Pre-war flying report Page 16 Mosquito construction Page 44 Coastal Command VC Page 52

This month’s Database takes a detailed look at the

Allison-engined variants of the North American Mustang.

Operated in airworthy condition out of the Planes of Fame Air Museum at

Chino, California, USA, is the superb P-51A 43-6251 Mrs Virginia, pictured wearing the paintwork of the 1st

Air Commando Group. DOUG FISHER

Regulars

6 News All the latest preservation news, compiled by Tony Harmsworth 22 Aircrew James Kightly spotlights a sinister fighter – the Northrop P-61 Black Widow. Illustration by Ian Bott 24 From the Archives 32 Hooks Tours In line with this anniversary issue, Mike Hooks presents a selection of aircraft exhibited at the RAF’s 50th anniversary celebration at Abingdon in June 1968 50 Lost and Found Philip Jarrett reveals the recently discovered “Blackburn-Walker”

97 Book Reviews 101 Events Event listings for May and June

102 Flying Visit Melvyn Hiscock puts the questions to Sqn Ldr Tony Iveson DFC AE CRAeS

105 Services and next month inAeroplane 107 Gifts 110 Skywriters A selection of readers’ letters

114 Hairy Moment

See page 66 for a great subscription offer to offer to COVER IMAGE Hawker Hurricane Is of 111 Sqn, depicted in “retro” 1930s style by TIM O’BRIEN who took his inspiration from a 1939 edition of Popular Flying.

Contents

June 2011 Vol 39 No 6 Issue No 458 (on sale April 26)

Features16HurricanePioneersFirstofthemanyRAFunitstoflythe Hawker Hurricane was 111(F) Sqn, whose Commanding Officer, Sqn Ldr J.W. Gillan, wrote this report in January 1938 after one month of flying the new monoplane fighter type. It is illustrated here with previously unpublished pictures from Aeroplane’s archive of glass-plate negatives 26 100 Years ofTheAeroplane Richard Riding looks back over the past 100 years to trace Aeroplane’s lineage back to the weekly TheAeroplane 34 Defender of London 1940 Robert Owen highlights the life and times of Sir Keith Park – soldier, pilot, tactician and commander 38 Cover story Tim O’Brien describes how he went about painting Aeroplane’sspecial centenary issue cover picture 40 Miss Shilling saves the day Beatrice Shilling OBE worked at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, testing many different aircraft and engines. In connection with the Women in Aviation theme of the forthcoming Imperial War Museum Duxford’s Spring Air Show, we highli ght how she solved a problem with the Merlin engine fitted to Spitfires and Hurricanes 44 Building the

“Wooden Wonder” In April 1943 TheAeroplanewas invited to visit one of the many assembly shops (it could not be stated where) of the de Havilland Mosquito. Here we reproduce the fascinating results, both in pictures and extracts from the original report 52 Valour over the Sea John Cruickshank is the last surviving recipient of an air VC. Chris SandhamBailey outlines the courageous actions that led to his award 61 Till it ceases to be an adventure… Johnny de Uphaugh profiles the literary works of C.G. Grey following his departure as editor of TheAeroplane

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79 Allison-engined North American Mustangs Martyn Chorlton surveys the oftenoverlooked variants of the legendary Mustang that were powered by Allison engines – the NA-73X, XP-51, A-36, Mustang I/IA and the P-51A

62 What they said at 25 Published in TheAeroplane’s“25th Birthday Number” of June 3, 1936 were a number of letters from pioneers of British flying expressing their opinions on the paper’s anniversary and aviation generally. Here we publish just a few extracts from some of them and the accompanying descriptions of the authors 64 Caught on camera… Aeroplane’s amazing archive of glass-plate negatives not only boasts a wealth of pictures of aircraft, but there is also a fascinating selection of informal portraits of some of the well known aviation personalities. Here Philip Jarrett describes just a few 68 The Aeroplane’s Hare and Tortoise Philip Jarrett relates the story behind an unusual piece of ephemera – a miniature souvenir of the 1948 London to Paris relay race organised by TheAeroplane 72 This Is Tomorrow Nick Stroud looks back at the aviation aspects of the 1951 Festival of Britain, the first major exhibition of post-war British life, art and technology 108Marinell’smystery solved Jarrod Cotter reports on how the story behind the name of Maurice Hammond’s second P-51D restoration recently came to light

WIN!WIN!

37 Competition Your chance to win a rare postal cover signed by Sir Keith Park – worth £1,000!

In News

Fury nearly ready Page 6

Vulcan “goes home” Page 7

Dakota repainted Page 8

Corsair winner Page 10

Invader moves Page 12

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)

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