SAVE THE DATE - 2022 AAHS Annual Meeting AAHS ANNUAL MEETING |
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The Rebirth of Personal Flying following WWII
As WWII drew to a close, many looked forward to taking to the air. Some, particularly returning military-trained pilots, aspired to lifetime careers as airline pilots. Others wanted to be able to enjoy the thrill of escaping earthly bounds in control of an airplane – described as general aviation today, but usually referred to then as personal flying. Those included persons with varied reasons for wanting to fly – older pilots precluded by wartime restrictions from enjoying their prewar love of flying, others that wanted commercial opportunities less-demanding than airline flying, and many newcomers that just wanted to be able to enjoy a new form of recreation. In remote areas with no other access to the rest of the world, flying one’s own airplane was a necessity. Many veterans learned to fly through the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act – commonly known as the GI Bill. |
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The General GA-38 Trimotor, A Lost Opportunity When looking back, sometimes you wonder how things got by and what steps or forces in a decision tree caused a failure. The development and construction of the General GA-38 metal airliner was such a process of changing specifications, amending choices, ignoring advice, wishful thinking, missing the steering genius and money available. But of even greater interest is the ‘what if . . .’ question, when things would have gone right with its design. The GA-38 could even have prevented the development of the Douglas DC-2 for Transcontinental & Western Air. Here is its story, to be told after discovery of some microfiche files saved by Lockheed.[1]
Enter General Motors General Motors Corp. (GMC) got off to a flying restart in aviation when entering a market, abandoned by them in the years after the Great War.[2] They purchased in May 1929[3] 40% of the outstanding capital of the Fokker Aircraft Corporation of America (FACoA) with its plants in both Hasbrouck Heights and nearby Passaic, N.J., as well as in Glen Dale, West Virginia. Within some months GMC also arranged, much to Anthony H.G. Fokker’s annoyance, a license agreement with the German Dornier company to produce their aircraft in the United States.[4] However, it was soon clear that both purchases had taken place near the top of the bull market in aviation and especially Fokker did not promise anymore of the same brilliant future as its past. After a short time, car managers of GMC took over the aviation activities at FACoA and discovered both outdated design/production standards, as well as a lack of promising new developments. And the Dornier license never led to construction of an aircraft in the United States. A New Start
The reorganization by GMC was completed in November 1931 with the transfer of all manufacturing activities under the sole GAMC›s umbrella to Dundalk, Maryland. There, the idle plant of Curtiss Caproni was leased with Thaden, with his knowledge of metal aircraft construction, at the helm. Small existing orders for five U.S. Coast Guard Flying Life Boats and 12 O-27 twin-engine observers for the U.S. Army Air Corps were to be fulfilled at Dundalk, as well as a series of modifications to a U.S. Navy fighter, the XFA-1, which ultimately failed to win a production order. Thaden had taken his latest . . . |
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They Went to England to fly Airships: Early in WWI, Britain began a systematic development of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) lighter-than-air section. Accordingly, the coast of England being the most exposed portion of the British Isles to the European theater of war and the gathering place of the major portion of the Allied fleets and provided the location for several large Royal Naval Air Service stations from which airships would prove to be a formidable deterrent to German U-boats. Reaching out to England On August 20, 1917, 15 U.S. Navy Seamen, most of whom had enlisted that summer for training in aviation, were enrolled in the first Army and Navy aviation ground school class held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology during WWI. After completing ground school on October 14, 1917, they volunteered to go to England to be the first Naval Aviator cadets taught to fly airships by the Royal Naval Air Service. They left New York for England on October 28, 1917. |
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American Airlines’ Silver Bullet September 4, 2019, marked the end of McDonnell Douglas MD-80 operations at American Airlines (AA), ending an unprecedented 36-year history. It was also the swansong of an 85-year partnership of AA operating Douglas commercial aircraft – DC-2, DC-3, DC-4, DC-6, DC-7, MD-80 (DC-9-80), DC-10, and MD-11. Douglas Aircraft and American Airlines "grew up" together creating the modern commercial aviation industry. As an aesthetic aside, the MD-80 retirement ended 85 years of AA’s traditional polished aluminum-skinned livery, truly the "Great Silver Fleet". SETTING THE STAGE FOR ARMAGEDDON – U.S. AIRLINE DE-REGULATION
Before the U.S. Congress passed the airline de-regulation act in 1978, the federal government controlled fares, routes and new airline market entry. The largest seven U.S. airlines functioned like regulated utilities. All of them vigorously opposed de-regulation that promised to usher in an unprecedented free-for-all. AA’s pre-deregulation route structure was built around transcontinental business markets with heavy concentration in the northeast. A series of bad management decisions (pre-Albert Casey and Bob Crandall) left AA very vulnerable. Labor costs were very high, the fleet of older Boeing 707s and 727s plus 747s was inefficient, the balance sheet was a disaster and record high fuel prices were draining cash at an unsustainable rate. Al Casey and Bob Crandall were staring corporate death in the face. They set about creating a survival plan . . . |
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Clubs or associations are a natural component of any society. Those endorsing aviation are no exception. Air-minded groups encourage an exchange of ideas and inspire camaraderie. As a result, the science of aviation advances. Women›s National Aeronautical Association of the United States of America
Founded by Orra Heald Blackmore in March 1928, the Women’s National Aeronautical Association (WNAA)incorporated in Michigan that May. At the Chicago World’s Fair, the organization broadcast a welcome address. They also participated in a Round Table discussion representing aviation at the International Women’s Congress. The WNAA lost no time becoming a primary advocate for women and the roles they might play. According to the South Texas Unit, "Even though our objectives are basically aimed at all peoples and . . . |
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SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY: Hardly a television game show goes by without someone winning a vacation to any number of the sun-bleached, aqua watered, pristine resorts that now abound in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Antigua, the Virgin Islands, Trinidad, Aruba and Curacao – to name just a few. A relatively short and comfortable jet excursion away from Miami, millions of U.S. tourists have enjoyed these spectacular destinations since the end of WWII, and they are no longer the exclusive retreat for a privileged few. |
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"My Uncle’s Plane," The Story Behind the Painting Protagonists
The Plane: The 435th BS as a reconnaissance squadron of the 19th Bomb Group (H) based at Townsville, Australia, in those early days of the war in 1942. They would fly unescorted long range photo-recon missions over the areas of New Guinea, Rabaul, New Britian, Kavieng, Faisi, Buka Passage, St. Georges Channel and the Solomons. |
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Invisible Aviation Revolution, Part 2 Introduction
Four words as used in this article need defining: visible, invisible, evolutionary, and revolutionary. Sixty years ago a revolution in commercial aviation occurred as the logjam of advanced technology from WWII was released. Comparison of a DC-7 with a DC-8 showed dramatic changes which were plainly visible to the general public. A revolution occurs when today’s performance is superior to yesterday’s technology. Revolution involves a short time span. Evolution occurs as slight incremental changes are made day-by-day finally culminating in a huge change over a longer time span. A Little History With Commentary
In the span of aviation history, numerous revolutions in technology have occurred. These revolutions fit our definition. Only two such events were discussed in this article. However, two other revolutions are briefly noted here. The first is the Wright Brothers success on the sand dunes of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The second involves size and the largest aircraft made. |
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AAHS at AirVenture 2022 - Call for Volunteers AAHS Needs YOU at EAA AIRVENTURE 2022 AAHS has reserved a display booth at this year’s EAA AirVenture, and we need your help! |
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News & Comments from our Members> AAHS Journal, Vol 66, No 4, Winter 2021 Hollywood, the Memphis Belle and the "Interpretative" Documentary
I read the article "Hollywood, the Memphis Belle and the ‘Interpretive’ Documentary" with great interest. Unfortunately, the section "The Real First" contains some errors worth addressing. The first is the claim that the B-17F Hell’s Angels was the first heavy bomber to finish 25 combat missions in the ETO (or alternately, over Europe) on "May 13, 1942 (sic)" (I believe the author meant 1943). The first to do so was actually the B-17F Delta Rebel No. 2 on May 1, 1943. This fact is acknowledged on the 303rd BG Association’s webpage, and the combat records that establish Delta Rebel’s 25th credited mission can be freely accessed on the Eighth Air Force Historical Society’s Facebook page (file uploaded on October 7, 2020). The Invisible Revolution by Dr. Allen Fuhs
The article by Dr Fuhs was a valiant attempt to explain aircraft technology "from 30,000 feet." It was a little difficult to follow in some areas, especially since he referred to Figure 13, which was omitted from the article, and Figures 25 and 26 were illustrated, but not explained in the text.
Forum of Flight
Your contributor is quite right in identifying AS 94034 on a McCook Field photograph as a D.VII. Many times, its two seats foul people into thinking it was a C.I type. However, the one and only Air Service C.I was registered AS 68543. It . . . |
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The Following is a summary of activities going on at the AAHS offices. It is provided so that you have some insight into the activities that the Society is pursuing and identify potential projects where you could provide assistance. There are activities and projects available to volunteers that are not local to the offices. Even if you can't volunteer, this information should provide an idea about where the Society is focused. |
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In recent Journals I have announced that after 10 years as President, AAHS would be seeking another individual to fill this position, and that I would be taking on another role in the organization. I’m proud to announce that AAHS member, Jim Logue, from Carlsbad, Calif., has been selected to fill the position as President, and I will take on the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Board of Directors.
Jim has worked in aviation his entire career, as an avionics technician, an A&P, an instructor in aviation courses at Cape Cod Community College and currently as the Director of Maintenance for Latitude 33º (see his bio at https://l33jets.com/meet-the-team). Jim is passionate about aviation, and is looking forward to giving back
to the community, helping AAHS meeting its mission to share aviation history. |
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