Wings 2012

52 Pages·2012·20.662 MB·English

by  Collective

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Private Wealth Management. The financial landscape is constantly in flux. With
the right planning, you can stay the course. A dedicated SunTrust Advisor can
help you create or revamp a financial action plan, one that accounts for today’s
priorities as well as tomorrow’s. To start a conversation with an experienced
SunTrust Advisor today, call 877.782.3847 or visit suntrust.com/wealth.
Private Banking Financial Planning Trusts & Estates Retirement Investment Management
Deposit products and services are offered through SunTrust Bank, Member FDIC.
Investment and Insurance Products: Are not FDIC or any other Government Agency Insured • Are not Bank Guaranteed • May Lose Value
SunTrust Private Wealth Management is a marketing name used by SunTrust Banks, Inc. and the following affiliates: Banking and trust products and services, including investment advisory products and
services, are provided by SunTrust Bank. Securities, insurance (including annuities) and other investment products and services are offered by SunTrust Investment Services, Inc., an SEC registered
broker-dealer and a member of the FINRA and SIPC, and a licensed insurance agency. Investment advisory products and services are offered by SunTrust Investment Services, Inc., RidgeWorth Capital
Management, Inc., and GenSpring Family Offices, LLC, investment advisers registered with the SEC.
© 2012 SunTrust Banks, Inc. SunTrust and Live Solid. Bank Solid. are federally registered service marks of SunTrust Banks, Inc.
2
Welcome to the 2012
Welcome to the 4th annual Warbirds
Over the Beach. If you have followed the
growth and development of the Military
Aviation Museum over the past 4 years, you
have seen many new additions, not only
in the ever-growing collection of planes
but in the number of new buildings.
During the last twelve months, several
Gerald Yagen, President
planes have been added to our flying collection. Additionally, the
The Military Aviation Museum displays and provides a
German Luftwaffe Cottbus hangar is scheduled to be finished this year,
permanent home for dozens of World War Two and earlier vintage
and when it is, it will house our impressive German plane collection.
flying aircraft in Virginia Beach. The museum was founded in
We are pleased to report that once again we have one of the 2005, and its ongoing mission is to preserve, restore, and fly
only two flying Avro Lancasters in the world attending the air these historic aircraft and to allow a new generation to experience
show. Flying from Canada, this is not only a very costly exercise but and learn from what their fathers, grandfathers, and great-
will be giving us the rare opportunity to view such a magnificent grandfathers might have endured on the lonely airfields and in
machine. The only other flying Lancaster is still owned and operated the skies so very far from home.
by the RAF. Last year, it flew over the Royal Wedding of Prince
The founder of the museum has spent years collecting and
William and Kate Middleton.
Private Wealth Management. The financial landscape is constantly in flux. With restoring these beautiful aircraft. As time went on, the passion
Thank you for being part of such a memorable occasion celebrating for obtaining and restoring these rare aircraft eventually laid
the right planning, you can stay the course. A dedicated SunTrust Advisor can
the opportunity to see such classic planes in flight and to pay the foundation for today’s Military Aviation Museum. In the
help you create or revamp a financial action plan, one that accounts for today’s
tribute to the men and women from a generation that is rapidly process, it was learned that the real discovery was not just the
priorities as well as tomorrow’s. To start a conversation with an experienced fading, but will certainly never be forgotten. aircraft themselves, but the history they were part of and the
SunTrust Advisor today, call 877.782.3847 or visit suntrust.com/wealth. stories of the brave men and women who flew them.
A show like this takes many months and thousands of hours of
Private Banking Financial Planning Trusts & Estates Retirement Investment Management preparation, and our thanks must go out to the many veterans, The Military Aviation Museum is truly a living museum that
re-enactors, musicians, volunteers, vendors, and staff that help continues to grow. Several new aircraft are continuously undergoing
events like this be such a huge success. restoration to be added to the museum’s collection in the coming
months. At the same time, an authentic German hangar from 1934
When walking around the airfield and hangars please stop and is being reconstructed at the west end of the property. Bring
show your appreciation to the veterans who are sharing their your family and friends often and enjoy exploring what’s new in
DInevpeossitt mproednutc tasn adnd I nsesruvircaesn acree Pofrfeoreddu tchtrosu:g Ah rSeu nnTorut sFt DBaICnk ,o Mr eamnbye ro FtDhIeCr. Government Agency Insured • Are not Bank Guaranteed • May Lose Value experiences and re-enactors who portray their units so accurately history. Buy a family membership and return as often as you’d
SunTrust Private Wealth Management is a marketing name used by SunTrust Banks, Inc. and the following affiliates: Banking and trust products and services, including investment advisory products and for their service and support. like. For information about scheduled flight demonstrations,
services, are provided by SunTrust Bank. Securities, insurance (including annuities) and other investment products and services are offered by SunTrust Investment Services, Inc., an SEC registered
broker-dealer and a member of the FINRA and SIPC, and a licensed insurance agency. Investment advisory products and services are offered by SunTrust Investment Services, Inc., RidgeWorth Capital seminars, and visiting aircraft, please call the museum at
Management, Inc., and GenSpring Family Offices, LLC, investment advisers registered with the SEC. Sincerely,
© 2012 SunTrust Banks, Inc. SunTrust and Live Solid. Bank Solid. are federally registered service marks of SunTrust Banks, Inc. (757) 721-PROP or visit www.MilitaryAviationMuseum.org.
David Hunt, Director
Military Aviation Museum
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On the COver
entertAinMent SChedule
Virginia Beach artist Sam Welty
created the custom artwork for the
2012 Warbirds Over the Beach air
show. This year’s Warbirds Over the
Beach artwork features four British
aircraft flying over London during
World War Two. The Supermarine
Spitfire in the forefront was one of
the planes instrumental in the victory of the Battle of Britain.
This aircraft and two others depicted in the art, the de Havilland
Dragon Rapide and de Havilland Tiger Moth, are all owned by
the Military Aviation Museum. The fourth, the Avro Lancaster,
is from the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton,
Ontario. It is one of only two Lancasters still flying today, and
we are fortunate to have it join us for the Warbirds Over the
Beach air show. You can purchase copies of the 2012 poster in
the Museum’s gift shop, and visit Sam Welty online to see more
of his amazing artwork: www.AngelFire.com/art2/largemurals/.
Air Flight SChedule
Saturday May 19, 2012

12:00 T-6s Take Off & Fly Formations
12:40 C-46 Takes Off for Paratrooper Drop 10:00AM-1:00PM « HANGAR STAGE
1:00 WAIVER IN EFFECT - Field Closed Theresa Eaman • Ultimate Abbott & Costello
Paratroopers Drop from C-46 Frank Sings Frank • The Victory Belles
1:10 U.S. Trainers & Liason Flights: Stearman,
Ryan PT-22, Stinson L-5, N3N
1:00PM-3:30PM « AIR SHOW
1:25 European Theatre - Trainers & Liason Flights:
de Havilland Tiger Moth and Chipmunk, Fiesler Storch,
3:00PM-6:00PM « HANGAR STAGE
de Havilland Dragon Rapide, Focke Wulf FW-44
1:45 U.S. Navy Pacific Theatre Flights: PBY Catalina, TBM Avenger, Theresa Eaman • Ultimate Abbott & Costello
FG-1D Corsair, AD-4 Skyraider, FM-2 Wildcat Frank Sings Frank • The Victory Belles
2:10 Battle of Midway: PBY Catalina, TBM Avenger, FM-2 Wildcat
2:20 U.S. Aircraft European Theatre Flights: B-25 Mitchell, 6:00PM-9:00PM « WWII HANGAR DANcE
P-51D Mustang, Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk
Mark Michielsen Big Band
2:30 German and British European Theatre Flights: Junkers Ju-52,
Theresa Eaman • Ultimate Abbott & Costello
Hawker Hurricane, Spitfire, Messerschmitt Me 262
Frank Sings Frank • The Victory Belles
2:55 German Paratroopers Drop from Junkers Ju-52
3:00 European Theatre Flights, The Fast and Heavies:
B-17 Flying Fortress, Avro Lancaster Bomber, Sunday May 20, 2012
Focke Wulf Fw-190, Yakovlev YAK-3
3:30 All Flights Land
10:00AM-1:00PM « HANGAR STAGE
4:00 Field Open
All times are approximate and subject to change due to weather and Theresa Eaman • Ultimate Abbott & Costello
mechanical conditions and advance printing deadlines of this book.
The Victory Belles • Frank Sings Frank
1:00PM-3:30PM « AIR SHOW
tv ShOw BrOAdCAStS
3:00PM-5:00PM « HANGAR STAGE
The Victory Belles • Frank Sings Frank
Saturday, May 19 at 9:00pm (Premier Broadcast)
Ultimate Abbott & Costello
Monday, May 21 at 11:00pm (Encore Broadcast)
WINGS is produced and published by the Military Aviation Museum. © 2012.
Graphic Design: Shari James, Historical Research: Felix Usis
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On the Cover
The de Havilland DH-89 Dragon Rapide was the most successful British-built commercial passenger aircraft of the 1930s. The prototype flew in April
1934, and over two hundred were built before the outbreak of World War II. At that time, the British requisitioned many of these aircraft for passenger
duties and radio navigation training. By the end of the war, nearly 750 were built, and many survived the war to go on to commercial services.
the royal Family Flies a rapide Irish Ownership
Edward, Prince of Wales, became a pilot and served on the front In March 1951, the aircraft was transferred to Midland Metal Spinning
lines during World War One. Following the war, he continued flying and Company, Ltd. in Wolverhampton, and in May 1962, it was sold abroad
pursuing his interest in aviation. In 1935, he purchased a de Havilland and registered in Dublin, Eire, in June 1962. In September 1962, it was
DH-89 Dragon Rapide, had it painted in the bright red and blue col- re-registered to Aer Tura’s Toeranta and remained there until its Irish
ors of the Royal Guard and outfitted with red leather seats which registration was cancelled in June 1964.
included the Prince of Wales’ feathered crest embossed on the back of
The French Years
each. Prince Edward used the six-passenger aircraft for official trips to
the numerous royal family homes. The aircraft was next acquired by the Aero Club of Lorraine at
Luneville, France, and re-registered in February 1965. It was sold again
Edward became King Edward VIII on January 20, 1936, following his
in 1968 to Centre Ecole Regional de Parachutisme Sportif de Nancy-
father’s death. He was the first English monarch to fly in an aircraft,
Lorraine, where it remained until its French registration was cancelled
when he travelled to London for his Accession Council.
in November 1972.
In 1931, he met Wallis Simpson, of Philadelphia, and when she
American Arrival
divorced in 1934, she became his mistress. They travelled to the homes
The Dragon Rapide was imported to the United States by Geert E.
of the Royal family and most likely even used the Royal Dragon
Frank of New Hampshire and sold in early 1973. That November, it was
Rapide for such getaways. The two were unable to marry because
acquired by Doyle W. Cotton, Jr. and W. F. Watson. They registered it as
Simpson was divorced, so on December 11, 1936, King Edward shocked the
N89DH with a Certificate of Airworthiness on July 2, 1982. They had the
world with his announcement to abdicate the throne, so he could marry
aircraft painted as X7454 to represent the 27th Air Transport Service
Simpson. His brother Albert became King George VI (The King’s Speech),
of the Eighth Air Force in England. The aircraft joined Cotton’s private
and Edward became the Duke of Windsor. During World War Two, he
collection of aircraft at his museum in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. The
governed the Bahamas.
Rapide was sold at auction in October 1987 to Robert Hood of Joplin,
Missouri, where it was hidden away for over 20 years.
the Museum’s dragon rapide
The Military Aviation Museum acquired the Dragon Rapide in 2008,
The Museum’s de Havilland DH-89A Dragon Rapide was built at
and sent it to New Zealand for a restoration process performed by
Brush Coachworks Ltd. in 1944 for the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was
AvSpecs that lasted two years. It is painted in the royal colors of the
issued the military serial HG724 and delivered to the 18 Maintenance
King’s Guard. The registration of the plane is G-ADDD, as the King favored
Unit at RAF Dumfries, Scotland, in March 1944. Its service history records
repetitive letters like these. The aircraft’s interior mirrors the details in
do not exist any longer, but it is known that the aircraft was placed into
Prince Edward’s Rapide, including the feathered crest on the backs of the
storage with 5 Maintenance Unit in February 1947.
six passenger seats.
English Charters
After the RAF declared it surplus equipment, the aircraft was sold as engine: two gipsy Queen engines
parts to Newman Aircraft Company, Ltd, of Hatfield, England in August horsepower: 200 hp
1947. The aircraft was completely rebuilt and professional “dope girls” Max Speed: 160 mph
completed the fabric sewing and doping. A Certificate of Airworthiness range: 556 miles
(no. 9919) was issued on June 25, 1948. Newman Airways operated the
Ceiling: 19,500 ft.
aircraft on regular flights to the Channel Islands with round-trip flights
wing Span: 48 feet
between Croydon, Jersey and Guernsey.
Passengers: Six
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On the Cover
engine: rolls-royce Merlin 66
horsepower: 1,720 hp having a template made with small holes in suitable places.” When
the CO came back from satisfactorily test flying this aircraft, Tylee asked
Max Speed: 404 mph
what code letter should put be put on the Spitfire. “...he jokingly said
range: 434 miles
that there was a bit of a question mark over which identity letter to give
Ceiling: 42,500 ft
his Spitfire...because he was neither A Flight nor B Flight.”
wing Span: 32 ft. 6 in.
Armaments: 2 x 20mm hispano cannons The ground crew took the initiative and Corporal Tyler painted a large
2 x .50 cal Browning M2 machine ‘question mark’ where a code letter would normally be positioned. The
guns up to 500 lbs. of bombs CO was amused by this and said it could stay. It was thenceforth
known as ‘The CO’s Query’.
The war ended with the aircraft flown by No. 249 Squadron RAF from
In 1943, the largest single contract for Spitfires was produced at
Yugoslavia in harassment of the retreating German forces. After the war,
the Castle Bromwich factory near Birmingham, England. The aircraft
it was ferried to RAF Brindisi in Italy, and stored for almost a year before
owned by the museum today was produced here for the Royal Air
being sold to the newly-reformed Italian Air Force. The aircraft underwent
Force (RAF) and registered MJ730, a Mark IXe Spitfire. It was first test
a major overhaul by Aeronautica Machhi at Varese and was accepted
flown by Alex Henshaw, the factory’s chief test pilot, in December
by the Italian Air Force at Centocelle Airport on the outskirts of Rome.
1943. Within a few weeks, it was dismantled and shipped to the port
of Casablanca in North Africa to serve with the 417 Squadron of the In 1951, MJ730 was among a batch of Spitfires sold by the Italian gov-
Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). There, its first mission was escorting ernment to Israel. The Israeli Air Force assigned the number 66 to the
a group of U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) B-25 Mitchell bombers during aircraft, and it served in an Operational Training Unit (OTU) at the Ramat
the Italian campaign. It was involved with the allied landings at Anzio David Airfield.
and flew 15 sorties over twenty-four days.
It was finally decommissioned in June 1956, when most of Israel’s
In May 1944, the aircraft was transferred to No. 154 Squadron RAF, other Spitfires were sold to Burma. The Spitfire was saved to provide Is-
and its fuselage squadron identifying code letters were changed to HT-W. raeli children with a subtle desire to become fighter pilots. It was moved
It operated from the island of Corsica on 95 missions flying bomber to a playground at a kibbutz in Kabri, near the border of Lebanon.
escorts for the American forces over Northern Italy and in support of
The aircraft was found in the playground in a dilapidated condition
the invasion in Southern France. During the operations from Corsica,
in the early 1970s and transported back to England in 1978. A firm in the
the aircraft was filmed in color by William Wyler (famed director of the
south of England began the initial restoration work, but in August 1986,
Memphis Belle documentary and later Ben Hur) for an Army movie about
the project was sold to Fred Smith, founder and president of Federal
the use of P-47 Thunderbolts in the Italian campaign.
Express. The work was completed in November 1988, and it was immediately
After the fighting in Northern Italy, in October 1944, it was transferred offered for sale.
to No. 32 Squadron RAF at Kolomaki, Greece. The aircraft was chosen
David Pennell, an electronics manufacturer in Birmingham, England,
by Squadron Leader George Silvester (DFC) as his personal aircraft.
purchased the Spitfire. Pennell preferred the current paint design used in
During the Second World War, it was common for the squadron
early 1945 in Greece and Yugoslavia. The aircraft spent the next ten years in
commander to put his initials on the side of the airplane, indicating
the Midlands area performing at many charity events and memorial functions.
that it was his personal airplane – ‘hands off’. The ground crew asked the
commanding officer what identifier he wanted applied to his personal In 1998, the Military Aviation Museum learned about the possible
airplane. Corporal airframe fitter, Graham Tylee, of No. 32 Squadron, ava ilability of this aircraft. An inspection in England was arranged and a
was the ground crew member who usually painted the squadron code contract was signed at the May 1999 Duxford air show. The aircraft finally
letters on all newly arrived aircraft. Here is his account of how the ‘?’ arrived at the Fighter Factory facilities
came about. It is taken from a letter he wrote to a researcher about the in Suffolk, Virginia, in early 2000, the
aircraft’s history. same day that Spitfire the hangar
cat appeared at the hangar.
Graham Tylee wrote: “I would find out from the engineering officer
what letter was allocated to the aircraft. I liked to paint (I had a
steadier hand in those days) and normally did this myself. I remember
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On the Cover
enhancements over the Gipsy Moth included a strengthened structure,
fold-down doors on both sides of the cockpit, and a revised exhaust system.
The Tiger Moth entered into service with the RAF in February 1932. By
the time World War Two began, the RAF had 500 in service, and over
4,000 were built during the war. It was the primary trainer for the RAF,
with thousands of pilots taking their first flights in this aircraft. It was an
excellent trainer because it flew docile and forgiving during the normal
flights of early training, but when used for aerobatics and formations, it
required definite skill and concentration, which enhanced the training and
weeded out weaker pilots.
Following World War Two, large numbers of the aircraft were sold to
flying clubs and individuals to take on new roles as crop dusters, aerobatic
engine: de havilland gipsy Major performers, aerial ambulances, and other such purposes.
horsepower: 130 hp
The Military Aviation Museum’s aircraft was built by the Morris Motor
Max Speed: 109 mph
Car Company in Cowley, England and delivered to the Royal Australian
range: 302 miles
Air Force Training Command in 1940. After twelve years of service, it
Ceiling: 13,600 ft.
was sold to the Royal Singapore Flying Club. The organization used it for
wing Span: 29 ft. 4 in.
flight instruction and delivering payrolls to jungle plantations throughout
Singapore until 1957. The Tiger Moth was then sold to the Delhi Flying Club
and then the Madras Flying Club, both in India. In 1972, it was dismantled
The Tiger Moth was one of the primary trainers used by the Royal Air
and shipped to Canada, where it was reassembled and then flown on to
Force (RAF) and others in the 1930s. Originally derived from the de Havilland
Denver, Colorado. The records run cold until it resurfaced in Bakersfield,
Gipsy Moth, the Tiger Moth was introduced in 1932. This new aircraft included
California, where it was restored in 1990. It was sold again to an individual
improved access to the front cockpit designed to make escape easier for a
in South Carolina in 1994 and again in 1998. The museum acquired the Tiger
trainer wearing a parachute. They accomplished this by shifting the upper
Moth from a business in Greenville, South Carolina in 2004.
wing forward while sweeping it back to maintain the center of lift. Other
On the Cover
The Avro Lancaster Mk X Bomber at this year’s Warbirds Over the Beach is
from the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (CWH) in Hamilton, Ontario.
The Lancaster was the most outstanding heavy bomber of the Second
World War. Powered by four Rolls Royce or Packard-built Merlin engines,
it was the only aircraft capable of carrying the 22,000 lb. “Grand Slam”
bomb. Between 1942 and VE Day, Lancasters participated in 156,000
sorties and delivered two-thirds of Bomber Command’s total bomb weight.
The Lancaster won a place for itself in history with the daring and precise
bombing raids on the Mohne and Eder dams in May 1943 and with the
all but impossible feat of sinking the German battleship Tirpitz, in a well-
defended Norwegian fjord.
Of the 7,366 Lancasters built during World War Two, only two are
still flying today. The CWH Lancaster, C-GVRA, was one of the 422
engine: Four Packard Merlin 224s
Mk Xs built at Victory Aircraft in Canada between 1943 and 1945. It saw
horsepower: 1,640 hp each
service with the No. 107 Rescue Unit at Torbay, Newfoundland as a
Max Speed: 280 mph
maritime patrol/search and rescue aircraft until retired by the RCAF
range: 3,000 miles
in 1964. With assistance from the Sully Foundation, it was acquired by
Ceiling: 23,500 ft Canadian Warplane Heritage from Goderich Legion in 1977, and following
wing Span: 102 ft. years of restoration, flew again for the first time on September 24, 1988.
Armaments: 8x 7.7mm Browning machine guns
The CWH Lancaster is painted in the wartime RCAF markings of the
14,000 lb or 22,000 lb
419 Squadron aircraft in which P/O Andrew Mynarski of Winnipeg was
grand Slam bomb
posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for attempting to rescue the
trapped rear gunner from his blazing turret in June 1944.
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Messerschmitt Me 262
Washington, working from plans developed by Classic Fighter Industries,
Inc. This aircraft, along with several others, was built using an original
Me 262 found deteriorating at Willow Grove Naval Air Station in eastern
Pennsylvania as a template. The U.S. Navy agreed to allow Classic Fighter
Industries, Inc. to dismantle the aircraft to use as a template, and in re-
turn, Classic Fighter would return the 262 fully restored at no cost to the
Navy. Work began in 1993, and in 2000, the original 262 was returned to
Willow Grove NAS.
The museum’s Me 262 completed its test flight last fall and was ferried
cross country in October. It is powered by modern General Electric jet
engines that are the same as in Lear jets. The airframe can be converted
from a tandem two seat trainer to a single seat fighter. It is painted to
match the color scheme of the aircraft flown by famed Luftwaffe pilot
Hans Guido Mutke, “White 3”. Mutke believed he had exceeded Mach 1
breaking the sound barrier in a straight down, 90-degree dive on April
The Messerschmitt Me 262 was the world’s first operational jet-powered
9, 1945, as he was protecting another Me 262 from attack. This is widely
fighter aircraft. Although known as a late-war weapon, designs for the
disputed, though, and most regard Chuck Yeager as being the first to
Me 262 actually began prior to WWII in 1939. Problems with the engines
break the sound barrier in 1947. Mutke went on to end his war career by
prevented the aircraft from attaining operational status with the German
landing his Me 262 two weeks later in Dubendorf, Switzerland on April 25,
Luftwaffe until mid-1944. One of the most technologically advanced aviation
1945. He claimed to have gotten lost during a mission, but others believed
designs in use during the war, the Me 262 was used in two primary
that he was defecting. The Swiss did not try to fly the plane and kept it
roles. The Me 262 A-1 Schwalbe (Swallow) was designed as a defensive
in storage until they returned it to Germany in 1957. The aircraft is now
interceptor while the Me 262 A-2 Sturmvogel (Stormbird) served as a
on display in the Deutsches Museum in
fighter/bomber.
Munich, Germany.
While lacking the maneuverability of propeller driven Allied fighters,
when utilized properly, the Me 262 was very effective in its role intercepting
Allied bombers. In March of 1945, 37 Me 262s intercepted a force of 1,221
Allied bombers and 632 fighter escorts. The German force shot down 12
bombers and 1 fighter while losing 3 Me 262s. Too fast to catch, Me 262
pilots were relatively safe from Allied fighters, as long as they avoided low-
speed turning contests and saved their maneuvering for higher speeds.
Although a 4:1 kill ratio was exactly what the Luftwaffe would have Mutke at Fighter Factory
needed to make an impact on the war, the absolute scale of their success
was minor, as it represented only one per cent of the attacking force.
In 1943 and early 1944, the USAAF had been able to keep up offensive
operations despite loss ratios of 5% and more, and once introduced the
Me 262s could not inflict sufficient losses to hamper their operations.
Allied pilots soon found the only reliable way of dealing with the jets
was to attack them on the ground and during takeoff or landing. Luftwaffe
airfields identified as jet bases were frequently bombed by Allied bombers
and Allied fighters patrolled over the fields to attack jets trying to land.
The Luftwaffe countered by installing extensive flak alleys of anti-aircraft
guns along the approach lines in order to protect the Me 262s from the
ground. They also provided top cover during the jet’s takeoff and landing engine: 2 x Junkers Jumo 004
with the most advanced Luftwaffe single-engine fighters, the Focke Wulf B-1 turbojets
Fw-190D. Nevertheless, in March–April 1945, Allied fighter patrol patterns
thrust: 8.8 kn (1,984 lbf)
over Me 262 airfields resulted in numerous losses of jets and serious
Max Speed: 559 mph
attrition of the force.
range: 652 miles
Due to its late introduction, limited production numbers, maintenance Ceiling: 37,565 ft.
problems and a lack of fuel during the deteriorating late-war situation, the wing Span: 41 ft. 6 in.
overall impact of the Me 262 was negligible in Germany’s war effort. Just Armaments: 4 x 30mm MK 108 cannons in nose
over 1,400 Me 262s were produced and of those, as few as 200 actually 2 x 550 lb bombs (optional)
made it to combat units because of fuel shortages, pilot shortages, and 24 x wing mounted 55mm r4M
lack of airfields that could support the aircraft. rockets (optional)
The museum’s Me 262 was reconstructed by Legend Flyers of Seattle,
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An authentic German Luftwaffe hangar is currently under construction On May 29, 1944, the hangar was severely damaged during an Eighth
at the far west end of the museum property next to the Fighter Factory. Air Force attack and makeshift repairs were made. We believe that it was
The museum acquired Hangar 6 from the Cottbus Army Airfield in during those repairs that an individual performing the work as a forced
Cottbus, Germany, a small town southeast of Berlin. laborer scratched an inscription into one of the beams. During the
re-assembly process, the museum found these words. The name was
In 1933, the Cottbus Air Field was built along with the air traffic pilot
first thought to be of a woman and could have been written there by
school. One of its most famous students was Werner Mölders, who
her, or could have been written by a loved one who missed her.
went on to become a General. Hangar 6 was built in 1934 by a company
called Osdeutsche Landwerkstatten GmbH (OLA). OLA was founded
by World War One pilot Gotthard Sachsenberg, who shot down 31
Allied aircraft while flying Fokker Eindekker monoplanes and Fokker
D.VII biplanes.
ANUSIA (Anna or Annie)
Hangar 6, as with other hangars at Cottbus, was designed to be raised WACLAW (Annie’s last name, or a man’s first name)
quickly and easily transported. The curved arches were designed with
TU PRACOWAL (The last letters “ALI” are
no interior columns to provide for maximum usable space. An OLA sales
missing, meaning “Worked Here”)
letter introducing this hangar style touted its advantages as:
10.14.1944 (a few months before the end of the war)
• Shortest time of delivery, fastest assembly, largest strength by lowest
weight, best fit, fire safety, unsupported space and architectural beauty.
• Simple transportability, meaning: the possibility to disassemble any
From 1945 through 1953, the Soviet training wing used the hangar flying
hall with little effort and no material loss and rebuild it at any required
Ilyusian IL-2 Shturmoviks, IL-10s, and occasionally a jet IL-28 bomber.
site in the shortest possible time.
In 1953, it was returned to German control and the NVA (Nationale
• New construction showing the simple and clear forces system that
Volks Arme, The National People’s Army of the Germany Democratic
makes all stress points easily identifiable. It has all the advantages of
Republic) flew Yak-11, Yak-18, MiG-17, MiG-19, and MiG-21 aircraft from
the known diamond-network structures, but it avoids the disadvantages,
Hangar 6. In 1959, a complete renovation of the hangar took place and a
particularly the static indeterminacy and the results of the stresses
workshop was added to its side. After 1989, the hangar was used by the
that occur in networked systems.
Bundeswehr (German Federal Armed Forces) for storage.
It was originally used to house aircraft for the piloting school at Cottbus,
When the Military Aviation Museum obtained Hangar 6 in 2004, the
and from 1941-1944, it was used by the Focke-Wulf Company for storage
hangar was measured, disassembled, and shipped to Virginia Beach. Re-
and a base for test flights while manufacturing the Fw200 Condor and
assembly of the hangar began in 2010 by the Woodard Group (see right) and
Fw190 fighter plane. Near the end of the war, the Ta152 aircraft was
is expected to be completed later this summer. At that time, it will house
assembled and stored there.
the museum’s German aircraft from the time of the Second World War.
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