OLD, OUTDATED, BUT INDISPENSIBLE
BY Jeff Reiter
It was slow. It was uncomfortable. It was already old and obsolete when
WWII began. These less then flattering statements might belong to just
one airplane. However, these pertained to two planes in the early days
of WWII, The PBY Catalina and the P40 Warhawk. Both of these planes
will be featured in USAM'S upcoming Gathering Of Eagles VII.
PBY
CATALINA
The PBY was conceived in the middle 1930's in response the U.S. Navy's
need for a long-range patrol flying boat. Prototypes were built by both
Consolidated and Douglas Aircraft Companies. After little debate the
Navy deemed the Consolidated their choice.
Consolidated had derived an innovative design in its parasol mounted
wing. It was almost a cantilever creation (with the exception of two
small struts between the hull and the wing). With a span of 104 feet,
the wing was one of its biggest innovations. The floats on these wings
would retract while in flight to give the PBY a true aerodynamic wing
with little drag.
The first flight of the PBY, the P2Y, took place in the spring of 1935.
That first plane was armed with four 30-caliber machine guns and could
carry up to a 2000 lb bomb load and had a range of over 2000 miles.
It
was not until the spring of 1939 that the PBY we are familiar with was
produced. After subsequent design changes to the P2Y, the PBY 4 was
born. This was the first production of this line to have their trademark
side blisters for the rear tail gunners. This was also the first production
of this plane to have wheeled landing gear making it a true Amphibian,
thus increasing the PBY's versatility. Built with tricycle landing gear,
the nose wheel retracted beneath the flight deck. While the main gear
folded into small recesses along the hull underneath each wing.
The PBY 4 and 5's maximum speed was a slow 175 mph @ 6500 feet with
a range of 2350 miles. They were powered by two 1200hp Pratt and Whitney
R-1830-92 engines.
The "Catalinas" as they became to be known as (after the British designated
their first order for the PBY as "Catalina 1") had an amazing history
as a longrange bomber and scout plane during the Second World War.
The most famous squadron was the "Black Cats". This squadron hunted
Japanese ships at night. They were painted all black, had no running
lights, and were almost invisible until they dropped their bombs, depth
charges, and the occasional beer bottle (which made an eerie whistling
noise) on the enemy ships. These "CATS" wreaked havoc on submarines,
ships and some of their land bases.
The most famous individual PBY was the scout plane that discovered the
Japanese fleet at the Battle of Midway. That discovery changed the course
of the war in the Pacific. However, the PBY CATALINA is best remembered
for rescuing thousands of downed airmen and surviving sailors of their
sunken ships.
P40 WARHAWK
Not
good technically or in performance. That's how the P40 was originally
described by many people involved in aviation. However, there was one
attribute that made the P40 desirable. It was available.
Designed initially during 1934 by the Curtiss Wright Company, the P40
(originally the P36) had a wingspan of 374', length of 334', range of
750 miles and a maximum speed at 300 mph.
The P40 was built around an Allison V. 17 10 liquid cooled (glycol/water
mix) engine. This engine gave way to a better aerodynamic design, a
fully retractable tail wheel (unique at the time) better fuel consumption
and a problem. The Allison engine was rated only for 12000 feet making
any combat above that altitude totally impractical. The most significant
P40 design change came in 1941 when the Rolls Royce Merlin Engine was
installed. Instantly the performance of the P40 improved with 1300 horsepower
available at takeoff, 1120 hp at cruising altitude, maximum speed of
373 mph with a maximum range of 2800 miles. The armament included; six
50 cal. machine guns with provisions for three 500 lb bombs.
Like the Catalina, the P40 had a well-deserved reputation as a tough
combat plane. It could take considerable punishment from the enemy and
still make its target and make it back home. Before the U.S. entered
the war many U.S. pilots equipped with P40s went to help the Chinese
with their fight against Japan. It was this group, under the command
of General Claire Chennault that the famous Flying Tigers" were born.
It was during this period that the ruggedness of the P40 became public.
When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor most of the P40s were destroyed
at Wheeler and Bellows Fields. However, at Haleiwa seven planes managed
to get up and fly and reported several kills.
Although many chastised the P40 for its inadequate performance, it served
allover the world included with the air forces of Turkey Australia,
New Zealand, Canada and South Africa adding to its reputation as one
tough bird.
"Doc's" Ground
School
We
are conducting a ground school for potential Scanner /APU crew position
on the B-29. While we are at least twelve months away from our first
flight, we now need to identify and initiate training to comply with
FAA and our organization's requirements for flight operation positions.
The one-day training will include an orientation and familiarization
of the B-29 as well as the Scanner crewmember position responsibilities.
Potential crewmembers will be required to attend ground school as well
as accrue some flight time to be certified.
The training will be conducted on July 17', 2002. The training will
be approximately six to seven hours in duration including a one-hour
lunch break. We will have ample time for informal questions and answers.
You will be notified of time and place within ten days by phone and/or
email. A recommended hotel for those coming from out of town is:
Studio
6 Motel
7677 Raynolds
Road (Rt 306)
Mentor, Ohio 44060.
Phone: 440/946-0749, fax: 440/946-0925
Ee-mail: 6019(kstaystudio6.com.
The cost of the ground school will be $15.00 per attendee. This will
include lunch and any hand out material. Those who are interested in
attending should contact Cliff Gaston at 210-658-3442 or Tony Mazzolini
at 216-381-5270 to reserve a seat for you.
 |
One Last B-29, One Last Nose By Stan Finger |
This nice article on Owen Hughes and the "Doc" nose art was printed in the Wichita Eagle on May 31, 2002.
Artist
Owen Rughes, now in his early 80's, still has the flne and steady touch
he's always had. Owen said that painting "DOC" is the high-light of
his career. Owen went all out on this one as the masters touch is obvious.
Owen Hughes patted the paint carefully and then looked at his hand.
He had to make sure "Doc" was dry before he could continue.
"If I start putting the second coat on before the first is dry, it'll
be just like putting the first coat on again," Hughes said, studying
the goodnatured dwarf from Disney's "Snow White."
That won't do. There are colors to mix, hues to match. Hughes wants
to get it just right because he's putting a brush to history. He's painting
the nose art on the-last B-29 bomber that can be restored to flying
condition.
"Nobody," Boeing spokesman Dick Ziegler said, "will ever do this again."
Hughes knows a thing or two about painting nose art; he painted dozens
of B-17s and B-24s in England during World War 11 while with the 8th
and 9th Army Air Forces. His official job was sign painter, but when
flight crews discovered he could paint they sought him out.
They'd say; 'Hey, could you paint something on our plane?" "Sure", Hughes
said.
Normally, it was a pinup girl from Hollywood or some voluptuous woman
whose likeness couldn't be printed in a family newspaper. He'd usually
get 10 bucks, unless he could talk them into taking him up in the plane.
"That's what I really wanted to do - fly," said Hughes, now 83 and Living
in Newark, N.Y.
Painting nose art "is the second love of my life," he said while taking
a break from painting Thursday in a hangar at Boeing Wichita, "I'd have
to say my wife is the first love of my life."
"Nose art doesn't just help identify planes", said Wayne Gomes
of the U.S. Aviation Museum. "It gives a plane its personality. It brings
it to life," Gomes said, watching Hughes work. "That's what Owen's doing
bringing it to life."
Hughes is using the same enamel paint he does on signs, and figures
"Doc" is good for years before it might need a touch-up. He has had
to take his paint outside to get an honest look at whether he's captured
the right hues of red and green, because they look different in the
hangar than they will outdoors in natural light.
 |
The B-29 that Hughes is painting this week at Boeing was one of nine in a squadron that flew in the South Pacific during World War II. The planes bore the names of Snow White, the seven dwarfs and the wicked queen from the Disney movie." Doc" was built
in Wichita late in 1944, was decommissioned in 1956 and flown
to China Lake Naval Weapons Center for use as a bombing target.
Tony Mazzolini of the U.S. Aviation Museum became aware of the
bomber in 1987 and spent years trying to acquire it. |
|
What's
Up DOC ?
by Tony Mazzolini |
 |
Well progress-continues
on Doc. We had a little slow down in restoration hours due to the move
of the aircraft from the Experimental Flight Hangar to the final assembly
hangar previously known as the Bunny Wash... too long a story to explain.
The center wing, bomb bay and the aft fuselage remain in the experimental
Flight Hangar, which requires more structural work before we can move
them. We do not want to disturb the structural integrity of those components
until all is riveted back together.
The good news is that when the plane is fully assembled in the new hangar
location we will be able to roll it right out on to the ramp and/or
to the runways. It took our volunteers well over a month to make this
move. Considering all the advance planning, site preparation, floor
layout, tool crib, parts crib and the consolidation of components scattered
in several facility locations due to space constraints and the nature
of specialty team requirements, it was a major job in it's self.
Section 41's interior (the Cockpit), as you know, has been painted.
Now any and all activity within that compartment requires the wearing
of booties, not shoes, so as not to mar the finished paint job.
Within the couple of weeks we had a major portion of section 41 given
a final polish in preparation for the re-painting of the new nose art.
Owen Hughes.and his wife Virginia of Newark, New York drove to Wichita
to paint the artwork back on the plane. In all it took over a week of
his talents to complete but it sure looks beautiful. The story of how
the artwork was picked and by whom in the 4713th Radar Calibration Squadron
will be in our future newsletter.
The first part of the re-assembly process in the cockpit area has begun
with the installation of the maniforld pressure tubing . . . and more
continues.
We received back shipment of the four massive engine oil coolers. They
were sent out for overhaul about six months ago. The shipping crate
weighing 970 lbs. arrived back at Boeing from the oil cooler Overhaul
Company in California about two weeks ago.
The four nacelles under restoration and detailing continue despite a
temporary reduction in volunteer support. The nacelle team has got that
project well under control and re-assembly continues.
Fuel cells still remain a problem in that many of the fifty-year-old
original tanks were unserviceable due to cracks from age and being empty
in the dry desert air. The originals were the bulletproof selfsealing
type, multi-layered and heavy. The fuel system and wing construction
requires a similar type of fuel cell replacement. When the new/restored
tanks are completed some of the Boeing fuel specialist will assist in
the re-assembly. We are now outsourcing the fuel tank floats and booster
pumps for service, bench checks operation and re-calibration of the
floats.
All the power and flight control cables have been replaced with new
pre-stretched stainless steel cables. By the way, we have also replaced
all the cable pulleys in the airplane - anybody want to guess how many
this plane requires? How about 970; some of, which are no longer made
but a pulley manufacture tooled up for our needs and we now have a complete
replacement ship-set for Doc. Keep in mind that each pulley is mounted
on a bracket of some kind. These brackets were de-painted, bead blasted,
recadmium plated and re-painted. They all now look like brand new parts.
A lot of work, or I should say labor of love, has been put forth by
our dedicated volunteer group at Boeing as well as some other individuals
from a multitude of companies in and around the Wichita area. They take
great pride in the quality of their work and I can assure you that when
Doc rolls out she will took like a new production airplane.
We're are still scouring the countryside for more vital parts ... an
ongoing process and challenge.
|
Ollie
Crawford is one of America’s foremost advocates for a strong
and modern United States Air Force! Born in Amarillo, Texas,
in 1925, Crawford’s desire to fly was whetted by Army Air Corps
aircraft flying over his hometown early in World War II. |
He
next transitioned to the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk four months before WWII
ended. In 1946, Crawford was released from active duty, but remained
in the reserves for 13 years. His duties included flight instructor
at Tinker Field, Oklahoma. He attended South Texas University of Law
and later became associated with Time, Inc. Crawford was an officer
and director of several companies owned by the corporation. He flew
many company aircraft from the Douglas DC-3 to the Fokker F-27 and F-28.
In 1974, he started TECOM, Inc. a Department of Defense contractor.
In 1981, he founded two new companies, Crawford Technical Services and
CTS Nevada. A charter member of the Air Force Association (AFA), the
Air Force nominated Crawford for the Elder Statesman of Aviation Award
in both 1987 and 1988. He was awarded its highest tribute when named
"Man of the Year" in 1989. In 1990, he was elected President of AFA.
He formed the Air Force Memorial Foundation, instituted an AFA recognition
program for members of Congress who supported a strong national defense,
and another for executives from the aerospace industry. In 1992, Crawford
received the Air Force’s Exceptional Service Award for his contributions
to defense. Key to this award was the AFA role in the education of members
of Congress on stealth technology.
Internationally, West Germany awarded him its highest civilian honor,
the Commander’s Cross of The Order of Merit. Crawford convinced the
USAF to officially recognize the contributions made by the American
Volunteer Group (AVG), the "Flying Tigers," during WWII. The Air Force
presented the Presidential Unit Citation to the AVG in 1992. In 1996,
AVG pilots received the Distinguished Flying Cross and all other Flying
Tigers were awarded the Bronze Star. In addition to his accomplishments
as a business and civic leader, Crawford has flown nearly 100 types
of civilian aircraft and, has more than 13,000 hours in his log books.
He is the only P-40 pilot from WWII who still pilots the Warhawk in
airshows! He is vice chairman of the Air Force Memorial Foundation and
a trustee of the Falcon Foundation of the Air Force Academy. Crawford
and his wife, Nancy, live in the hill country of central Texas.
SETTING: At an airport just north of Dallas, nearly 500 people searched
the sky, when suddenly a replica of a Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero roared overhead
trailing oily white smoke. Two Curtiss P-40 Warhawks jousted for firing
position. The crowd included most of the surviving members of the famed
"Flying Tigers." It was 7 December 1996 and "Ollie" Crawford was flying
a P-40 painted in the markings of his friend, "Tex" Hill. After 55 years,
the men and women of the American Volunteer Group were being honored
officially for their role in winning WWII.
