Volume 20 #4, Issue 92

CURTISS-WRIGHT’S BIRDS – THE SPARROW AND FALCON

In this article we take a look at the CW-19 & 22, charting the development and service of these interesting types through war and peace. As is usual we concentrate our focus on those examples which remain, which although are few are well looked after. Of particular interest are the less well known examples extant in Latin America and we have been fortunate to be able to get a closer look at these. Only one of the type is currently air worthy and both Mike Shreeve and Roger Cain captured some lovely images which we present throughout.

BOLY BEQUEATHED

In October 2013 a well preserved Bristol Bolingbroke Mk. IV was lifted from its almost seven decade old resting place in the prairie sod near Macdonald, Manitoba, Canada. The aircraft is now in its new home at a base in Winnipeg where it will eventually be restored and placed on display as a memorial to the generosity of the family which donated it and those who served in the type, both operationally and as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. How this came about is related by the son of the woman whose final wish for the aircraft has now been realized.

THE MYSTERY AEROPLANE - a Műegyetemi Sportrepülő Egyesület M.24

A what??? Gregory Alegi takes a look at a very obscure Hungarian aircraft which was built in small numbers prior to WWII. A single example defected to Italy in 1944 and had the Allied Command scrambling for a copy of Jane’s All the Worlds Aircraft. This machine somehow survived and found its way into a museum in Milan; however confirmation of its identity was not achieved until 1974! Unfortunately this unique machine has fallen into disrepair, and attempts to trade it to its homeland have yet to succeed.

SHOWTIME!

The Wildcat seems an unlikely mount for a performing aerobatic pilot, however following in the footsteps of the late Bobby Younkin; Greg Shelton decided Pitts Specials, Zlins and the like are not really his thing. He opted for a WWII fighter and a rather dumpy one at that. Greg describes what it is like to display the little Navy fighter and identifies its quirks, particularly on takeoff and landing. Scott Slocum provides his usual stunning images.

SOUTHERN SPITFIRES PT.2 - Museum Aircraft

We were to look at ‘Projects’ in this issue, however a number of owners have requested more time to compile information on what they have and what they are able to disclose in the aviation press. Consequently we have moved up the Museum section of the article which takes a detailed look at Spitfires on display throughout the Southern Hemisphere, which given the status of the type, are few. Thanks to Peter ‘the Pope’ Arnold we are able to include a number of interesting images ‘back in the day’ as we follow the journey of each of these beautiful machines into the 21st Century.

THE OAKLEY PROCTORS

At Great Oakley in Essex, a picturesque rural airfield near the coast of south-eastern England, a group of dedicated enthusiasts are working diligently to bring a number of long-neglected Percival Proctors back to life.  Currently being worked on is Proctor III, G-AKEX, which was recovered from storage in Sweden where it had operated post-war in a civilian role until being grounded, along with other all-wooden aeroplanes, due to concerns over the structural integrity of the glue joints. Currently a total of four Proctors are on-site at Great Oakley and Mike Shreeve was able to stop by for a visit and chat to the driving force behind this resurrection of a Classic, Mike Biddulph.

AIRSHOWS

The Great Eastern Fly-In