Weirdbutnotwonderful Page 16 Triumphintotragedy Page 28

Winnie’sfinesthour? Pages 36–59

Flt Lt Tony “Parky” Parkinson in Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Hawker Hurricane IIC LF363 peels away from Sqn Ldr Ian “Smithy” Smith in the Flight’s Supermarine Spitfire IIA P7350 over the Thames Estuary in East Kent on the weekend of August 21–22 this year. RICHARD PAVER photograph.

See page 40 for a great subscription offer to o COVER IMAGE RICHARD PAVER photographed Flight Lieutenant Tony “Parky” Parkinson piloting Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire IIA P7350 over the White Cliffs of Dover on July 11, 2010. See also this month’s centre-spread.

Contents

November 2010 Vol 38 No 11 Issue No 451 (on sale October 1)

Features 16 DeadlyFlightofthe BonneyGull For this month’s Hidden History, Howard Carter traces the evolution of eccentric designer Leonard Bonney’s attempt to build a “mechanical gull”

f

22 Lightning storm hits Sacramento Frank B. Mormillo reports from California on an extremely rare gathering of five of the world’s seven airworthy Lockheed P-38 Lightnings

28 Countdown to Disaster On October 5, 1930, the hopes of the British Airship Programme were dashed when the R101 crashed in France. Peter Davison takes an in-depth look at the airship’s fateful last voyage 80 years ago

DATABASE

63 Saab32Lansen Swedish aviation historian Jan Forsgren tells the full story of Saab’s supremely adaptable two-seat jet fighter-bomber. Includes cutaway and scale drawings

78 Hooks’ Tours All aboard for a new regular series in which Mike Hooks guides us through a selection of photographs taken during his extensive travels — our first stop is Lake Hood, Alaska, visited in 1980

Battle of Britain SPECIAL SECTION

36 Pazko: Spirit of Poland We honour the sacrifice made by flyers from overseas during the Battle by highlighting the combat career of one of Poland’s “Few”

42 TheLegendofTheFew Senior Lecturer at Northampton University Dr Garry Campion examines Churchill’s masterful use of propaganda during the Battle

53 MyMerlinSummer Johnny de Uphaugh recalls the Battle of Britain as seen through the eyes of a seven-year-old in Kent

56 EchoesofBattle Stephen Woolford MBE describes the recreated Battle of Britain-era Operations Room at IWM Duxford

InNews

DuxfordHurricanes Page 7

S-38 inEurope

Page 9

FW190debut

Page 10

JerseyAndover Page 12

Regulars

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

20 Aircrew This month James Kightly’s focus is on the Hawker Sea Fury Racing Pilot — with an illustration by Ian Bott

48 FromtheArchives A date on many people’s minds this month —Nick Stroud looks back at The Aeroplane issues of November 1940

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

75 Pictureof theMonth An opportunity for you to purchase a picture from our archives — this month it is KLM Vickers Viscount 803 PH-VID

79 BookReviews

83 Events

85 FlyingVisit This month Melvyn Hiscock turns the tables and interviews . . . himself!

92 Readers’Album A superb selection of photographs from reader Mr R. Jones, who served at Kasfareet, Egypt, during 1946–47

94 Skywriters A selection of readers’ letters

98 HairyMoment Our regular spot for your historic-aviation close calls

NewarkHarvard Page 14

e t 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)

d e