Volume 30 #2, Issue 135
LIBERTY ALOFT – The American D.H.4
When the USA entered the Great War, it opted to produce the D.H.4 under licence, paired with the powerful 400 hp Liberty V-12 engine. Despite its success, the aircraft was shadowed by a grim reputation as the “Flaming Coffin.” Was this perception backed by statistics, or is there more to the story of this famous "Liberty Plane"? We explore its service with distinction, from the ‘Lost Battalion’ to the bravery that earned its crews four Medals of Honour.
AUSSIE HUDSONS at WAR and PEACE
The Lockheed Hudson was the first non-British design in RAAF service and the first Commonwealth type to strike in the Pacific. Its story continued long after 1945 as a converted airliner and surveyor. We look at the Hudson’s dual military and civil legacy before focusing on the world’s only airworthy survivor. We also go behind the scenes of a major maintenance project required to keep this "old girl" safely in the skies.
SID MARSHALL’S LEGACY – THE TWINS
We turn our attention to the surviving twin-engine aircraft that passed through Sid Marshall’s legendary hands, including the DH Dragon, Lockheed Electra, and Avro Anson. We delve into their unique histories, providing an update on their current status—from those being painstakingly restored for static display to the one remarkable airframe that still takes to the air.
OUR LAST MYSTERY AIRCRAFT WAS A... PZL P.24
The PZL P.24 was briefly the fastest, most heavily armed single-seat fighter in the world. Despite an acclaimed debut at the Paris Air Salon with its innovative wing design, it was never adopted by its own Polish Air Force. Why did this world-beater find its home with four foreign powers instead? We trace its journey from its notorious debut through to fierce combat with the Royal Hellenic Air Force.
GLOSTER GLADIATOR SURVIVORS (Part 1)
The Gloster Gladiator was a study in transition: the RAF’s first enclosed cockpit fighter and its very last biplane. In Part One, we examine its global service and the legendary "Faith, Hope, and Charity" of the Malta campaign. We investigate the confusion surrounding their naming and profile the efforts currently underway to rebuild the "ghost" of ‘Charity’ as a flying tribute to the defenders of George Cross Island.
Classic Wings
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