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A
Note From the Editor
Harold
Cannon,
hcannon@eaa.org |
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| Wedding Bells and Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend |
| Some
of you may have noticed that there was no Briefing in your
in-box December. My apologies. By way of explanation, things
have been a bit busy around here. As you’ll read below, my
L-39 has found a new home, back in the Czech Republic no
less. Rich
Hess has written |
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| about
the great adventure of getting it to the new owner, and you
can read it below. No shipping cartons were harmed or even
used. Read
more |
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| Safety
News and Issues |
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| FAAST Tip: Winter Ground Operations |
| As
winter gets into full swing across the country, we should be
aware of its impact on our surface operations at the
airport. Operating on a snow or ice covered surface - either
in a ground vehicle or an aircraft - requires an extra degree
of caution.
(I know I’m ready for spring! – Ed.) Read FAA Safety Team hints on winter operations |
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| Maintenance
and Restoration News
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| Fw 190A-5/U3 Flies Again |
| Paul Allen’s famous Flying Heritage Collection (FHC), based in Everett, Washington, announced last month that its Fw-190A-5/U3 fighter made its first post-restorative flight, marking the first time it’s been airborne since 1943 when it was shot down near Leningrad during |
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World War II. Veteran test pilot Steve Hinton was at the controls as the aircraft took off in Casa Grande, Arizona, and tested all major systems during a 20-minute flight. Read more here | See the new paint job.
Dream Job: FHC Seeks Restoration Manager
If you want to join all the excitement at the FHC, the facility is seeking a restoration project manager to manage and oversee incredible aviation projects. The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing the restoration of vintage aircraft projects from around the world. FHC’s collection includes a Curtiss Jenny, Focke-Wulf Fw-190D-13, and Messerschmitt Bf 109, Hawker Hurricane, Grumman F6F Hellcat, P-40 and P-5 Mustangs, and many others.
The new restoration manager will be able to assess progress and quality restoration work, ensure an aircraft is true to the original as possible, and meet current FAA requirements. See job description and apply here |
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| November's
Featured Stories |
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| Rebuilding the XP-82 Twin Mustang |
| Not long ago, Tom Reilly, EAA 802376/Warbirds 552913, and his warbird restoration group got started on a restoration that, when finished, will resurrect one of the rarest airplanes in the world: the Merlin-powered North American P-82 (Twin Mustang) prototype, the only one of an
estimated 60 built planned to fly. |
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| Reilly had his eye on a P-82 he immediately fell in love with when he toured Walter Soplata’s extensive collection of warbirds. By the time he acquired the funds it had been sold - twice. Reilly was sure his dream of owning a Twin Mustang was over.
Read
more |
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| Video: Rare Japanese Air Defense Footage of Downed U.S. Aircraft |
| Recently we brought you rarely seen gun camera footage from U.S. aircraft in the Pacific theater. The B-29 wreaked havoc on Japan, but the Japanese had their victories, too. Here’s some footage released by the Imperial Japanese Air |
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| Defense forces that
shows combat as well as the aftermath of shoot-downs of B-29s and F6F and F4U fighters. Plus see recently
discovered film of a B-29 crash and rescue of the crew by U.S. submarine. Watch the video |
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| Book Review: Down
in Flames |
| What kind of aviation novel does a retired, decorated fighter pilot write? Will it be nearly 400 pages of nonstop action-packed excitement? Will it be a romantic love story where the heroic leading character
"gets the girl?" |
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| Will it be a history-based take on the lighter and darker faces of war surrounding the somewhat self-reflective, imaginary characters and how they face the highs, lows, action, boredom, tragedy, material, and personal costs of war? Bill Gius reviews Larry Guarino’s
Down in Flames. Read
more |
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| Squadron 2 Awards Five Scholarships to Cascade Area Youth |
| Warbirds of America Squadron 2 (Cascade Warbirds) have been quite busy promoting youth development and interest in the Warbird Movement. This is the group’s fourth year of awarding scholarships to deserving youth in the Cascade area. The awards concentrate on teens 16 to 18 years old who plan to make
aviation their future career.
Read
more |
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| How an L-39 Finally Came Home |
| Rich Hess of International Jets has now ferried three L-39s across the North Atlantic. At this rate he has 70 years to go before he depletes the North American supply, so not much
danger of that. |
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| But this story is something I have an interest in, because this time it was my jet that was going home to Aero Vodochody. Read on to take another armchair warbird ride across the big pond with
"Over the Ocean III, or How an L-39 Finally Came Home."
Read
more |
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| Royal Air Force Retires Harrier Jump Jet |
| After 41 years the British Royal Air Force (RAF) has retired the Harrier Jump Jet. Regarded as one of Britain’s greatest technological achievements, the fighter that could takeoff vertically, fly backward, and pirouette in the air was a key factor in the Falklands War in 1982. Originally produced by Hawker Siddeley, four variants were produced, including the BAE Harrier II and the McDonnell Douglass AV-8B Harrier II, which was made for the United State Marine Corps aviation their future career.
Read
more and see the video |
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| EAA 1310 Needs Help Fixing Donated Tugs for AirVenture |
| Ever wonder where all the heavy equipment on the Oshkosh Warbird line comes from? It comes from generous donations and hard work provided by fellow EAA/Warbirds of America members and our local chapters. |
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| Here’s a note from EAA Chapter
1310 President Chuck Drake about his chapter’s effort to keep ’em flying at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. If any of you have support, time, or other help to give, please let him know!
Read more |
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| The Eclectic English Electric Lightning |
| The English Electric Lightning was an impressive Cold War interceptor, noted for its Mach 2-plus speed, massive size, and brilliant bare metal finish. Ironically its only kill was a pilotless British Harrier jet. The Lightning was capable not only |
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only of great speed but incredible altitude as well, once reaching a reported altitude of 87,000 feet over Saudi Arabia. The Anglo-American Lightning Association is busy restoring one of these monsters.
Read more |
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| Webinars:
Folding Wing Onex Can Fit in Your Garage |
| Sonex Aircraft’s Onex (which had its first flight last week) is an all-metal, single-place, kit aircraft with a new feature: folding wings. The design will allow it to be trailered with ease and fit in a garage as narrow as 7 feet. Join Sonex’s Jeremy Monnett to learn about the latest design from the Hornets’ Nest R&D.
All
webinars begin at 7 p.m. CDT. To find out more about
upcoming EAA Webinars and to register, visit the webinars
page.
EAA
gratefully acknowledges the support of Aircraft Spruce and
Specialty Co. for their generous sponsorship of our webinar
programs. |
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Issue 1, January 2011 |
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| Your
insights help us provide a better newsletter to you. Please
review and rate this issue of Warbirds Briefing. |
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| VIDEO |
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Helicopter War Memory Sustained by California-based Huey
Vietnam was known as the Helicopter War. Check out this cool
video, set to rock and roll from the era, that features a
Bay Area group keeping a Bell UH-1H Iriquois Huey flying.
The video weaves Vietnam-era film with cuts from present-day
flights that mimic footage of the past. After the video, you
might want to visit HueyVets.com
to learn more about the group’s work in restoring the
aircraft and preserving the memory of those who served in
Vietnam.
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Watch the
video |
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B-24 Training Film Demonstrates Liberator Toughness In Battle |
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Ride along on the mighty B-24 Liberator as it flies, fights, and returns with heavy battle damage. Produced in 1944 as a training film for bomber crews, this vintage video gives crews hope that a
"wing and a prayer" works more often than not. |
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Watch
the video |
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| PHOTO
GALLERY |
‘The Pig’ Retires
Eras are ending the world over. Just as the Harrier is coming to an end in England, Australia is phasing out their “Big Stick,” the F-111. Whether there will be a comparable replacement all in one aircraft, the airframe pioneered variable-sweep wings, afterburner turbofan engines, and terrain-following radar. The United States phased out the aircraft in 1998, replacing it with the F-15 and B-1B. John Freedman takes us to Australia for the last flight of
"The Pig." |
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View
the gallery |
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Monthly -
Chino, CA - EAA Warbirds Squadron 16 Meetings are held
every month on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
at Planes of Fame Air Museum.
Info: Enrico Bottieri, Commander
Phone: 714-964-4864
E-mail | Website
February 5-Key West, FL-1st Southernmost Open House & Aviation Review (SOAR) presented by Friends of the Airport (FOTA) Need warbirds for static display. This event is not an air show or fly-in. Ramp space is limited. Vendors/exhibitors, flight opportunities, tours of new terminal.
Info: E-mail
February 12-Countryside, IL-EAA Warbirds Squadron 4 Annual Dinner starts at 5 PM at the William Tell Restaurant.
Info: Jim Delaney email: E-mail
March 11-13-Titusville, FL-Valiant Air Command’s 2011 Tico Warbird Air Show; military fly-bys, dog fights; vintage warbirds on static display.
E-mail | Website
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| Q.
The Me 262 was the first operational jet of World War II. If
given another year of further development and
implementation, would it have turned the tide for Germany in
the air war?
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