Global Aviation Magazine Issue 7 - May 2012

I nt r oduci ngTCAT

R E DF L A G1 2 2

TheCl assi cAi r cr af tTr ust

MAG1 1

Mar i neAi r cr af tGr oup11

‘ JustJane’

PLUS: TheBuf fat60

Ret ur nt oFl i ght

A Tr i pDown Memor yLane:Br i an Dawes Har bourAi rSeapl anes

CONT 60 Years ofthe Mi ghty B52 2012i sa yearofgr eats i gni f i cance f ort he B52. Kevi nJ acks on ex pl or es t he r ecent modi f i cat i ons and updat es des i gned t o ex t endt hel i f ef ordecadest ocome

TCAT -The Cl assi c Ai rcraf t Trust Gar et hS t r i ngert al kst o Ai rAt l ant i que L t d’ s Avi at i on Di r ect or ,T r evorBai l ey aboutt he newl yf or medT heCl as s i cAi r cr af tT r us t

Just Jane’ s Long Road to Fl i ght El l i ot tMar s h di s cus s espl anst or et ur n Avr o L ancas t erNX611 ‘ J us tJ ane’t o ai r wor t hy condi t i onwi t hAndr ew Pant on

Harbour Ai r Seapl anes PaulDunn t r avel st o Vancouver ,BC,i n Canada t o l ear n about Har bour Ai r S eapl anes ’oper at i on

TENTS

I ssue 7 M ay 2012

PaulF i l merpr ovi desa br i efhi s t or y oft he Red F l ag s er i esof ex er ci s esandr epor t sont hes econdi t er at i onoff i s cal year2012

A Tri p Dow n M em ory Lane

I nt henex ti ns t al mentofour‘ AT r i pDown Memor yL ane’s er i es ,Br i anDawesr ecal l s hi st i mewor ki ngonS hackl et ons

M ari ne Ai rcraf t Group 11

PaulDunn cont i nues hi sl ook at t he US MC,t hi st i mef ocus i ngont heKC130s andF / A18sofMar i neAi r cr af tGr oup11

S i x t y Y e a r sa t t h e C u t t i n gE d g e

2012i sas i gni f i cantyeari nt hehi s t or yoft heBoei ngB52St r at of or t r es s .Notonl ydoest he ai r cr af tcel ebr at e60year ss i ncef i r s tt aki ngt ot hes ki es , i tal s omar kst he50t hanni ver s ar y s i ncet hel as tai r f r amer ol l edof ft hepr oduct i onl i ne.Kevi nJ acks onex ami nest her ecent enhancement smadet ot heai r cr af tt oens ur ei tr emai nsatt hef or ef r ontofUS AFt hi nki ng f oratl eas taf ur t hert hr eedecadest ocome.I mager yaut horunl es ss t at ed. he 15t h ofApr i l2012 mar ked t he 60t h anni ver s ar y of t he f i r s tf l i ght of t he vener abl e B52bomber .I n addi t i on,t hi s comi ng aut umn mar kst he 50t h anni ver s ar yof t hel as tS t r at of or t r es sr ol l i ngof ft heas s embl yl i ne andbei ngaccept edi nt oAi rF or ces er vi ce.T he l as tB52bui l t ,anHmodelwi t ht het ai lnumber 610040,l ef tt he Boei ng f act or yon26Oct ober 1962,and s t i l lf l i esoutofMi notAi rF or ce Bas e, ND,t ot hi sday.

T he begi nni ngsoft he B52wer e uni que t os ay t he l eas t . Over t he cour s e of a mar at hon weekendi nahot eli nDayt on,Ohi o,i n1948,s i x des i gner sf r om Boei ng pr oduced a 33page pr opos aland a 14i nch s cal e modelofan ai r pl ane on a s t and, whi ch Col onel Pet e War den decl ar ed wast he new B52.T he l as t s ur vi vi ng memberoft hatt eam was Hol den " Bob"Wi t hi ngt on,whopas s edawayathi shome on Mer cerI s l and,Was hi ngt on on 9December 2011,aged94.

T hatt heB52i ss t i l l att hef or ef r ontofUS AFgl obal oper at i onst oday,andi sex pect edt or emai ns o f ordecadest ocome,notonl ybear st es t ament t ot hei ngenui t yandf or es i ghtoft hos es i xBoei ng des i gner sbutal s ot ot he cur r entoper at or sf or cont i nual l yt hi nki ngupnew waysofkeepi ngt he ol d gi r lat t he cut t i ng edge wi t h cons t ant upgr adesanddevel opment s .

Thebl uef i nbandandLAt ai l codesi gni f i est hatt hi sj et bel ongst ot he20t hBS,2ndBW ( Kar lDr age)

2ndBombWi ng Bar ks dal eAF B,L A

Cur r ent l yt her ear e77B52Hmodel si ns er vi ces pl i tbet ween t wo bas es ,Bar ks dal e AF B,L A,and Mi notAF B,ND.Wi t ht he emphas i sonl ongr anges eaandai roper at i onsnow ont he As i aPaci f i cr egi on,t heent i r ecur r entbomberf l eet ,i ncl udi ng t he B52H,wass par ed f r om t he mos tr ecentcut st hathi t f i ght ernumber shar d,ast heUS AFt r i est obal anceas hr i nki ng budget .I nanoper at i ngcos t ss t udy,t heB52’ sCos tPerF l yi ng Hour ,asa f i veyearaver agef r om f i s calyear s2000t o2005, was$34, 158per ai r cr af t .T hi scompar esver yf avour abl yt o t heB1B( $48, 293)andt heB2( $78, 007) .

T her ear et woact i vedut yB52Hwi ngsundert hecont r ol ofAi r F or ce Gl obalS t r i ke Command ( AF GS C) .T he 5t h Bomb

Cl os et ot hehea r tofEngl a nd,a t Cov ent r yAi r por t ,i saqui t euni que c ol l ec t i on of a i r wor t hy , a nd pot ent i a l l ya i r wor t hy ,a i r c r a f t .T he na mesofAi rAt l a nt i quea nd T he Cl a s s i cF l i ghtwi l l bev er yf a mi l i a rt o a i r s how a nda v i a t i onent hus i a s t si n t heUK,butnow anew na meha s emer ged –The Cl as s i cAi r c r af t Tr us t .Ga r et hS t r i nger a nd Ka r l Dr a gewenta l ongt of i ndoutwhy .

Wor ds–Gar et hSt r i nger , i ma ges a sc r edi t ed.

Kevi nW i l l s

Red Fl ag,l i k eal lex er c i s esofi t sk i nd,i sdes i gned t oal l ow t oday ' smi l i t ar yai r c r ewst he oppor t uni t yt o pr ac t i s e and r ef i ne t hei rt ac t i c si n as i mul at ed war t i me s i t uat i on,butf ew ex er c i s esc anmat c hRedFl agf ort hes heers c al eandr eal i s m onof f er ,wi t hwi dehel dbel i ef t hati tpr ov i dest hemos tr eal i s t i coft r ai ni ngpr ogr ammesev erc r eat edf ormi l i t ar yai r c r ew.

PaulFi l merr epor t sf r om Nel l i sAFBonRedFl ag122.I magesPaulFi l merunl es ss t at ed. f orat i medur i ngOper at i onL i nebac k er ,waswor s e t han1: 1.

Af t erl ot sofr es ear c handt al k i ngt omanyc r ewsi t bec ame obv i ous t o Sut ert hatt hei rt r ai ni ng j us t

was n' tgoi ng f arenough and di dl i t t l et o pr epar e c r ewsf ort her eal i t i esofai rc ombat .I twasappar ent t hati fai r c r ew c oul ds ur v i v et hei rf i r s tt en r eal c ombatmi s s i onst heyt henhadaf argr eat erc hanc e ofs ur v i v i ngt ot heendoft hewar .Sot hi si showRed Fl agwasc onc ei v ed:mak et heex er c i s easr eal i s t i cas pos s i bl e and hav et he pi l ot sf l yt hos ef i r s tt en mi s s i onsout s i deofanac t ualc ombatz one.

Thev er yf i r s tRedFl agex er c i s ewashel datt heNel l i s Ai rFor c eBas ei nNov ember1975and,mor et han30 y ear sl at er ,i tr emai nsan i nv al uabl et ool ,t r ai ni ng

c r ews f r om ac r os st he gl obe f or " r eal wor l d" oper at i ons ,wi t h28c ount r i eshav i ngt ak enpar tt o dat e.

The gl obalnat ur e of Red Fl ag s houl d not be under es t i mat ed wi t hs o many oft he wor l d' s ai r f or c esoper at i ngaspar tofamul t i nat i onalc oal i t i on i nmoder ndayoper at i ons . RedFl aggi v est hem a c hanc et o notonl ypr ac t i s et hei rown t ac t i c si na s i mul at ed war t i me env i r onment , but t o do s o al ongs i de t he ai rf or c eswhi c ht heymaywel lf i nd t hems el v esoper at i ngal ongs i def orr eal .

Avr oL ancas t erNX611' J us t' J ane'hasl ongbeen t he cent r epi ece of t he L i ncol ns hi r e Avi at i on Her i t age Cent r e atEas tKi r kby,L i ncol ns hi r e.F or s ever alyear s ,t heL ancas t er ' sowner shavebeen wor ki ngt owar dsr es t or i ngt heai r cr af tt of l i ght ,a maj orunder t aki ngwhi chwoul dmake' J us tJ ane' onl yt he t hi r d ai r wor t hyL ancas t eri nt he wor l d.

El l i ot tMar s h metwi t h Andr ew Pant on atEas t Ki r kby t o s hed s ome l i ght on t hi s hi s t or i cal r es t or at i onpr oj ect .I magesaut horunl es ss t at ed.

n t he eveni ng of 30 Mar ch 1944,near l y800 ai r cr af t f r om RAF Bomber Command – L ancas t er s , Hal i f ax es and Mos qui t os – depar t ed f r om ai r f i el dsi nt he Uni t ed Ki ngdom and headed eas t f or Nur ember g, Ger many. T he 68mi l e l ong bomber s t r eam wasi nt er cept ed en r out e by L uf t waf f e ni ghtf i ght er s ,whi ch i nf l i ct eddevas t at i ngcas ual t i es i nas us t ai nedas s aul t .

Amongs tt he 545 ai r men who di d notr et ur nf r om t he s or t i e was Chr i s t opher Pant on, a young F l i ghtEngi neers er vi ng on433S quadr on.Chr i s t opher ’ s Hal i f axwasoneof96bomber s t hat wer es hot down i nt he Nur ember gr ai d and he was oneoft hos ewhol os tt hei rl i ves overGer many t hatni ght ;t he s i ngl e hi ghes tl os si n Bomber Command hi s t or y.Ashor r i f i ca f i gur e as t hat i s t o cont empl at e,i ti sbutaf r act i on

oft he55, 573ai r menofBomber Command ki l l ed i n oper at i ons overoccupi edEur ope.

Chr i s t opher ’ s br ot her s , F r ed and Har ol d, wer e deepl y af f ect edbyhi sl os s .T heymade i tt hei r ambi t i on t o f or m a l as t i ng memor i al t o t hei r br ot her ,and t he t hous andsof ot her s whos es acr i f i ces wer e r el egat ed t o a mer e pas s i ng ment i on i nt he annal soft i me.

Ni ght l y t hey had depar t ed

TheAvr oLancas

St y l i ngi t s el fast heWor l d’ sl ar ges tal ls eapl aneoper at or ,Har bou ands omeofi t snei ghbour i ngc ommuni t i es .PaulDunnt ak esal o

ourAi r ’ samphi bi ousai r c r af tpr ov i deaus ef ull i nkbet weent heCanadi anc i t yofVancouver l ookatt hi spopul arandr es pec t edoper at or .Al li magesPaulDunnunl es sot her wi s es t at ed.

n19Mar c h1956,att heageof17y ear sni nemont hs ,It r av el l edt o RAFCar di ngt onwher eIs pentaweekbei ngi s s uedwi t hk i t ,bei ng s wor ni n,s wor nat( notmuc h)andat t endi ngl ec t ur esont heRAF. Af t ert hatwet r av el l edbyt r ai nt oWes tKi r byf ors i xweek s ’‘ s quar ebas hi ng’ ( dr i l l ) ,l ear ni nghow t omar c h,dor i f l edr i l l ,( Ibec ameaMar k s manwi t ht he .

303)mak ebedpac k sands hi net oec apss oy ouc oul ds eey ourf ac ei nt hem.

Theni twasof ft oRAFMel k s ham f ort hr eemont hsoft r adet r ai ni ngasan I ns t r umentMec hani c . Iwasl uc k yenought ogetpos t edt oOdi ham i ni t i al l y , wor k i ngonHunt erMk .

4sandt hebr andnewJ av el i nsof46Squadr on-t hef i r s t al ldel t awi ngs quadr oni nt hewor l d.As hor tt i mel at erIwast r ans f er r edt o54 Squadr on,whi c hatt het i mewasus i ngt heHunt erMk .

6,andi twast her eI s t ay edunt i lbei ngs entt oMal t ai nJ ul y1957.

I ’ dv ol unt eer edt ogoabr oad,ei t hert heFarEas torGer many .I nhi nds i ght , gi v ent hepr obl emst hatt hos ewhodi dgoappeart ohav ehad,Iwasv er yl uc k y asi twasdur i ngmyt i meatOdi ham t hatv ol unt eer swer ebei ngs oughtf or Chr i s t masI s l and.Imes s edupt heappl i c at i onf or m anddi dnotgo.

It hi nki twas27J ul y1957when,at2230,al ongwi t hot herRAFper s onnel i nc l udi ngmar r i edf ami l i es ,wet ookof ff r om Bl ac k bus heAi r f i el di nanEagl e Ai r way sVi k i ng,ar r i v i ngi nMal t aat0630t hef ol l owi ngmor ni ng,hav i ngs t opped br i ef l yatNi c e.Us ualef f i c i enc y !

( Kar lDr age)

I nt hepas t ,GARhaspubl i s heds ev er al ar t i c l esont he 3r d Mar i ne Ai r c r af tWi ng,whi c h,as t he Av i at i on CombatEl ementofIMar i neEx pedi t i onar yFor c e,i s r es pons i bl ef ormos tUSMC av i at i on on t he Wes t Coas t of t he US. Tas k ed wi t h c onduc t i ng ai r oper at i onsi ns uppor toff l eetMar i nef or c es ,t he3r d MAW c ons i s t soff ourMar i neAi r c r af tGr oups ,eac h wi t hi t sownuni ques k i l l sandc apabi l i t i es .

Pr ev i ous l ywehav el ook edatMar i neAi r c r af tGr oups 16 and 39 ( MAG16 and MAG39) ,bot h ofwhi c h oper at er ot ar ywi ng ai r c r af ti nt heas s aul ts uppor t r ol e.The ot herhal foft he 3r d MAW c ons i s t sof MAG11andMAG13,uni t st as k edwi t hpr ov i di ngai r s uppor tt oMar i neAi rGr oundTas kFor c e( MAGTF) c ommander s .Bot hgr oupsus ej etai r c r af ti nt hi sr ol e –wi t hi nMAG13( bas edatMCASYuma)t hatai r c r af t

i st he AV8B Har r i erI I ,whi l e MAG11 ( atMCAS s quadr ont eac hesnew Nav yandMar i neCor pspi l ot s Mi r amar )pr i mar i l yoper at est heF/ A18Hor net . t of l yt heHor net .Thef i nalf l y i nguni tt omak eup MAG11 i sMar i ne Aer i alRef uel l i ng Squadr on 352 MAG11 i sa l ar ge uni t ,c ons i s t i ng ofs ev en f l y i ng ( VMGR352‘ Rai der s ’ ) ,whi c hoper at est heL oc k heed s quadr ons .Thr eeoft hes ear eMar i neFi ght erAt t ac k KC130JHer c ul es .L ogi s t i c ss uppor ti spr ov i dedby Squadr onsf l y i ngt hes i ngl es eatF/ A18A+/ C,whi l e Mar i ne Av i at i on L ogi s t i c s Squadr on 11 ( MAL S11 t wo Mar i ne Al l Weat herFi ght erAt t ac k Squadr ons ‘ Dev i l f i s h’ ) . oper at et het wos eatF/ A18D.I naddi t i on,at r ai ni ng

60t h Ai r Mobi l i t y Wi ng

Br i anS mi t h T heHe l i c opt e rMus e um 60Ye ar sofPas s e nge rJ e tF l i ght andmor e . . . al l i nI s s ue8 I s s u e8of Gl obal Av i at i onMagaz i n ewi l l beon l i n eMay18