MUSEUM VISITORS - Military Aviation Museum

The Membership Newsletter for The Military Aviation Museum
Inside this Issue:
Museum Visitors Biplanes & Triplanes
One Pilot’s View
WWI Dawn Patrol
2
2
2
3
NMRA3
Hangar Happenings
4
Skyraider4
Pungo NAAS
5
P-645
Living History
6
Military Aviation Museum
www.MilitaryAviationMuseum.org
Virginia Beach Airport
www.VBairport.com
Fighter Factory
www.FighterFactory.com
Biplanes & Triplanes
www.VBairshow.com
Fall 2014
By Jonathan R. Lichtenstein, Events & Marketing Coordinator
The eight reindeer so dear to Kris Kringle are taking a
holiday of their own, from 28-30 November, 2014. They’ll
kick back in the sunshine of Virginia Beach, VA, as Santa
Claus temporarily trades his magical, lacquered, red sleigh
for the seven-cylinder Continental engine of the Military
Aviation Museum’s vivid yellow Stearman biplane.
St. Nicholas will rejoin us for “Planes, Trains, and Santa”
the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving, touching down
at 11:00am on both days. In an early dose of holiday cheer,
as portrayed by Mr. Ric Farrow, the venerable toymaker will
relish his task of compiling the Christmas lists of visiting
children. He’ll even pose for pictures with the tiny tots,
the purchase of which will benefit the Military Aviation
Museum. And the proprietor of the world’s finest toyshop
will find, inside our hangars, holiday displays fit to warm the
hearts of children young and old, alike.
In a gathering of train enthusiasts, members of the Tidewater
Division of the National Model Railroad Association have
collaborated to assemble an elaborate winter wonderland in
miniature. Throughout the weekend, they will be on hand
to demonstrate train models of all shapes and sizes: from
the mighty S and O gauges, to the more modest HO and N,
and even LEGO. Junior locomotive engineers are welcome
aboard for a weekend full of fine model railroading! We
also hope to host, as our guests, the Virginia Beach Police
Department’s Crime Prevention Unit, the Civil Air Patrol,
Symphonicity, and the AACA, among others, over the course
of the weekend.
General admission prices are applicable. Children aged
12 and under receive free admission all weekend! Hours
are 9:00am–5:00pm, 28-29 November, and 9:00am–3:00pm,
30 November. q
I Travel the Road: Wings and Wheels
By Samuel Kern, Member of the Tidewater Region (AACA)
This year, as it has done continuously for the past six
years, the Military Aviation Museum provided its entire
site for the Tidewater Region, Antique Automobile Club
of America, to conduct its annual vintage car show. This
year was its 41st-annual meet. This event has become
a very important function for the Museum because
it draws substantial numbers of spectators from the
automotive and local communities. This year’s “Wings
and Wheels” was no less of a success than in previous
years. Plus, there was plenty of flying on the day. A
selection of historic Dodge vehicles and Ford Mustangs
was displayed around the flag pole, 2014 being the
100th and 50th-anniversaries, respectively, of these
makes and models. Mr. Tony Scarpelli of the AACA
once again served as Meet Chairman.
Show cars began streaming onto the property around
8:00am. In all there were about 200 AACA antique cars
(aged 25-years or older) and about 90 “Rods and Mods”,
comprised of modified cars of various shapes and sizes.
With the museum’s North American P-64 as the backdrop, volunteers first photographed each vehicle on the
concrete apron. Then the cars paraded to parking in
their respective areas. Subsequently, these glamour shots
were processed and offered for sale throughout the day.
The AACA show cars found their way to the
North field, whereas the “Rods and Mods”
proceeded to the field adjacent to Jurassic Park,
for display and judging.
For its annual meets, the Tidewater Region
employs “AACA Judging Standards” in evaluating
all cars for awards, the only AACA region in
Virginia to do so. The goal for each restored
vehicle is for it to look exactly as it did when
brand new on the showroom floor. Originality
is the key. However there are allowances and
considerations for unrestored vehicles in basically
original but well-maintained condition. The thrust, overall,
is to keep the cars preserved and maintained to high
standards of appearance and operability. From 3:00pm,
awards were presented at a ceremony in the museum’s
Navy hangar. The awards ceremony was preceded by an
entertaining demonstration by the dancers of Swing Virginia.
Tidewater AACA volunteers served as members on several
of the judging teams.
The award-winners of the “Rods and Mods”, however,
were evaluated using a self-judging system, whereby participants
Continued on Page 3
voted for the top 40 entrants.
PAGE 2
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 4
MUSEUM VISITORS
One Pilot’s View
By R.R. “Boom” Powell , Pilot
What’s it like to be a pilot in the Pungo Flying
Corps? Yours truly’s experience during the 2014
Biplanes and Triplanes event will give you a sense
of why those of us lucky enough to fly these historic
machines are so enthusiastic.
First off, for pilots most of the week before is
busy. (And if pilots are busy, the Fighter Factory
crew is even busier, and for months, not weeks
before.) A typical pilot is qualified in a half-dozen of
the Military Aviation Museum’s airplanes and each
airplane –with exceptions—has three or four pilots
qualified to fly it so working out the show schedule
can be complicated. (Note: German designations
traditionally used Roman numerals but, to avoid
the confusion inherent in DVI/VII/VIII, we’ll use
Arabic numbers.)
For 2014, “new” aircraft included the purple
and green Fokker D6, the refurbished Hall-Scott
powered Fokker C1 and the Bleriot XI. Because
one of our Triplanes and the Avro 504 went away
during the “bad time”, Nelson Eskey was going to
check out in the D6 and I would learn the D7. The
two of us made a nuisance of ourselves hanging
around the Fighter Factory eager for our familiarization flights.
‘Twas not to be. The Fokker D6, on its first
flight, gave chief pilot Mike Spalding, a very
exciting ride, when one brake locked up on
takeoff. The builder of the replica D6 had put on
brakes best described as “weird” and even the talents
of the Fighter Factory could not make them right.
The ancient Hall-Scott engine on the D7, after a
couple of good test runs, suddenly got cranky and
now needs a rebuild of various accessories. The
Fighter Factory mechanics sweated and swore until
late Friday, when both machines were pronounced
no-go, static display only.
Thus there was a last minute shuffle. Nelson
would fly the Klimke Triplane again since Josh
Wilson (whose day jobs included airliners and
supersonic F-22 fighters) had checked out in the
movie star Sopwith 1 ½ Strutter, which he had
flown previously. I was awarded the “sorta D7”, the
two-seat Fokker C1. All the show airplanes were
exercised on Thursday and Friday.
Thursday also had a significant event—the
1910, 3 cylinder “W” Anzani engine on the Bleriot
fired up and kept running! Every pilot and
mechanic was grinning in awe at this achievement;
especially Tom Kurtz,
Continued on Page 6
Elementary Flight: Biplanes and Triplanes 2014
Enveloped in a thin mist, the Pungo Aerodrome
became indistinct in the morning light. Was it a turf
runway, somewhere west of the French salient, onto which
the hangar doors opened? The absence of marching boots
and thundering artillery belied the fact it was October, 2014,
and not the autumn of 1914. However, just as the “Guns of
August” reverberated around the world one hundred years
ago, heralding the commencement of the “War to End All
Wars”, the distant echo of those infamous salvos could be
heard at the Military Aviation Museum, in the course of the
4th-annual “Biplanes and Triplanes” air show.
Among the latest additions to the museum’s stable of
flying machines are the obscure Fokker D.VI and D.VIII.
The former airframe was the result of a painstaking
reconstruction by the late, Mr. Walt “Wimpy” Redfern.
However, in spite of efforts by the Fighter Factory to prepare
the plane for its debut, certain brake problems persisted
and prevented the D.VI from participating in the program.
In between the full-scale action, we benefited by the
attendance of members of Tidewater R/C, Academy of
Model Aeronautics (AMA) Charter No. 641. As in years
past, they brought along an assortment of models of all scales
to recreate some of the more daring maneuvers one might
have observed over the Western Front. They appeared in
conjunction with the 3rd-annual “Mid-Atlantic WWI Dawn
Patrol”, about which you’ll find more information in this
issue. Also on hand was a selection of fine antique
automobiles, courtesy of the Tidewater Region of the Antique
Automobile Club of America (AACA), including Mr. Samuel
Kern’s 1925 Franklin, Mr. and Mrs. Kenny Roach’s 1915
Saxon, and Mr. David Curl’s 1929 Model A “Huckster”.
Among other guests at this year’s event were the
Manhattan Dolls, the talented vocalist, Ms. Theresa R. Eaman,
and Mr. Charlie Chaplin, star of the stage, screen, and film,
in the person of Mr. Damian Blake, whose antics recalled
the physical comedy of an earlier era. Their ability to recreate
the popular culture of the period was especially welcome at
Saturday night’s Hangar Dance, with the accompaniment
of Mr. Terry Chesson’s “Jump n’ Jive Orchestra”. Returning
on his third visit this year, Mr. Mark Whall, host of the
Shuttleworth and Military Aviation Museum “Flying Proms”
rejoined Mr. Jonathan Lichtenstein as co-commentator for
the duration. Ms. Eaman was integral to these proceedings
Saturday and Sunday–processing with a colour guard
of re-enactors, dressed in uniforms of the American
Expeditionary Force (AEF), British Royal Flying Corps,
and the I ANZAC Corps–as she sang the National Anthem,
before the commencement of flight operations.
Our aerial program opened with a scene reminiscent of
Reims, France, site of the Grande Semaine d’Aviation, and
setting of the former triumphs of Mr. Glenn Curtiss. For it
was at Reims he succeeded in winning the Gordon Bennett
Cup in August, 1909. Entrepreneur, businessman, engineer,
pioneer, and pilot, Mr. Glenn Curtiss would have been
pleased to see two of his formative designs airborne once
again. Mr. Robert “Boom” Powell served as surrogate for
Mr. Eugene Ely, one of several pilots once employed by Mr.
Curtiss, who undertook the first takeoffs and landings from
naval vessels, in 1910 and 1911, respectively. Reconstructed
by Mr. Bob Coolbaugh and Mr. Andrew King to celebrate
the centenary of the United States Navy’s flight program
(inaugurated in 1911), the museum’s Curtiss Model D was
the first to fly on Saturday and Sunday.
By Jonathan R. Lichtenstein
Photos by Art Norfolk
The second of our two Curtiss models, the JN-4D
Jenny, was introduced in 1917. This was the first aircraft
purchased in quantity by the American military, and was
the primary trainer of American pilots during the Great
War. Postwar, bought by enterprising barnstormers, the
surplus Jenny became a fixture in the skies of rural America.
Daredevil pilots sold rides, thrilled spectators, and inspired
young pilots-to-be. Six American companies were contracted
to share wartime construction of the Jenny, including the
St. Louis Aircraft Corporation. In April, 1918, they filled an
order for 450-examples. Nearly 100-years later Aerohistoric
of Paraná, Argentina, received one of those original 450.
After nearly two years of restoration, on 6 April, 2013, the
plane made its first flight in decades, having been last certified
airworthy in 1967. At “Biplanes and Triplanes” she was flown
expertly by the Chief Pilot of the Fighter Factory, Mr. Mike
Spalding. These elementary flying machines were joined by
yet another entry, a recreation of Louis Blériot’s eponymous
Blériot XI, the first plane to fly across the English Channel
in July of 1909. Powered by an original Anzani engine, the
plane was taxied the length of our runway by the General
Manager of the Fighter Factory, Mr. Tom Kurtz, III.
Further weekend flights encompassed the balance of
the museum’s available selection of airworthy airframes,
including two examples of the Fokker Dr.I triplane. Mr. Nelson
Eskey took the controls of Lt. Klimke’s triplane, while the
second, derived from a Dr.I operated by Lt. August Raben,
was manned by Mr. Gerald Yagen. The Fokker triplanes
were then joined by the Sopwith One-and-a-Half Strutter
for a brief scrap. The Sopwith was flown by Mr. Josh Wilson,
Continued on Page 7
and was joined by another new
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 4 PAGE 3
Model to Follow: Mid-Atlantic WWI Dawn Patrol
By Scott Vickery, Representative of the Academy of Model Aeronautics
It was a crisp fogbound fall morning on the grass
runway of the Military Aviation Museum. As you
looked up you would think you had travelled back in
time to the frontlines of WWI. Fokkers and Sopwiths
were dogfighting in the cool morning skies, twisting
and banking, while trying to line up that perfect shot.
But instead of the war-torn fields of France, it was the
neatly tilled farmlands of Virginia Beach, at the 3rd-annual
Mid-Atlantic WWI Dawn Patrol (M.A.D. Patrol),
over which these planes were flown.
The Dawn Patrol is a five day event held each
year since 2011, during the first week of October. R/C
pilots from around the country and around the world
travel to attend. This year there were 75 pilots, with
over 230 planes. They ranged from small “foamies” all
the way up to half-scale monsters. Most of the WWI
radio control planes were of one-third scale, with
wing-spans of over ten feet. The ½ scale models range
from twelve to over 20-foot wing-spans!
With spectacular weather, we enjoyed five days of
awesome flying. This year M.A.D. Patrol was combined
withtheMilitaryAviationMuseum’s“Biplanes&Triplanes”
air show, which showcased the museum’s collection of
full-scale WWI-era aeroplanes. In contrast with the
limited flight operations conducted by these veteran
aircraft, the R/C pilots were able to demonstrate the
full potential of these ancient designs. Engaging in
aerial dogfights, there were some very exciting closecalls during the half-time shows on Saturday and
Sunday. Hosted by Tidewater R/C, the local chapter
of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), the
Dawn Patrol draws support from Glenn Torrance
Models, Aeroscale, Balsa USA, SKS Videos, Arizona
Models and Proctor Ent. With the help of its sponsors,
the Dawn Patrol handed out over $4,000.00 worth of
awards and prizes this year.
For 2014 there were three trophies presented. The
award for Best Allied, plus $200.00, was given to Mr.
Keith Goff from Georgia, for his impeccable scratchbuilt 27%-scale Curtiss JN-4 Jenny. The trophy for Best
Central Powers, with a $200.00 prize, was presented
to Mr. Mike Gross from New York, with his GTM
one-third scale Fokker Dr.I triplane. Considering the
level of detail on Mike’s model, one would almost swear
it was the real thing shrunk to one-third its original
size! Best of Show, plus a cash prize of $300.00, was
awarded to Dr. Gotz Vogalsange from Germany,
now a resident of North Carolina, for his beautiful
40%-scale Fokker Eindecker. Between the outstanding
model itself, and the expert flying of Dr. Gotz, it was
without question the best of this year’s show. The custombuilt three-foot tall trophy, hand-made by Dawn Patrol
founder, Mr. Scott Vickery, was made from cherry and
cedar wood. This year’s awards were sponsored by Glenn
Torrance Models. Congratulations to all winners at
the 2014 Mid-Atlantic Dawn Patrol. The evening ended
with a fully catered steak dinner, sponsored by the
Military Aviation Museum.
The organizers of the Mid-Atlantic Dawn Patrol
would like to offer a special word of thanks to Mr. Gerald
Yagen, Mr. David Hunt, Mr. Jonathan Lichtenstein, Mr.
James Stanton, and the crews of the Military Aviation
Museum and the Fighter Factory. Without their assistance
the event would not be possible. We have no intention of
scaling back in 2015. With a little luck, the size of the event
and the models will be bigger and better than ever. q
County Stations of Princess Anne
By Steven Prescott, Tidewater Division of the National Model Railroad Association
On 16 August, 2014, members of the Tidewater
Division of the National Model Railroad Association
(NMRA) met at the Military Aviation Museum. Among
the topics for discussion was the 2014 edition of “Planes,
Trains, and Santa”, an occasion at which are showcased
the train layouts of local modelers. At the meeting were
many Division members, plus representatives from other
groups, whose modular layouts will be on display in
November. Museum Director, Mr. David Hunt, welcomed
everyone with a brief presentation on the museum, its
current collection of aircraft, and other upcoming events.
For the occasion the NMRA was pleased to welcome
as its guest speaker Mr. Louis Cullipher, local farmer and
businessman. He shared with those gathered his extensive
knowledge of Virginia Beach’s history. In particular, his
presentation focused on Princess Anne County, now the
southern section of the City of Virginia Beach, where
farmers’ crops once were just large enough to feed their
families. If there was a good harvest, there might be a little
left over to share with the neighbors. But when the former
Norfolk & Western Railway arrived in the region it offered
a great boost to the local agricultural economy: farmers
could now deliver their harvests outside of the county.
Mr. Cullipher offered those in attendance the
opportunity to examine samples from his collection of
maps and photographs of Princess Anne County. He also
brought materials illustrating the former rights-of-way and
the old area train depots. Included amongst his artifacts
on display was a selection of old rail spikes, fragments of
actual rails, and a spike puller salvaged from his farmland.
The wealth of material unearthed on his property had
come as no surprise to Louis because it had once been
on the mainline. The discovery of something like a spike
puller is usually heralded by an unpleasant and unexpected
clanking sound, the result of farm equipment impacting
these forgotten relics of the rails.
The group’s enthusiasm was further enhanced by a
raffle, which featured a single 15-minute ride in the North
American SNJ-2 biplane of the Military Aviation Museum.
The lucky winner was Ms. Sharon Prescott, wife of Tidewater
Division member Mr. Steven Prescott. Following the
meeting’s conclusion, the museum permitted attending
members of the NMRA to tour the museum. On behalf of
the local model railroading community we would like to
thank the museum for having hosted this conference. We
look forward to once more installing our layouts at the next
“Planes, Trains, and Santa”. q
Wings & Wheels continued
This year, the Tidewater Region garnered over
25 paid sponsors, with such sponsor awards as “Best
Chrome” and “Best Modified Car” selected by a
special committee and presented to participants for
their achievements. Some sponsors staffed exhibits
in the Navy Hangar. Mr. Samuel Kern, Assistant
Meet Chairman, said, “Having Tidewater’s meets
at the Military Aviation Museum has enabled us
to gain more sponsor support with each ensuing
year. Businesses understand its importance and are
willing to pay for having a presence at this venue.”
There was plenty of flying action throughout
the day. Rides were available on the BoeingStearman PT-17 of the Military Aviation Museum.
One lucky person, Mr. Myron Rhamy, was the
winner of a 15-minute ride raffled on the day.
Mr. Michael Kuhnert of Bay Aviation sold several
rides in his Fairchild PT-19. And Mr. Gerald Yagen
delighted the crowd with a demonstration flight by
the museum’s North American P-51D Mustang later
in the afternoon.
TK Foods (of the Virginia Beach Sportsplex),
Bros. Fish Tacos and Heavenly Kettle Corn were on
hand to dish out various delights from their menus.
This year, for the first time we welcomed the
Wounded Wear charity to the Navy Hangar. Based
in Chesapeake, Wounded Wear’s primary mission
is to raise national awareness of the sacrifices made
by all members of our armed services.
The magnificent collection of military artifacts
from Don’s Military Memorial Displays returned to
the Navy Hangar, under the supervision of Mr. Don
Belew. Don’s mission is to commemorate, through
display of his collection, those who have served and
continue to serve as members of our armed forces.
“Wings and Wheels” is a very labor-intensive
endeavor, and this year was no exception. Several
diverse teams are needed for traffic control and
parking, distribution of a large quantity of furniture,
plane operations and handling, and museum tours.
Performance by the museum’s volunteer workforce,
under the direction of Mitch Welch, was nothing
less than superb. The Tidewater Region thanks the
Military Aviation Museum for once again hosting
its 41st meet and looks forward to the prospect of
another sunny day at the 42nd. q
A special thanks to the AACA
members who donated the money
and manpower to erect two bridges at the
museum. L to R: Samuel Kern, Jim Villers,
Kit Larence; Bill Treadwell (not pictured)
PAGE 4
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 4
Hangar Happenings
Miracle Skyraider
By Stephen S Chapis
By David Hunt, Museum Director
This year marked the launch of our very
successful airplane rides program. The 1941 Boeing
Stearman and the 1940 North American SNJ-2
have collectively provided over 450 rides so far.
Flights were booked by visitors from more than
15 states and 9 countries. The positive results were
evidenced by the oohs and aahs uttered by satisfied
passengers as they soured over the wonderful
Virginia Beach countryside, Back Bay Wildlife
Refuge, and the picturesque Intracoastal waterways.
Most of them return with the priceless photographs
taken while aloft, souvenirs of a trip to remember.
Flights will commence in the spring of 2015
with the addition of a new plane, our WACO
YMF-5. The WACO brings an opportunity for two
people to fly up-front, so someone who is flying for
the first time will have someone’s hand to hold.
Personally, one of my favorite comments was
from a lady who took her first ever flight in a plane
and enjoyed a 30min ride in our Stearman. Stepping
out of the front seat, wearing her leather jacket,
leather helmet, goggles and silk scarf, she said that it
was the most unbelievable experience and she only
wished she had done it years ago. Her husband
commented that he had been trying to get her to
take a flight for over 10 years. q
WACO
The AD-4 Skyraider at the Military Aviation Museum
is a survivor. It was heavily involved in combat operations
in the opening months of the Korean War, it came within
minutes of having to ditch in the North Atlantic during
Operation Mariner, and was slowly picked apart by vandals
before Dave Forrest saved it in 1966.
The aircraft, BuNo 123827, rolled off Douglas’ El Segundo production line on September 29, 1949 and was
delivered to Attack Squadron Fifty-Five (VA-55) Torpcats
at NAS San Diego, California. When the Communists
stormed across Korea’s 38th Parallel on June 25, 1950, the
only U.S. carrier in the Western Pacific was USS Valley
Forge (CV-45) with VA-55 aboard. On July 3, Valley
Forge launched the Navy’s first carrier-borne airstrikes
of the war and VA-55 Skyraiders attacked airfields in
Pyongyang, North Korea, destroying hangars, aircraft,
and fuel depots. This mission marked the combat debut
of the Douglas Skyraider and 123827 was in the thick of
the fight.
In June 1953, the aircraft was attached to VA-75
Sunday Punchers at NAS Quonset Point, RI. Two months
later the squadron sailed into the North Atlantic aboard
USS Bennington (CV-20), where it would participate in
Operation Mariner along with USS Wasp (CV-16), and
Canadian carrier HMCS Magnificent. On September 23,
1953, ‘827 and 41 other aircraft were nearly lost on this
near-tragic day when they were launched into marginal
weather conditions at 1330hrs. By 1420hrs the weather
had deteriorated so much that RAD Goodwin recalled all
aircraft. Ten Corsairs managed to land aboard Bennington
before a heavy fog enveloped the task force in zero-zero
conditions, stranding the remaining 32 aircraft aloft. For
the next three hours radar controllers and flight leads
struggled in vain to locate a break in the weather. Fuel
supplies dwindled. Time ticked away. Pilots asked for Last
Rights over the radio.
At 1705hrs the decision was made for all aircraft to
ditch, but when a small break in the fog was seen RAD
Goodwin ordered the three carriers into the wind in line
abreast formation 1,500 yards apart. Additionally each
flattop went to full flight deck illumination and dropped
flares into the water to help guide pilots on their approaches.
For 65 tension-filled minutes, in an ever-darkening sky,
all aircraft safely recovered aboard whatever carrier they
could find. Fifteen minutes later the fog descended and
the task force sailed in zero-zero conditions for the next
18 hours. The prayers offered in the preceding four hours
had been answered, and the event became known as The
Mariner Miracle.
In October 1954, ‘827 was turned over to VMAT-20
at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina. While at Cherry
Point, it was flown by New York-native Dick Berry, who
was inspired to become a Marine Corps aviator after he
saw John Wayne in “Flying Leathernecks”. After Dick
completed his Skyraider training in July 1954, he was
assigned to VMA-121 Wolf Raiders at K-6 airbase
Pyeongtaek, South Korea. He flew AD-2s and -3s on
reconnaissance flights along the DMZ looking for buildups of Communist troops or artillery. When his tour was
complete in August 1955, Berry was assigned to VMAT-20
as an instructor. When he left the Marine Corps in July
1956, Berry had logged almost 700 hours in Skyraiders,
including 11 hours in the museum’s aircraft. In early July,
‘827 was flown to NAS Atlanta where it was stricken on
July 25, 1956, with 2,807 hours total time.
In 1959, the Navy closed down the air station and it
became DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK). The Skyraider
was donated to the City of Chamblee, Georgia for display
at PDK on May 16, 1960. In 1965, Lt Dick Berry was now
Agent Dick Berry of the FBI’s Atlanta Bureau. Berry heard
about a Skyraider on display at PDK and went out to take a
look. He enjoyed seeing a Skyraider again, but was appalled
at the condition of the aircraft. As he was leaving he wrote
down the Bureau Number. When he got home that evening
he leafed through his logbooks and found that he had
flown the aircraft at Cherry Point in 1956!
PDK employee and former USN Skyraider electrician
Dave Forrest was also disgusted at the condition of the
AD-4 and spent several years battling bureaucratic red
tape and political apathy on the part of the Chamblee
mayor and city council to save the now-dilapidated Able
Dog. Dave finally found a council member that was
sensitive to his position and who kept bringing up the
subject to the mayor and council. Eventually the city
realized the Skyraider was a liability and could do
nothing but dispose of aircraft. Continued on Page 7
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 4
“They Can Have My Bed!”
PAGE 5
By Stuart Chaplain
On December 7th, 1941, over 350 Japanese airplanes
bombed U.S. Navy ships at Pearl Harbor, in Hawaii. The
following day, the United States declared war on Japan
and entered the Second World War. This action required
more U.S. planes and pilots for both the Pacific and
European theaters. It also required more Navy bases to
train those pilots.
Land was acquired by eminent domain for four
Tidewater auxiliary bases: Oceana, Creeds, Fentress and
Pungo. The land for Pungo Auxiliary Air Station was
acquired from 16 contiguous property owners amounting
to 441 acres. The station had a total of 82 buildings and
a complement of up to 1,400 men.
There were two large, two-story cinderblock barracks.
One was for the enlisted men with open sleeping
arrangements. The other barracks was for officers with
two bunks per room. There were no arrangements for
married couples.
Once the men settled in at Pungo, arrangements
were made by the Navy and the good people of Pungo
and surrounding areas to provide what most called “a
room and kitchen privileges”.
Young Stuart Chaplain on one of his paper routes.
I remember Mom and Dad talking about having
a Navy couple staying with us. I loved those guys so I
jumped in and said, “They can have my bed. I’ll sleep in
the little bedroom,” and that is what happened. It was a
little like a long-term bed and breakfast, and we all used the
same bathroom. I think the cost was 30 dollars a month.
It was different having two strangers living in your
house; but, the man left early for work and, many times,
the wife would catch the Navy bus to downtown Virginia
Beach or Norfolk. There wasn’t much to do in Pungo.
In 1942, I was seven years old and Pungo airfield
was a big part of my life growing up. I was a paper boy
the entire time the base was open. Each day, I sold fortyfive Norfolk Ledger Dispatches at 5 cents each. My only
regular customer was Commander Hines and he paid
weekly and with a tip.
A lot of the Navy families and hosts grew close
together. We were fighting a war and we were all on
the same side. Both families furnished food and other
necessities as many ate together, washed dishes together
and worked for the benefit of freedom. Many of these
families kept in touch for years. My family kept in touch
with Ruby and Claude Harrington from Kannapolis,
North Carolina and their children until 2009 when the
sailor died at the age of 96. Ruby predeceased Claude.
Today, his daughter emails me on occasion.
I hung out over there a lot, as they were good to me,
teased me and took care of me. I got cookies from the
mess hall, watched their ball games, and even learned
some words my mom and dad didn’t approve of me using.
Eventually, Claude shipped out and Ruby went back
home. When Claude returned to Pungo from his nine
month cruise, so did Ruby, but we had another couple
by then. Bobby and Dick Sisson, great people from
Michigan then came to live with us. My dad talked
with Mr. and Mrs. Buck Flannagan about taking in the
Harringtons, which they did, so we still saw them. This
was not a unique situation, as many of the people in our
area did all they could to make things as comfortable as
they could for our servicemen. Another couple, Max and
Louise, stayed with my grandmother and they became
life-long friends.
The airfield was like a beehive—everyone had a job
and every job was filled. The squadrons that came through
Pungo were in intense training for war. They trained for
hours at a time, firing rockets at airborne targets while
over the ocean. They dropped practice bombs on targets
laid out on the northern section of the base. A total of 24
squadrons passed through Pungo during WWII, most
consisting of TBF and TBM Avenger torpedo bombers
and F4F or FM Wildcat fighters.
These men at Pungo NAAS had a huge job to do and
they did it, as witnessed by the signing of the surrender of
Japan on the deck of the USS Missouri on September 2,
1945.
Many families in Pungo performed their job of
providing homes-away-from-home for married warriors
and their wives—thereby assisting in the war effort. q
By Felix Usis, Volunteer Historian
The NA-68
On 30 December 1939, Siam ordered six aircraft
for the Royal Thai Air Force, similar to the NA-50
and initially designated NA-50As, then re-designated
NA-68. The changes in the NA-68 included: a modified
landing gear, new outer wings, heavier armament, and
redesigned tail surfaces similar to those adopted on
later production trainers. North American test pilot
Lewis Waite flew the first NA-68 on 1 September 1940.
A recent arrival at the Military Aviation Museum is
a copy of a North American P-64. The P-64 was the
designation assigned by the United States Army Air
Corps (USAAC) to the North American Aviation
NA-68 fighter, an upgraded variant of the NA-50
developed during the late 1930s. The P-64 designation
falls out of chronological order and belongs to a North
American product the USAAC never intended to use.
The NA-50
The North American NA-50 was developed as a
simple, single-seat, low-wing, single-engine fighter strictly
for export. The design was little more than a single-seat
pursuit ship patterned after the NA-16 trainer aircraft of
1935. The NA-16 evolved into a series of aircraft (BT-6 /
AT-6 / SNJ / Harvard) that were some of the most widely
used advanced and basic training aircraft produced by
any country, and provided the basic design for a singleengine fighter intended for small countries that needed a
simple aircraft with modern capabilities and features.
Seven NA-50s were purchased by the Peruvian Air
Force, which nicknamed it Torito (Spanish slang for
“Little Bull”). The Peruvian aircraft was of a singleseat fighter design based on the two-seat Basic Combat
Demonstrator NA-44. The NA-50 was powered by a
Wright R-1820 radial air-cooled engine and armed
with two .30in M1919 Browning machine guns.
The Peruvian aircraft deliveries were completed in
May 1939. In Peruvian service, these aircraft were fitted
with bomb racks under the fuselage for small bombs. The
Peruvian NA-50s took part in the Ecuadorian-Peruvian
war of July 1941, supporting Army of Peru ground forces.
The six of this ‘strictly export’ aircraft were built
at Inglewood and painted in Siamese markings. They
were en route to Siam when the US Army confiscated
them after the Franco-Thai War and growing ties between
Thailand and the Empire of Japan. The USAAF removed
the armament, and assigned them to training duties at
Luke Field, Arizona and were used for advanced fighter
training and liaison aircraft. A widely-published report
that the Siam-bound aircraft were caught at Pearl
Harbor during the 7 December 1941 Japanese attack
is inaccurate: the aircraft were embargoed in October
1940 and one was noted in USAAF markings at Luke
as early as 16 September 1941
The Museum’s copy is actually a North American
SNJ-4 (BuNo 51363) rebuilt to resemble a P-64. The
project was completed in 2001 and was recently
acquired by the museum. q
PAGE 6
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3
Living History at the 2014 Warbirds Over the Beach Air Show
By Andrea Docos
For the 6th year in a row, the Military Aviation Museum
has had the great privilege of hosting a number of Veteran
guests as part of the Living History portion of our annual
‘Warbirds Over the Beach’ Air Show. This event continues
to be an incredible opportunity for air show patrons to
learn a little bit about the past, gain a lot of perspective, and
shake hands with the gentlemen who changed the course of
history. Bringing with them photographs, airplane models,
old uniforms, and plenty of stories, these men continue
to be one of the main attractions at our event. In case you
missed the fun, here is a little bit about each of the veteran
guests who joined us this year.
Norwood Thomas of Virginia Beach, Virginia joined
us again for the 6th year in a row. As a member of the 101st
Airborne Division, Norwood parachuted into Normandy
for Operation Overlord on June 6, 1944, and later into
Holland for Operation Market Garden. Norwood then
went on across Europe to fight at the Battle of the Bulge in
Bastogne. He recently took a trip back to Normandy for the
70th anniversary of D-Day, and was able to find the spot
where he landed so many years ago.
Hans Meyer is our returning German Luftwaffe pilot.
Hans flew Me-109s on the Eastern front during the war and
offers a unique perspective on the conflict to our air show
guests. Hans is a Virginia Beach local and has participated
in our events for the past couple of years. Among other
things, he brought with him his original flight boots as well
as a fascinating book he has written about his life.
Robert “Bob” Krause is another one of our returning
guests who consistently wows our air show guests with
stories about his years as a Navy Instructor Pilot, and an
impressive display of photographs and model airplanes.
Bob served our nation stateside where he trained hundreds
of naval aviators in many different types of aircraft such as
the F-4U Corsair and the Kingfisher. Donned in his crisp
summer whites uniform, Bob also attended the Saturday
night swing dance where he enjoyed the music of his youth
and had quite a full dance card.
Col. Robert Shawn is another returning guest to
Left (L to R): Don Demmert, Bob Cinibulk, Bob Krause, Robert Shawn,
Norwood Thomas, Hans Meyer, Ira Comstock; Right (L to R): Gerald Yagen & Jerry Yellin
Krause
Robert
Shawn Norwood
our show who served as aBobfighter
pilot
during
the Thomas
war.
Looking sharp
in
his
Army
uniform,
Bob
has
some
Bob Cinibulk
incredible stories to tell about his experiences in the P-51
and P-47, just two of the many different airplanes he flew
during his career. His display included photographs and
numerous model airplanes.
Don Demmert
Don Demmert is a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot who joined
us for the first time this summer. He brought with him,
his lovely wife Hildegard, some wonderful photographs
from his war years, as well as a medal.
Robert “Bob” Cinibulk served as a Waist Gunner
during WWII on a Flying Fortress called “Lazy Baby”.
On the morning of October 14th 1943, Lazy Baby took
off from England on the second Schweinfurt raid; later to
become known as Black Thursday. After taking on severe
damage inflicted by enemy fighters, and having suffered
numerous injuries on board, Lazy Baby crash landed in
a farm field in neutral Switzerland close to the German
border. Bob survived the crash relatively unscathed and
has since been in touch with the members of the community
who helped get the brave aviators to safety.
Ira Comstock was another new face at the air show
this year that we hope will come back to see us again soon.
Ira flew P-38s during WWII and brought along with him
some incredible surveillance photos of war torn Europe,
as well as
some instruments from his aircraft and a flight
Ira Comstock
helmet. He came decked out in his original uniform jacket,
and brought some touching photos of himself as a young
man the night his three brothers were united again with his
sister and parents for the first time in years during the war.
Hans Meyer
We also had a group from the Howard Baugh
Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen. Howard flew 135 combat
missions as part of the 332nd Fighter Group’s 99th Fighter
Squadron in Sicily, Italy, during World War II. He was
represented by his son, his granddaughter, and some other
folks from the Chapter that has been set up in his honor.
Jerry Yellin, an accomplished author and decorated
former P-51 pilot who flew numerous missions over Japan,
joined us as the National Spokesman for ‘Keep The Spirit
of ’45 Alive!’ Jerry had the opportunity to share a little bit
about the mission of ‘Keep the Spirit of ’45 Alive’ with our
air show visitors, as well as talk about his experiences in the
South Pacific during the war. “This group is a coalition of
organizations and individuals who are helping to preserve
and honor the legacy of the men and women of America’s
‘greatest generation’ by helping to support the campaign
to promote public awareness and participation in
Spirit of ‘45 Day”. q
Pilot’s View continued
Fighter Factory manager, who would pilot it for the show
wearing his custom-made, extremely appropriate helmet.
The Bleriot would only do ground runs as the builder
of our replica had put “fat”, modern wings with ailerons
on it, thus doubling the weight of the original. That’s a bit
much for an ostensible 35 horsepower motor to handle, but
with its unique sound and appearance, the Bleriot was a
show-stopper.
The division of the performance into two one-hour
segments, with the radio-controlled WWI flyers before, in
between and after, worked well for pilots flying two types.
The three of our aircraft with only one pilot qualified—so
far—opened the show. I coaxed the Curtiss Pusher around
the pattern only once because of turbulence while Mike did
better in the Curtiss Jenny, but he also didn’t stay up longer
than he had to. Tom had a blast running up and down the
runway showing the crowd what really early, early-birds
looked and sounded like.
While the Saturday flights went well for all pilots,
Sunday was my day to remember. The Pusher was again
first off and managed twice around before conceding to the
wind. The Jenny was up as well while the Bleriot blasted
castor oil on its high speed taxi runs.
I made a quick shift into the Fokker C1 and took off
as wingman to the famous “Pappy” Mazza in his yellow
nose Fokker D7. Our mission; shoot down der Englander,
Josh, in the 1 ½ Strutter. Our dogfight in sight of the crowd
was a glorious fifteen minutes of rolling, turning, diving,
twisting maneuvers. The advantage shifted back and forth.
However, after landing, my airplane was surrounded by
folks shouting they had tried to signal me down because
of the stream of white smoke coming from my engine. Oil
quantity was checked and a half gallon had been used in
twenty minutes. There was oil everywhere. My ride for the
second segment was grounded.
During the break, John “Mushroom” Fuentes asked,
“You want to ride in the back of the Halberstadt I’m flying?”
As a student of the Great War, a chance to see what a
gunner went through was irresistible. Noted and approved,
the mechs lugged 75 pounds of lead shot out of the back seat.
Climbing in was difficult. Strapping in was awkward.
The space was cramped—my knees were drawn up high.
It was hard to see over the cockpit edge. I had no idea what
was going on, but the view was fantastic. Kevin Sinibaldi in
the Nieuport 17 slid to our six o’clock to shoot us down. If
the machine gun wasn’t bolted down.. and had ammo, I
could have returned fire. Jerry Yagen in the Raben triplane
and Nelson Eskey in the Klimke triplane arrived to save
us from the French fighter, and flew alongside until Lou
Radwanik showed up to complete the Luftstreitskrafte
formation. The Fokker D8 he flew could have been the best
fighter of the First World War but arrived too late.
Sitting backwards, hanging on through hard turns,
dives and other maneuvers without knowing what was
coming was sensory overload. The wind was a force to be
reckoned with and a lesson learned was front seat pilots
should not have scarves long enough to flap annoyingly on
the rear seater’s helmet. A gunner’s belt for security and the
ability to stand would make a lot of difference. Enabling the
machine gun to traverse, elevate and swivel would result in
more shoot downs—well, some terrific camera shots and
videos.
For one of the few times in my flying career, I was
glad to land. A glass of wine was most welcome after that
exciting day. Drank a toast to Biplanes and Triplanes 2015,
the 100th anniversary of the second year of the War to End
All Wars. q
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3
In Memoriam
On September 19th 2014, Henry Speight Proescher
passed away at the age of 84. Born in Norfolk General
Hospital on June 30, 1930, he lived at Ballentine Place
in Norfolk, VA. Henry was a Korean War veteran of the
United States Army; after he was the Senior Illustrator
at the Navy Aviation Depot and retired after 29 years of
government service.
Henry was a member of the Experimental Aircraft
Association, International Aerobatic Club, Vintage Aircraft
Association, and the Soaring Society of America. He
was founding President of the Experimental Aircraft
Association Chapter 339. Henry had a pilot’s license
before he could drive a car and purchased his first plane
before a car (it was his little secret he kept from his mother).
He was not only one of the museums first volunteer
docents, but also our very first Santa for our Trains, Planes
and Santa event. He was the only Santa who never had to
wear a false beard.
Henry received much pleasure from his lifelong
hobby of building, rebuilding and flying planes. He
leaves behind his best friend and loving wife, Diane
Proescher, son, J. Stephan and daughters, Susan Gary
and Betsy Batten.
Keep them flying Henry.
PAGE 7
Skyraider continued
It took over a year for the city to make a decision, but
on September 14, 1966, Dave purchased the AD-4 and
became the first civilian to own a Douglas Skyraider.
Once Dave moved the AD into the maintenance
hangar at Epps Aviation, he began to take stock of his new
aircraft. It was in deplorable condition. The windshield,
canopy, and portions of the cowling were missing and
the interior was completely gutted and full of garbage.
Control cables and electrical wiring had been cut and
partially removed, and the fuel cell was full of holes. At
some point the rudder had been torn off; the city fixed it
by punching holes in the skin and tying the rudder back
on with steel cables! During disassembly and cleaning,
Dave began the arduous task of searching for parts and
placed blind ads in Trade-A-Plane and The Green Sheet,
asked friends in the airlines and the Navy to look for
parts during their travels, received invaluable help from
Douglas Aircraft Company Product Support Manager
Harry Gann, and did some trading with the Museum
of Naval Aviation.
mechanics, Epps Aviation mechanics, and retired Navy
mechanics, Dave took his AD-4 aloft on its first postrestoration flight on December 5, 1978. Over the next
several years Dave put 200 hours on the airplane, flying it
to various airshows throughout the southeast.
In 1983, Dick Berry heard that the ragged Skyraider
he saw a decade earlier had been restored to flying
condition, and was based at Epps Field in Athens,
Georgia. He went out to see the aircraft and talk to the
maintenance crew. A few years later he saw the aircraft
a gain at McCullum Field in Marietta, Georgia.
Then, after a 12-year restoration during which
Dave received generous assistance from off-duty airline
The Skyraider joined the Fighter Factory in August
2000, still wearing its Atlanta markings. In 2001, the
aircraft was repainted to represent the AD-4 flown by
VA-195 CO LCdr Harold ‘Swede’ Carlson on the famous
Hwachon Dam raid on May 1, 1951. This Skyraider
survived five months of intense combat over Korea,
nearly ditched in the North Atlantic, and was slowly
picked apart by vandals before it was saved at the very
dawn of the warbird movement. The fact that it is safely
in the care of the Military Aviation Museum today is truly
a Miracle. q
Allied acquisition, a Nieuport 17, flown by Mr. Kevin
Sinibaldi. Although soon outclassed by more advanced
types, the 17 was one of the most important planes
fielded by Allied air forces, following the “Fokker
Scourge” of 1915-1916.
Fokker D.VIII, an advanced parasol monoplane fighter,
had the distinction of having been one of the last designs
of the Fokker Company accepted by Germany, and the
last German aircraft to achieve victory in the air, during
World War One.
With the recovery of the two triplanes, the Sopwith,
and the Nieuport, we pressed ahead with our final flights.
Aeronautical engineering during WWI reached its zenith
in 1918 with Anthony Fokker’s D.VII. So successful
was the model, surviving examples were demanded as
reparations, post-war. The museum holds two examples
of the D.VII, including one constructed around a HallScott engine. The Hall-Scott was actually installed in the
D.VII, post-war, as operated by the nascent U.S. Army
Air Service, and replaced the original Mercedes or BMW
blocks in these second-hand planes. However, it was our
more conventionally powered D.VII that took to the air,
with Mr. John “Pappy” Mazza in the cockpit. He was
joined by a lone Fokker C.I, Mr. Robert Powell at the
controls. At first glance, one might mistake the plane
for another D.VII, but upon closer inspection one may
discern a second crew position and a slightly elongated
airframe. After a brief set change, the next to join the
formation was the museum’s Halberstadt CL.IV, Mr.
John Fuentes at the controls, and Mr. Powell in the
observer’s seat. The final aircraft launched and recovered
had both the last word at “Biplanes” and in the Great
War. Flown by Mr. Lou Radwanick for the occasion, the
Our patrons’ and re-enactors’ continued demand for
these events at Pungo means we shall resume next year,
with an even more historic bill of fare. These events would
not be possible without the unflagging dedication of the
Military Aviation Museum’s staff, the expertise of the
mechanics and pilots of the Fighter Factory, and the
hours of assistance offered by the museum’s volunteers.
Their efforts ensure the continued safety of our operations,
and enable you to enjoy one of world’s most extensive
collections of WWI-era biplanes and triplanes. We would
also like to thank members of the Coastal Composite
Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), who helped to
park cars and enforce our crowd safety line. The CAP
is a United States Air Force auxiliary comprised of
cadets, aged 12-18 years, and senior adult members.
Biplanes & Triplanes Review continued
We hope your enthusiasm for such commemorative
events will motivate you to join us for yet more
exhibitions at the Military Aviation Museum. Mark your
calendars now: the next edition of “Warbirds Over the
Beach” will be 15-17 May, 2015! q
439 S. Witchduck Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
757-502-8117 (Boutique)
757-831-4480 (Cell)
Monday–Saturday 11-7, Sunday 12-5
Photo by Art Norfolk
PAGE 8
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 4
EVENT CALENDAR
Volunteer Orientation Class
Runway 5K, Untamed Spirit
Brute Strength Plane Pull,
Brute Strength Gym
Give a few hours a month, learn the
history of the Museum’s amazing aircraft,
and share their stories with others. All that’s
required is enthusiasm! Candidates must
be 18 years of age or older to register.
Step out for a run to benefit Untamed
Spirit Therapeutic and Educational Program,
serving special needs children and adults!
Registration opens at 7:30am, 5K race starts
at 9:00am, and ½-mile run at 10:00am.
From 11:00am, participants will pull
one of the museum’s warbirds (Avenger or
Wildcat) a distance of approximately 75-feet.
$50.00 registration fee for contestants will
benefit the Wounded Warrior Project.
November 15
November 22
November 22
Planes, Trains, and Santa,
Tidewater Division NMRA
1940s Valentine’s Hangar Dance
Noted Speaker Dinner,
MAM Leading Edge Circle
Santa Claus is coming to town… by air!
Witness his arrival on Friday and Saturday,
with model train displays all three days:
models of all sizes for children of all ages.
Children 12 and under receive free entry.
A 1940s-themed event with live music,
swing dancing, door prizes, fine food, and
romance, our annual Valentine’s Dance lands
on Valentine’s Day for 2015. Cut a dash and
dance the night away at the museum.
Spend the evening with noted aviator,
Capt. Robert Gibson (USN ret.), former NASA
astronaut, and veteran contestant at the Reno
Air Races. Sponsored by the Leading Edge
Circle of the Military Aviation Museum.
November 28-30
February 14
march 11
NOVEMBER 22
NOVEMBER 28-30
ker D.VII
One of the museum’s Fok
ional lozenge paint
biplanes, featuring tradit
ignia as used
scheme and German ins
22.
on linen at Langley in 19
Open Daily
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
1341 Princess Anne Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23457
(757) 721-PROP
Membership Newsletter for the
Military Aviation Museum
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