Fw 190s on D-Day Page 16

Too late for the two-stroke Page 34 A racing legend returns Page 40

ABOVE Douglas DC-3 N74589, seen flying over Wisconsin on July 28, was rebuilt by an all British crew in recordbreaking time for the 75th anniversary celebration of this immortal transport aircraft. See page 28. EAA

See page 74 for a great subscription offer to offer to photographed the

COVER IMAGE RICHARD PAVER photographed the Air Atlantique Classic Flight’s de Havilland Venom FB.50 pair, WR470 and WK436, on June 13, 2010, en route from Coventry to Halton. The Venom is this month’s Database subject.

route from Coven-

Contents

January 2011 Vol 39 No 1 Issue No 453 (on sale December 1)

Features16ButcherBirdover Normandy Focke-Wulf Fw 190 pilot Wolfgang Fischer recalls being one of the very few Luftwaffe fighter pilots to fight over the Normandy beaches on D-Day over the Normandy beaches on D-Day

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47 de Havilland D.H.112 Venom Barry Jones describes the genesis and development of de Havilland’s “thin-wing Vampire”. Includes scale drawings and cutaway illustration drawings and cutaway illustration

22 The Monegeeta Monster In this month’s Hidden History, Phil Vabre examines Australia’s most outlandish and extraordinary airfield firefighting tender, known as the “Monegeeta Monster”

outlandish and extraordinary airfield

28 From the Weeds to Wisconsin Tony Harmsworth reports on the very British restoration of a USA-based Douglas DC-3 back to flying status

Tony Harmsworth reports on the very

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deHavillandD.H.112Venom

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FromVampiretoVenom

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TheVenomatwar

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I N T O S E R VICE

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A T

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W A R

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Single-seatfighterto Three-view TheVenom’s1950s

Three-view

Single-seatfighterto

Single-seatfighterto

Single-seatfighterto Three-view two-seatSeaVenom Three-view &cutaway TheVenom’s1950s

MAINPICTUREEssentiallyaswept-wingVampirewithmorepower,theVenomproveditselfasausefulsingle-seatfighter-bomber,aswellas aneffectivetwo-seatnightfighter,anexampleofwhichhereleadsaSeaVenom.ARTWORKofVenomFB.1WR295byJUANITAFRANZI©2010

“shootingwars”

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34 Crécy —Rolls-Royce’s mighty two-stroke engine Aero-engine specialist Graham White takes an in-depth look at the most powerful two-stroke engine ever built — the massive Rolls-Royce Crécy

40 The Ghost Gallops Again Michael O’Leary tells the full story of Jimmy Leeward’s highly modified P-51 Mustang, The Galloping Ghost, which made a return to the Reno Air Races in 2010 after an absence of 25 years

Rare Colour Archive

72 Rare Colour Archive A fine portrait of a Convair CV-880

76 Hooks’ Tours More archive gems from Mike Hooks: this month — UK Navy days in 1955

78 That Vimy Movie Using responses submitted by readers, Philip Jarrett pieces together the story of a forgotten Vickers Vimy replica

Regulars

6 News All the latest preservation news, compiled by Tony Harmsworth

26 Aircrew This month James Kightly’s focus is on the Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 pilot — with an illustration by Ian Bott

82 Q&A Your questions asked, and answered, with Mike Hooks

85 Book Reviews 90 Christmas Gift Guide Present-buying inspiration for aviation enthusiasts

93 Events Events listing from the United

Kingdom and worldwide for December and January

95 Flying Visit This month Melvyn Hiscock puts the questions to Chris Gotke, Royal Navy aviator and display pilot

97 Next month in Aeroplane

100 Readers’ Album A superb selection of photographs taken at Bickendorf, near Cologne, from reader J.H.R. Marshall

102 Skywriters A selection of readers’ letters

106 Hairy Moment Our regular spot for your historic-aviation close calls

In News

Corsair recovered Page 6

B-17G Chuckie sold Page 8

Otto pusher

Page 10

Kawasaki Ki-61 Page 12

Westland Scout Page 14

established 1911 established 1911

established 1911 Aeroplane traces its lineage back to the weekly The Aeroplane, founded by the legendary C.G. Grey in 1911 and published until 1968. It was relaunched as a monthly magazine in 1973 by Richard T. Riding (Editor for 25 years until 1998)

1968. It was relaunched as a monthly magazine