Official Newsletter of The Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society

2009 Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame

January/February/March 2010 Volume XXXIII, No. 1

Hall of Fame Members attending this year’s event:Front row (L to R) Karl Stoltzfus, 2009 Inductee A.M. Stevens, Joe Mathias, Bill Davenport, 2009 Inductee Philip W. Brown, Jeanne Pedigo,

Ray TysonSecond Row (L to R) Norm Crabill, 2009 Inductee James M. Patton, Jr., Warren G. Hall, Charlie Kulp, Evelyn Marshall (Frank Marshall)

Back Row (L to R) Rucker Tibbs, Neil November, Paul Galanti, Ken Rowe, Lin Bottoms, Larry WaltripNot pictured Sen. Charles Colgan

VIRGINIA EAGLESThe official newsletter of the

VIRGINIA AERONAUTICALHISTORICAL SOCIETY

Officers and Board of DirectorsVan E. Crosby, Richmond, President

John G. Dankos, Mechanicsville, 1st Vice PresidentScott Gross, Williamsburg, 2nd Vice President

Charles J. Williams, Jr., Prince George, SecretaryCourtney Beamon,, Midlothian, Treasurer

Albert M. Orgain IV, Richmond, ChairmanTom Woodburn, Richmond, Vice Chairman

Neilson J. November, Richmond, Chairman Emeritus

Linda Burdette, FredericksburgCalvin Falwell, Lynchburg

Carl Fisher, RichmondDewitt L. Freeman, LouisaDavid C. Hahn, Sandston

Charles Hundley, RichmondBill Kelly, Richmond

Charles A. Kulp, Sr., BealetonCarl M. Lindner, Richmond

Claude “Buz” Rich, WilliamsburgKenneth A. Rowe, Richmond

William Schultz, WilliamsburgRet. Judge William Shelton, Richmond

Deborah J. Sterling, AshlandMark Sternheimer, Richmond

Ken Strafer, FairfaxDavid Tyndall, Baton Route, LA

H. Ray Tyson, Jr., AshlandMarguerite Wonsey, Williamsburg

Organizational DirectorsMike Boehme, Director, Virginia Aviation Museum

Randall Burdette, Director, Virginia Dept. of Aviation

ChaptersNorthern Neck Middle Peninsula - Cary L. “Doc” BroadwayWilliamsburg “Eagles” – Philip Brown, Chapter President

andJohn R. “Dick” Pitman

StaffJennifer H. Melton, Glen Allen, Editor

Linda Burdette, Fredericksburg, Feature Article EditorKimberly W. Boehme, Mechanicsville, Copy Editor

Virginia’sAviation History

Is Calling..... YOU!

Join VAHS Today.....

Add your spouse for $15 more!

Thanks to Delta Airport Consultants, you can now view the VirginiaEagles Newsletter on the Web.

Visit us on the Web at www.vahsonline.orgClick on Virginia Eagles

Contact us by mail at:VAHS5701 Huntsman RoadRichmond International Airport, VA 23250-2416

e-mail us at vahs@smv.orgTelephone (804) 222-8690

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A Famous Evening

With the mellifluous tones of Lou Dean, theeffective work of Jen Melton, Tom Woodburn andnumerous others, we pulled it off once again. OnNovember 14, 2009 with the induction of three newmembers into our Hall of Fame, all of whom werepresent to receive the award, we attracted an almostrecord crowd of about 200 appreciative supportersto enjoy the evening. In addition, we had sixteenmembers of the Hall of Fame in attendance to enhancethe cause and celebrate the new inductees. The lifestories of Phil Brown, Jim Patton and Steve Stevenscovered the spectrum of aviation from ground breakingaeronautical engineering and daredevil test piloting toteaching student pilots and running a grass roots aviationbusiness. Since NASA’s Phil Brown and Jim Pattonwere two of the honorees, we had our largest evergroup of NASA representatives present. Theyprovided a very high level of aviation appreciation forthe night.

What Happens in Vegas

There is a noteworthy event that happened inLas Vegas on December 9, 2009. VAHS Boardmember Charlie Kulp, who was a 1997 inductee intothe Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame and had a long anddistinguished air show career as Silas Hicks “the FlyingFarmer,” was inducted on that date into theInternational Council of Air Shows Hall of Fame. OurSociety recognized him first but we are glad that he isbeing honored on this larger scale as well. Wecongratulate Charlie on this accolade but, Charlie,don’t let Silas Hicks “stay in Vegas.”

Grass Roots Fly-In

On Saturday, November 7, 2009 atDogwood Airpark (VA42) near Fredericksburg,fourteen airplanes along with their crews flew in forthe first fly-in annual meeting of the Virginia Airport

Owners Association. This organization is the brainchild of Randy Burdette, a VAHS Board Member andthe Director of the Virginia Department of Aviation.The VAOA is now beginning its second year ofoperation and has to its credit the bringing together ofowners, operators and supporters of private orrestricted airfields and airstrips throughout Virginia.Rick Henshaw (who flew in a smoke equipped SNJ)was elected the new President to succeed his SNJpartner Johnny Mazza.

Given the climate with regard to aviationsecurity following 9/11, many public use airports havefound themselves under increasing scrutiny with regardto restrictions brought about by perceived threats. Thisis an over-reaction, in my view. The fear is that thisperception will trickle down to the level of privateairstrip ownership and operation. This organizationwas formed partially with that need for education andprotection in mind. It was also formed for the purposeof being the “go to” group with regard to informationabout private airport ownership and the attendantproblems and joys. The VAOA can tell the grass stripstory.

One of the success stories, so far, has beenthe founding and implementation of a group liabilityinsurance program being overseen by aviationinsurance broker (and VAHS Board Member andPresident) Van Crosby of USI Insurance Services.Linda Burdette, who serves as the Treasurer ofDogwood Airpark (and also a Board Member of theVAHS), reported an insurance premium savings in theneighborhood of $2,000.00 when Dogwood’s airportliability and directors and officers policies were auditedand switched to this new group program. Otherairports have reported savings as well. Sabot FlyingField (1VA0), my home field, has saved $400.00 withno change in coverage and the retention of the samecarrier.

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It is my personal hope that those of you whoare affiliated with restricted airports and private airfieldswill join this organization. It is truly a Virginia grassroots effort in more ways than one. Please check outthe website at www.vaoa.us or contact:

Mr. Kevin Murray, TreasurerVirginia Airport Owners Association1954 Skyway DriveMoneta, Virginia 24121(540) 297-1758

Reno 2009

In the previous column I reported that Ianticipated collecting the Second Ring of my personalAviation Trifecta by attending the Reno Air Races inSeptember. Indeed, it came to pass. After completingmy business in Reno early, I was actually able to attendthe final three full days of air shows, racing and oglingof fantasticallyrestored airplanes atR e n o / S t e a dAirport. Jan joinedme for this eventand we (armed withPit Passes) werelucky to gather withbusiness friends tohave a place in ahangar in the Pit area to eat, escape the heat andoperate from. We even had at our disposal a golf cartin which we got to ride for a guided tour of the airport.

I had not realized, since I had never attendedbefore, that the event is like a three-ring circus. There

are air show eventsgoing on while there areexhibits on the ground.The races take place inbetween air shows andwhile you are looking atfabulous airplanesexhibits. The groundevents included the

judging for the Rolls-Royce Aviation Heritage Trophy.My personal favorite (attendees are actually asked to

vote) was a 1937 Stinson SR-9F, restored by RichardRezabek, which received the Paul E. Garber Trophyin the Classic Category. The overall winner (and theRolls-Royce Trophy) went to a 1944 North AmericanSNJ-5C restored by Chuck Wahl. The Orville andWilbur Wright Trophy for the Antique Category wasawarded to a 1934 Waco WMF-3, restored byRobert Juranich. Apparently, most of the crowdagreed with my choice of the gull wing Stinson since itgarnered, in addition, the National Aviation Hall ofFame’s People’s Choice Award. Perhaps my affinityfor this aircraft comes from admiring the 1938 StinsonReliant SR-10G on exhibit at the Virginia AviationMuseum.

J o h n n yMazza (along withRick Henshaw and agroup of eight otherVirginians) were inbox seats on the flightline for the races.Johnny is a loyalmember of ourSociety, a Commissioner of the Capital Region AirportCommission, the former President of the VirginiaAirport Owners Association, and the owner/pilot ofan SNJ. He and Rick were able to appreciate ChuckWahl’s SNJ more than most. The War Bird Categorywinner was a 1940 Ryan STM-2 owned by Bill andClaudia Allen and restored by Ragtime Aero withengine by Brad Ball.

Now to theair: there were twoperformances ofthe Blue Angels anddaily aerobatics byPatty Wagstaff andother notable airshow pilots. Then,in between, camethe Unlimited, Jet,

Super Sport, Sport, T-6, Formula One and biplaneraces which constantly buzzed, growled and shatteredthe air with the pleasant (to me) aviation thunder. Therace heats had started earlier in the week. What we

Unlimited Class starting up for thefinal race

Russ Turner (retired Navalaviator), Johnny Mazza and AlOrgain in front of Czech Mate

Jan Orgain watching theshow in her sun hat

The Blue Angels

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saw Friday, Saturday, with a culmination on Sunday,were the final races in the various classes. Of course,the fastest (not by much) were the jets. But the crowd’sand traditional favorite is the Unlimited Class whichconsists of World War II era fighters, highly modified,lightened and slicked up for speed.

What I was not prepared for is how fast andlow these airplanes fly as they knife edge around thepylons on the 8.4333 mile Unlimited Class course orthe shortest course, for the biplanes, which is 3.1761miles. At points along the course, most notably in frontof the grandstands at the Home Pylon, the air racers

fly 50 to 75 feet offthe deck. On thefar side of thecourse, away fromthe grandstand, inwhat the announcercalled the “valley ofspeed,” the racerstook advantage ofthe lower terrain to

almost go out of sight as they dove to pick up speedand curve back to the grandstands with this gatheredmomentum in their pockets.

The big names in racing were all there: CzechMate, Dreadnought, Rare Bear, Riff Raff, Strega,Voodoo and others. Steve Hinton, Jr., the scion of afamous Reno Air Racing family, set the qualifying paceat 486.17 miles per hour in the P-51D Strega but lost

the pole positiondue to a pylon cutduring an earlierrace. Hinton, afull-time collegestudent at age 22,went on to win theUnlimited Classwith an averagespeed of 491.82

miles per hour and a record lap speed of 505.21 milesper hour. Before the final race the Strega pit crewwas able to overcome an almost catastrophic oil leakby pulling an all night tear down to check for and repair

any damage. Steve Hinton is the youngest competitorever to win the Unlimited Gold. I am proud to saythat by my own swift maneuvering at about 5 milesper hour on the ground, I overtook the young Hintonunder the grandstands as he was being ushered out to

the ramp crowd forvictory pictures. Ido not know if myhandshake was thefirst one, but it wasamong the first tocongratulate himon this win. For anengaging post raceinterview withSteve Hinton, go to

www.airrace.org and click on Video/Podcast and scrolldown to the October 2009 “Interview with SteveHinton.”

Just walking around with the airborne thunderoverhead was a thrill. While walking I met and talkedwith the Navy Blue Angel CO (Blue Angel 1) CDRGreg McWherter and the show Narrator (Blue Angel7) LT BenW a l b o r n .Unfortunately, itwas too hot tohave my leatherjacket with me –so no autographsfor the lining.

T h i scompleted theSecond Ring ofmy personal Aviation Trifecta having already been toOshkosh. I do not have a date set for attendance atSun N’ Fun, but that is Ring Number Three.

Torpedo 8 Down

On October 27, 2009, Virginia lost one of itsnotable aviators and a true hero of World War II.Captain Albert Kyle (“Bert”) Earnest died at SentaraVirginia Beach Hospital. As reported in the July/

Here Kitty, Kitty!

Steve Hinton, Jr. with the UnlimitedClass Trophy on Strega P-51D

Lt. Ben Walborn (Blue Angel 7), yourstruly, and CDR Greg McWherter

(Blue Angel 1), the CO

Rare Bear being towed out

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August/September 2009 issue of Virginia Eagles inthis column, I was fortunate enough to meet CaptainEarnest and attend a book lecture about TorpedoSquadron 8 and his exploits during the Battle of Midwayconducted by author Bob Mrazek (A Dawn LikeThunder). Captain Earnest piloted the only aircraft inTorpedo Squadron 8 to survive the battle. He andone of his two surviving crewman, both being wounded,returned to Midway Atoll after the battle with 73 bulletand cannon holes in the Grumman TBF-1 Avengerand no elevator control for a one wheel landing. Virginiaand the Nation have lost another one of the greatestgeneration.

Al OrgainVAHS Chairman(804) 783-7243AOrgain@SandsAnderson.com

Law Office Address:Sands Anderson Marks & Miller801 East Main StreetPost Office Box 1998Richmond, Virginia 23218-1998

Van’s VectorsVan’s VectorsVan’s VectorsVan’s VectorsVan’s Vectors

Another Great Year!

The VAHS is stronger than ever, both in membershipand financially. We have continued to gain membersin 2009 and even in this tough economy, we have seenour resources grow due to fund raising and donations,including a substantial gift from the estate of Reed andMartha West. Both the Annual Meeting and Hall ofFame were huge successes again this year.

2010

With new members and new Board members, we canlook forward to new committee assignments and somevery active projects. Already Courtney Beamon islaying the ground work for a new website and somedynamite promotions. David Hahn is working on ourVAHS collection of Virginia Aviation Stories. Pleasecontact Jennifer Melton or myself if you have a

committee you would like to serve on. It’s a greatway to get involved.

Virginia Aviation Museum

There are many unanswered questions when it comesto VAM. The Science Museum of Virginia is workinghard behind the scenes to determine the best futurefor the aviation museum. It may remain a part of theSMV and may or may not remain at the RichmondAirport. It also could take on new partners orownership. There is the possibility that some of theaircraft could be moved to the Broad Street Stationlocation of SMV and others relocated elsewhere.

Possible new partners that have been mentioned arethe Virginia Department of Aviation, the VirginiaHistorical Society, Liberty University and the VirginiaAir and Space Center.

VAM will always be of the utmost importance to VAHSand we will continue to do all that we can to influencethe direction of the museum’s future. Please let yourthoughts be known to the VAHS and the community.

Van CrosbyVAHS President804-200-5213van.crosby@usi.biz

Business Address:USI Insurance Services4880 Cox Road, Suite 102Glen Allen, VA 23060

Thank you to Delta Airport Consult-ants, Inc. for their generous donationof ten legal-size four-drawer file cabi-nets to the VAHS, greatly increasingthe amount and quality of the stor-age space available.

THANK YOU!

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2009 Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame InductionDinner and Ceremony

On Saturday, November 14, 2009 over 200 members of the Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society and theirguests gathered to celebrate the induction of Philip Brown, James Patton and A.M. Stevens into the VirginiaAviation Hall of Fame.

With the “Golden Age” collection of aircraft in the Virginia AviationMuseum as backdrop Brown, Patton and Stevens were feted at acocktail reception. Members and guests took this time to meet andcongratulate the inductees and visit with 16 members of the VirginiaAviation Hall of Fame who were in attendance. During the receptionwaiters passed through the crowd offering hors d’oeuvres that includedcrab stuffed mushroom caps, Smithfield ham wrapped scallops andTeriyaki pineapple chicken skewers and guest were treated to an openbar with a wide selection of wine, liquor and beer.

VAHS president Van Crosby welcomed the guests and ChairmanEmeritus Neil November introduced the attending members of the Hallof Fame. Following the invocation by Ken Archer dinner was served.The evening’s menu included a mixed salad followed by prime rib ofbeef and salmon en croute accompanied by mixed vegetables andpotatoes. Dessert was an ice cream filled crepe topped with peaches.

The evening culminated with the ceremony inducting Messrs. Brown,Patton and Stevens into the Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame. Eachinductee’s biography was presented in the form of a visual history beautifully complimented with a live narrationby Lou Dean. The biographies made clear the motivation for the inductees work and the great contribution toaviation that qualified each for inclusion in the hall of fame. Following the biographies the new inductees werepresented their Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame trophy and pin and their life membership in the VAHS.

By all accounts the evening was a great success as the VAHS has once again honored three Virginians whohave made a significant and lasting contribution to aviation and aerospace. We look forward to our 2010ceremony and hope you will join us.

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2009 Inductee Philip W. Brownand Jan Brown

2009 Inductee James M. Patton, Jr.and Marcie Patton

2009 Inductee A.M. “Steve” Stevensand Virginia Truelove

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Neil November introducing Hall of Fame members present at theevent

Hall of Famers Rucker Tibbs, Evelyn Marshall (widow ofFrank Marshall), and Charlie Kulp

Hall of Fame Member Ken Rowe, Loretta Rowe, and Hall of FameMember Jeanne Pedigo enjoying their delicious dinner

Board Member Debbie Sterling, Phyllis Galanti, LindaShermer, Board Member and DOAV Director Randall Burdette,

Hall of Fame Member Paul Galanti, and Jan Orgain

Guests enjoying the cocktail party prior to the dinner9

VAHS Secretary Charlie Williams and JanEvans

Board Member Bill Schultz and his wife Fran

Marcie Patton, 2009 Inductee Jim Patton, and their daughter10

2009 Inductee Phil Brown with familyand friends

2009 Inductee Jim Patton with friends and family

2009 Inductee A.M. “Steve” Stevens withfriends and family

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The Society wishes to thank Mark A. Sternheimer for his generous donation of a Canon Vixia HF200 HDCamcorder and tripod with remote microphone. This package will allow the taping of interviews and specialevents in a format that will allow direct transfer to DVD and digital storage. This camera will greatly enhanceour ability to meet the Society’s mission to collect and preserve Virginia’s aviation history. Thank you Mark!

Thank You

The Board of Directors of the Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society would also like to thank the followingfor their generous donations to the Society:

Murray L. Cooper donated $80 in honor of life member and Board member Mark Sternheimer’s 80th

birthday.

Gen. John “Jack” Dailey, 2008 Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame inductee, donated $100 to the VAHS.

Mr. Joel Bilbo donated aviation books for the auction in April.

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Virginia Aeronautical Historical SocietyAnnAnnAnnAnnAnnual ual ual ual ual Auction and

Spring PartySaturday, April 14, 2010

5:30-9:00 p.m.Virginia Aviation Museum

Lots of wonderful Auction Items!

A Fun time!!!

Lots of Door Prizes!

Open Bar and Heavy Hors D’oeuvresTickets are $15.00

Call Jennifer Melton at (804) 222-8690 or email her at vahs@smv.org to purchase ticketsor donate items.

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Mark your calendar for April 14th!!

The Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society will again hold its Annual Spring Partyand Fund Raising Auction on Saturday evening April 14, 2010 from 5:30 – 9:00 p.m. atthe Virginia Aviation Museum.

With your help and support this event has become the premiere aviation socialevent of the year. In 2009 over 200 members and guests enjoyed an evening filled withfood and fun while providing much needed support for the programs of the VAHS. Thisevent is open to everyone, not just VAHS members, so plan to bring a guest to enjoy theopen bar, heavy hors d’oeuvres and some friendly bidding competition during our silentand live auctions. Again this year, for your enjoyment, we have the privilege of presenting“Fast Tongue Al”, aviation’s finest auctioneer, as he provides both entertainment andexcitement during the voice auction portion of the evening. You do not want to miss thisspectacle!

Tickets for the evening are $15 per person and include the open bar and heavy horsd’oeuvres plus a raffle ticket for a chance to win several door prizes. Tickets are availablefrom Jennifer Melton at the VAHS office 804-222-8690.

We are off to a great start with some fabulous items up for bid but we still needyour help in soliciting or providing donations for the auction. Aviation related items aregreat but any type of item is welcome for our auction. Last year through your support weraised a record amount to support the VAHS in its mission to preserve Virginia’s richaviation history and we hope we can count on you this year for a donation.

Contacts for auction donations or questions are:

Scott Gross: j3cub@cox.netCharlie Williams: cw4cjw2@aol.comTom Woodburn: wacoc5@verizon.netVAHS office 804-222-8690, vahs@smv.org

Give us a call if you need help transporting a donated item. We request that all donateditems be at the museum by April 14, 2010. All donations are tax deductible. Receipts willbe provided.

Thank you for supporting The Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society.

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February 13, 20101940’s Valentine Hangar Dance will take place from6:30 - 10:30 p.m. at the Military Aviation Museum atThe Virginia Beach Airport. For more informationcontact Debi Ernest, Event Coordinator, at (757) 721-7767 or events@aviationmuseum.us or visitwww.MilitaryAviationMuseum.org

March 1-17, 2010LSA (Light Sport Aircraft) Repairman’s Course withMaintenance Ratings for Weight Shift Control Aircraftwill take place at Virginia Aviation on LynchburgRegional Airport. FAA approved course designed toteach individuals interested in inspection andmaintenance of weight shift control sport aircraft. Formore information contact Bob Howell at 434-237-5594 or bobh@virginiaaviation.com or visitwww.virginiaaviation.com.

April 14, 2010VAHS Annual Spring Party and Auction will takeplace at the Virginia Aviation Museum from 5:30 –9:00 p.m. There will be a silent auction and as well asa live auction with “Fast Tongue” Al as the auctioneer.Heavy hors d’oeuvres will be served with an openbar. Tickets are $15. Contact Jennifer Melton at (804)222-8690 or vahs@smv.org for details.

Ongoing Events:

Pancake Breakfast at Franklin Municipal Airporttakes place the fourth Saturday of each month (from8:00 - 10:30 a.m.). Sponsored by EAA Chapter 1377and Old Dominion Squadron CAF. For moreinformation call (757) 562-8764.

Pancake Breakfast at Mecklenburg-BrunswickRegional Airport takes place the first Saturday ofeach month (from 8:00-10:00 a.m.). Breakfast andsocial hour with regularly scheduled live presentationsby FAA and/or NTSB. Sponsored by Mecklenburg-

Brunswick Regional Airport and The Club/LakeGaston Resort. For more information contact (434)729-2591or AVCAirport@buggs.net

Soup-on-Sunday at Campbell Field Airport (9VG)on the Eastern Shore of Virginia will take place eachSunday from noon-3:00 p.m. For more informationvisit the website or contact Gordon Campbell at (757)442-7519.

Friends of the Petersburg Pilots Association holdsa breakfast from 8:00-10:00 a.m. the third Saturdayof each month at the Dinwiddie County Airport. Formore information call (804) 861-9915.

Lonesome Pine EAA Chapter 1416 invites pilotsand guests to attend free “Hotdogs & Hangar Talk”beginning at 11:00 a.m. the third Saturday of eachmonth at Lonesome Pine Airport (follows the EAAChapter Meeting at 10:00 a.m.). For more informationcontact Bob Spera, Director, Liberty Flying Service,(276) 328-5300 or liberty@mounet.com or visitwww.libertyflyingservice.com.

Regular Meetings:

Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society -Northern Neck-Middle Peninsula Chapter meetsat the Pilot House, Hummel Field, in Topping, Virginiain the “Eagle’s Nest” at 12 Noon on the third Thursdayof each month unless otherwise posted. Pilots canfly-in and park at the door of the restaurant. Visitorsare welcome at these luncheon meetings. There is aninteresting speaker from the field of aviation eachmonth. Come visit the “Eagle’s Nest” at any time andsee the collection of aviation art and other memorabilia.

Williamsburg Chapter of the VirginiaAeronautical Historical Society meets the 3rdWednesday of each month at the Williamsburg-

Calendar of Events

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Jamestown Airport in the upstairs meeting room at10:00 a.m. Call (757) 229-1597 or (757) 220-9115for information.

Ninety-Nines - Hampton Roads Chapter meetsthe first Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. alternatingbetween Newport News-Williamsburg Airport andNorfolk International Airport. For more information,contact Linda Mathias (757) 242-3491 or EdithFischer (757) 877-4127.

Ninety-Nines - Shenandoah Chapter meets thethird Sunday of each month at 2:00 p.m. at theShenandoah Valley Regional Airport. All women pilotsand student pilots are welcome. Contact Sara Fultz(540) 896-9842 or Jackie Estes (540) 347-5679, toconfirm meeting date in the event of late changes.

Ninety-Nines - Virginia Chapter meets the thirdSaturday of each month at various airports around thestate. All women pilots and student pilots are invitedto attend. For more information call Betty Vinson (804)541-0590 mornings, (804) 720-1132 afternoons andevenings or e-mail: bettyvinson@verizon.net.

Peninsula Airport Commission Meetings are heldthe third Thursday of every month beginning at 8:00a.m. in the Commission Room at the Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport. The meeting is opento the public.

Wingnuts Flying Club meets on the first and thirdTuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the ChesterfieldCounty Airport terminal building. See the web site atwww.wingnutsflying.com.

Civil Air Patrol - The Newport News CompositeSquadron of the Civil Air Patrol meets every Tuesdayevening at 6:30 p.m. at 904 Bland Blvd on the groundsof the Newport News-Williamsburg InternationalAirport. All aviation enthusiasts interested in search-and-rescue and young people ages 12-18 interestedin the Cadet Program are invited to join. For detailsvisit www.vawg.cap.gov/newportnews

Civil Air Patrol - Leesburg Composite Squadronof the Civil Air Patrol - Adult members meet the first

and third Tuesday of the month and cadet membersmeet every Tuesday at 7pm at the Leesburg NationalGuard Armory. We welcome anyone interested inSearch & Rescue and aviation. Details and directionsat: www.leesburgcap.org

Shenandoah Valley EAA Chapter 511 meets at 7:30p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at theShenandoah Valley Regional Airport. For moreinformation visit www.geocities.com/eaa511va.

Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter231 meets at 7:00 p.m. on the second Wednesday ofeach month at the rear of the Virginia Aviation Museum(except for February which is designated for the AnnualDinner). For more information and to confirm meetingdate and time visit www.eaa231.org.

The Orange County Airport BoostersAssociation, Inc. (OCABA) holds its monthlyorganization meeting on the first Saturday of eachmonth. Welcome to all supporters of Orange CountyAirport (KOMH). See http://www.ocaba-omh.orgfor more details.

Engineering Test PilotThe Exceptional Career of

John P. “Jack” Reederby

Mark Chambers

Read about the Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame’s2005 Inductee John P. “Jack” Reeder’s careeras a test pilot at NACA/NASA. To order yourcopy, contact Jen Melton at (804) 222-8690or vahs@smv.org. $20 plus tax and shipping.

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Five miles across the waterTiny and bright and fineShines the good ship Endeavour;Docked there on Pad Thirty Nine.

A delicate ivory point;In an amber necklace of light,Focusing the distanceUnder the Florida night.

Like a flinty Indian bird point;Or a baby’s precious first tooth;Exposed and alone and little,Facing its moment of truth.

Seven adventurous crewmen,Sealed in this fragile shell,Including in their numberOne we have come to know well.

Engineer Reisman had studiedAt Nicole’s university.Now he and his fellows readiedFor a different kind of sea.

No bellowed orders for this launch;No scrambling of deck hands,But calm and soft from HoustonFlow numerical commands.

Their craft all checked and holding,The final numbers sound,A tidal wave of fiery smoke,Floods foaming over the ground.

Swelling and glowing and drifting;Roiling and tumbling and lifting,Flashing with inborn light,Drowning their ship from sight.

But soon the Endeavour slips clear,Testing the navy black night;Bright point atop a skein of smoke,Mounting and slanting right.

Riding a gout of sun,Spewing a bending wake,Gripped by gravity’s thrall,In search of Man’s ultimate stake.

Piercing the soft stratus ceiling;An inverted Olympic dive,That snuffs out the sun, leaving onlyThe umbilical smoke alive.

Now a deep crackling round us flies,Rains from the sky, quaking the earth,As they battle a vacuum ocean,These men with the stars in their eyes.

WITNESSby VAHS memberJeremy Peill copyright 2008

March 11, 2008 Endeavour Launch

AP

Phot

o/C

hris

O’M

eara

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As their ivory point takes aim,On its shaft of Phoebus’ flame,The moment is fixed and treasured;Men of all ages stand awed:

Their wives and their lovers,Their parents and children;Those scientists in Houston,Families watching TV,The sighing spectators here,And many a long-dead lord;

King Ferdinand and his Queen,Visionary Isabella;Columbus and Ericsson;Vespucci, Vasco da Gama,Verrazano, Cabot and Cook,Ponce de Leon and Dias;Os navegadores Pinzons;Their men on the Nina and Pinta,Proud Spanish ensigns unfurled;

Cabral and Drake and Raleigh,Fathering pilgrims from Plymouth;And fearless Captain John Smith;de Soto and Henry Hudson;Magellan, Humboldt and Gilbert,Picard and Polynesians;Humble Portuguese fishermen,Working the distant Grand BanksOff the coast of our old brave new world;

These men and more, from every race,Explorers of each time and place,Risking all for their fellow manWatching the spawn of their fame;Watching tonight’s seven seekers:Reisman, Gorie, Foreman and Doi,Johnson, Linnehan and BehnkenIn their exultation of joy;

All of these watchers, with upturned face,Witness a new beginning,Witness in wonderment,Witness in grace,Witness the sailors of space.

VIRGINIA AIRPORTS Vera Foster Rollo &Norman L. Crabill. THE most in-depth histori-cal survey of our Virginia airports, aeronauticalevents, and the people that make it happen, fromthe earliest days of aviation in the Old Dominion.Extensively researched and detailed with manynever-before-seen aerial maps of airports fromthe beautiful Shenandoah Valley to the Tidewaterarea of Virginia. 8 1/2 by 11 paperback. 244pages and is packed with b/w photos and illus-trations. It can be purchased from the publisherfor $25 per copy (U.S.) which includes shippingand handling. Order at Virginia Aeronautical His-torical Society, 5701 Huntsman Road, Richmond,Virginia 23250-2416 or call (804)222-8690 oremail vahs@smv.org.

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Northern Neck/Middle Peninsula

Contact:Cary L. “Doc” Broadway – PresidentP.O. Box 32Merry Point, Virginia 22513(804) 462-0319e-mail: docnsue1938@earthlink.com

Meetings are held the 3rd Thursday of each monthat the Pilot House Restaurant in Topping, Virginia at12:00 p.m.

Northern Virginia Chapter

Contact:Bill Schultz –Chapter Development Chairman(757) 258-8875

Williamsburg “Eagles” Chapter

Contact:Phil Brown – President114 Walnut Hills DriveWilliamsburg, Virginia 23185(757) 253-0379e-mail: williamsburg-aeronautics@cox.net

Meetings are held the 3rd Wednesday of the month at10:00 a.m. at the Williamsburg Airport.

VAHS Eagles Chapter 2009 4th Quarter ActivityReport

Monthly Presentations

September – Buz Rich described and depicted EAA’sAirventure 2009 convention in Oskosh. Since Buzhas for years been volunteering there for several weeks

at a time, he has an intimate, inside look at the event.We look forward to his future annual updates.

October – Our month began with a chapter trip to theAirborneand SpecialOperationsMuseum inFayetteville,NC. Fivememberstraveled inthe vice-president’sluxury van,

fully stocked with aviation DVD’s viewed on pull-downscreens. The sixth member flew his Mooney into thelocal airport and joined up with the others for the tour.The museum architecture was striking and the displayswere exceptionally descriptive and well presented.

The October meeting commenced with Joe Kuppichleading the group in reciting ‘The Pledge of Allegiance’.Chapter Charter Member Charlie Voegelin thenprovided attendees with an encapsulated summary ofour chapter’s history, a review of the past presidentsand some comments on past but notable guestpresentations. Our guest speaker was chapter memberDick Brown, who mentioned that he is not related toPres identPhil Browna l t h o u g hboth haveserved atN A S ALangley. Hehopes in twoyears to be a

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Dick Brown

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retiree as Phil is.

Dick’s presentation was entitled “The MinutemanICBM System-Stories of a WWIII Grunt”. This isnot to be compared to “grunts” as we know them!Dick, a graduate of Michigan State University whoentered the USAF thru the ROTC program, describedhis experiences as a Missile Launch Officer.Interestingly, Dick currently works on Launch Vehiclesat NASA Langley.

We learned about the development of our nation’sICBM’s from the first generation Atlas, thru the Type1 Titan and Minuteman, and saw accompanyingdimensions, weights, ranges, CEP’s and warhead sizesfor each missile. For our fighter and attack aircraftexperienced members, this provided a most interestingcomparison to the ordnance with which they werefamiliar.

Dick had some fantastic pictures, diagrams of the missilesilos, and strategic siting maps. He shared hisexperiences as a watch officer, the testing and trainingthat they had to go thru, the isolation of their remotelocations and how various contingencies were to behandled. This duty and its responsibilities would humblemost men! Once again, “Ya should have been there”to hear and see what went on in those silos.

November - As the Chapter ‘Scribe’ let me take thisopportunity to express for the Chapter ourcongratulations to President Phil Brown on his recentinduction into the VAHS Hall of Fame. On listening tothe ‘Resume’ read by Lou Dean that evening it goeswithout saying how imminently qualified Phil is toreceive this honor.

The November meeting was called to order byPresident Phil Brown who asked that Joe Kuppichlead us all in the recitation of The Pledge of Allegiance!

This was followed by an introduction of the visitorsand guests.

Our speaker for the month was Chapter Member BillSchultz who has put together a wealth of material on“U.S. Assault Glider Development, 1940-1948”. Whilemost of us remember the WWII Gliders of D-Day asbeing the ‘Waco CG-4A’ we learned that neither didthe glider program start or end there. In our Chapteris a former glider pilot, Joe Mathias who was calledupon to give some brief comments as the lectureprogressed.

In 1940 theGermans, highlyexperienced ingliders through ane x t e n s i v enetwork of gliderclubs and trainingbetween WWIand WWII,s u c c e s s f u l l ycaptured thep r e s u m e di m p r e g n a b l eBelgian FortEben-Emael with

78 glider-delivered troops. When the success of thisraid became known, U. S. glider development becamea priority project.

By July 1942, the U.S. Army performed a mock gliderassault at Wright Field that was witnessed by GeneralsMarshall, Andrews, Arnold and Echols using the 8place XCG-3. Meanwhile a competition was held todevelop an 8-place and a 13-place (plus 2 crew)aircraft. The 8-place design was dropped as beingtoo small. Production of the 13-place winner, the WacoXCG-4A, began immediately.

Bill Schultz

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19,099 CG-4A’s were contracted for, and 13,909were built by the war’s end. Many subcontractors wereused with Ford Motor Company being the most prolificmanufacturer. We were amazed to learn that the Navyalso had an interest in gliders that could be towed fromthe water and might be used later in the Pacific Theaterof Operations. Though several Navy aircraft werebuilt and flown, the effort was dropped in 1943.

Testing and development started at Clinton CountyAAF in 1943 near Wilmington, Ohio. Contracts werelet for several larger models that could be towed fasterand had greater load capabilities. The XCG-10A‘Trojan Horse’ had a 105’ wingspan and had to betowed with either a C-54 or two C-47 aircraft. TheXCG-17 (A C-47 without engines) was considered.The XCG-18, the Avitruck, was the follow on to theall-wood XC-14; it gradually evolved into the first allmetal glider (XC-120), a VSTOL aircraft (the X-18),the C-122, the C-123 (both recip and jet powered)and the boundary layer control XC-134.

Safer and shorter landings, occupant survivability andglider recovery were all subjects for development atClinton. Various rocket mountings were used bothfor short takeoff and for short landing roll tests. Autopilot modifications, rigid tow systems and drag chutesand plow systems to slow and stop the gliders wereall tested. Many of these developments never cameinto operational use. Several long distance flights,including one from Canada to England, were made inanticipation of glider operations for the invasion ofJapan.

Bill will give an expanded form of this presentation tothe Christopher Wren Association at William and Maryin the near future. Thank you, Bill, for telling thisinformative and fact-filled story about a program whichhelped win WWII.

FinanceCourtney Beamon – Chair

Chapter DevelopmentBill Schultz – Chair

MembershipScott Gross – Chair

Audio/Visual Aviation HistoryCourtney Beamon - Chair

NominatingKen Rowe – Chair

NewsletterJen Melton – Chair

Archives PreservationDavid Hahn – Chair

Historical MarkerBill Schultz – Chair

Annual Meeting/AuctionScott Gross – Chair

Hall of FameTom Woodburn– Chair

Marketing & Public AffairsBill Kelly - Chair

With the start of a new year, it’s a goodtime to think about how you would liketo participate in the VAHS. If you see acommittee that interests you, contactJen Melton at (804) 222-8690 orvahs@smv.org and volunteer.

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Virginia AviationHistory Project Report

* * * * *Ann Tunner: A Life Well Lived

by Linda Burdette, Feature Article Editor

Margaret Ann Hamilton Tunner was born in Enid, Oklahoma,on September 3, 1917. Her first airplane ride was in a bi-wingplane for which she paid three dollars. Taking off from a dustystrip named Woodward Field in Enid, Oklahoma, sheexperienced the thrill of spins and stalls and wasn’t certain shewanted to fly again.

Mrs. Tunner had attended three years of college at OklahomaCollege for Women and Oklahoma University when she gotwhat she considered a great summer job making $90 a monthfor an oil company in Tulsa. Working the switchboard and doinggeneral office work, she was thoroughly happy with her job andwhen summer became fall, she didn’t return to OklahomaUniversity. Her mother encouraged her to continue her education,but didn’t expect her to discover aviation. Like many WASPS,Tunner’s decision to become a pilot was a surprise to her family.She decided to pursue her pilot training without telling her family.“I didn’t tell anyone. I didn’t want any opposition. I had to besure.” She was pleasantly surprised when, well into her training,she finally told her mother about it, and her mother was verysupportive.

First she learned of an aviation school in Tulsa, the Spartan School of Aviation. She interviewed there, butbecame discouraged when informed that the tuition was a whopping $750.

WASP Margaret Ann Hamilton, circa 1943, af-ter completing her training with the Women’sFlying Training Detachment in Sweetwater,Texas

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Then she mentioned her interest in aviation to a friend and was told that she should look into the brand-newCivilian Pilot Training Program at Tulsa University. This program was founded by the government, ostensiblyto train more civilian pilots for the U.S. But in actuality, the War Department had already observed the militarybuild-up occurring in Europe, especially the German emphasis on air power, and wanted to ensure that if thetensions in Europe erupted into war, the U.S. would have a ready supply of pilots for the military. The programrequired two years of college, a physical examination, and a completed application. She wanted to enter theprogram immediately, but was told there were no openings. She asked to be put on a waiting list and the verynext morning, she received a call that someone had dropped out of the course.

“The classes were at night and flying was from a little dirt field” she said. She received her private pilot’s licenseupon completion of the program, but when she went to rent an airplane, she discovered that it cost $1 perminute. Realizing that she would never be able to afford the costs unless she bought her own airplane, shejoined with another woman in her class to buy a black Piper Cub. For the next two years, she continued towork in Tulsa for Standard Oil and Douglas Aircraft Company, flying her Piper as part of the job.

In 1942, while reading a magazine, she came across a notice about an Army training program for women pilotsin Fort Worth, Texas, the Women’s Flying Training Detachment headed by Jacqueline Cochran. This program,part of the Army Air Force’s Training Command was intended to produce women pilots for the Air TransportCommand and other AAF commands in the United States. She jumped in her Piper, flew to Fort Worth, andwas immediately accepted. More than 25,000 women applied to the program; to qualify, each applicantneeded 200 hours of certified flight time (later downscaled to 35 hours). Although Tunner was among the firsttrainees, eventually 1,830 women would be accepted into the program and would receive pilot training atAvenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas.

As Cochran was setting up her program, Nancy Harkness Love was establishing the Women’s AuxiliaryFerrying Squadron in September 1942. Amazingly, one of the supporters of this program was Ann Tunner’sfuture husband. In 1942, Brigadier General William H. Tunner was commanding the Air Transport Commandand its Ferrying Division and recognized the need to recruit civil service female pilots to shuttle planes fromfactory to Army airfields. The U.S. was in desperate need of pilots and just as Rosie the Riveter was calledupon to fill in for the boys going to war, the women pilots of the WFTD and the WAFS took over the flightcontrols to free the men pilots for combat. The two programs merged in August 1943 to become the WomenAirforce Service Pilots (WASPS).

The training was comparable to cadet training, Tunner said, and in addition to flying, they had classes insubjects like mechanics and navigation. Training was rigorous, and just over 50 percent of trainees made it tograduation. They then moved on to ferry aircraft from factories and airfields to military bases nationwide.Tunner graduated from the second training class, Class 43-W-2 on May 28, 1943. By this time, the WAFShad proven that women could fly pursuit aircraft and Tunner was sent to a special course at the pursuit schoolin Brownsville, Texas.

And so Mrs. Tunner became one of 1,078 WASPs who flew during a two-year period during World War II.Stationed in Romulus, Michigan, Tunner moved airplanes all over the U.S. stating that she spent a lot of time“criss-crossing” the country. “It seemed that if there was a plane in New York, it was needed in California, andvice versa.” The WASPS were limited to flying within the continental United States because they were civilians.Although some of the senior War Department officials, most notably General Hap Arnold, wanted to assimilatethe women into the military, the organizers of the program quickly realized this move was politically untenableand they decided to bring the women on board as civil servants. They hoped to address the militarization of the

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WASPS later. This decision had two major impacts on the women pilots. First, since they were civilianemployees of the military, they received no military-type benefits. Although 38 WASPS lost their lives duringWorld War II, their families received no compensation. Their fellow WASPS often took up collections to payfor transport of their bodies home for burial. Second, this issue would eventually contribute to the disbandingof the WASP program. In 1944, a law was introduced in Congress to transfer the WASPS to the militarywithin a separate corps, similar to the WAC and the WAVES. Furor ensued. The War Department pushed toincorporate them into the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) which was unacceptable to many WASPS. Somecivilian male pilots, upset by the loss of civilian flight training schools and commissioning programs, lobbiedagainst the bill. The House Committee on the Civil Service reported that the need for ferry and pursuit pilotshad eased and the WASPS could be disbanded, which occurred in December 1944. So the WASPS werenot recognized for their military service until 1977 when President Jimmy Carter signed legislation providingformer WASPS with veterans’ status. Ann Tunner was instrumental in that action, testifying before Congressalong with her husband, other WASPS, and Senator Barry Goldwater.

It was not an easy life for the women pilots. Originally there were no uniforms for the WAFS pilots and Tunnerbought and wore men’s slacks and shoes to have comfortable flying gear. Uniforms were later issued when theWAFS merged with the WASPS, but when they finally got their first uniforms, they received the winter uniformsin July.

The pace of work was grueling. Tunner reported that even though the WASPS were a small group, they werefar too busy to make close friends. For example, WASPs daily flew P-47s to Oakland for embarkation to thePacific theaters of war. At Oakland the women pilots were picked up by a C-47 which flew most of the nightback to Evansville. The aluminum bucket seats and the cold in the upper altitudes made for a miserablejourney. On one such trip, Ann, to make the best of it, hunched in her parachute bag, knees against her chest,and another WASP zipped her in.

Tunner’s major assignment was as a pursuit ferry pilot in the AAF’s Air Transport Command, moving high-performance aircraft all over the continental United States. She bragged that there was almost no type ofairplane headed for the war that she didn’t fly at some time. She would routinely switch from the cockpit of P-40 Warhawks, P-39 Aircobras, P-63 Kingcobras, P-47 Thunderbolts, and P-51 Mustangs. She flew numerousassorted medium bombers and transports, everything from the DC-3, a cargo plane, to the B-25 and B-26,twin engine bombers. Only three WASPS flew the B-17s and B-24s, the largest planes at the time. She neverflew those aircraft solo, but one of her most treasured memories is when she served as Nancy Love’s co-piloton the four-engine B-17 Flying Fortress.

One of her duties was ferrying Aircobras to embarkation points for further shipment to the Soviet Union, a featwhich, 50 years later, resulted in her invitation to the White House to meet Presidents Yeltsin and Clinton in theRose Garden.

One of Ann’s favorite memories was her first flight in a P-51. “I was called to Base Operations at Romulus andinstructed to fly a new aircraft to the Canadians near Hudson’s Bay. It was a shiny new P-51 Mustang, I hadnever seen one before. They told me that I had to do two take-offs and landings for my check-out. So aftera brief cockpit check, I took off, did two touch-and-goes, and was on my way to Hudson’s Bay at 350 mphin the dead of winter with my compass and a road atlas.” Did she land safely? “Of course, I did.”When asked about her favorite airplane to fly, she said “I can’t choose one favorite. They were all special intheir own way. In some ways, the P-47 was a dream to fly – hard to get into the cockpit, but extremely

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comfortable to fly. But the most exciting was the P-51. But every airplane had its own personality and I lovedall of them.”

As noted before, the WASP program was disbanded in December 1944. The decision to disband wasparticularly hard on many of the WASPS. The war was still ongoing and they rejected the excuse that therewas no longer a need for ferry pilots. Many of them reported completing their last flight and walking away fromthe airfield, looking back at the dozens of aircraft sitting there, waiting to be delivered to points of embarkation,but no ferry pilots to fly them.

Never one to bow to difficulty, Tunner accepted the demise of the WASP program with the grace and dignityshe showed throughout her life. Following her release, she attended Columbia University in New York City;served as secretary to the noted aeronautical innovator and theorist, Alexander P. de Seversky; ferried WWIIplanes from “graveyards” to new owners; and worked as a professional model for the John Powers Agency.

In 1948 she went to Japan as a civil servant with the occupation forces. There, she again encountered GeneralTunner, the “Father of the WAFS”, whose first wife had died in 1946. By this time, General Tunner was well-known for his accomplishments during World War II. He was the commander of the airlift that flew “over theHump” between Assam and Kunming in China to supply American soldiers and Chinese armies fighting theJapanese and he masterminded the synchronization of the Berlin Airlift that supplied food and coal for 2.3million Berliners for 15 months after the Soviet Union blockaded land routes to the city in 1948.

Following the Berlin Airlift, General Tunner was assigned to Japan with the occupation forces and no doubtsurprised to come across a former WASPthere. But romance flourished and GeneralTunner and Ann Hamilton were marriedin1951.

From 1954-57, General Tunner served asthe Commander-in-Chief of U.S. AirForces in Europe (USAFE) and laterassumed command of the Military AirTransport Service, the fore-runner ofMilitary Airlift Command, a position fromwhich he retired in 1960. Mrs. Tunneraccompanied him to all these assignmentsand continued to be interested in aviation,although it was difficult to fly during theseyears.

Upon retirement from the military, she andGeneral Tunner bought Hockley Farm in

Gloucester County, Virginia, and lived there for the rest of their lives. At Hockley, the Tunners enjoyedgardening, raising sheep, and were very active members of the community. General Tunner died in April 1983.

In 1993, Ann decided to get back into flying, starting by taking dual instruction in a Maxair Drifter ultralighttrainer. For her 78th birthday she was granted Presidential permission to co-pilot an F-15 Eagle from LangleyAir Force Base, Virginia. In the cockpit that day, she was asked if she would be more comfortable with a

On her 92nd birthday party, Ann Hamilton Tunner was honored bythe Gloucester County Veterans of Foreign War. Here she is visitingwith noted author, L.H. “Bucky” Burruss, a VFW Life Member, Viet-nam Vet, writer of All That Matters and several other books.

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normal takeoff or a rapid one that employed the after-burners. Her daughter, Suzanne Tunner Hudson, relatesthat she immediately answered “let’s go for it!” and the pilot shot off at full speed.

Ann Tunner died at the age of 92 on October 13, 2009, at Hockley Farm. One month earlier, she had beenhonored with a birthday party at the Gloucester County Chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. She was infine form that day, opening presents and sharing stories with the members. She even compared notes with oneof the members, a former P-51 pilot, trying to determine if she might have been the ferry pilot for the aircraft heflew during World War II. She and John G. Corley, II were unable to determine if she had flown his airplane,but both agreed that it was a definite possibility and laughed about the coincidence that brought them together.

She was an amazing lady, bright, energetic, gracious, and certainly courageous. One of her friends, Nancy L.Miller, summarized it as “a good life, well lived, and we will miss her greatly.”

It was in 1949, after the war, when Ann Hamilton was working in New York, that a photographer for Collier’sMagazine saw her at Roosevelt Field, Long Island, New York. The resulting picture graced the cover of

Colliers on April 2, 1949. In their words: “As shestrode away from her plane, he saw in thecombination of space, strength and freedom, asuggestion of the spirit of America. And when hebrought the picture to Collier’s we saw the samequality. We asked Miss Hamilton what Americameant to her. This is what she told us:

“Say America to me and I see a great sweep ofcolor that seems to fill the world. I was born inEnid, Oklahoma. Out there, everywhere a childturned, he faced the United States. For me therewas never any end to America. There still isn’t.

“I’m a flier. As a WASP during the war, I flewjust about everything they’d let a woman handle.I know what it is to sit in the sky feeling the thrillof power in your hands. By the time you readthis, I’ll be in Japan with the military governmenthelping to get the idea of democracy across topeople who once were our enemies.

“For America, this job is something like sitting inthe sky with tremendous power at your command.The U.S. could take advantage of its strength, butit doesn’t – for all of us have grown up with respectfor the liberties of groups and individuals. If thereare going to be storms ahead, it will be our dutyto stay on the beam, to keep our sights on basichuman rights. If we do that, we’ll continue to be

On April 2, 1949, Ann Hamilton was featured on the cover ofCollier’s Magazine, striding away from her airplane at RooseveltField, New York. At this time, she was working as an assistant toaeronautical innovator and theorist, Alexander P. de Seversky.Right after this picture was taken, she left for Japan to work withthe occupation forces there.

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what I call the best bunch of people under God’s blue sky.”

How else could one end the story of such an extraordinary life?

References:On Final Approach, by Byrd Howell GrangerSoutheastern Virginia Ultralight Flyers, United States Ultralight Association Club No. 6, Newsletter, October1994Collier’s Magazine. April 2, 1949Wings Across America, Thursday, October 15, 2009, Wasp Final FlightRichmond Times-Dispatch, October 24, 2009, article by Bill LohmanDiscussions with Ann Tunner, September 13, 2009

Tell A Story! Leave Your Mark on Time!

When you look at aviation history you always hear of the big names like Amelia Earhart or Charles Lindbergh.But aviation history is much more than the big names. Our Society’s book project is the history of us. We needyour stories about things aviation that inspired you, scared you, pleased you, made you learn, made yougrateful, history you saw or took part in, non-history you saw or took part in and day-to-day aviation youenjoy. Its all good. Don’t think you don’t have anything important to say. Don’t be afraid of being corny. Thisis going to be a mosaic of you Society and we need you all to contribute.

For just the effort of putting pen to paper or computerating to the tune of one or two pages you can beimmortalized in this book. Bearing in mind the relationship of flying stories to fishing stories feel free to tell yourstory your way. To paraphrase Neil November, Chairman Emeritus, “Don’t let the facts get in the way of agood story!” Whatever you write you will be able to tell your friends you are published! Most importantly, weget a good cross section of civil and military flying experiences of our membership and commit it on paper forthe ages.

Several brave souls have responded to the call as this newsletter goes to print.

We need many more stories.Please add your name to this list. We will post additional names to this list in thenext newsletter.

Send your paper contributions to:VAHS Book Project Stories

5701 Huntsman RoadRichmond, Va. 23150

Send your e-mail contributions to vahs@smv.org attention Jen Melton.

David C. HahnChairman, Archives/Collections Committee

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* * * * *This next article was originally published in Popular Aviation in September 1936.

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Help Wanted!The VAHS marker committee needssuggestions for future historicalroadside markers. Topics can belocations, events or individuals. The onlystipulation is that the event must beolder than 50 years. In the case ofindividuals, they must be deceased.

Suggestions can be sent to w. Schultz atwschultz5@cox.net or by phone at 757-258-8875.

Request for Articles

Do you have an aviation story or a relative or friendwith one? Why not share it with your fellow membersof VAHS? I am always amazed that people who havehad the most fascinating experiences will say “oh, that’snothing special; it’s just something I did.” And I’m sittingthere wide-eyed and amazed at the bold adventure theyhad. Please share your memories with us! If you areuncomfortable with your writing, don’t worry. I ammore than happy to write it for you if you will just writeyour basic story and send it to me. I love to write andnothing pleases me more than the chance to tell yourstory. This is a wonderful time to ensure that your storyis preserved for years and generations to come. Pleasecontact me at lfburdette@verizon.net or by phone at(540) 899-9500.

Linda BurdetteFeature Articles Editor

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Given the mix-up at the post office on getting the last issue of the Eagle out to themembers I have decided to declare that mystery plane contest null and void. Many of youprobably didn’t receive your issue for almost a month after it was mailed. I know I hadthat problem...thanks to the USPS because Jen heldup her end of the program.

The aircraft presented was the Fletcher CQ-1A,derived from the Fletcher FBT-2 and ostensibly builtto be a target drone controller. It seems odd that sucha function requires a purpose built aircraft. Poweredby a 285 hp Wright R-760 engine and constructed ofbonded plywood it was obviously not a very robustaircraft.

Dick Hague and Tom Tyndall did come up with the correct answer but their only rewardwill have to be someself-satisfaction ofagain foiling my effortsto slip one by the wholemembership.

This issue’s mysteryplane is another one-offitem. I can assure youit wasn’t meant to be atarget drone controllerbut since it seems to besans armament you canpretty well guess itspurpose. Good luck.

You can reach me, as usual, with your answer (just one, none of this “it may be this orthat”) at wschultz5@cox.net or by phone at 757-258-8875

Happy hunting,Bill Schultz, Mystery Plane Editor

Last edition’s Mystery Plane

New Mystery Plane

Mystery Plane

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Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society5701 Huntsman RoadRichmond International Airport, Virginia 23250-2416

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