Wings 2010

48 Pages·2010·14.365 MB·English

by  Collective

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The Military Aviation Museum
Founded in 2005, the Military Aviation Museum displays and provides a
permanent home for more than 25 Second World War and earlier vintage
flying aircraft in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The museum’s on-going mission
is to preserve, restore and fly these historic aircraft and to allow a new
generation to experience and learn from what their fathers, grandfathers
and great-grandfathers might have endured on the lonely airfields and in
the skies so very far from home.
The original founders of the museum, Gerald and Elaine Yagen, have spent
years collecting and restoring these beautiful aircraft. Their enthusiasm
started with Gerald Yagen’s passion for aviation.
It was in 1994, where after visiting the Canadian Warplane Heritage
Museum in Hamilton, Ontario, Gerald Yagen obtained his first vintage
aircraft for his personal weekend flying. As his quest for additional aircraft
continued, he soon learned that Second World War vintage aircraft were
few and far between. He would soon find himself traveling around the world
in search of these rare and historic aircraft.
Jerry Yagen at the controls of his Supermarine Spitfire Mark IXe
His first discovery led him to the wrecked remains of a P-40E Warhawk
Greetings
to all of our many visitors and participants for previously recovered north of the Arctic Circle in Russia. After retrieving
our annual display of Warbirds Over the Beach. We welcome the plane, it was shipped to Norfolk, Virginia...in pieces. He and a small
team of technicians then began the daunting task of a full restoration of the
all of you and hope that it will be a memorable occasion that all of
P-40E, but quickly discovered that finding the necessary parts and
us will forever remember and treasure. Warbirds Over the
components to complete the restoration wouldn’t be as easy as acquiring
Beach will be a weekend for everyone to experience a time from
them at the local repair shop. The original manufacturers have long since
the first half of the last century when our country was unified with gone out of business!
its’ allies for a common cause. A cause which was quite clear and
much simpler to understand. It is a time when that generation is Later searches would uncover many more aircraft. After the P-40E was
rapidly fading into the past, but will certainly never be forgotten. acquired, a second aircraft was discovered, and much closer to home! The
The technology and development of multiple new aircraft will never rare Chance Vought Corsair was originally found while being stored in an
owner’s backyard in the Bay Island community of northern Virginia Beach.
again be repeated. These artifacts of history were discarded by the
As it turned out, this rare and historic aircraft had flown off the aircraft
thousands after the war, only to be treasured today and
carrier USS Intrepid during the battle of Okinawa in the Second World War.
painstakingly reconstructed and restored to their former brilliance.
In addition, the Military Aviation Museum’s Corsair also maintains the
They are the real stars of the show! lowest total flight time hours of any Corsair flying today!
Our thanks go out to the many reenactors, musicians, supporters, As time went on, Gerald Yagen’s passion for obtaining and restoring these
volunteers and everyone that has helped to make this such a huge rare aircraft eventually laid the foundations for today’s Military Aviation
success. I hope you will have as much enjoyment experiencing our Museum. In the process, it was learned that the real “discovery” was not
just the aircraft themselves, but that of the history they were a part of and
air show as we have
the stories of the brave men and women who flew them.
had preparing it for
your entertainment.
The Military Aviation Museum is truly a “living museum” and will continue
to grow. Several new aircraft are nearing full restoration and will be added
Sincerely, to the museum’s collection this year. At the same time, five new additional
David Hunt
structures, including a new aircraft maintenance facility as well as a 15,000
square foot hangar to house aircraft from the Great War, will proceed with
David Hunt, Director construction in late spring of this year.
Military Aviation
Bring your family, friends and guests often and enjoy “rolling back the hands
Museum
of time.” For information regarding scheduled flight demonstrations,
seminars or visiting aircraft, please call them at (757) 721-PROP. The
Military Aviation Museum is located at 1341 Princess Anne Rd. in the Pungo
area of Virginia Beach.
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ON THE
SATURDAY, MAY 22 HANGAR STAGE
COVER
10:00 AM 10:30 AM Theresa Eaman
10:30 AM 11:00 AM Ultimate Abbot and Costello
“Lighthouse Raid” 11:00 AM 11:45 AM Hampton Roads Metro Band
11:45 AM 12:00 PM Frank Sings Frank
by Alan Hailston 12:00 PM 12:30 PM Hampton Roads Metro Band
12:30 PM 1:00 PM Silver Tappers
1:00 PM 3:00 PM AIR SHOW
As an avid aviation enthusiast, 3:00 PM 3:45 PM Symphonic Artistry
Virginia Beach artist, Alan 3:45 PM 4:00 PM Lakewood Dance and Tap
Hailston, has once again designed
4:00 PM 5:00 PM Symphonic Artistry
and produced this year’s Warbirds Over The
5:00 PM 5:30 PM Frank Sings Frank
Beach show poster and show program guide. His unique art, combining
5:30 PM 6:00 PM The Victory Belles
a ball point pen drawing with watercolor, depicts the museum’s PBY-
6:00 PM 6:30 PM Ultimate Abbot and Costello
5A Catalina, TBM-3E Avenger, Wildcat and FG-1D Corsair flying over
6:30 PM 7:00 PM Frank Sings Frank
the Cape Henry Lighthouses on Fort Story in Virginia Beach. A limited
7:00 PM 7:45 PM SuperBand
number of his original art prints for both the 2009 and 2010 shows
7:45 PM 8:00 PM Ultimate Abbot and Costello
are on sale in the museum’s gift store. You can view Alan’s portfolio of
work online at www.hailstonproductions.com. 8:00 PM 8:45 PM SuperBand
8:45 PM 9:00 PM Frank Sings Frank
9:00 PM 9:15 PM Theresa Eaman
9:15 PM 10:00 PM SuperBand
Saturday & Sunday, May 22 & 23, 2010
SATURDAY, MAY 22 OUTDOOR STAGE
12:15pm T-6 TEXAN Tainers formation flying
10:00 AM 10:30 AM Frank Sings Frank
WAVIER IN EFFECT - FIELD CLOSED
10:30 AM 11:00 AM The Victory Belles
1:00pm Trainers fly-by
11:00 AM 11:30 AM Theresa Eaman
1:20pm T-6 TEXAN Group fly-by and landing
11:30 AM 12:00 PM Ultimate Abbot and Costello
1:35pm P-40 KITTYHAWK takes off and holds, southeast
12:00 PM 12:30 PM Frank Sings Frank
1:35pm VAL DIVE BOMBER takes off and holds, northwest
12:30 PM 1:00 PM The Victory Belles
1:35pm L-5 STINSON takes off and holds, southwest
1:00 PM 3:00 PM AIR SHOW
1:36pm Germans chase downed pilot
3:00 PM 3:30 PM Theresa Eaman
1:40pm L-5 STINSON arrives for pilot rescue
3:30 PM 4:00 PM Ultimate Abbot and Costello
1:45pm P-40 KITTYHAWK arrives & holds off Germans
4:00 PM 4:30 PM Frank Sings Frank
1:55pm L-5 STINSON departs with rescued pilot, holds southeast
4:30 PM 5:00 PM The Victory Belles
2:05pm VAL DIVE BOMBER: December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor
5:00 PM 5:30 PM Theresa Eaman
2:15pm P-40 KITTYHAWK shoots down VAL 5:30 PM 6:00 PM Ultimate Abbot and Costello
2:21pm JU-52 & STORCH take off, fly-by and landing 6:00 PM 6:30 PM Frank Sings Frank
2:40pm PBY-5A CATALINA take off, fly-by and landing 6:30 PM 7:00 PM The Victory Belles
3:00pm Bombers take off, fly-by and landing
3:20pm Fighters take off, fly-by and landing
SUNDAY, MAY 23 HANGAR STAGE
4:00pm Field open
10:00 AM 10:30 AM Theresa Eaman
All times listed are approximate and subject to change due to advance
10:30 AM 11:00 AM Ultimate Abbot and Costello
printing deadlines of this booklet and weather conditions.
11:00 AM 11:45 AM The Victory Belles
11:45 AM 12:00 PM Frank Sings Frank
12:00 PM 12:15 PM Theresa Eaman
12:15 PM 1:00 PM Ultimate Abbot and Costello
1:00 PM 3:00 PM AIR SHOW
2010
3:00 PM 3:45 PM Hampton Roads Metro Band
3:45 PM 4:15 PM Frank and Theresa Duet
4:15 PM 5:00 PM Hampton Roads Metro Band
Sat., May 22 8:00 pm AIR SHOW (Premier Broadcast) SUNDAY, MAY 23 OUTDOOR STAGE
Sat., May 29 2:00 pm AIR SHOW (Encore Broadcast) 10:00 AM 10:30 AM The Victory Belles
Sun., May 30 10:00 pm AIR SHOW (Encore Broadcast) 10:30 AM 11:00 AM Frank Sings Frank
Sat., June 5 5:00 pm AIR SHOW (Encore Broadcast) 11:00 AM 11:30 AM Theresa Eaman
11:30 AM 12:00 PM Ultimate Abbot and Costello
12:00 PM 12:30 PM The Victory Belles
WINGS is produced and published by Hailston Productions, LC on behalf of
the Military Aviation Museum. Any use or unauthorized reproduction of any 12:30 PM 1:00 PM Frank Sings Frank
part of this publication is strictly forbidden. Copyright 2010 Hailston 1:00 PM 3:00 PM AIR SHOW
Productions, LC. 3:00 PM 3:30 PM Theresa Eaman
Sales & marketing: Alan Hailston 3:30 PM 4:00 PM Ultimate Abbot and Costello
Graphic design: Alan Hailston
4:00 PM 4:30 PM The Victory Belles
Page design & composition: Marcia Hailston
Historical research: Felix Usis; museum historian 4:30 PM 5:00 PM Frank Sings Frank
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The Fighter Factory in Suffolk, Va. purchased the B-25 in October 1997.
The plane remained with Vintage Aircraft, Inc. at Air Acres, Woodstock,
Georgia for restoration. During the restoration, a clear nose was
restored on the aircraft, which made the museum’s aircraft again a B-
25J.
Still known as “Wild Cargo”, it flew for the first time since the landing
gear accident in 1963, on November 19, 2005, Carl Scholl and Tony
Ritzman from Aero Trader ferried the airplane from Air Acres in
Georgia to Lawrenceville, Georgia. It was kept at the Aviation Institute
of Maintenance (AIM) facility at Gwinnett County Airport at
North American B-25J “Mitchell” 1944
Lawrenceville undergoing continuing work and several test flights.
The museum’s North American B-25J-25/27-NC ‘Mitchell’ United Eventually, it was flown to the Fighter Factory facility, the museum’s
States Army Air Force (USAAF) serial number 44-30129 (North maintenance facility at the Suffolk Executive Airport in Virginia for
American C/N 108-33414) was built in Kansas City, Kansas and additional work in preparation for final painting in Canada. After the
delivered to the USAAF in late 1944. The average 1944 procurement painting was complete, it was flown back to the Fighter Factory in
cost for each B-25 delivered to USAAF that year was $142,194. August 2008. There it had the final acceptance checks and the “Wild
Cargo” nose art applied. It was then flown to the Military Aviation
Originally, the plane was equipped with a radome in the nose and Museum on Friday, August 29, 2008.
surveillance equipment in the fuselage. Following the Second World
— Research by Felix Usis
War, it was converted into a training aircraft with the removal of the
surveillance equipment and re-designated a TB-25J. Then, modified
North American B-25 Mitchell Specifications
into a TB-25K, the buzz number BD-129 was added. Norton Air Force
Base, now San Bernardino International Airport, California was home Country of Manufacturer: United States
to this Mitchell for several years, where it was finally re-designated as Manufacturer: North American Aviation
Engines: 2-Wright R-2600 Cyclone radials
a TB-25N trainer.
1,750 hp each
Empty Weight: 21,120 lbs
By December 1957, it had been declared surplus and was being stored
Loaded Weight: 33,510 lbs.
at Davis-Monthan AFB, which is a base selected as a storage site for Max Take-off Weight: 41,800 lbs
hundreds of decommissioned aircraft. The United States Air Force Max Speed: 275 mph
(USAF) removed the aircraft from the inventory in 1958 with a total of Length: 52 feet 11 inches
6,829:05 flight hours. It was then registered with a series of owners. Height: 17 feet 7 inches
The first was P. J. Murray, of Oxnard, California, who purchased this Wingspan: 67 feet 6 inches
Ceiling: 25,000 feet
B-25 from the USAF for a grand total of $1,718.00 on June 16, 1958.
Crew: Seven; pilot, co-pilot, tail gunner,
He registered it with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and
navigator / bombadier / nose
received the registration number it has today (N7947C).
gunner, tail gunner, two waist gunners
The next of a series of owners was American Investments Syndicate,
La Mesa, California, who transferred ownership internally multiple
times from September 19, 1958 until 1962. Mr. C. C. Wilson, San Diego,
California purchased it from the last registered owner on November
18, 1962. He sold the B-25 almost immediately on January 4, 1963 to “Wild Cargo”
Aero Enterprises of Elhart, Indiana. It was sold again less than 3 weeks undergoing
later. finishing
touches at the
Fighter Factory
Arthur Jones of Skidell, Louisiana was added to the list on January 21,
in Suffolk, Va.
1963. He began to use the museum’s B-25, then named “Wild Cargo”,
-2006
to fly exotic animals (rare snakes and other creatures) from Latin
America to stores in the United States. On one such flight into Lumpkin
Field in Cincinnati, the bomber had 1,500 snakes aboard for the
Cincinnati Zoo, when the pilots experienced both an engine problem
and a landing gear malfunction. After landing on the belly of the plane,
the airport needed three days to round up most of the snakes. The
plane was dragged off the runway and lifted to again sit on its landing
gear by Cincinnati Aircraft, Inc. The rightful owner never returned to
claim the plane. Court action ensued and the local sheriff’s office Beautiful
eventually auctioned it off. It was then purchased by Cincinnati Aircraft hand painted
Inc, of Cincinnati, Ohio. “Sheena Of The
Jungle” nose
Walter Soplata, who has a large collection of aircraft, purchased the art by
Steve Atkin
plane in September 1964 for only $500.00, and with the help of his
and
son, dismantled the aircraft and took it to his house in Newbury, Ohio.
Alec Kinane
After almost three decades of sitting on his property, Walter Soplata
sold the plane to Steven A. Detch of Vintage Aircraft, Inc. in December
1990.
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