the flight deck of a Delta Airlines Airbus A321 between flights, Fowler said his journey to warbird flying started when he was a certified flight instructor during college. He got to know the owner of the CAF’s Kate replica and told him, “I’d clean every bug off the airplane any time it flew if I could get a ride in it!”

Later the owner had a medical issue, and Ray jumped at the chance to fly the dive-bomber. He also started rapidly accumulating flight hours in a T-6. By the age of 22, he’d checked out in a P-51. All of this took place before he joined the Air National Guard in the 1990s. When he joined the Guard, he purposely didn’t tell them he already had lots of flight time, including in WW II fighters, knowing the USAF would not want to “re-teach” him how to fly. “I kept my mouth shut all the way through flight training,” Fowler quips. “No one found out.” By 2000, he was part of the Washington District of Columbia ANG, flying F-16s. Thereafter, he made multiple deployments flying over Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He still flies the Viper today with Alabama Air National Guard’s 100 Fighter Squadron. Ask him which warbird is his favorite and he responds quickly: “It’s hard to beat the Mustang. It’s nimble and it flies so well with a wide performance envelope.” Fowler has been flying with MAM for several years now, racking up time in the “Double Trouble Two.” But he also flies for NASCAR team owner and warbird enthusiast Jack Roush, piloting his “Old Crow” liveried P-51B as well the P-51D now owned by Jim Hagedorn that also wears Bud Anderson’s “Old Crow” markings. He says it’s an honor to pilot both aircraft and that flying Mustangs dedicated to Anderson, including for the recent celebration of the famed WW II ace’s 100th birthday, was his “favorite experience.”

“You can fly it with two fingers on the stick. It’s also very stable. Put it somewhere and it’s going to stay there.

Above: Longtime MAM pilot John Fuentes motors along above the Back Bay Wildlife Refuge in MAM’s VF-17-marked FG-1D. (Photo by Bradley Wentzel) Opposite page: Fuentes has been flying the museum’s Corsair for 11 years and counting. Breitling’s Super AVI Tribute to Vought F4U Corsair adorns his left wrist. (Photo by Bradley Wentzel)

JOHN FUENTES, FG-1D CORSAIR PILOT “I’m loving it! It’s a beautiful timepiece,” John Fuentes says, referring to the Super AVI Tribute to Vought F4U Corsair strapped around his wrist. Fuentes has been flying MAM’s Corsair for 11 years now as well as the museum’s Hawker Hurricane and FM-2 Wildcat. He’s also flown the Mosquito. “I’m fortunate that at the MAM we have a diverse group of aircraft and quite often we do dissimilar formations, so I’ve flown with the Mosquito many times before and I’m rated in the airplane, too. “The whole preparation for the filming around the Super AVI collection and the photo flights was a first-class operation by Breitling,” Fuentes enthuses. “Everything was done 100 percent. Currently a Boeing 787 captain with United Airlines, his warbird journey goes back to the 1980s. Enrolled at Southern Illinois University, he was a classmate of Tom Frasca, one of well-known warbird collector Rudy Frasca’s sons. Fuentes was president of a group of students who organized air shows for the university and got his “first, up close exposure to warbirds by having the Frasca family bring some of their aircraft in for our shows.” After joining Douglas Aircraft Company in southern

California in 1986, he helped a charter company “maintain some of the old twin and four-engine airliners that were still running around at Chino airport.” Fuentes moved back to the Chicago area a couple years later to fly Shorts 360 regional airliners with American Eagle and began volunteering with the CAF. He did maintenance and corrosion control on the B-29 “Fifi” and a B-24 and flew them. When he moved to Manassas, Virginia, working for United Airlines, he continued volunteering, bought a Vultee BT-13, helped the Culpepper CAF unit restore a TBM Avenger, and began flying Ken Laird’s Aichi D3A Val as well as the unit’s Wildcat. Eventually, he became the MAM’s operations director. Fuentes loves flying the museum’s FG-1D. “You can fly it with two fingers on the stick. It’s also very stable. Put it somewhere and it’s going to stay there. There are a lot of control and servo tabs that help keep it balanced. It’s not going to turn tight, but for its day it was pretty fast.” Now in the latter stage of his warbird flying career, the 25,000-hour pilot relishes opportunities to showcase MAM’s aircraft. “Breitling’s support made it possible to bring those four aircraft together. We want as many people to see them as possible.”

Mike Spalding, MAM’s chief pilot, inspects the exhaust stacks on one of the Mosquito’s two Merlin V12s. On his wrist is the Super AVI Mosquito chronograph. (Photo by Bradley Wentzel) Below: Spalding holds the museum’s terrific Mosquito in formation with the Beech Baron photo-ship. (Photo by Bradley Wentzel)

MIKE SPALDING, MOSQUITO PILOT “As long as they’re both running, flying the Mosquito is no different than flying a single-engine fighter,” Mike Spalding says, referring to the two Merlin V-12s that power the DeHavilland fighter-bomber. The MAM example is probably the most regularly flown Mosquito. Spalding is the museum’s chief pilot and has flown most of the collection’s nearly 60 WW I and WW II aircraft. “It’s when one engine quits at a bad time, on takeoff for instance, that makes it the animal that it can be.” Spalding says the “Wooden Wonder”—a nickname derived from the Mosquito’s mostly wooden airframe construction—is actually a comparatively heavy aircraft, underlining its role as a bomber. “From zero to 100 mph it accelerates pretty quickly. Then it seems to take just as long to accelerate to 125 mph, where it lifts off.” Thereafter, acceleration is slow he adds. If an engine quits, the Mosquito’s flyaway

speed—the point at which it can safely climb and continue flying—is 190 mph, Spalding notes. Getting to 190 mph could take some time, a feat made more challenging by the need to retract the “Mossie’s” gear. “Like most British airplanes, you have to take your

It takes a lot of control input to get it to go where you want. But over 200 mph, it’s more like a fighter, very responsive and comfortable going fast.”

WATCH SPECS The five Chronograph GMT watches in Breitling’s Super AVI collection share the maker’s Manufacture Caliber B04 self-winding mechanical movement with 70-hour power reserve. The P-51 version comes in two case materials, stainlesssteel or 18-karat red gold. The other models feature stainless-steel cases. Diameter: 46 mm Chronograph: Column-wheel, vertical clutch, 1/4th second, 30-minute, and 12hour totalizers Display: Hour, minute, second, date window, second time zone Water resistance: Up to 10 bar (100 meters) Glass: Cambered sapphire, glare-proofed on both sides Brown and black pilot-inspired leather straps with folding clasps

The watches that make up Breitling’s Super AVI collection (left to right): the P-51 Mustang in steel with a black dial and the 18K red gold version with an anthracite dial, the Tribute to Vought F4U Corsair with a blue dial, the Curtiss Warhawk with a military-green dial and red accents, and the Mosquito with its stainless steel case, black dial and satin-brushed black ceramic bezel. (Photo courtesy of Breitling)

left hand off the throttle to hold the stick and use your right hand to raise the gear,” Spalding explains. “If an engine quits right then, it’s a real critical time. You’ve got to be ready for it.” Below 200 mph, the Mosquito “flies like a heavy airplane,” Spalding says. “That’s where its bomber characteristics are. It takes a lot of control input to get it to go where you want. But over 200 mph, it’s more like a fighter, very responsive and comfortable going fast.” Spalding affirms the need to get the British aircraft airborne quickly on a hot day like the one on which the Breitling photo flights were done. “The radiators don’t have much opening for air movement sitting on the ground and the engines will overheat, particularly when you do your pre-takeoff run-up. I was number four in all of the formations and that’s the order in which you’d normally takeoff. But on that hot day it was better for me to line up, run up and go.” Fascinated with Boeing’s Stearman growing up, Spalding soloed in the trainer by age 18 and later bought one. While flying as a corporate pilot, he joined the CAF and began to fly a Lockheed Lodestar and a Grumman S-2 Tracker, then acquired a T-6 to build time in the

advanced trainer. Not long after Jerry Yagen started the Military Aviation Museum, Spalding was invited to fly the collection’s AD-4 Skyraider and TBM Avenger. “Eventually the chief pilot retired, and they asked me to take over. I’ve been with Jerry for almost 20 years now.” One of the prime challenges of flying the Mosquito is seeing below the aircraft, making formation flight tricky, particularly with dissimilar aircraft, Spalding says. Positioning the Mosquito for photos adds to the challenge. “The wings and nacelles block everything from eyelevel down,” Spalding explains. “If people are flying stepped-down below or behind you, you can’t see them. In most ways, it’s easier for me to be last in formation. And it’s important to brief the other pilots not to get below me.” Like the other pilots, Spalding is grateful for the opportunity Breitling provided to get the Mosquito and the other fighters in front of a broad audience. “And they really did a good job of tying the watch to the Mosquito. I was proud to be part of this.”

A MONTH LIKE NO OTHER The epic final days of Luftwaffe ace Hans-Joachim Marseille BY ROBERT TATE

September 30, 2022 marks the 80th anniversary of the death of perhaps the finest fighter pilot of World War II: Hans-Joachim Marseille. This article focuses only on September 1942. It was truly a month like no other for in this month, Marseille rewrote the book on fighter-to-fighter combat. In addition to claiming an astounding 54 kills, including 17 of those on September 1, he saw two friends and colleagues die, met three high-ranking military leaders, was promoted to Captain, crashed an Italian fighter, found an unlikely friend in a Black South African prisoner of war, and was awarded Germany’s highest award. But as September ended, the “Star of Africa” lay dead in the Egyptian sand.

This photograph, a Bruno Hansmann postcard, shows Marseille during his trip to the Messerschmitt factory in Augsburg. (Photo courtesy of author)

Marseille in his final days. (Photo courtesy of author)

Scanned from the cover of the October 28, 1942 “Die Wehrmacht” magazine featuring Marseille’s death. (Photo courtesy of author)

A MONTH LIKE NO OTHER

Setting the Stage After scoring his 101st victory on June 17, a combat-weary and sickly Marseille was once again sent back to Germany for a much-needed break. In the previous five months, he had not only secured his position as the top ace in North Africa by registering 64 victories, but he had to grieve over the murder of his beloved sister and, like many, he fought an unrelenting battle against dysentery and other ailments. Although much has been written about this leave, unfortunately some of the more controversial aspects are difficult to definitively corroborate. In addition to visiting family, Marseille received the Swords to the Knight’s Cross from Hitler on June 18 and then the Madaglia d’ Oro al Valor Militare from Mussolini on August 6. He attended numerous high-level social galas and press junkets, completed a highly publicized visit to the Messerschmitt-Werke in Augsburg, where he met both Willy Messerschmitt and chief test pilot Fritz Wendel. Marseille then wowed hundreds of spectators while demonstrating a new Bf-109 G-2. Undoubtedly, Marseille was among the most popular men in Germany as his face graced newsreels, magazine covers, and newspapers across the Reich. Among all this, however, there still remains to this day whispers of darker occurrences surrounding his leave. Rumors persist that he overheard senior officials discussing details of the “Final Solution,” which cemented his rabid disdain for all things “Nazi.” We also know that while in Italy, he went “missing” for a period of over a week. It has been suggested that he tried to defect or run away and the 1957 movie, “Der Stern von Afrika,” gingerly probed this possibility but nothing will likely ever be confirmed. We know from statements of several squadron mates that upon Marseille’s return from Germany, he was a changed man. No longer happy-go-lucky, he was much darker and sullen. His commander, Edu Neumann, never questioned his obvious late return from leave nor discussed the demons clearly tormenting his young protégé. But Neumann, as did everyone, definitely saw the change. We can undoubtedly surmise that something dramatic happened which appeared to break a seemingly unbreakable spirit, leaving Marseille with little happiness or reason to continue the fight apart from his undying loyalty to his brothers in arms. Nevertheless, it was under this cloud of suspicion that Marseille returned to North Africa on August 22, when he found himself in Quotaifiya, Egypt, I. JG/27’s home since 20 July. Eight days after his return, Rommel’s offensive at Alam Halfa began with Marseille scoring three victories on the 31st, raising his total to 104. It is under this backdrop that Marseille awoke on the morning of September 1, beginning both his final month of life and arguably the most successful month of combat by any fighter pilot in history.

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The stress of combat registers on Marseille’s 22-year-old face. (Photo courtesy of author)

September 1: The Day of Days As Rommel and Montgomery continued their struggle at Alam Halfa, the war in the skies was highly contested by the Luftwaffe and the men of the Desert Air Forces (DAF). Around 0800, 15 Messerschmitts of I. JG/27 with 10 others from II. JG/27 took off to escort Stuka dive bombers—a common theme throughout the month. Engaging a flight of Hurricanes, Marseille quickly shot down two and then another one seven minutes later that was attempting to intercept the Stukas. Several minutes later, jumped by a group of Spitfires, Marseille quickly downed one. (Most of these mission specific details were taken from “Fighters Over the Desert” by Christopher F. Shores.) MISSION 1 Victory Time 105 0826 106 0828 107 0835 108 0839

Aircraft Hurricane Hurricane Hurricane Spitfire

Later that morning, I. Gruppe was again called upon for a Stuka escort. Thirty minutes after taking off, Marseille engaged a squadron of Curtiss fighters. Attacking their Lufbery circle, Marseille shot down two in two minutes, which broke up their formation. As the DAF fighters scattered, Marseille shot down another six in eight minutes to cap an eight-victory sortie. MISSION 2 Victory Time 109 1055 110 1056 111 1058 112 1059 113 1101 114 1102 115 1103 116 1105

Aircraft Curtiss Curtiss Curtiss Curtiss Curtiss Curtiss Curtiss Curtiss

Upon landing, Marseille and his squadron were met by Field Marshal Albert Kesselring, who happened to be visiting their base. The two had previously met on December 7, 1941, when Marseille was presented with the German Cross in Gold. On that day, Marseille shot down a

Hurricane, bringing his total to 29. Nine months and 87 victories later, the two met once again but under much different circumstances, as Marseille was now one of the most successful pilots in the Luftwaffe and the clear “Top Gun” in North Africa. Due to a mechanical issue, Marseille sat out an early afternoon sortie but flew his third mission later that afternoon. Around 1710, eleven I. JG/27 109s took off and a half hour later engaged Hurricanes of either 33 or 213 Squadron. In a whirling dogfight, Marseille downed another five aircraft in seven minutes, giving him 17 victories for the day. MISSION 3 Victory Time 117 1747 118 1748 119 1749 120 1750 121 1753

Marseille with Rommel. (Photo courtesy of author)

Aircraft Hurricane Hurricane Hurricane Hurricane Hurricane

To grasp the full impact of his accomplishments, we should not focus solely on the 17 aircraft Marseille brought down, but rather his truly astounding rate of dispatch. In most instances, like clockwork, every minute or two, an enemy aircraft was sent to the desert floor. This level of precision was unmatched by any other Luftwaffe or DAF pilot in the theater and is yet something Marseille was able to repeat throughout the month. Capping his most triumphant day, Marseille was finally promoted to Captain and at 22, he was the youngest in the Luftwaffe at that time. July/August 2022 53

A MONTH LIKE NO OTHER

Later that afternoon, I. Gruppe, tasked with escorting a reconnaissance Bf 109, engaged P-40s, likely from 5 SAAF. Marseille downed two, killing both pilots. MISSION 2 Victory Time 125 1518 126 1521

Aircraft Tomahawk Tomahawk

Q September 3 Flying a bomber intercept mission near Hammam, eight I. JG/27 109s attacked the DAF fighter escort. In this encounter, Marseille downed three aircraft while his closest friend, Oblt. “Fifi” Stahlschmidt, 2. JG/27, downed another three. MISSION 1 Victory Time 127 0720 128 0723 129 0728

Marseille: A Month Like No Other. (Photo courtesy of author)

Q September 2 Soundly defeated by Montgomery, Rommel’s DAK withdrew from Alam Halfa. In the air, a similar story emerged with the Luftwaffe unable to win any level of operational or strategic victory. Despite any tactical achievements, it remained only here where Luftwaffe successes could be measured. At 0846, fighters from I. /JG 27 took off on a defensive patrol SSE of Imayid. Marseille downed three fighters. MISSION 1 Victory Time 122 0916 123 0918 124 0924

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Aircraft Kittyhawk Kittyhawk Warhawk

Aircraft Spitfire Kittyhawk Kittyhawk

In a late afternoon “Freie Jagd,” Marseille engaged DAF fighters from various squadrons, downing two over Imayid and then half an hour later downing a single 7 SAAF Hurricane bomber escort 40km SSE of Alamein, giving him six kills for the day. That night Marseille was informed he was to be awarded the Diamonds to the RK for his 125th kill the day before. Marseille, the fourth Luftwaffe recipient, never received this award. MISSION 2 Victory Time 130 1508 131 1510 132 1542

Aircraft Curtiss Spitfire Hurricane

A beautifully restored Bf 109E gets in super close to the camera ship and lens of John Dibbs over the English countryside. Han-Joachim Marseille flew a Bf 109E in the Battle of Britain, but he scored his last kills in an improved later F-4/Tropical variant with desert paint and the lethal 20mm Mauser MG 151/20 cannon. (Photo John Dibbs/Facebook.com/ theplanepicture)

A MONTH LIKE NO OTHER

Q September 6 Following a Stuka escort south of Alamein, Marseille claimed four victories. This fight likely involved American fighters of the 64th Fighter Squadron, none of which Marseille claimed. Perhaps most importantly for I. JG/ 27 was Obfw. Guenter Steinhausen being shot down and killed by Hurricanes of 127 Squadron. Steinhausen, the seventh-highest scoring ace in the theater, had claimed his 40th victory just minutes before he was shot down. Victory 137 138 139 140

Desert Idol As a bona fide hero, upon his return to the desert Marseille received bundles of fan mail almost daily. Part of his downtime routine was autographing cards with photographs fans had clipped from various magazines. These two photographs are such examples. The first one was interestingly enough signed on the day of his final kill. The second photocard, although dated September 2, 1942, shows Marseille standing on the wing of Kittyhawk H5-A likely belonging to Squadron Leader Pedro Hanbury (260 Squadron RAF), who Marseille downed on April 25, 1942. (Photos courtesy of author)

Q September 5 At 1000, I. and II./ JG 27 took off in an abnormally large formation of 39 aircraft. Following their planned escort mission, the fighters were cleared to conduct a Freie Jagd, after which Marseille’s Gruppe engaged Spitfires and Curtiss fighters. In a 12-minute dogfight, Marseille claimed another four victories. Victory 133 134 135 136

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Time 1048 1049 1051 1100

Aircraft Curtiss Curtiss Curtiss Curtiss

Time 1703 1714 1716 1720

Aircraft Kittyhawk Curtiss Curtiss Spitfire

Q September 7 Following another Stuka escort, Marseille downed two Tomahawks within three minutes SE of Alamein. After landing, Marseille was informed that “Fifi” Stahlschmidt had been shot down, posted missing but presumed dead. Stahlschmidt, bested by Spitfires of 601 Squadron, had just been awarded the RK on August 20 and was at the time the third-highest scoring ace in theater with 59 kills. It can be argued that this loss was the final straw in breaking Marseille’s spirit. In a span of two days, I. /JG 27 had lost the third and seventh top Experten in North Africa. Victory 141 142

Time 1743 1745

Aircraft Tomahawk Tomahawk

Q September 11 In an early morning Stuka escort, Marseille downed two aircraft within three minutes in a comparatively unremarkable day. Victory 143 144

Time 0740 0742

Aircraft Hurricane Hurricane

Q September 15 In one of the more hectic days of the month, 43 Bf-109s from all three JG/ 27 Gruppen flew a Stuka escort that eventually engaged DAF aircraft from at least four different squadrons. In a confusing day, wild claims were made by Luftwaffe pilots, many of which remain unverified to this day. Of those, Marseille claimed seven. With his 150th victory, Marseille became the second Luftwaffe pilot to reach this number. In my book, “Hans-Joachim Marseille: An Illustrated Tribute to the Luftwaffe’s ‘Star of Africa,’” I discuss the controversy surrounding these claims under the subsection, “The Curious Case of 15 September.” Suffice it to say, some of Marseille’s claims are not without controversy.

An Unlikely Friendship Corporal Matthew “Matthias” Letulu. Following Stahlschmidt’s death on the September 7, there was clearly no other person closer to Marseille than this prisoner of war from the Transvaal. Some would say they were almost inseparable, with Matthias looking after Marseille like a mother bear looking after her cub. Out of respect for Marseille, after the squadron left the desert, Matthias remained with I./ JG. 27 for the duration of the war. Of all the September 1942 highlights, this relationship arguably does the most to spotlight the unique personality and anti-Nazi character of Marseille.. (Photo courtesy of author)

Victory 145 146 147 148 149 150 151

Time 1651 1653 1654 1657 1659 1701 1702

Aircraft Curtiss Curtiss Curtiss Curtiss Curtiss Curtiss Curtiss

Q September 16 Marseille officially “pins on” Captain. Also, he and members of his squadron drove to the Army Command Post Panzerarmee Afrika to meet Field Marshal Irwin Rommel in a highly publicized event. It is said that out of respect for Marseille, Rommel wore his best tunic for the occasion. Q September 19 Accepting an invitation from the neighboring 4 Stormo Italian fighter squadron, Marseille and several men of JG/ 27 visit their Italian compatriots. Marseille is allowed to test fly one of their Macchi 202s and Italian ace Ten Emanuele Annoni (nine victories) offers Marseille his plane. After a short instructional briefing, Marseille takes off, performs several maneuvers, but somehow screws up the landing procedure, allegedly shuts down the engine and bellies in, severely damaging the aircraft. Several reports claim he broke his arm in the process but I have found no photographs or documents confirming this injury. Q September 22 General of the Fighters, Adolph Galland, visits JG/ 27 spending considerable time with Marseille. It is obvious Galland was more than impressed with Marseille. Also, Marseille finally gets a new Bf-109 G-2/ Trop, WkNr. 14 256. There are no pre-crash photos of this aircraft, and the accident report a little over a week later stated this aircraft had no markings, “kennziffer.” Echoing the words of Kitchens and Beaman in their book, “Hans-Marseille: A Resource Guide to the Aces and Their Aircraft,” 14 256 is a “visual blank.” It is difficult to fathom why after a week this airplane had no markings.

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COURTESY OF TOM TULLIS AVIATION ART LTD.

A MONTH LIKE NO OTHER

Marseille’s September 109 When Marseille departed Libya following his 101st victory, he left behind WkNr. 10 137, an Erla GmbH built 109 F-4/Trop that had been delivered to the Luftwaffe in February 1942. Although one might think upon his return Marseille would have received one of the newer G-2 models now making their way to the Front, he was instead given an even older Erla 109 first delivered in late November 1941. Marseille’s “new” mount, WkNr. 8673, would carry him through possibly the most impressive month of combat seen by any fighter pilot in history. In this aircraft, he claimed 51 victories including three on August 31, before finally scoring a new G-2 toward the end of September in which he claimed his final six victories. This F-4/Trop sported a newer paint scheme of RLM 79 Sandgelb without the mid-fuselage RLM 78 Hellblau demarcation. Marseille’s “Yellow 14” now featured a closed “4” with both numbers thinly outlined in black. This was his only known Friedrich to carry the distinctive I./ JG 27 African “Gruppenwappen.” Rudder markings were updated highlighting a white “100” under white crossed swords, wreathed in yellow oak leaves with individual kills again represented by a single yellow bar. Following Marseille’s death, this aircraft was transferred to another unit, where it was destroyed on October 22. Although not his most colorful, 8673 nevertheless remains Marseille’s most historically important aircraft.

Q September 26 After a mid-morning scramble to intercept two tactical reconnaissance aircraft and their escorts, Marseille downed one 213 Squadron Hurricane and then claimed three Spitfires within a span of four minutes. MISSION 1 Victory Time 152 0910 153 0913 154 0915 155 0916

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Aircraft Hurricane Spitfire Spitfire Spitfire

Another late afternoon Stuka escort south of Hammam found Marseille and 3. JG/27 mixing it up with Spitfires from an undetermined unit. Marseille claimed three kills with the last one reported as being a long running dogfight against a very talented pilot. This would be Marseille’s final claim. MISSION 2 Victory Time 156 1656 157 1659 158 1710

Aircraft Spitfire Spitfire Spitfire

Above: The fall of Marseille. Right: Original Marseille death notice. (Photos courtesy of author)

Q September 30 At 1050, Marseille and seven other I. JG/27 pilots took off on another Stuka escort. After making no contact with the enemy, the Germans turned for home. At approximately 1130, Marseille’s engine began to smoke and eventually caught fire. Not wanting to parachute into enemy territory, Marseille perhaps delayed too long before bailing out. When he reached the Mosque at Didi Abd el Rhaman, Marseille finally radioed, “I have to get out now. I can’t stand it anymore.” Rolling the plane inverted, Marseille fell free but failed to clear the airplane, and his body slammed into the tail. He fell to his death with his watch forever frozen at 1142.

Marseille. I also discussed the operational effects of his damaged and probable kills. Regardless, even under detailed scrutiny, Marseille still downed 38 to 45 aircraft that month. This in no way diminishes his accomplishments. For all the efforts of Marseille and the men of the Jagdwaffe, we must still face the strategic failure of the Luftwaffe to command the North African skies and their inability, almost seeming unwillingness to turn back DAF bombers. It is only in fighterto-fighter combat where the Luftwaffe excelled. Indeed, not one bomber was downed by Marseille during this period. In the end, victory marks on rudders, no matter how impressive, did not translate into strategic victory. But the focus of this article is at the tactical level of war and solely what Marseille achieved, sans the likelihood of some overclaiming, in September 1942. Just look at the following table, derived from “O.K.L. Fighter Claims. Chef Fur Ausz. und Dizsiplin Luftwaffen-Personalamt L.P. & Supplementary Claims Lists Mediterranean & Southern Front 1941-42.”

VICTORIES FROM 31 AUGUST TO 30 SEPTEMBER Marseille 57 I. Stab 4 1 Squadron 7 2 Squadron 20 3 Squadron 1 Marseille as % of 3. JG/27 57 of 58 (98%) Marseille as % of I. Gruppe 57 of 89 (64%) Marseille as % of Entire JG 27 Wing 57 of 145 (39%)

Conclusion When the dust settled on September 1942, there can be little doubt that the exploits of Marseille have since been unmatched. With all of this said, however, there remain certain intellectually honest “truths” that must be addressed. In my article in Flight Journal August 2019, I addressed potential—and in my opinion unintentional—overclaiming by

When analyzing Marseille’s accomplishments when compared to I. Gruppe and the entire JG/ 27 Wing for that month, we can argue that for the skinny kid from Berlin, September 1942 was a month like no other. 

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GALLERY

Feared Fighter WW I German Albatros D.Va BY GENE DEMARCO | PHOTOS BY LUIGINO CALIARO

The Vintage Aviator Ltd. (TVAL), in Wellington, New Zealand, has reproduced one of the most significant fighters from the Great War. This time the focus was on an iconic German aircraft, the Albatros D.Va, which was the machine of choice and the last in a long line of single-seat fighters. Many of the highest scoring German Aces achieved the majority of their victories while flying Albatros fighters.

The TVAL Albatros DV on flight at sunset over the Wairarapa area of New Zealand. The plane carries the colors of the Albatross DV flown by Vizefeldwebel Josef Mai of Jasta 5 in May, 1917 when based at Boistrancourt Field. He was the third highest ace of the Jasta and ended the war with a total of 30 air victories.

The Albatros DV was an attempt at an improved and lighter D.lll. A new oval cross-section fuselage was designed and a more powerful Mercedes engine was fitted. This combination proved to push the design to its structural limits, with nearly two dozen crashes attributed to structural failure in the first three

months of operation! The solution was a factory redesign of the lower wing spar and a strengthened fuselage. This improved aircraft became the D.Va and was fitted with the now standard 180hp Mercedes D.llla. Many described the Albatros DV as “a bit unstable.”

GALLERY

Left: The two synchronized LMG 08/15 Maxims built by Spandau are perfectly reproduced and functional, although not capable of firing live ammunition. Below: Wherever possible, original instruments and valves were used and marked with the appropriate vintage placards.

All of the strengthening helped considerably but it did not eliminate the problem completely. Over 4,600 Albatros D series fighting scouts were built and just two survive today. Both are D.Vas and one is located at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. and the other at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. BUILDING THE ALBATROS Creating a new Albatros to the exact original specifications was never going to be easy, and the actual construction of this batch of D.Va aircraft was going to test the team’s resolve because everything would have to be made in-house. This included the propellers, the instruments and other cockpit equipment, fuel and oil tanks, radiators, wheels and the metric hardware used in assembly. Construction techniques also had to be recreated, the most obvious of which is the building of that distinctive, plywood monocoque fuselage. To many Great War aircraft builders, the Mercedes D.III engine of the Albatros is the holy grail of aero engines. The engine itself is a work of art, powerful and reliable and very hard to find! In fact, it took TVAL several years to find a suitable example to overhaul. 62 FlightJournal.com

THE BEST PART IS THE ENGINE; SOMETHING ABOUT IT GIVES THE FEELING OF SECURITY

Above: The heart of The Vintage Aviator’s Albatros is its original Mercedes D.III 6-cylinder water-cooled inline engine of 180hp. It was restored and overhauled by the technicians of TVAL.

I had the privilege of carrying out the first flight on October 28, 2009. FLYING NOTES As the takeoff is started, you’re amazed at how much movement can be seen in the upper wing relative to the fuselage, the first instinct is to close the throttle and look for missing brace wires. The movement comes from the lack of cross bracing in the center section area and the monocoque fuselage changing shape as it becomes airborne. Once in

flight, you realize all of the landing wires have gone slack … another Albatros characteristic that you will need to get used to. In flight, the DVa performs well, but is not nearly as well balanced and harmonized as the RAF SE.5a. The ailerons are heavy and the roll rate isn’t very spectacular. The elevator is very sensitive, almost too sensitive, while the rudder is less than adequate. For me, the best part is the engine; something about it gives the feeling of security, it has a healthy rumble and good throttle response. Landings aren’t too different from other tailskid aircraft with the exception of the cockpit/control stick layout, which makes for a rather cramped position while flaring. The high sides of the seat leave little room for your elbows when pulling the stick back—an awkward position but one you have to get used to. All in all, it’s a sexy, sleek design that performs well but not quite as good as it looks.  July/August 2022 63

IN THEATER

The Spoils of War One generation’s junk is another generation’s treasure BY STAN PIET

Arriving Occupation forces in September 1945 found these remnants of the massive Japanese defensive force concealed in a dozen large caves at Atsugi Naval Air Base that was intended to be the key to the final defense of Tokyo, Yokohama, and the nearby port of Yokosuko.

IF, IN 1945, SOME FARSIGHTED INVESTOR had suggested purchasing and hoarding war surplus aircraft as a guaranteed way to make your fortune, you would have considered him a crackpot of the first order. Now, advance yourself to the 21st century: next to gold bullion (1945 price: $35/ ounce), you might have been wise indeed to collect, scavenge, and hoard all the spoils of WW II. No one could have realistically imagined the future interest and marketability of what seemed, at the time, to be aviation junk. Nor could the intense recovery and restoration activities centered on WW II aircraft have been imagined. Just look at the number of celebrity and entrepreneurs today who have embraced investing, owning, and operating classic warbirds. This market has been so strong that new manufacture of highperformance classic designs has included Me 262s, Oscars, Zeros, Fw 190s, new to-the-blueprints Mustangs, and on and on. The general public seems drawn to the subject of lost WW II aircraft in the same way the 19th century gold, silver, and diamond rushes made headlines. Aircraft wrecks are publicly seen as lost treasures. Witness the worldwide news coverage of the discovery of a belly-landed P-40 in the Sahara, the finding of and recovery of the icebound P-38, Glacier Girl, and the reported finding of 20-plus Griffon-powered Spitfire Mk XIVs buried in their packing crates in Burma circa 1945. Despite the skepticism of many, negotiations for their return have spiraled up to the level of the UK’s Prime Minister. Just imagine the value, both financial and historical, of the abandoned Japanese aircraft in this image on today’s market. Front to back, we see a Zeke 52, a Mitsubishi J2M “Jack,” another Zero, a Nakajima J2N “Irving” night fighter, and what could be one of the six prototype Nakajima J5Ns. With the exception of the Zero, none of these aircraft exist today in flying condition, and some don’t exist at all. It’s hard to estimate their value on the collector market. Within limits, the seller could set his own price, especially if in the condition of the aircraft in the photo. They may look beat up, but compared to aircraft being restored today, they are practically showroom new. There seems to be no end to the phenomenon of warbird retrieval and restoration, so it appears that as long as there is the will, and the money to back it up, we will continue to enjoy the preservation of these honored treasures. So for the crystal ball gazers of the present: look into the future and tell us what will be considered of historical value 50 years hence, so we can all start saving and investing.  July/August 2022 65

TAILVIEW

A bomber crew from the 1st Bomber Wing make final preparations for their next mission in “Button Nose,” a late model B-17G S/N 43-37704 (MS-G) that served its short career with the 535th Squadron at Ridgewell, England, during the summer of 1944. At that time, bomber crews worked at a feverish pace to support the strategic bombing campaign over Germany’s industrial complexes and to soften Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe resistance to the Allied breakout from Normandy. Later that summer, these Bomb Groups were tasked with grueling, medium-altitude, flak-filled forays. On August 15, the invasion of southern France commenced, and “Button Nose” was on its way to bomb Ostheim Airfield near Cologne. Dodging intense tracking bursts of flak inbound from the initial point, “Button Nose” took a

hit in the bomb bay and the blaze quickly spread into the wing root. Pilot Capt. Thomas E. Barnicle dropped out of formation and headed back. Out of control flames forced the crew to bailout—fortunately over Allied-held territory. “Button Nose,” with its bomb load still aboard, crashed into an unoccupied schoolhouse near Caen, France. The entire crew landed safely on the British side of the battlefront and returned to England. Barnicle was lucky because just a week before, he had been forced down in France in another shot up B-17. 

ORIGINAL WW II COLOR PHOTO

Lucky Mission