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The Fokker E.IV was a WW1 German variant of the Eindecker fighter aircraft. The E.IV was powered by the 119 kW (160 hp) Oberursel U.III two-row, 14-cylinder rotary engine. The prototype E.IV was accepted for testing in September 1915. The fitment of dual MG 08 "Spandau" forward-firing synchronized 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine guns became the standard armament for production E.IVs. The prototype underwent combat evaluation on the Western Front in October 1915, making it the first twin-gun fighter in service. German ace Oswald Boelcke evaluated the E.IV at Fokker's Schwerin factor in November 1915 and it was discovered that mounting the heavy two-row rotary onto the Eindecker airframe did not produce a better aircraft. The inertial and gryoscopic forces of the spinning mass made the E.IV less maneuverable and virtually uncontrollable, requiring the engine to be switched off at times in order to regain control. Only 49 E.IVs were built out of the total Eindecker production run of 416 aircraft. Over half of the E.IVs entered service in June 1916 and the last were delivered in December 1916 by which time they were obsolete.
Republic F-84F-25-RE Thunderstreak
Combat Air Museum acquired 51-1659 from Maple Woods Community College, Kansas City, Missouri in June 1980. The Thunderstreak arrived at CAM slung under a CH-54 Tarhe helicopter of the 137th Transportation Company, Army National Guard. Republic Aviation Company built 51-1659 at its Farmingdale, Long Island, New York plant and delivered it to the US Air Force on March 28, 1955. F-84F Thunderstreaks flew with the US Air Force and Air National Guard from 1954 to 1972. Nine other nations flew the type. The mainstay of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) fighter strength in the 1950s and 1960s, F-84Fs were to fly high-speed, low-level tactical nuclear strikes against military targets deep inside Eastern Europe if war broke out with the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact nations. These missions had little prospect of survival and were viewed as one-way. Technical Data (F-84F) Type: Single-seat fighter-bomber Power Plant: One 7,220lb static thrust Curiss-Wright/Buick J65-W-3 turbojet (license-built British Sapphire). Dimensions: Span: 33ft 7 in Length: 43ft 5 in Height: 14ft 5 in Wing Area: 325 sq ft Weights: Empty: 13,800 lb Combat: 18,700 lb Performance: Max Speed: 695 mph Cruising Speed: 539 mph Service ceiling: 36,150 ft Range: Combat Radius: 860 miles Max: 2,314 miles Armament: Six fixed forward-firing .50 Caliber Browning machine guns, four in the nose, one in each wing root Up to 6,000 lbs of external bombs and rockets, including tactical nuclear weapons
Grumman F11F-1 Tiger Blue Angel
The US Navy Blue Angels flew this aircraft during their 1968 season. Its solo pilot was Navy Lieutenant Hal Loney. The jet’s last performance was at an airshow in Olathe, Kansas. It was then transferred to University of Kansas’s Aerospace Engineering Department. Combat Air Museum acquired the Tiger from KU on Conditional Transfer through the Federal Surplus Property program in June 1980. The jet was transported from Lawrence, Kansas to Topeka under an Army National Guard CH-54 Tarhe (Skycrane). After its arrival at CAM, the jet was given a new coat of Blue Angels colors and markings. The Tiger was the Navy’s first supersonic fighter. A key design feature was the waisting of the fuselage just behind the main wings (known as area-rule). Viewed from above, the shape looks like an old glass soda bottle. This feature reduced drag at supersonic speeds. The folding wing tips were necessary for storage aboard aircraft carriers. The small tubing that runs along the left side of the aircraft delivered smoke-generating oil into the exhaust of the jet engine for airshow performances. Some 200 Tigers were built and served in six US Navy Fighter Squadrons. The Navy accepted this aircraft on April 2, 1958. It flew with Fighter Squadron VF-33 from the aircraft carrier USS INTREPID on various cruises from 1958-1961. Tigers began to phase out of front-line use in 1959. This Tiger was in and out of Navy storage facilities from 1961-1965, then served with Training Squadron VT-26 at Chase Field near Beeville, Texas. In 1962, the Tiger’s designation was changed from F11F-1 to F-11A. The aircraft briefly entered storage again in 1967 until flown by the Blue Angels. Historical Note: During the F11F flight test program, on September 21, 1956, Grumman test pilot Tom Attridge shot himself down by flying into shells he had fired only moments before while in supersonic flight. The press used the incident to dramatize the speeds that new jets were capable of flying. This aircraft is on Conditional Transfer to Combat Air Museum from the Kansas State Agency for Federal Surplus Property and the General Services Administration. TECHNICAL NOTES: Manufacturer: Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Bethpage, Long Island, New York. Type first flown: July 30, 1954. Production completed in December 1958 Type: Day fighter. Crew: Pilot only. Power plant: One 7,540 lb. s.t. (33.5kN) Wright J65-W-18 turbojet. Dimensions: Span: 31 ft 7½ in (9.6m) Length: 46 ft 11¼ in (14.3m) Height: 13 ft 2¾ in (4.0m) Wing area: 250sq ft (23.2sq m) Weights: Empty: 13,428 lbs. (6,091kg) Gross, 22,160 lbs. (10,052kg) Performance: Max speed: 750 mph (1,210km/hr) @ sea level Cruising speed: 577mph (931km/hr) @ 38,000 ft (11,582 m) Service ceiling: 41,900 ft (12,771 m) Range: 1,270 miles (2,048 km). Armament: Four fixed forward-firing 20 mm guns; four underwing Sidewinder 1A or 1C air-to-air missiles Serial number: US Navy BuNo. 141811
Sopwith Scout ("Pup") British Biplane Fighter (Full Scale Replica)
Designed by Herbert Smith of the Sopwith Aviation Company, the Sopwith “Pup” (official designation Sopwith Scout) is a single seat fighter. Its excellent flight characteristics and maneuverability quickly won favor from its pilots. The first prototype flew for testing in February 1916. After several modifications and imrovements, the first production Pups reached the Western Front in October 1916 with No. 8 Squadron RNAS, and proved successful, with the squadron's Pups claiming 20 enemy machines destroyed in operations over the Somme battlefield by the end of the year. Its good flight characteristics allowed it to successfully compete with enemy aircraft such as the Fokker scout and it was more than a match for any of the new German Halberstadt and Albatros biplanes. “We instantly noticed the superiority of the new enemy aircraft over our machines” - noted Manfred von Richthofen. The Pup's light weight and large wing area gave it a good rate of climb. In terms of maneuverability, ailerons were designed to both wings which increased its agility in the air. British Ace James McCudden stated that "When it came to maneuvering, the Sopwith Pup would turn twice to an Albatros' once ... it was a remarkably fine machine for general all-round flying. It was so extremely light and well surfaced that after a little practice one could almost land it on a tennis court." Due to this feature the Pup was also used in many pioneering aircraft carrier experiments. On 2 August 1917, a Pup flown by Sqn Cdr Edwin Dunning became the first aircraft to land aboard a moving ship, the specially equipped HMS Furious. Whilst the “Pup” nickname was never officially recognized it started the tradition of naming all further Sopwith aircraft after a bird or animal. The combat life of the Pup was short and it was eventually outclassed by newer German fighters, but it was not completely replaced on the Western Front until the end of 1917. Remaining Pups were relegated to British Home Defense and Western Front training units. In all 1,770 Pups were manufactured by a triage of aircraft makers in the U.K. This full scale model of a Sopwith Pup was donated to the Museum in Dec 2011 by the builder/owner Robert Baslee of Airdrome Aeroplanes in Holden. Baslee has built 20 different designs of World War I airplanes, including the Pfalz E1 which hangs in our Museum (Pfalz E1). TECHNICAL NOTES: Manufacturer: British Sopwith Aviation Company Basic Role: WWI Fighter Crew: One Engine: 1 x Le Rhône air-cooled rotary engine, 80 hp (60 kW) or 1 x Gnôme Monosoupape, air cooled rotary, 100 hp Maximum speed: 97 knots (111½ mph, 180 km/h) at sea level Service Ceiling: 17,500 feet (5,600 m) Endurance: 3 hours, Climb to 10,000 ft (3,050 m): 14 min, Climb to 16,100 ft (4,910 m): 35 min Wingspan: 26 ft 6 in (8.08 m) Length: 19ft 3½ in. (5.88 m) Height: 9 ft 5 in (2.87 m) Weight (empty): 787 lb (358 kg) Weight (gross): 1,225 lb (557 kg) Armament: 1 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun fired forward through the propeller by means of a gun synchronizer
The Pfalz E1 was a WWI shoulder-wing monoplane (actually a license-built French Morane-Saulinier type “H”, slightly modified) with a rotary engine, produced in the Speyer am Rhein located Pfalz factory, run by three Eversbusch brothers, Alfred, Walter and Ernst, until the untimely death of Walter in a flying accident on June 1st, 1916. The 3 brothers designed and test flew the machines they built. At first, the E-type was used as an unarmed scout but, with the success of the Fokker synchronizing gear in 1915, a similar installation was tried on the Pflaz monoplane, which then went into production as the Pfalz E1. Some 60 examples were built before the next variant was produced (Pfalz EII), which was little more than an E1 with a 100 h.p. Oberursel engine fitted. Due to their great similarity in appearance to the Fokker monoplanes, the Pfalz machines automatically became “Fokkers” to the Allies in WWI. It was only through the shape of their steering surfaces that the types could be positively identified. They differed little in size and weight. In contrast, the Pfalz monoplane differed considerably structurally from the Fokker design. The Pfalz had a completely wooden airframe instead of the Fokker's welded steel tube fuselage. More efficient and powerful biplanes came into service, and the operational life of the Pfalz E types was comparatively short on the Western Front. They continued to serve on the Eastern Front as trainers.* The flying scale model Pfalz was donated to the Museum in Nov 2009 by the builder/owner Robert Baslee of Airdrome Aeroplanes in Holden. Baslee has built 20 different designs of World War I airplanes and he built two of the planes that appeared in "Amelia", the 2009 movie about the pioneer pilot Amelia Earhart. Technical data Pfalz E1 (Original Design: Full Scale)* Designation: Single-seat fighting scout Manufacturer: Pfalz Flugseug-Werke G.m.b.H. Speyer am Rhein (Pfal.) Power Plant: One 80 h.p. Oberusel U O 9 cylinder rotary engine Dimensions: Span: 30 ft. 4 5/8 in (9.26m) Length: 20 ft. 8 in. (6.3m) Height: 8 ft. 4 3/8 in. (2.55m) Wing Area: 151.2 sq1. ft. (14 sq m) Weights: Empty: 759 lb. (345 kg) Loaded: 1,177 lb. (535kg) Performance: Maximum speed: 90.6 m.p.h. (145 km/hr) Climb: 2,624 ft. (800m) in three minutes 6,560 ft. (2,000m) in 12 minutes Duration: circa two hours Armament: One Spandau machine gun firing forward. *Aircraft description and technical data taken from "German Aircraft of the First World War" by Peter Gray & Owen Thetford
he CH-53A Sea Stallion was ordered in August 1962 for service with the US Marine Corps (USMC). At the time of its development, it was the largest helicopter designed by the Sikorsky company. The helicopter’s primary mission was cargo transport. It could haul cargo internally, and externally with a hook. Among the items the Marine Corps specification required to be carried were a 1 ½-ton truck and trailer, the Hawk missile system, an Honest John missile on its trailer, and a 105mm howitzer or a ½-ton jeep with a ½-ton two-wheeled trailer. The helicopter’s secondary mission was as a troop transport and casualty evacuation. It could hold 28 combat–equipped troops or 29 stretchers. The first CH-53A flight took place October 14, 1964 and deliveries began in mid-1966. Deployments to Vietnam began in January 1967. At the end of 1968, production switched to the CH-53D versions. Production of the Sea Stallion for the USMC ended in January 1972. The even larger CH-53E Super Stallion replaced the Sea Stallion. In 1971 the US Navy borrowed 15 CH-53As from the Marines to equip its first Helicopter Mine Countermeasures (minesweeping) Squadron. These and follow-on helicopters were designated RH-53A and RH-53D. US Air Force versions of the CH-53 included the HH-53B, HH-53C and CH-53C Combat Search and Rescue helicopters. Ordered in September 1966, the first flight of the HH-53B Stallion took place in March 1967. By the end of the year the helicopters were in Vietnam, where they became known as the Super Jolly Green Giant. Later versions include the MH-53J and MH-53M Pave Low that have flown in the Gulf wars. These are low-range, low-level, all weather penetration helicopters flown in support of Special Operations Forces. CAM’s NCH-53A was accepted into service March 1, 1966 and saw a variety of assignments. It flewwith the US Navy, US Marine Corps, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and back to the Navy to end its service. While with NASA, alterations and modifications were made to the helicopter such that it could not be returned to its original mission capability. That is why it carries the prefix N for permanent special test in its designator NCH-53A. Our records do not show what year 153299 ended its service. It was last painted at the Naval Air Depot, Pensacola, Florida in November 1988. Under the paint, on the right side sponson, a decal/logo with NADC is visible. Our records show the helicopter’s last assignment being with the Naval Air Development Center, Research Development, Test and Evaluation, Warminister, Pennsylvania. The helicopter was recovered from Naval Air Engineering Station, Lakehurst, New Jersey, in July 1999, where it had been stored in a World War II blimp hangar. This helicopter is on loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation, Pensacola, Florida. TECHNICAL NOTES: Manufacturer: Sikorsky Primary Use: Twin-turbine, assault transport helicopter Crew: Two pilots and a crew chief Engine: Normally, two 2,850 shp (2,125kW) each General Electric T64-GE-6 turboshaft engines Maximum speed: 189 mph (304km/hr) Cruising speed: 105mph (169km/hr) Service ceiling: 20,400 feet (6,220m) Max Speed: 196 mph (315 kph) Range: 257 miles (413km) Main Rotor Diameter: 72 ft 3 in (22.02m) Tail rotor diameter: 16 ft (4.88m) Length of Fuselage: 67 ft 2 in (20.47m) Length overall: 88 ft 3 in (26.9m) Height (to top of rotor hub): 17 ft 1 in (5.22m) Height overall: 24 ft 11 in (7.6m) Weight: Empty 22,444 lbs (10,180kg) Loaded: 34,958 lbs (15,857kg) Max gross: 42,000 lb. (19,051kg) Armament: None Serial number: USNavy BuNo. 152399
Nieuport 27 WWI French Biplane Fighter
Per Wikipedia, the Nieuport 27 was a French biplane fighter aircraft during World War I designed by Gustave Delage. The model 27 was the last of the line of Nieuport "V-strut" single seat fighters stemming from the Bébé of early 1916. The type served in small numbers with the French Aéronautique Militaire and also with the British Royal Flying Corps/Royal Air Force during 1917 and early 1918, supplementing or replacing the Nieuport 24bis. However, by Spring 1918 most Nieuport "V strut" fighters had been withdrawn from front line service and replaced - with SPAD S.XIIIs in French service, and with S.E.5as in the RFC/RAF. The type was supplied to Italy, and built there by the Nieuport-Macchi Company at Varese, although the Italians ultimately preferred the Hanriot HD.1. Some 120 Nieuport 27 aircraft were bought for the United States Army Air Service for use as trainers in 1918. French ace Charles Nungesser was the most famous pilot to use the 27. The Nieuport 27's design closely followed the early form of the 24, including its semi-rounded rear fuselage and rounded wingtips and ailerons. The structural problems with the redesigned, rounded tail surfaces of the 24, which had resulted in the use of a Nieuport 17 type tail in the 24bis., were by now overcome, so that the new version was able to standardize on the new tail. By now most Nieuport fighters were actually used as advanced trainers, and the 130hp Le Rhône Rotary engine of the 24bis. was often replaced by a 120hp or 110hp version. The handful of operational Nieuport 27s were armed either with a synchronized, fuselage-mounted Vickers machine gun (in French service) or a Lewis Gun mounted on a Foster mounting on the top wing (in British service). Two guns were occasionally fitted, but this had a severe effect on performance, which was at best little better than that of earlier models. In 1919 Poland bought one Nieuport 27 This Nieuport 27 was built as a 7/8th flying replica of the original by Mr. Lanny Turner of Wellsville, Kansas. Mr. Turner flew the replica for some 12 years prior to donating the plane to the Combat Air Museum. TECHNICAL NOTES: Original Design Manufacturer: Societe Anonyme des Etablissements, France Basic Role: WWI Fighter Crew: One Engine: Le Rhône 9Jb, 9 cylinder, air cooled rotary, 120 hp Maximum speed: 116 mph [187 km/h] Max. Range: Service Ceiling: 18,210 ft [5,550 m] Range: Wingspan: 26 ft 11 in [8.18 m] Length: 19ft 3½ in. (5.88 m) Height: 8 ft [2.43 m] Weight (empty): Weight (gross): 1,289 lb [585 kg] Armament: (French/Italian service) 1 x synchronized Vickers machine gun (British service) 1 x Lewis gun on Foster mounting on upper wing Serial number: N127LT
The aircraft in the Museum is a full scale replica of the famous Curtiss JN-4 Jenny series biplane trainers of World War I. Elton H. Rowley (1911-1997), a former Boeing Aircraft Flight Test Engineer, spent six and one-half years researching and building the airplane. Some changes were made from the original JN-4D in order to meet modern-day Federal Aviation Administration standards. The fuselage is made of welded steel tubing rather than spruce. Disc brakes were added as well as a small wheel in the tail skid. The engine is an air-cooled TANK modification of the liquid-cooled Curtiss OX5 used on original JN-4Ds. Some modern instruments were mixed in with the old ones. Fourteen inches were removed from each wingtip so the aircraft could fit into a standard T-hangar. In a 1973 magazine article Rowley commented, in part, “…you probably can’t imagine the difficulty of building a 3-dimensional airplane in 1970 from 2-dimensional plans and specs dating back to before World War I. You’d look at them and wonder how they did some of the things…” Rowley and friends hand carved the propeller from a 10-foot club of laminated birch. About flying the plane, Rowley said, “You have to fly it all the time. A Jenny’s never going to fly you.” The Jenny’s Aircraft Log lists its first flight as May 16, 1969. Elton Rowley donated the aircraft to Combat Air Museum on November 5, 1985. Curtiss Jennys trained all World War I US pilots. Curtiss and other companies produced over 5,000 of the JN-4 series. Most US-built planes went to the US Army and a few hundred went to the US Navy. Canadian Aeroplanes Ltd. built the JN-4(Can) or Canuck. Curtiss had earlier produced a J series and an N series, then combined the best features of these two to produce the JN series. “Jenny” was born from JN. Besides being a trainer, a number of Jennys were converted to ambulance planes. By the time the Army and Navy declared the JNs obsolete in 1927, many surplus planes had already entered the civilian market at bargain prices. Many former World War I pilots and newcomers as well, flew the planes trying to make a living as barnstormers, giving airplane rides out of pastures and flying as stunt pilots. Charles A. Lindbergh was among them, going on a barnstorming tour of the Midwest with his $500 JN-4 purchased in 1923. It was in this role that the Jenny perhaps gained its greatest fame. Flying Circuses were born with death defying and sometimes death dealing stunts. The 1975 cinema production 'The Great Waldo Pepper' deals with the barnstorming era of the 1920s and early 1930s. In a more docile but sometimes equally dangerous role, the Jenny served as a mail plane in the first continuous airmail service between Washington D.C. and New York City and in other airmail routes. A number of planes and pilots were lost due to weather and mechanical problems during the inaugural AirMail service flights. This JN-4D-2 appeared in the 1989 NBC TV movie “Cross of Fire” which was partially filmed in and around Topeka. It was featured in scenes filmed at Vinland, Kansas, about 46 miles southeast of Topeka. TECHNICAL NOTES: Original/Replica Manufacturer: Rowley-Curtiss Basic Role: Trainer Crew: Two Engines: Curtiss OX-5 8-cylinder, V-type, water-cooled/Tank OX5 (Model V502) air-cooled Maximum speed: 75 mph (121km/hr at sea level/62 mph (100km/hr) Max. Range: Service Ceiling: 6,500ft (1,980m) Wingspan: 43 feet 7 inches (13.3m)/41 feet 3 inches (12.6m) Length: 27 feet 3 inches (8.3m)/Same Height: 9 feet 10 inches (3m)/Same Weight (empty) 1,350 lbs. (612kg)/1,600 lbs. (726kg) Weight (gross) 2,016 lbs. (914kg)/2,188 lbs. (992kg) Armament: None Serial number: R101
The aircraft in the Museum is a full scale replica of the famous Curtiss JN-4 Jenny series biplane trainers of World War I. Elton H. Rowley (1911-1997), a former Boeing Aircraft Flight Test Engineer, spent six and one-half years researching and building the airplane. Some changes were made from the original JN-4D in order to meet modern-day Federal Aviation Administration standards. The fuselage is made of welded steel tubing rather than spruce. Disc brakes were added as well as a small wheel in the tail skid. The engine is an air-cooled TANK modification of the liquid-cooled Curtiss OX5 used on original JN-4Ds. Some modern instruments were mixed in with the old ones. Fourteen inches were removed from each wingtip so the aircraft could fit into a standard T-hangar. In a 1973 magazine article Rowley commented, in part, “…you probably can’t imagine the difficulty of building a 3-dimensional airplane in 1970 from 2-dimensional plans and specs dating back to before World War I. You’d look at them and wonder how they did some of the things…” Rowley and friends hand carved the propeller from a 10-foot club of laminated birch. About flying the plane, Rowley said, “You have to fly it all the time. A Jenny’s never going to fly you.” The Jenny’s Aircraft Log lists its first flight as May 16, 1969. Elton Rowley donated the aircraft to Combat Air Museum on November 5, 1985. Curtiss Jennys trained all World War I US pilots. Curtiss and other companies produced over 5,000 of the JN-4 series. Most US-built planes went to the US Army and a few hundred went to the US Navy. Canadian Aeroplanes Ltd. built the JN-4(Can) or Canuck. Curtiss had earlier produced a J series and an N series, then combined the best features of these two to produce the JN series. “Jenny” was born from JN. Besides being a trainer, a number of Jennys were converted to ambulance planes. By the time the Army and Navy declared the JNs obsolete in 1927, many surplus planes had already entered the civilian market at bargain prices. Many former World War I pilots and newcomers as well, flew the planes trying to make a living as barnstormers, giving airplane rides out of pastures and flying as stunt pilots. Charles A. Lindbergh was among them, going on a barnstorming tour of the Midwest with his $500 JN-4 purchased in 1923. It was in this role that the Jenny perhaps gained its greatest fame. Flying Circuses were born with death defying and sometimes death dealing stunts. The 1975 cinema production 'The Great Waldo Pepper' deals with the barnstorming era of the 1920s and early 1930s. In a more docile but sometimes equally dangerous role, the Jenny served as a mail plane in the first continuous airmail service between Washington D.C. and New York City and in other airmail routes. A number of planes and pilots were lost due to weather and mechanical problems during the inaugural AirMail service flights. This JN-4D-2 appeared in the 1989 NBC TV movie “Cross of Fire” which was partially filmed in and around Topeka. It was featured in scenes filmed at Vinland, Kansas, about 46 miles southeast of Topeka. TECHNICAL NOTES: Original/Replica Manufacturer: Rowley-Curtiss Basic Role: Trainer Crew: Two Engines: Curtiss OX-5 8-cylinder, V-type, water-cooled/Tank OX5 (Model V502) air-cooled Maximum speed: 75 mph (121km/hr at sea level/62 mph (100km/hr) Max. Range: Service Ceiling: 6,500ft (1,980m) Wingspan: 43 feet 7 inches (13.3m)/41 feet 3 inches (12.6m) Length: 27 feet 3 inches (8.3m)/Same Height: 9 feet 10 inches (3m)/Same Weight (empty) 1,350 lbs. (612kg)/1,600 lbs. (726kg) Weight (gross) 2,016 lbs. (914kg)/2,188 lbs. (992kg) Armament: None Serial number: R101
Messerschmitt Bf-109G-10 Full Scale Mockup
Development of Willi Messerschmitt's famous Bf 109 began in 1933, when the Reichsluftministerium (RiM) issued a requirement for a new monoplane fighter. The prototype B1 109V-1 flew for the first time in September 1935, powered by a 695hp Rolls-Royce Kestrel engine, as the 610hp Junkers Jumo 210A which was intended for it was not yet available. The Bf 109V-7, armed with two machine guns and a single MG FF (0.79-in (20-mm) Oerlikon cannon), became the prototype for the first series production model, the Bf 109B, powered by a 610hp Jumo 210 engine. Three of the Bf 109 prototypes were evaluated in Spain in February and March 1937 and were followed by 24 Bf 109B-2s, which immediate- ly proved superior to any other fighter engaged in the civil war. It was the use of the Bf 109 in Spain that enabled the Luftwaffe to develop the fighter tactics that would enable it to wreak havoc among its opponents in the early years of World War II. By the time that conflict began in September 1939,1,060 Bf 109s of various subspecies were in service with the Luftwaffe's fighter units. These included the Bf 109C and Bf 109D, which were already being replaced by the Bf 109£ series; this model was to be the mainstay of the Luftwaffe's fighter units throughout 1940. The series extended to the £-9, including models built as fighters, fighter-bombers, and reconnaissance aircraft. Ten Bf 109£s were converted for operations from Germany's planned aircraft carrier, the Graf Zeppelin, under the designation Bf 109T. The best of all Bf 109 variants, the Bf 109F, began to reach Luftwaffe units in France in May 1941 and was superior in most respects to the principal RAF fighter of the time, the Spitfire Mk V. The Bf 109F differed from the Bf 109£ in having a generally cleaned- up airframe, redesigned engine cowling, wing, radiators, and tail assembly. It was succeeded by the Bf 109G, which appeared late in 1942. Preproduction Bf 109G-0 aircraft retained the DB 601£ of the F series, but the first production model, the Bf 109G-1, had the more powerful DB 605A engine. The G-1, G-3, and G-5 had provision for pressurized cockpits and were fitted with the GM-1 emergency power- boost system, which was lacking in the G-2 and G-4. Various armament combinations were employed, and later aircraft were fitted with wooden tail units. The fastest G model, the Bf 109G-10, without wing armament and with MW 50 power- boost equipment, reached a maximum speed of 425mph (687km/h) at 24,278ft (7,400m), climbed to 20,000ft (6,100m) in six minutes and had an endurance of 55 minutes. The last operational versions of the Bf 109 were the K -4 and K-6, which both had DB 605D engines with MW 50 power boost. The Bf 109K-4 had two 0.58-in (15-mm) MG 151 guns semi externally mounted above the engine cowling and a 0.79- in (20-mm) MK 108 or 1.19-in (30-mm) Mk 103 firing through the propeller hub. The Bf 109K-6 had the cowling-mounted MG 151s replaced by 0.50-in (12.7-mm) MG 131 machine guns and had two 1.19-in (30-mm) MK 103 cannon in under- wing gondolas. The last variant was the Bf 109K-14, with a DB 605L engine, but only two examples saw service with JG 52. The Bf 109G was built in both Spain (as the Hispano Ha- 1109) and Czechoslovakia (as the Avia S-199). Some of the Czech-built: aircraft were acquired by Israel in 1948. Bf 109 production reached an approximate total of 35,000 aircraft. TECHNICAL NOTES: Production Model Manufacturer: Bayerische Flugzeugwerke, Germany Basic Role: Fighter Crew: One Engine: One 1,474hp Daimler-Benz DB 6O5AM 12-cytinder inverted-Vee engine (rated at 1,850 hp for take-off) Maximum speed: 386mph (621 km/h) at 22,967ft (7,000 m) Cruising Speed: 180 mph (290 km/hr) Max. Range: 620 miles (1,000 km) Service Ceiling: 37,890ft (11,550 m) Range: 1350 – 1470 miles (2,177 – 2,371 km) Wingspan: 32ft 6in (9.92 m) Length: 29ft (8.85 m) Height: 8ft 2in (2.50 m) Weight (empty): 5,180lb (2,350kg) Weight (loaded): 7,496lb (3,400 kg) Armament: One 0.79-in (20 mm) or 1.19 in (30 mm) fixed forward-firing cannon in an engine installation, and two 0.50 in (12.7 mm) fixed forward-firing machine guns in the upper part of the forward fuselage; external bomb load of 551 1bs (250kg)
Messerschmitt Bf-109G-10 Full Scale Mockup
Development of Willi Messerschmitt's famous Bf 109 began in 1933, when the Reichsluftministerium (RiM) issued a requirement for a new monoplane fighter. The prototype B1 109V-1 flew for the first time in September 1935, powered by a 695hp Rolls-Royce Kestrel engine, as the 610hp Junkers Jumo 210A which was intended for it was not yet available. The Bf 109V-7, armed with two machine guns and a single MG FF (0.79-in (20-mm) Oerlikon cannon), became the prototype for the first series production model, the Bf 109B, powered by a 610hp Jumo 210 engine. Three of the Bf 109 prototypes were evaluated in Spain in February and March 1937 and were followed by 24 Bf 109B-2s, which immediate- ly proved superior to any other fighter engaged in the civil war. It was the use of the Bf 109 in Spain that enabled the Luftwaffe to develop the fighter tactics that would enable it to wreak havoc among its opponents in the early years of World War II. By the time that conflict began in September 1939,1,060 Bf 109s of various subspecies were in service with the Luftwaffe's fighter units. These included the Bf 109C and Bf 109D, which were already being replaced by the Bf 109£ series; this model was to be the mainstay of the Luftwaffe's fighter units throughout 1940. The series extended to the £-9, including models built as fighters, fighter-bombers, and reconnaissance aircraft. Ten Bf 109£s were converted for operations from Germany's planned aircraft carrier, the Graf Zeppelin, under the designation Bf 109T. The best of all Bf 109 variants, the Bf 109F, began to reach Luftwaffe units in France in May 1941 and was superior in most respects to the principal RAF fighter of the time, the Spitfire Mk V. The Bf 109F differed from the Bf 109£ in having a generally cleaned- up airframe, redesigned engine cowling, wing, radiators, and tail assembly. It was succeeded by the Bf 109G, which appeared late in 1942. Preproduction Bf 109G-0 aircraft retained the DB 601£ of the F series, but the first production model, the Bf 109G-1, had the more powerful DB 605A engine. The G-1, G-3, and G-5 had provision for pressurized cockpits and were fitted with the GM-1 emergency power- boost system, which was lacking in the G-2 and G-4. Various armament combinations were employed, and later aircraft were fitted with wooden tail units. The fastest G model, the Bf 109G-10, without wing armament and with MW 50 power- boost equipment, reached a maximum speed of 425mph (687km/h) at 24,278ft (7,400m), climbed to 20,000ft (6,100m) in six minutes and had an endurance of 55 minutes. The last operational versions of the Bf 109 were the K -4 and K-6, which both had DB 605D engines with MW 50 power boost. The Bf 109K-4 had two 0.58-in (15-mm) MG 151 guns semi externally mounted above the engine cowling and a 0.79- in (20-mm) MK 108 or 1.19-in (30-mm) Mk 103 firing through the propeller hub. The Bf 109K-6 had the cowling-mounted MG 151s replaced by 0.50-in (12.7-mm) MG 131 machine guns and had two 1.19-in (30-mm) MK 103 cannon in under- wing gondolas. The last variant was the Bf 109K-14, with a DB 605L engine, but only two examples saw service with JG 52. The Bf 109G was built in both Spain (as the Hispano Ha- 1109) and Czechoslovakia (as the Avia S-199). Some of the Czech-built: aircraft were acquired by Israel in 1948. Bf 109 production reached an approximate total of 35,000 aircraft. TECHNICAL NOTES: Production Model Manufacturer: Bayerische Flugzeugwerke, Germany Basic Role: Fighter Crew: One Engine: One 1,474hp Daimler-Benz DB 6O5AM 12-cytinder inverted-Vee engine (rated at 1,850 hp for take-off) Maximum speed: 386mph (621 km/h) at 22,967ft (7,000 m) Cruising Speed: 180 mph (290 km/hr) Max. Range: 620 miles (1,000 km) Service Ceiling: 37,890ft (11,550 m) Range: 1350 – 1470 miles (2,177 – 2,371 km) Wingspan: 32ft 6in (9.92 m) Length: 29ft (8.85 m) Height: 8ft 2in (2.50 m) Weight (empty): 5,180lb (2,350kg) Weight (loaded): 7,496lb (3,400 kg) Armament: One 0.79-in (20 mm) or 1.19 in (30 mm) fixed forward-firing cannon in an engine installation, and two 0.50 in (12.7 mm) fixed forward-firing machine guns in the upper part of the forward fuselage; external bomb load of 551 1bs (250kg)
Beech SNB-5 Twin Beech Model 18 (FAA Reg. Number N87693)
The Model 18 was one of Beech Aircraft’s most successful and longest running production designs. It was in production from 1937 until November 26, 1969. Some 18 commercial variants were built. The Model 18 was designed for private and civil aviation, combining low operating costs, cabin comfort, and safety features comparable to those found on commercial airliners. The aircraft was designed to operate from small airfields and have a high degree of reliability and ease of repair. The first flight took place on January 15, 1937. Beech employees dubbed the Model 18 the Twin Beech. The design faced stiff competition from Lockheed’s Electra Junior in the late 1930’s, but after the United States’ entry into World War II production soared in order to meet the needs of the US military for trainers and utility transports. All branches of service flew versions of the Twin Beech, and this continued when the US Air Force came into being in 1947. Of the nearly 10,000 Model 18s built, over 5,250 were for the US military and were used to train navigators (AT-7/SNB-2), gunners and bombardiers (AT-11/SNB-1), and pilots, and for transporting cargo and personnel (C-45/SNB-5/JRB) and for aerial photography and mapping (F-2). Over 90 percent of US navigators and bombardiers in World War II trained in versions of the Twin Beech. Navigator, Kansan, and Expeditor were all names used for versions of military Model 18s, but the most commonly used name was Twin Beech. The US military flew a dozen basic variants, with nearly 40 sub-variants. The Army Air Force and Navy (including Marines and Coast Guard) had different designations for the Twin Beech. In September 1962, all surviving military Model 18s became C-45s with different letter suffixes for different versions. The US Coast Guard stopped flying their JRBs in 1958. The US Air Force retired their C-45s in 1963. The US Navy/Marines retired theirs in 1972, and the US Army ended operations of the C-45 in 1976. CAM’s Twin Beech is a US Navy SNB-5. Beech Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas, originally built the aircraft as an SNB-2 Navigator in 1943. As the name implies, its primary mission was to train aerial navigators, and it also served as a general purpose transport. The US Navy accepted the plane November 5, 1943, with Bureau Number 51241 and took delivery November 10, 1943. The service operated the aircraft for the next 16 years, and it crisscrossed the United States with its various assignments. Beech re-manufactured and converted the aircraft to an SNB-5 transport in 1950-51. It was removed from Naval service in the fall of 1959 but soon started a new year career with the US Department of Agriculture, taking part in the Screwworm Eradication Program along the south Texas-Mexico border. The plane released sterile screwworm flies from a chute installed through the fuselage bottom. History Cards show the aircraft re-designated a TC-45J in September 1962, then an UC-45J in late 1964. In July 1981, the aircraft was registered to Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois. By 1988, the owner was Courtesy Aircraft, Inc., Rockford, Illinois. CAM purchased 51241 from this corporation on October 12, 1988. Some initial repair and restoration took place on the Twin Beech during 1989, but it was not until 1992 that a continuous effort to restore the aircraft back to its military likeness began. A core group of four volunteers worked a few days a week for nearly eight years to restore the aircraft to its current configuration. This aircraft is owned by Combat Air Museum. TECHNICAL NOTES: Manufacturer: Beech Primary Use: Personnel transport for six to eight passengers Alternate Uses: Trainer Crew: Pilot, co-pilot Variants: C-45H, B-18S Engines: Two 450 hp (335.5kW) each Pratt & Whitney R-985 nine-cylinder, air cooled radial engines Maximum speed: 225 mph (362km/h) Cruising speed: 129mph (208km/h) Range: 1,250 miles (2,012km) Service Ceiling: 24,900 ft (7,590m) Wingspan: 47 ft 8 in (14.53m) Wing Area: 349 sq ft (32.42sq m) Length: 34 ft 2 in (10.41m) Height: 9 ft 2 in (2.79m) Weight: Empty: 6,000 lbs (2,721.6kg) Gross: 9,300 lbs (4,218.5kg) Armament: None Serial number: US Navy BuNo. 51241 (FAA Reg. Number N87693)
Beech SNB-5 Twin Beech Model 18 (FAA Reg. Number N87693)
The Model 18 was one of Beech Aircraft’s most successful and longest running production designs. It was in production from 1937 until November 26, 1969. Some 18 commercial variants were built. The Model 18 was designed for private and civil aviation, combining low operating costs, cabin comfort, and safety features comparable to those found on commercial airliners. The aircraft was designed to operate from small airfields and have a high degree of reliability and ease of repair. The first flight took place on January 15, 1937. Beech employees dubbed the Model 18 the Twin Beech. The design faced stiff competition from Lockheed’s Electra Junior in the late 1930’s, but after the United States’ entry into World War II production soared in order to meet the needs of the US military for trainers and utility transports. All branches of service flew versions of the Twin Beech, and this continued when the US Air Force came into being in 1947. Of the nearly 10,000 Model 18s built, over 5,250 were for the US military and were used to train navigators (AT-7/SNB-2), gunners and bombardiers (AT-11/SNB-1), and pilots, and for transporting cargo and personnel (C-45/SNB-5/JRB) and for aerial photography and mapping (F-2). Over 90 percent of US navigators and bombardiers in World War II trained in versions of the Twin Beech. Navigator, Kansan, and Expeditor were all names used for versions of military Model 18s, but the most commonly used name was Twin Beech. The US military flew a dozen basic variants, with nearly 40 sub-variants. The Army Air Force and Navy (including Marines and Coast Guard) had different designations for the Twin Beech. In September 1962, all surviving military Model 18s became C-45s with different letter suffixes for different versions. The US Coast Guard stopped flying their JRBs in 1958. The US Air Force retired their C-45s in 1963. The US Navy/Marines retired theirs in 1972, and the US Army ended operations of the C-45 in 1976. CAM’s Twin Beech is a US Navy SNB-5. Beech Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas, originally built the aircraft as an SNB-2 Navigator in 1943. As the name implies, its primary mission was to train aerial navigators, and it also served as a general purpose transport. The US Navy accepted the plane November 5, 1943, with Bureau Number 51241 and took delivery November 10, 1943. The service operated the aircraft for the next 16 years, and it crisscrossed the United States with its various assignments. Beech re-manufactured and converted the aircraft to an SNB-5 transport in 1950-51. It was removed from Naval service in the fall of 1959 but soon started a new year career with the US Department of Agriculture, taking part in the Screwworm Eradication Program along the south Texas-Mexico border. The plane released sterile screwworm flies from a chute installed through the fuselage bottom. History Cards show the aircraft re-designated a TC-45J in September 1962, then an UC-45J in late 1964. In July 1981, the aircraft was registered to Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois. By 1988, the owner was Courtesy Aircraft, Inc., Rockford, Illinois. CAM purchased 51241 from this corporation on October 12, 1988. Some initial repair and restoration took place on the Twin Beech during 1989, but it was not until 1992 that a continuous effort to restore the aircraft back to its military likeness began. A core group of four volunteers worked a few days a week for nearly eight years to restore the aircraft to its current configuration. This aircraft is owned by Combat Air Museum. TECHNICAL NOTES: Manufacturer: Beech Primary Use: Personnel transport for six to eight passengers Alternate Uses: Trainer Crew: Pilot, co-pilot Variants: C-45H, B-18S Engines: Two 450 hp (335.5kW) each Pratt & Whitney R-985 nine-cylinder, air cooled radial engines Maximum speed: 225 mph (362km/h) Cruising speed: 129mph (208km/h) Range: 1,250 miles (2,012km) Service Ceiling: 24,900 ft (7,590m) Wingspan: 47 ft 8 in (14.53m) Wing Area: 349 sq ft (32.42sq m) Length: 34 ft 2 in (10.41m) Height: 9 ft 2 in (2.79m) Weight: Empty: 6,000 lbs (2,721.6kg) Gross: 9,300 lbs (4,218.5kg) Armament: None Serial number: US Navy BuNo. 51241 (FAA Reg. Number N87693)
DOUGLAS C-47D Skytrain ("Kilroy Is Here")
The C-47 was a military derivative of the world famous Douglas DC-3 commercial airliner. The first contract for fully militarized C-47s was let September 16, 1940. Deliveries of DC-3s and DC-3As to US and foreign airlines reached 430 before the US entry into World War II. Manufacture of commercial aircraft was then suspended. The US Army Air Force (USAAF) took over all civil DC-3s and DC-3As still on the production line. Because of the different airline specifications and variety of engines, these aircraft were assigned 22 different designations. Those DC-3s already in US airline service were impressed into the military and included nine different designations. All branches of the US Armed Forces flew the C-47 Skytrain, C-53 Skytrooper, or R4D, as appropriate. The British Commonwealth air forces called the aircraft Dakota. Douglas delivered the last C-47 to the USAAF on October 23, 1945. This C-47 was built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and delivered to the USAAF on March 27, 1945. It was originally one of 133 TC-47B-DK trainers. TC-47Bs were equipped as navigational trainers. If you stand behind the tail and look along the top of the plane’s fuselage you will see two round plates between the clear astrodome and the tail. These were positions for two other astrodomes for training navigators in celestial (sun, stars, moon) navigation. In 1947, the aircraft was modified to a C-47D configuration by removing the high altitude blowers from the engines. Two years later, it was converted to a VC-47D staff/VIP (Very Important Person) transport. The C-47 ended its Air Force service in 1966 but continued in US Government service with the Atomic Energy Commission and Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS). While flying with the USDA, the C-47 took part in the Screwworm Eradication Program along the south Texas-Mexico border. It flew from Moore Field in Mission, Texas and from Tampico, Mexico. Sometime in 1979-1980, the aircraft was released as surplus property and parked at Douglas, Arizona, with other surplus USDA aircraft. Combat Air Museum learned about the plane through the Kansas federal surplus property agency and acquired the plane through the surplus property program in May 1980. MARKINGS Our C-47 is named after and painted in the markings of a World War II C-47Skytrain. The real Kilroy flew with the 92nd Troop Carrier Squadron, 439th Troop Carrier Group of the IX Troop Carrier Command. The J8 signifies the 92nd squadron. The I signifies the individual radio call letter. The black and white stripes are commonly called “Invasion Stripes.” They were painted on all Allied aircraft taking part in the June 6, 1944, D-Day invasion of Normandy, France, as recognition stripes and were applied less than 24 hours prior to the invasion. The stripes were to warn Allied forces on sea, land, and in the air, to not fire on their own aircraft. C-47s like Kilroy carried paratroopers of the 82nd “All American” and 101st “Screaming Eagles” Airborne over Normandy in the pre-dawn hours of June 6 to parachute into enemy held territory and secure key positions before the arrival of the invasion fleet. They also towed in airborne glider forces. This aircraft is owned by Combat Air Museum. TECHNICAL NOTES: Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft Company Basic Role: Cargo/Personnel transport: 6,000 lbs (2725 kg) of cargo, or 28 paratroopers, or 14 stretchers Crew: Pilot, co-pilot, radio operator Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp (1,200 hp; 895kW each) 14-cylinder, air cooled radial engines Max speed: 224 mph (360km/h) Cruising speed: 160mph (257km/h) Service ceiling: 26,400 ft (8,045m) Range:Normal: 1,600 miles (2,575km) Max: 3,600 miles (5,795km) Span: 95 ft 6 in (29.11m) Length: 63 ft 9 in (19.43m) Height: 17 ft (5.18m) Wing Area: 987 sq ft (91.7 sq m) Weight - Empty: 18,135 lbs (8,226kg) Loaded: 26,000 (11,793kg) Max: 31,000 lbs (14,061kg) Armament: None Serial number: USAF 44-76582
Lockheed T-33A-1-LO Shooting Star
There have been times in aviation history that certain front line combatant aircraft were modified into pilot trainers. With most fighter aircraft this meant changing a single-seat aircraft into a two-seater. Such was the case with Lockheed’s P-80 (later F-80) Shooting Star, the first fully operational jet fighter for the United States Air Force (USAF). In the case of the P-80, its spin-off trainer proved to be such a success, that it became a production aircraft in its own right and flew for some 29 years as the T-33. The first trainer versions of the P-80 were designated TP-80C and later, TF-80C. The first TP-80C flew in March 1948. The re-designation to TF-80C was made in June that year, and after 128 had been produced, a new designation, T-33A, was given to the type in May 1949. Production of the T-33 reached 5,691 planes in the United States, 656 in Canada, and 210 in Japan. It remained in production until August 1959 and was flown by the air forces of over 30 countries. The US Navy and Marine Corps designated the trainer TO-2, changed to TV-2, and finally T-33B. Many people, in reference to the T-33, use the nickname “T-Bird.” From 1948, the T-33 remained the only USAF jet trainer until arrival of the Cessna T-37A in 1957 and the Northrop T-38A in 1961. Over 150 T-33s were still flying in Air Force and Air National Guard units in 1985, but in 1986 the US Congress ordered the type removed from US military service by the end of September 1987. CAM’s T-33 was manufactured at Lockheed’s Burbank, California plant and delivered to the Air Force on January 20, 1954. The aircraft was never assigned to a training command, but spent its career with Air Defense Command (ADC) units. All ADC units had T-33As assigned for pilot proficiency flying, and instrument training. After 13 years in the Air Force, this T-33 was dropped from inventory and later spent some years in a city park in Viborg, South Dakota. CAM acquired 52-9632 in 1981. Museum volunteers recovered the aircraft from Viborg, South Dakota, dismantling and transporting it back to Topeka. The jet had been heavily vandalized, including holes beaten through the fuselage. Steel reinforcement bars sat over the cockpit where the canopy should have been, and the cockpit area was gutted of instruments and other items. Once in Topeka, re-assembly and restoration of the T-33 began. This included a journey by a group of volunteers to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, (Tucson) Arizona to gather many needed parts and instruments to bring the T-33 back to display condition. During the restoration, a number of parts labeled 1947 were found on the jet, and a credit card, perhaps lost by one of 632’s former pilots was found in the cockpit. The trainer carries the markings of the 13th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, ADC, its last Air Force unit. This aircraft is on loan from the National Museum of the United States Air Force Dayton, Ohio. TECHNICAL NOTES: (T-33A-1-LO) Manufacturer: Lockheed Corporation Basic Role: Tandem, two-place, jet-propelled fighter-trainer. Primary mission was jet fighter transition Crew: Student pilot, instructor pilot Power Plant: Allison J33-A-35 centrifugal flow turbojet with 4,600 lbs (2,087kg) static thrust dry and 5,400 lbs (2,449kg) static thrust with water/alcohol injection Maximum speed: 599 mph (964km/h) Cruising Speed: 454 mph (731km/h) Range: Normal: 1,025 miles (1,650km) Max: 1,270 miles (2,044km) Service ceiling: 47,500 ft (14,478m) Wingspan: 38 ft 11 in (11.86m) without tip tanks 43 ft (13.1m) with tip tanks Length: 37 ft 8 in (11.49m) Height: 11 ft 8 in (3.57m) Wing Area: 235 sq ft (21.83 sq m) Weight: Empty: 8,084 lbs (3,667kg) Gross, with full tip tanks: 15,100 lbs (6,849kg) Armament: Two .50 caliber machine guns or equivalent ballast in the nose. Serial number: USAF 52-9632
Lockheed EC-121T-LO Warning Star (FAA Reg. Number N4257U)
The US Air Force RC-121 and EC-121 series of airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft were modifications of the Lockheed models 1049A and 1049B Super Constellation passenger airliner. US Navy versions were the WV-2. The USAF aircraft entered service in 1953 with the Air Defense Command. Their primary mission was to fly patrols along the U.S. coasts as a part of the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line. Missions of 10 to 12 hours were common. A total of 72 RC-121Ds were built between 1951 and 1955. They were re-designated EC-121Ds in 1962. In the Vietnam War EC-121s of the 552nd Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing operated as part of the Big Eye Task Force and later, College Eye Task Force. The EC-121s monitored and reported North Vietnamese air traffic, guided U.S. fighters to intercepts, directed aircraft to their aerial refueling tankers and guided rescue aircraft and helicopters to downed pilots. Lockheed Aircraft manufactured the Museum’s EC-121T in Burbank, California in 1954 as a RC-121D. It was delivered to the USAF in October of that year and remained in service for 22 years. It was re-designated EC-121D in 1962 and modified to an EC-121T in 1968. The modification included removal of the height finding radar and its “shark fin” radome from the top of the fuselage. All indictors, navigation equipment, and radios were changed to become a high-speed automated system. During the latter part of the Vietnam War, EC-121Ts were used extensively. Two missions per day were common. 418 flew missions over the Plain of Jars (Laos) and the Gulf of Tonkin about 50 miles from Haiphong Harbor, North Vietnam. From latter 1973 to early 1974, 418 flew missions over Cambodia, providing radar control to cargo aircraft delivering food to the besieged city of Phnom Penh before it fell to communist forces. Missions were also flown in the Yellow Sea between Korea and China. The aircraft was based at Kwang Ju, Korea and Fukuoka, Japan during these missions. During its service, 418’s parent units received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Ribbon with two oak leaf clusters, which are painted on the right side of the fuselage. The large bulge on the bottom of the aircraft is the radome for the AN/APS-95 air search radar that had a range of 250 miles. A number of blade antennas stick out from the fuselage for various electronic purposes. The Museum received transfer documents from the Kansas State Agency from Federal Surplus Property in February 1981 for Conditional Transfer of 418. It was flown to the Forbes Field by Frank Lang from Davis-Monthan in May 1981. TECHNICAL NOTES: Manufacturer: Lockheed Basic Role: Reconnaissance: Airborne early warning and control aircraft Crew: 17 to 26, depending on mission and relief crew Engines: Four Wright R-3350 air-cooled radials of 3,400 hp (2,535 kW) each Maximum speed: 290 mph (467 km/hr) @ 20,000 ft (6,096 m) Cruising Speed: 240 mph (386 km/hr) Max. Range: 4,000 miles (6,437 km) Service Ceiling: 18,000 ft (5,486 m) Wing Span: 126 ft 2 in (38.5 m) Wing Area: 1,654 sq ft (153.7sq m) Length: 116 ft 2 in (35.4 m) Height: 27 ft (8.2 m) Empty weight: 80,611 lbs. (36,565kg) Loaded weight: 145,000 lbs. (65,771 kg) Armament: None Serial number: USAF 52-3418 (FAA Reg. Number N4257U)
Lockheed EC-121T-LO Warning Star (FAA Reg. Number N4257U)
The US Air Force RC-121 and EC-121 series of airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft were modifications of the Lockheed models 1049A and 1049B Super Constellation passenger airliner. US Navy versions were the WV-2. The USAF aircraft entered service in 1953 with the Air Defense Command. Their primary mission was to fly patrols along the U.S. coasts as a part of the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line. Missions of 10 to 12 hours were common. A total of 72 RC-121Ds were built between 1951 and 1955. They were re-designated EC-121Ds in 1962. In the Vietnam War EC-121s of the 552nd Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing operated as part of the Big Eye Task Force and later, College Eye Task Force. The EC-121s monitored and reported North Vietnamese air traffic, guided U.S. fighters to intercepts, directed aircraft to their aerial refueling tankers and guided rescue aircraft and helicopters to downed pilots. Lockheed Aircraft manufactured the Museum’s EC-121T in Burbank, California in 1954 as a RC-121D. It was delivered to the USAF in October of that year and remained in service for 22 years. It was re-designated EC-121D in 1962 and modified to an EC-121T in 1968. The modification included removal of the height finding radar and its “shark fin” radome from the top of the fuselage. All indictors, navigation equipment, and radios were changed to become a high-speed automated system. During the latter part of the Vietnam War, EC-121Ts were used extensively. Two missions per day were common. 418 flew missions over the Plain of Jars (Laos) and the Gulf of Tonkin about 50 miles from Haiphong Harbor, North Vietnam. From latter 1973 to early 1974, 418 flew missions over Cambodia, providing radar control to cargo aircraft delivering food to the besieged city of Phnom Penh before it fell to communist forces. Missions were also flown in the Yellow Sea between Korea and China. The aircraft was based at Kwang Ju, Korea and Fukuoka, Japan during these missions. During its service, 418’s parent units received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Ribbon with two oak leaf clusters, which are painted on the right side of the fuselage. The large bulge on the bottom of the aircraft is the radome for the AN/APS-95 air search radar that had a range of 250 miles. A number of blade antennas stick out from the fuselage for various electronic purposes. The Museum received transfer documents from the Kansas State Agency from Federal Surplus Property in February 1981 for Conditional Transfer of 418. It was flown to the Forbes Field by Frank Lang from Davis-Monthan in May 1981. TECHNICAL NOTES: Manufacturer: Lockheed Basic Role: Reconnaissance: Airborne early warning and control aircraft Crew: 17 to 26, depending on mission and relief crew Engines: Four Wright R-3350 air-cooled radials of 3,400 hp (2,535 kW) each Maximum speed: 290 mph (467 km/hr) @ 20,000 ft (6,096 m) Cruising Speed: 240 mph (386 km/hr) Max. Range: 4,000 miles (6,437 km) Service Ceiling: 18,000 ft (5,486 m) Wing Span: 126 ft 2 in (38.5 m) Wing Area: 1,654 sq ft (153.7sq m) Length: 116 ft 2 in (35.4 m) Height: 27 ft (8.2 m) Empty weight: 80,611 lbs. (36,565kg) Loaded weight: 145,000 lbs. (65,771 kg) Armament: None Serial number: USAF 52-3418 (FAA Reg. Number N4257U)
Sopwith Scout ("Pup") British Biplane Fighter (Full Scale Replica)
Designed by Herbert Smith of the Sopwith Aviation Company, the Sopwith “Pup” (official designation Sopwith Scout) is a single seat fighter. Its excellent flight characteristics and maneuverability quickly won favor from its pilots. The first prototype flew for testing in February 1916. After several modifications and imrovements, the first production Pups reached the Western Front in October 1916 with No. 8 Squadron RNAS, and proved successful, with the squadron's Pups claiming 20 enemy machines destroyed in operations over the Somme battlefield by the end of the year. Its good flight characteristics allowed it to successfully compete with enemy aircraft such as the Fokker scout and it was more than a match for any of the new German Halberstadt and Albatros biplanes. “We instantly noticed the superiority of the new enemy aircraft over our machines” - noted Manfred von Richthofen. The Pup's light weight and large wing area gave it a good rate of climb. In terms of maneuverability, ailerons were designed to both wings which increased its agility in the air. British Ace James McCudden stated that "When it came to maneuvering, the Sopwith Pup would turn twice to an Albatros' once ... it was a remarkably fine machine for general all-round flying. It was so extremely light and well surfaced that after a little practice one could almost land it on a tennis court." Due to this feature the Pup was also used in many pioneering aircraft carrier experiments. On 2 August 1917, a Pup flown by Sqn Cdr Edwin Dunning became the first aircraft to land aboard a moving ship, the specially equipped HMS Furious. Whilst the “Pup” nickname was never officially recognized it started the tradition of naming all further Sopwith aircraft after a bird or animal. The combat life of the Pup was short and it was eventually outclassed by newer German fighters, but it was not completely replaced on the Western Front until the end of 1917. Remaining Pups were relegated to British Home Defense and Western Front training units. In all 1,770 Pups were manufactured by a triage of aircraft makers in the U.K. This full scale model of a Sopwith Pup was donated to the Museum in Dec 2011 by the builder/owner Robert Baslee of Airdrome Aeroplanes in Holden. Baslee has built 20 different designs of World War I airplanes, including the Pfalz E1 which hangs in our Museum (Pfalz E1). TECHNICAL NOTES: Manufacturer: British Sopwith Aviation Company Basic Role: WWI Fighter Crew: One Engine: 1 x Le Rhône air-cooled rotary engine, 80 hp (60 kW) or 1 x Gnôme Monosoupape, air cooled rotary, 100 hp Maximum speed: 97 knots (111½ mph, 180 km/h) at sea level Service Ceiling: 17,500 feet (5,600 m) Endurance: 3 hours, Climb to 10,000 ft (3,050 m): 14 min, Climb to 16,100 ft (4,910 m): 35 min Wingspan: 26 ft 6 in (8.08 m) Length: 19ft 3½ in. (5.88 m) Height: 9 ft 5 in (2.87 m) Weight (empty): 787 lb (358 kg) Weight (gross): 1,225 lb (557 kg) Armament: 1 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun fired forward through the propeller by means of a gun synchronizer