Warbird Digest Issue #43 July/August 2012
Cover: During World War Two the B-17 Flying Fortress
Thunderbird of the 303rd Bomb Group was escorted on at least twelve missions by Captain Lancaster in
Galveston Gal. It is very fitting that both aircraft are represented in the collection of the Lone Star Flight Museum, one of the premier flying museums in the world. Here the museum’s B-17 Flying Fortress,
Thunderbird, is escorted by their P-51 Mustang,
Galveston Gal.
Photo: Scott Slocum
Forensics and Fervor - Yak-1A rare Yakovlev Yak-1 was pulled from an icy Russian lake with many clues to aid in its identification. This amazing aircraft’s restoration is now well underway and impressively includes a perfectly running Klimov MP-105 engine. Now that it is for sale the big question is who will ultimately own and fly it.
70th Anniversary Reunion of the Doolittle RaidersSouthwest Ohio, the birthplace of American aviation, hosted two events aimed at honoring the 70th anniversary of the Doolittle Raid. The B-25 Gathering at Grimes Field in Urbana, Ohio became the staging ground for 20 B-25 Mitchell bombers that flew en masse to historic Wright Field at the National Museum of the USAF in Dayton, where four of the five surviving raiders gathered for the 70th anniversary of their daring raid.
The Doolitte Raid: Saylor’s ‘Keys’ to SuccessWhile everyone has heard of General James H. Doolittle, there were 79 other men who took part in the raid, each with their own important story. This is the little known story of Sergeant Edward J. Saylor and how his mechanical genius saved Plane# 15 from being pushed overboard, and how his success ultimately played a role in the survival of Ted Lawson on the crew of Plane# 7.
My GALVESTON GALThe Lone Star Flight Museum is the proud owner of a P-51 Mustang that was recently restored at Ezell Aviation. In harmony with LSFM’s hometown heritage the plane was finished as
Galveston Gal, the World war Two aircraft of Capt. Raymond Lancaster. On at least a dozen occasions Lancaster’s squadron flew support for the 303rd Bomb Group, which included the famous B-17 Flying Fortress
Thunderbird. Now these two icons of the air war in Europe are flying together again.
The Brat is BackThe Cavanaugh Flight Museum’s P-51 Mustang known as
The Brat III is a story of a true warbird survivor. Not only did
The Brat III survive aerial combat during World War Two, it also survived foreign military service that lasted until 1984. Destiny moved in when The Cavanaugh Flight Museum learned about the original World War Two pilot, Hjalmar Johnsen, and decided to pursue a ground up restoration.
Operation Flatbush Revisited: D-Day Plus 68 YearsDespite American stereotypes to the contrary, the people of Normandy love and respect the sacrifices of American soldiers, sailors, and airmen who fought for French liberation. Sixty-eight years after D-Day, people still flock to the villages of Normandy to thank veterans and to honor the dead. A partnership between the C-47 Drag-‘em Oot and the Round Canopy Parachuting Team brings history to life.
PT-22 Recruit BUDDIESWith aircraft as unique as the Ryan PT-22 Recruit it’s understandable that a friendship might develop between two “recruit buddies.” This is the story of Doug Schuster and Terry Freedman of Southern California, and their “Maytag Messerschmitts.”
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