The Pfalz D.III was the first original design from Pfalz Flugzeugwerke (airplane factory). Prior to WWI, Pfalz Flugzeugwerke produced Morane-Saulnier monoplane designs under license. In September 1916, Pfalz began producing the LFG Roland D.I and D.II fighters under license. In November 1916, Rudolph Gehringer was hired as Pfalz’s chief engineer, and immediately began work on an original fighter design.

 

The Pfalz D.III is a single engine biplane with a plywood monocoque fuselage. The first prototype was built in April 1917 and then type tested by the German military in May. After successful testing, Pfalz was directed to halt production on the Roland fighters and begin manufacturing to the new design. Like the Roland design, the D.III has a plywood monocoque fuselage, which consists of: two layers of thin plywood strips, placed over a mold to form one half of a fuselage shell. The fuselage halves are then glued together, covered with a layer of fabric, and doped. This construction method gives the fuselage great strength, light weight, and smooth contours compared to conventional construction techniques of the time.

Deliveries to German Fighter Squadrons (Jastas) began in August 1917. In November 1917, Pfalz began producing the D.IIIa with relatively minor changes including a larger horizontal stabilizer, modified lower wing tips and machine guns repositioned to make it easier for the pilot to clear the jammed guns. Deliveries of the D.IIIa began in December and continued through May 1918. The D.IIIa remained in front line service until the end of WWI.

 

The D.IIIa on display is a full scale reproduction, built in 1987 by Ronald J. Kitchen. It was added to the Cavanaugh Flight Museum collection in December 2012.

 

ENGINE (ORIGINAL)		Mercedes D.III, 180 h.p.
ENGINE (AS DISPLAYED)		Ranger L-440, 200 h.p.
ARMAMENT		Two 7.92 mm Spandau LMG 08/15 machine guns
WING SPAN		30 feet, 10 inches
LENGTH		22 feet, 10 inches
HEIGHT		8 feet, 9 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		2,045 pounds
MANUFACTURED BY		Pfalz Flugzeugwerke GmbH
REPLICA BUILT BY		R.Kitchen
FIRST BUILT		1917
MUSEUM'S Dr.1 BUILT		1987
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		102 m.p.h.
RANGE		210 miles
SERVICE CEILING		17,000 feet

 In late 1916, the Halberstadter Flugzeuwerke (airplane factory) began development of a new type of two seat fighter to fulfill a military requirement for a defensive patrol and pursuit aircraft. The new CL type aircraft were smaller than the existing C type and designed to escort reconnaissance aircraft.

 

The CL.II is a single engine biplane, with an all wooden structure. The fuselage is covered with thin plywood paneling and houses the crew of two in a single cockpit. It is armed with two fixed 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine guns for the pilot and a flexible 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine gun mounted on a raised ring mount, operated by a rear gunner.
 
After type testing with the military on May 7, 1917, the CL.II went into production and reached front line units by August 1917. With its excellent maneuverability, good climb rate, and wide field of view for the rear gunner, the CL.II received immediate acclaim. A total of 700 CL.IIs were built by mid 1918.

 

The CL.II on display is a full scale reproduction aircraft, built by Ronald J. Kitchen in 2009. It was added to the Cavanaugh Flight Museum collection in December 2012.

 

ENGINE (ORIGINAL)		Mercedes D.III, 180 h.p.
ENGINE (AS DISPLAYED)		Ranger L-440, 200 h.p.
ARMAMENT		Two 7.92 mm Spandau LMG 08/15 machine guns for pilot One 7.92 mm LMG 14 machine gun for rear gunner
WING SPAN		35 feet, 4 inches
LENGTH		23 feet, 11.5 inches
HEIGHT		9 feet, .5 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		2,495 pounds
MANUFACTURED BY		Halberstadter Flugzeugwerke
REPLICA BUILT BY		R.Kitchen
FIRST BUILT		1917
MUSEUM'S Dr.1 BUILT		2009
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		102 m.p.h.
RANGE		290 miles
SERVICE CEILING		16,700 feet

 

Small and lightweight, the Sopwith Camel represented the state-of the-art in fighter design at the time. The Sopwith Camel shot down 1,294 enemy aircraft during World War I, more than any other Allied fighter. However, it was so difficult to fly that more men lost their lives while learning to fly it than using it in combat.

The Sopwith company rolled out the first Camel in December 1916. Although it owed much of its design to earlier Sopwith aircraft like the Tabloid, Pup and Triplane, the Camel was a revolutionary machine in a number of respects. The plane's twin Vickers machine guns were mounted side by side in front of the cockpit -- a first for British fighters and a design feature that became standard on British fighters for nearly 20 years. Second, the pilot, engine, armament and controls were all crammed into a seven foot space at the front of the airplane. This helped give the plane its phenomenal performance, but it also made the plane very tricky to fly. Additionally, the plane's wood and fabric construction and lack of protection for the fuel tank made the Camel (like most W.W.I. aircraft) very susceptible to fire. Moreover, the poor state of pilot training during 1916-1917 meant that the average life expectancy of an English pilot was little more than two weeks.

In service, the Camel proved to be a huge success, despite its high accident rate. Camels fought all along the Western Front as well as being employed as night fighters and balloon busters. Some the earliest fighters used by the Royal Navy were Camels which were deployed from cruisers, battleships and even towed platforms. Additionally, Camels fitted with eight primitive air-to-air rockets proved to be very effective against German Zeppelins and long-range bombers.

The Sopwith Camel on display is a full scale flying replica built by Dick Day from original World War I factory drawings. The aircraft is fitted with original instruments, machine guns and an original Gnome rotary engine (something very rare in replicas). It is painted in the scheme of the World War I flying ace Captain Arthur Roy Brown, a Canadian flying with the Royal Air Force. Captain Brown is credited by many with shooting down Baron von Richthofen (The Red Baron). Captain Brown had 11 victories at the time of his disputed triumph and became ill shortly thereafter. He was hospitalized in England for ulcers and remained there throughout the war.

 

 

 

 

 

ENGINE		Gnome 9 cylinder rotary 150 h.p.
ARMAMENT		Two Vickers .303 machine guns
WING SPAN		28 feet
LENGTH		18 feet, 9 inches
HEIGHT		8 feet
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		1,482 pounds
MANUFACTURED BY		Sopwith Aviation Company
REPLICA BUILT BY		Dick Day
TOTAL BUILT		Approximately 6,000
TOTAL IN EXISTENCE		Unknown
FIRST BUILT		1916
MUSEUM'S CAMEL BUILT		1968
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		115 m.p.h.
RANGE		290 miles
SERVICE CEILING		19,000 feet

 

Arriving too late to alter the course of World War I, the Fokker D.VII was arguably the finest fighter of the war. Designed by Reinhold Platz, the D.VII competed against a number of other designs during a competition held in early 1918. The aircraft was tested by Baron Manfred von Richthofen, and he found the plane simple to fly, steady in a high-speed dive and possessing excellent pilot visibility. Thanks to the support of the famous "Red Baron", the D.VII was ordered into mass production as Germany's premier front line fighter. However, Fokker was unable to produce D. VIIs fast enough, so the Albatross and the Allegemeine Elektizitats Gessellschaft (A.E.G.) companies also produced the D.VII. When World War I ended in November 1918, these three companies had built more than 1,700 D.VIIs.

German pilots who flew combat in the D.VII marveled at the plane's high rate of climb and excellent handling characteristics. They also enjoyed the fact the D.VII's service ceiling was higher than most Allied fighter planes. This advantage allowed D.VII pilots to built up speed and energy during an attack run, giving them the luxury of being able to pick and choose their targets. In August 1918, Fokker D.VII's destroyed 565 Allied aircraft - making the D.VII one of the most feared aircraft of the war.

After the war, the victorious Allies required the Germans to hand over all remaining examples of the D.VII. However, about 120 examples of the type were smuggled into Holland where Fokker set up shop and continued to produce aircraft. The U.S. Army brought 142 D.VIIs back to the United States and used them as Air Service trainers for many years. Twelve D.VIIs were transferred to the U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Marine Corps operated six of these aircraft until 1924. As a result the D.VII influenced the design of several later U.S. Navy fighters, including the Boeing FB-I which entered service in 1925. Additionally, the Swiss operated a number of D.VIIs well into the 1930s.

The Fokker D.VII on display is a full scale flying replica built by James Osborne from original specifications and fitted with an original Hall Scott engine and instruments. It is interesting to note that most of the D.VIIs handed over to the U.S. and England had their Mercedes engines replaced with engines built by the Hall Scott company. The replica aircraft on display is painted in the personal colors of Ernst Udet of the German Air Command. Captain Udet was one of the more famous German aces of World War I and was credited with 62 Allied kills. During the late 1930s, Udet headed the Luftwaffe's Technical Department and was largely responsible for rebuilding the German air force prior to World War II.

 

ENGINE		Hall Scott L-6,160 h.p.
ARMAMENT		Two 7.92 mm Spandau machine guns
WING SPAN		29 feet, 2 inches
LENGTH		22 feet, 10 inches
HEIGHT		9 feet
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		1,984 pounds
MANUFACTURED BY		Fokker Aviation
REPLICA BUILT BY		James Osborne
TOTAL BUILT		Approximately 1,700
TOTAL IN EXISTENCE		7
FIRST BUILT		l918
MUSEUM'S D.VII BUILT		1990
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		117 m.p.h.
RANGE		165 miles
SERVICE CEILING		19,685 feet

 

The Fokker Dr.1 is one of the most famous and recognizable fighter planes of World War One. The Dr.1 (Dr standing for Dreidecker or 3 wings) was designed by Reinhold Platz and was ordered into production on July 14, 1917, in response to the success of the British Sopwith Triplane earlier in the year. The first production model of the Dr.1 was delivered personally by Tony Fokker to the Red Baron, Rittmeister Manfred von Richthofen, and shortly after that in August of 1917 it made it’s first appearance in combat.

Pilots were impressed with its maneuverability and soon scored victories with the nimble triplane. In the hands of an experienced pilot, the Dr.1 was a formidable dogfighter. The three wings produce tremendous lift which, combined with its small size and weight, meant it could out climb and out-turn almost any opponent. The Dr.1 was not for the inexperienced pilot. On landing, rudder effectiveness virtually disappears when the tail drops below the horizontal position; that's why ax handle skids were bolted under the bottom wings, saving many pilots from an otherwise disastrous ground loop.

Wing design flaws caused several crashes and led to withdrawal of the Dr.1 from service in October of 1917. Although the wing design was improved, the introduction of the more advanced Fokker D.VII (also on display) meant the end of the Dr.1.

Only 320 Fokker Dr.1s were produced and no original examples exist. The Fokker Dr.1 on display is a full-scale reproduction with a more modern Warner radial engine, as well as a tailwheel versus the traditional tailskid. The aircraft is painted in the color and markings of the plane flown by Baron Manfred von Richthofen, the infamous "Red Baron". Von Richtofen scored the final 21 of his 80 victories in the triplane. He was Germany’s highest scoring ace of World War One.

 

 

 

 

Fokker Dr.1 Model Now Available Online!

 

 

 

ENGINE		Oberursel Ur II or LaRhone, 110 h.p.
ARMAMENT		Two 7.92 mm Spandau LMG 08/15 machine guns
WING SPAN		23 feet, 7 inches
LENGTH		18 feet, 11 inches
HEIGHT		9 feet, 8 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		1,295 pounds
MANUFACTURED BY		Fokker Aviation
REPLICA BUILT BY		G. Shepherd & E. Lansing
TOTAL BUILT		320
TOTAL IN EXISTENCE		Originals: 0; Replicas: Unknown
FIRST BUILT		1917
MUSEUM'S Dr.1 BUILT		1980
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		115 m.p.h.
RANGE		185 miles
SERVICE CEILING		23,000 feet

 

Named after General Billy Mitchell, the Army Air Corps' most famous figure of the 1920s and 1930s, the North American B-25 proved to be one of the best American weapons of World War II. First flown on August 19,1940, the B-25 was a rugged, adaptable and accurate medium bomber. Famed for its role in the Doolittle Raid on Japan, the B-25 served around the world and flew with several air forces. North American produced the Mitchell in many different models, nearly 10,000 B-25s in all.

 

The Mitchell proved to be highly flexible and was fitted with a wide variety of armaments. Some versions of the B-25 were armed with no less than fourteen forward firing .50 cal. machine guns; while the B-25H boasted a 75mm cannon mounted in the nose. Besides being used as a horizontal bomber, the B-25 was used as a low-level attack and anti-shipping aircraft. Since the end of World War II, B-25s have been used as private transports and are common participants at air shows.

 

The museum's B-25H, s/n 43-4106 was manufactured in the North American Aviation factory in Englewood, California in 1943, and is the #2 prototype of the "H" model. During WWII, this B-25H served stateside until 1947, when it was declared surplus and sold it to the Bendix Corporation who used it as a test aircraft, in the development of new jet fighter landing gear systems.
 

Although 43-4106 did not serve in combat, the restoration group decided to paint the aircraft in the colors of a combat veteran B-25H. Their choice was the B-25H "Barbie III" as flown by Lt. Col. Robert T. "R.T." Smith in 1944. Lt. Col. Smith was one of the original members of the American Volunteer Group (AVG) also known as the "Flying Tigers", protecting China as part of the Nationalist Chinese Air Force before the United States entered WWII. After the AVG disbanded in 1942 he returned stateside for a time as the Commanding Officer of the 337th Fighter Squadron, 329th Fighter Group in California. Smith volunteered to return to the China-Burma-India theater (CBI) of the war with the 1st Air Commando Group of the 10th Air Force as commander of the group's B-25 Mitchell squadron in low-level attack and bombing missions. His aircraft, the "Barbie III" was named in honor of his wife, Barbara Bradford, who he married shortly before he departed for the CBI. Lt. Col R.T. Smith flew a total of 55 combat missions in the aircraft over Burma and was awarded the Air Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, and Silver Star.

 

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum's B-25H Serial No. 43-4106 is not currently on display.
 

 

ENGINE		Two Wright R-2600-92 Cyclones 1,700
ARMAMENT		14-.50 CAL. MACHINE GUNS AND ONE 75MM T13E1 CANNON PLUS 2,000 LBS. OF BOMBS OR DEPTH CHARGES
WING SPAN		67 feet, 7 inches
LENGTH		51 feet, 3.75 inches
HEIGHT		16 feet, 4.18 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		33,500 pounds
CREW		5
MANUFACTURED BY		North American Aviation
TOTAL BUILT		Nearly 10,000
TOTAL B-25s EXISTING		164
FIRST BUILT		1940
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1943
NOT CURRENTLY ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		272 m.p.h.
RANGE		1,250 miles
SERVICE CEILING		24,200 feet
SERIAL NUMBER		43-4106

 

 

The Douglas A-26 was the fastest bomber in the USAAF inventory, and went on to serve the US and Allied nations for many years. It was conceived as a replacement for the company's A-20 "Havoc/Boston", as well as the North American B-25 "Mitchell" and Martin B-26 "Marauder" medium bombers.

Development began in 1940, led by the prolific Edward Heinemann, with the XA-26A prototype taking to the air on July 10, 1942. In June 1942, the contract was amended to include a second prototype, the XA-26B, with forward-firing guns installed in a solid nose. Extensive testing resulted in a standard arrangement of six .50 caliber machine guns. Weapons capacity was rated at 6,000 pounds of internal and external stores - a full ton more than the Marauder.

Invaders first saw combat on June 23, 1944, with the Fifth Air Force in the Pacific. They also served in the European theater, starting in September 1944. A total of 1,355 B-models were produced at Douglas plants in Long Beach, CA and Tulsa, OK.

Later in development, the A-26C featured a glassed-in nose compartment for the bombardier and higher-rated, water-injected R2800 engines. A strengthened wing allowed it to carry an additional 2,000 lbs of bombs or up to 14 five inch rockets, along with six wing mounted .50 caliber machine guns. Douglas delivered 1,091 C models.

Post-war (re-designated B-26) Invaders flew day and night interdiction missions in Korea. Even more powerful and heavily armed K models, known as "Counterinvaders," flew interdiction in Vietnam.

As further proof of its adaptability, many surplus Invaders were converted to business use, with a passenger compartment in place of the bomb bay. Its high cruise speed made the A-26 the fastest executive transport available prior to the Learjet.

The A-26C on display; serial No. 44-35710, was manufactured at the Douglas Aircraft Company, Tulsa Oklahoma and delivered to the USAAF on May 20, 1945. The first assignment was with the 10th Air Force in Karachi, India in August 1945. After the end of WWII it was returned to the US and put into storage. In April 1947 to 173rd Fighter Squadron (Air National Guard) Lincoln AP, NE. The rest of the assignments are as follows: November 1948 to 122nd Bombardment (Light) Squadron (ANG) New Orleans AP LA. In April 1951, transferred to Langley AFB, VA. January 1952, to 424th Bombardment Squadron (Tactical Air Command), Langley AFB, VA. June 1954, to 102nd Bombardment Squadron (Air National Guard), Floyd Bennett Field, NY. July 1955, to 2500th Air Base Wing (Continental Air Command), Mitchell AFB, NY. October 1956, to 38th Tactical Bombardment Wing (US Air Forces Europe), Laon AB, France. It was retired from military service as surplus in March 1958.

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum added 44-35710 to its collection in 2008. The aircraft is painted in the color scheme of the 69th Tactical Reconnaissance Group of the 9th Air Force, WWII.

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum's A-26C Serial No. 44-35710 is not currently on display.

 

ENGINES		Pratt & Whitney R-2800 developing 2,000 h.p.
ARMAMENT		6 - .50 cal. machine guns in wings; 2 - .50 cal. machine guns in remote-controlled dorsal turret; 2 - .50 cal. machine guns in remote-controlled ventral turret & up to 6,000 lbs of ordnance (4,000 lbs. in bomb bay and 2,000 lbs. external on the wings)
WING SPAN		70 feet
LENGTH		50 feet
HEIGHT		18 feet, 3 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		35,000 pounds
CREW		3
MANUFACTURED BY		Douglas Aircraft Company
TOTAL BUILT		Over 2,400
FIRST BUILT		July, 1942
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		May 1945
NOT CURRENTLY ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		355 m.p.h.
RANGE		1,400 miles
SERVICE CEILING		22,000 feet
Serial Number		44-35710

 

 

Named after General Billy Mitchell, the Army Air Corps' most famous figure of the 1920s and 1930s, the North American B-25 proved to be one of the best American weapons of World War II. First flown on August 19,1940, the B-25 was a rugged, adaptable and accurate medium bomber. Famed for its role in the Doolittle Raid on Japan, the B-25 served around the world and flew with several air forces. North American produced the Mitchell in many different models, nearly 10,000 B-25s in all.

 

The Mitchell proved to be highly flexible and was fitted with a wide variety of armaments. Some versions of the B-25 were armed with no less than fourteen forward firing .50 cal. machine guns; while the B-25H boasted a 75mm cannon mounted in the nose. Besides being used as a horizontal bomber, the B-25 was used as a low-level attack and anti-shipping aircraft. Since the end of World War II, B-25s have been used as private transports and are common participants at air shows. Today, "How `Boot That!'?", the crown jewel of the Cavanaugh Flight Museum's collection, is the most original, flying B-25 anywhere in the world. Constructed in Kansas City, Kansas, the Army Air Force accepted this B-25 in August 1944. Assigned to the 380th Bomb Squadron, 310th Bomb Group, 57th Bomb Wing, the aircraft arrived in Italy shortly after its completion. From the fall of 1944 through late spring 1945, this aircraft completed more than eighty combat missions over northern Italy, southern Austria and what was Yugoslavia. The majority of these missions targeted rail bridges in the Brenner Pass, a 100-mile corridor through the Italian Alps which sheltered the main railway line from Germany to Italy.

Following World War II, this aircraft (unlike most B-25s) returned to the U.S. and continued to serve with the Air Force as a TB-25N multi-engine trainer. The Air Force dropped the plane from its inventory in 1958, after more than a decade of use as a trainer. In 1968 the aircraft appeared in the famous film "Catch 22". The aircraft moved in the early 1970s to the East Coast and found a home on a platform in a military cemetery near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After many years on the plat

form, the plane was purchased by Harry Doan, who added it to his large warbird collection in Florida. The Cavanaugh Flight Museum acquired the B-25 in 1992 and shipped it to Chino, California for restoration.

The restoration of "How `Boot That!?" is complete in every detail and all of the plane's systems are fully operational. Jack Kowalik, the same artist, who first created the plane's distinctive nose art in December 1944, faithfully reproduced it as part of the restoration effort. "How `Boot That!?" won the title of Grand Champion Warbird at the 1995 E.A.A. Oshkosh Fly-In and the 1996 E.A.A. Sun `n Fun Fly-In and is a testament to the hard work of the plane's restoration team.

 

ENGINE		Two Wright R-2600-92 Cyclones 1,700
ARMAMENT		Up to 18 .50 cal machine guns and 4,000 lbs. of bombs
WING SPAN		67 feet, 7 inches
LENGTH		52 feet, 11 inches
HEIGHT		16 feet, 4 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		35,000 pounds
CREW		7
MANUFACTURED BY		North American Aviation
TOTAL BUILT		Nearly 10,000
TOTAL EXISTING		164
FIRST BUILT		1940
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1944
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		272 m.p.h.
RANGE		1,350 miles
SERVICE CEILING		24,200 feet
SERIAL NUMBER		44-28925

 

Odd looking and finicky to fly, the Ryan PT-22 offered a challenge to cadet pilots that the Boeing PT-17 (N2S-4) or the Fairchild PT-19 did not. The PT-22 was known for its demanding ground handling characteristics. Though not as successful or as well known as the PT-17 or the PT-l9, the Army Air Force utilized the PT-22 as a primary trainer throughout World War II and, today, the aircraft is sought after by warbird collectors around the world.

Designer Claude Ryan became famous following the success of Charles Lindbergh's Trans-Atlantic flight. Yet, despite the fame and attention that the “Spirit of St. Louis” brought to the Ryan Aeronautical Company, Ryan decided to concentrate more on building his flight training schools rather than additional aircraft. By 1933, however, Ryan was once again designing aircraft and introduced a low-wing monoplane with fixed landing gear, the Sport-Trainer (more commonly referred to as the “Ryan ST”). The ST became a force in the home and export markets.

In 1940, with America's entrance into World War II only months away, the U.S. Army Air Corps (AAC) evaluated a ST (called the XPT-16 by the AAC) and ordered 100 for use as primary trainers. Fitted with a powerful Kinner radial engine, the XPT-16 went through a number of different variants before the definitive PT-22 entered service. Considered similar in layout, the PT-22 differed from earlier versions in that it was not equipped with faired landing gear or wheel spats. A total of 1,043 PT-22s were built for the AAC, with an additional 100 NR-1 aircraft purchased by the U.S. Navy, and 25 purchased by the Dutch (these aircraft were later turned over to the AAC as the PT-22A ). Not surprisingly, most AAC PT-22s served at Ryan-operated training schools that were contracted by the AAC to provide primary pilot training to Army cadet pilots.

The PT-22 on display was manufactured by Ryan Aircraft in San Diego, California and was received by the U.S. Army Air Corps on November 13, 1941. It was then transferred to the Fifth Elementary Flying Training Detachment (36th Flying Training Wing, AAC Flying Training Command), Ryan School of Aeronautics, Helmet, California. It was based at Helmet until April 1944, when it was transferred to the 4847th Army Air Force (AAF) Base Unit (Specialized Depot, Air Technical Service Command), State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Illinois. In September 1944, the aircraft was transferred to the 4126th AAF Base Unit (A.T.S.C.), San Bernardino AAF Base, California and disposed of as surplus. The PT-22 on display is painted in the style of the Army Air Corps Recruits during World War II.

 

ENGINE		Kinner R-540 radial,160 h.p.
WING SPAN		30 feet
LENGTH		22 feet, 7 inches
HEIGHT		7 feet
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		1,860 pounds
CREW		2
MANUFACTURED BY		Ryan Aeronautical
TOTAL BUILT		1,148
TOTAL EXISTING		Approximately 200
FIRST BUILT		1941
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		October 1941
MAXIMUM SPEED		125 m.p.h.
RANGE		205 miles
SERVICE CEILING		15,400 feet

 

Designed and built in Russia, the Yakovlev Yak-3 was one of the smallest and lightest combat fighters produced during World War II. As such, it proved itself a formidable dogfighter at altitudes below 13,000 feet.

The Yak-3 grew out of an effort to produce a lighter, lower-drag version of the Yak-1 fighter already in production. Design work began in 1941, but the program was held back by delays with the newly developed Kimlov VK-107 engine plus the need to build the maximum number of Yak-1s. The first Yak-3 prototype, a combination of a new wing design mated to a Yak-1M fuselage, with additional modifications, finally took to the air in mid-1943. Production models using the proven VK-105PF-2 engine entered service in July, 1944. The design was so successful that over 4,000 Yak-3s had been produced by mid-1946.

It was used predominantly in a tactical role, flying low over battlefields and engaging enemy aircraft below 13,000 feet. With its high power-to-weight ratio, it was easily able to out-climb and out-turn its German adversaries, the Messerschmidt Bf-109 and Focke-Wulf FW-190, making it one of the most formidable dogfighters of the war.

The Yak-3M on display, serial no. 0410101 was built in 1994 at the Yakovlev aircraft factory in Orenburg, Russia using the original plans, tools, dies, and fixtures. It is painted in the colors and markings of Captain Louis Delfino, one of the Free French pilots of the Normandie-Niemen regiment Escadrille, NO-1 Rouen. Captain Delfino finished World War II with 16 victories and later became a general in the French Air Force.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ENGINE (ORIGINAL)		Klimov VK-105PF-2, V-12, 1,300 h.p.
ENGINE (AS DISPLAYED)		Allison V-1710-89, V-12, 1,300 h.p.
ARMAMENT		2 - 12.7 MM, machine guns & 1 - engine mounted 20 MM, ShVAK cannon
WING SPAN		30 feet, 2.25 inches
LENGTH		27 feet, 10.25 inches
HEIGHT		7 feet, 11.25 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		5,864 pounds
CREW		1
MANUFACTURED BY		Yakovlev
TOTAL BUILT		4,130
FIRST BUILT		1943
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1994
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		407 m.p.h.
RANGE		559 miles
SERVICE CEILING		35,105 feet
SERIAL NUMBER		0410101

 

Although not as glamorous as some of the warplanes used during World War II, the “L-Birds” were instrumental in the ultimate victory of the Allies. Equipped with no weaponry other than the firearms carried by their crews and fitted with no protective armor plating, the Grasshoppers were easy targets for enemy ground fire or enemy aircraft. As a result, L-Bird pilots were considered among the bravest pilots of the war. They continued to bring back vital information despite their vulnerable position.

The first military version of the famous J-3 Cub was known as the O-59, and it entered service in September 1941. For a base price of $2100 to $2600 per copy, the Army Air Corps took delivery of thousands of these light planes in no less than 11 different models of militarized Cubs. In the field, the L-4 proved to be remarkably adaptable. Some L-4s were fitted with bomb shackles modified to hold 10 hand grenades which were released by pulling a cable from the cockpit. Other L-4s were even fitted with six “Bazooka” rockets. One such equipped L-4 was credited with destroying five German tanks! Finally, like the L-3B, some L-4s were modified to be unpowered glider pilot trainers (the TG-8).

The U.S. Navy and the Royal Air Force also used the L-4. In the U.S. Navy, the L-4 was known as the NE, HE or AE-1. The NE-ls were stock J-3s taken from Piper's inventory and pressed into service as primary trainers. The HE and AE-1 s were used as aerial ambulances. The “H” in HE-1 stood for “hospital,” and the “A” in the later designation AE-1 stood for “ambulance.” These naval versions of the Cub were fitted with larger engines and a longer turtle deck to fit a stretcher. L-4s proved easy to use at sea. L-4s launched from aircraft carrier decks or from specially modified LSTs (Landing Ship Tank) were used during the invasions of North Africa and Italy to direct artillery fire. Some L-4s were fitted with a special hook arrangement called the Brodie Device which allowed the planes to be “plucked from the air” by engaging a wire strung between two poles or booms.

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum's L-4J was delivered to the U.S. Army in 1945 and assigned to a number of military units as well as a Civil Air Patrol unit in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is painted in a scheme worn by reconnaissance L-4s during the D-Day invasion of Normandy.

 

ENGINE		Continental O-170 65 h.p.
ARMAMENT		None
WING SPAN		35 feet, 3 inches
LENGTH		22 feet, 5 inches
HEIGHT		6 feet, 6 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		1,200 pounds
MANUFACTURED BY		Piper Aviation
TOTAL BUILT		Approximately 6,000
TOTAL EXISTING		Unknown
FIRST BUILT		1941
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1945
MAXIMUM SPEED		85 m.p.h.
RANGE		190 miles
SERVICE CEILING		11,950 feet

 

The success of American air power in World War II was based on two main factors: the quality of American aircraft used during the war, and more importantly, the quality of American pilots who flew those planes into combat. The Fairchild PT-19 Cornell was one of a handful of primary trainer designs that were the first stop on a cadet's way to becoming a combat pilot. Inexpensive, simple to maintain and most of all, easy to fly, the PT-19 truly lived up to its nickname - the “Cradle of Heroes.”

In the late 1930s, Sherman Fairchild hired the talented designer Armand Thiebolt to design an aircraft to satisfy the Army Air Corps' call for a primary trainer. The new plane had to be forgiving, have aerodynamic refinements for improved safety, feature interchangeable parts and be built from largely “non-strategic” materials (i.e. wood and fabric). Thiebolt rose to this challenge and set to work designing the M-62 (Fairchild's designation for the PT-19). The M-62 was fitted with a Ranger in-line engine giving the design a very narrow frontal area. The plane's low wing allowed for a widely spaced fixed landing gear which guarded against ground accidents. The PT-19's steel tubing frame and plywood sheathed wing and tail structures were light, strong and easy to care for; although the wings were susceptible to rotting in wet climates.

In September l939, the M-62 won a fly-off at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio against 17 other designs and became the U.S. Army's primary trainer. Little more than a year later, 12 PT-19s a week rolled out of Fairchild's Haggerstown, Maryland factory. After America's entry into World War II, Fairchild could no longer meet the demand for PT-19s, so Howard Aircraft, St. Louis Aircraft, and Aeronca also began constructing PT-19s under license. Soon PT-19 airframes were produced faster than Ranger could build engines for them, and Fairchild began fitting Continental radial engines to PT-19 frames, calling the new aircraft the PT-23. Fairchild developed a nearly identical variant of the PT-19, the PT-26, for the Royal Canadian Air Force that featured fully enclosed cockpits to help combat the cold Canadian climate. By the end of the war in 1945, a total of 8,130 PT-19s, PT-23s and PT-26s had been produced to serve in such places as the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Norway, Latin America and Rhodesia.

The PT-19 on display was received by the United States Army Air Force on April 23, 1943. In May 1943, it was assigned to the 2559th Base Unit, Pine Bluff Arkansas. In July 1944, the aircraft was transferred to the 4136th Base Unit, Tinker Field, Oklahoma, and was eventually turned over to the Reconstruction Finance Corp. for disposition in August 1944. The paint scheme on the aircraft is the same Army Air Force scheme it wore during World War II. The “ED” on the tail indicates it served at the civilian run training facility located at Grider Field, near Pine Bluff Arkansas.

 

ENGINE		Ranger L-440, 200 h.p.
WING SPAN		35 feet, 11 inches
LENGTH		27 feet, 8 inches
HEIGHT		7 feet, 9 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		2,450 pounds
CREW		2
MANUFACTURED BY		Fairchild Aircraft
TOTAL BUILT		4,889
TOTAL EXISTING		272
FIRST BUILT		1938
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1943
MAXIMUM SPEED		124 m.p.h.
RANGE		480 miles
SERVICE CEILING		16,000 feet

 

When the United States began preparing for full scale military production prior to World War II, America's light plane producers were told that the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) had no interest in seeing their aircraft over the battlefield. It was not until the summer of 1941 that the USAAC asked the light plane industry for some lightweight planes for utility and liaison work. On July 15,1942, after having received a message in the field from Piper Corporation pilot Henry S. Wann, Cavalry Major General Innis P. Switt commented to Wann that, “You looked like a damn grasshopper when you landed that thing out there in those boondocks and bounced around.” Following an initial round of trials, the U.S. Army and Army Air Corps ordered thousands of light aircraft and the “Grasshoppers” were born.

Operating from farms, roads or hastily built airfields, the “Grasshoppers” were used for liaison (the “L” in L-Birds) and observation missions in direct support of Allied ground forces. There were several different manufacturers represented in the ranks of the L-Birds, namely Taylorcraft (L-2), Aeronca (L-3), Piper (L-4), Stinson (L-5) and Interstate (L-6). The Aeronca L-3 began its military career in 1941 as the O-58, the military version of the civilian Model 65 Defender. The L-3 had tandem seating for two, and the rear seat was arranged to allow the observer to sit facing either forward or backwards, depending on the mission. The L-3s were usually equipped with two-way radios and could perform many duties including artillery direction, courier service, front line liaison and pilot training.

In 1942, when the military glider pilot training program was accelerated, an O-58 was modified into a three-person glider. The engine was removed and the cabin was extended forward for a third occupant. Aeronca built 250 of these gliders and designated them TG-5's. These aircraft played an integral part in the training of the American glider pilots who would later make assault landings during the D-Day invasion in Normandy.

The L-3B on display was manufactured by Aeronca in Middletown, Ohio. It was accepted by the USAAC on July 13,1943 and was assigned to the Army Air Corps Radio Training Command at Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In September 1944, it was transferred to the 3058th Army Air Corps Base Unit Technical School ATC at Traux Field, Madison, Wisconsin. In October 1944, it was dropped from the inventory as surplus and sold. The museum's L-3B is painted in a color scheme representative of World War II L-3s.

 

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum's L-3 is currently disassembled and in storage awaiting restoration.

 

ENGINE		Continental O-170-3 65 h.p.
ARMAMENT		None
WING SPAN		35 feet
LENGTH		21 feet, 10 inches
HEIGHT		6 feet, 6 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		1,300 pounds
CREW		2
MANUFACTURED BY		Aeronca Aircraft Corporation
TOTAL BUILT		Less than 1,400
TOTAL EXISTING		Over 177
FIRST BUILT		1941
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1943
MAXIMUM SPEED		85 m.p.h.
RANGE		199 miles
SERVICE CEILING		7,750 feet

 

 

Nicknamed the “Yellow Peril” thanks to its somewhat tricky ground handling characteristics, the Stearman is one of the most easily recognized aircraft. Its simple construction, rugged dependability and nimble handling made the Stearman much loved by those who flew and trained on it. The Stearman Kaydet, as it was officially named, was the only American aircraft used during World War II that was completely standardized for both Army and Navy use as the PT-13D (Army) and N2S-4 (Navy). Sold by the thousands after World War II, the Stearman has had a long and full career as a trainer, crop duster and air show performer. The name “Stearman” is so widely known that it has become the generic name for almost all currently flown biplanes. It is truly a “classic.”

The famed Stearman Model 75 has its roots in the earlier Model 70, which was chosen in 1934 as the U.S. Navy's primary trainer. At a time when biplanes were becoming a thing of the past, the Model 70 offered the fledgling pilot a steady and sturdy steed. Designed and built in only 60 days, the prototype Model 70 could withstand load factors much higher than were expected to occur in normal flight training. The U.S. Army and Navy tested the prototype in 1934. At the conclusion of these tests, the Navy ordered the aircraft while the Army decided to wait for the introduction of the improved Model 75 appearing in 1936. Over the next decade, the Army received nearly 8,500 Stearmans in five different variants. The difference among these versions were the engines fitted; Kaydets were fitted with Lycoming (PT-13), Continental (PT-17) or Jacobs (PT-18) radial engines. The U.S. Navy took delivery of their first Stearman (called the NS-1) in 1934. Powered with the obsolete but readily available Wright R-790-8 engine, the NS-1 proved its worth as a primary trainer. The Navy purchased several thousand of an improved model, the N2S. The N2S was built in five sub-variants, each variant being equipped with a different model engine. Additionally, the Canadian armed forces took delivery of 300 PT-27s, a winterized version of the PT-17.

A later, more powerful version of the Stearman, the Model 76, was purchased by Argentina, Brazil and the Philippines. The Model 76 featured wing mounted .30 caliber machine guns, a bomb rack between the landing struts and a single machine gun for the rear cockpit. These aircraft were used as light attack or reconnaissance aircraft. After World War II, many Stearmans were fitted with Pratt & Whitney 450 h.p. engines and utilized as crop dusters. These more powerful Stearmans are also commonly used for wing-walking or aerobatic routines at air shows.

The PT-13B on display was built by the Stearman Division of the Boeing Aircraft Company and accepted by the United States Army Air Corps. on May 20, 1940. It was converted to a "C" model by the addition of an electrical system, lighting, extra instruments and an instrument hood (for flight by reference to instruments, training) in the rear cockpit. In June 1940 it was transferred to Oxnard Field California where it served as a primary trainer. In June 1944 it was transferred to Lancaster. In March 1945 it was transferred to Las Vegas. In July 1945 it was transferred to Reno Nevada and discharged from military service. From 1945 to 1977, 40-1650 served as a training aid for aviation mechanic students at Los Angeles Community College. In 1984 after a 4 year restoration, 40-1650 once again took to the sky over California. The restoration performed by Norm and Carole Rowe and Jim and Katy Spriggs of California returned 40-1650 to its original Army Air Corps condition. Stearman 40-1650 was added to the Cavanaugh Flight Museum collection in 2007 and can routinely be seen in the sky over North Dallas.

 

ENGINE		Lycoming R-680 220 h.p.
WING SPAN		32 feet, 2 inches
LENGTH		24 feet, 10 inches
HEIGHT		9 feet, 2 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		2,700 pounds
CREW		2
MANUFACTURED BY		Boeing Aviation
TOTAL BUILT		10,346
TOTAL EXISTING		2,136
FIRST BUILT		1933
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1940
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		104 m.p.h.
RANGE		260 miles
SERVICE CEILING		14,000 feet
SERIAL NUMBER		40-1650

 

Hitler's armies and air force, the famous Luftwaffe, began their conquest of western Europe on April 9, 1940, following their victory over Poland in 1939. Conquering Norway, Belgium, Holland, Luxemburg and France in less than eighty-five days, the Nazi war machine rolled west toward the Atlantic Ocean and England. Hitler's new style of fighting, the Blitzkrieg (lightning war), staggered the Allied defenses. When France surrendered on June 22, 1940 only Britain was left to face Nazi Germany.

The Me-109 was the best known and most produced German fighter of World War II. It was the backbone of the German fighter command and ruled the skies over Europe from 1939 to 1941, as Hitler spread his empire over the continent. The Me-109s earned the respect of Germany's enemies in every theater of conflict and were greatly feared by Allied bomber crews during the later half of the war. Designed by Professor Willy Messerschmitt in 1934, the Bf. 109 was first flown in September 1935. This prototype was powered by a Rolls-Royce Kestrel in-line engine because the engine that the Bf. 109 was designed for, the Junkers Jumo 210, was not yet available. In July 1938, the firm that initiated the design (Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG), was redesignated Messerschmitt AG, so later Messerschmitt designs often carried the prefix “Me” instead of “Bf”.

The Me-109 was a formidable opponent for the early marks of Spitfire; its low speed handling qualities were excellent and its rate of climb matched the Spitfire. Moreover, it had a higher service ceiling and it had one other major advantage - fuel injection. This allowed the Me-109's powerplant to run flawlessly regardless of the aircraft's attitude, unlike the Rolls-Royce engines of early Spitfires, which cut out at the slightest suggestion of negative G. The Messerschmitt had its vices, too: the cockpit was very small, the heavily framed canopy restricted the pilot's field of view and the plane's narrow undercarriage made it extremely prone to ground accidents. Many of the 33,000 Me-109s produced were lost in ground accidents.

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum's Me-109 was built in Germany in 1943 and shipped to Spain that same year as part of an agreement for the licensed production of Me-l09s there. Hispano Aviación, under obligation to supply the Spanish Air Force with fighters after the war, was unable to secure any Daimler-Benz DB 605 engines and instead fitted these planes with a British Rolls-Royce Merlin. Designated the HA-1112, this aircraft served in Spain until 1967. The Me-109 is painted in the personal colors of General Adolf Galland, one of Germany's most famous World War II aces. This aircraft has appeared in a number of films including “Memphis Belle”, “The Battle of Britain”, the H.B.O. film “The Tuskegee Airmen” and the British T.V. series “Piece of Cake”.

 

ENGINE		Rolls-Royce Merlin 500-45 developing 1,400 h.p.
ARMAMENT		One 20mm cannon and two 7.92mm machine guns
WING SPAN		32 feet, 8.5 inches
LENGTH		29 feet, 7 inches
HEIGHT		8 feet, 2.5 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		7,010 pounds
CREW		1
MANUFACTURED BY		Messerschmitt AG
TOTAL BUILT		Over 33,000
TOTAL EXISTING		72
FIRST BUILT		1935
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1943
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		419 m.p.h.
RANGE		630 miles
SERVICE CEILING		39,370 feet
SERIAL NUMBER		235

 

The Grumman Avenger is truly an unsung hero of World War II. Designed in 1939, the Avenger fought a global war in some of the most adverse conditions imaginable. The plane seldom won the fame it so rightly deserved and most Avengers spent their careers conducting routine and mundane, but critical patrol duties. At the time of Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Navy's premier torpedo bomber was the obsolete Douglas TBD Devastator. Although the TBD was little more than two years old, the Navy recognized that it needed a more capable torpedo plane and needed it quickly. Both Chance-Vought and Grumman responded to the Navy's requests for a new torpedo bomber. The Grumman XTBF-1 proved to be faster, lighter, better armed, and carried a larger payload than the Chance-Vought design. The Grumman design impressed the Navy, which placed an order for the new plane in December 1940. The prototype flew on August 7,1941 and the first TBFs reached operational squadrons in January 1942. Entering service so soon after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the new aircraft was appropriately named the “Avenger,” although her crews nicknamed the plane the “Turkey.”

Grumman designed the Avenger as a torpedo bomber, but the plane could carry bombs in the internal bomb bay or a mixed load of depth charges and 5-inch rockets under the wings. Avengers were superb sub hunters and both the U.S Navy and Royal Navy used the plane to hunt German submarines that preyed upon Allied shipping in the North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean. In the Pacific, Avengers hunted down the Japanese surface fleet and supported Marine and Army troops during island landings. Former President George Bush piloted both the TBF-1C and TBM-1C versions of the Avenger and was forced to bail out of a VT-51 TBM in the Pacific. He narrowly escaped capture by the Japanese and was quickly rescued by a U.S. Navy submarine.

By 1943 Grumman was turning out more than 150 Avengers a month. However, the F6F Hellcat was the company's top priority, so the Navy arranged to have the Avenger built by General Motors in five idle East Coast automobile plants. The General Motors TBM Avenger was virtually identical to the Grumman-built TBF. Eastern Aircraft, General Motor's aircraft division, produced TBMs at an astounding rate, turning out 400 TBMs in March 1945 alone. Eastern built 7,546 TBMs or 77% of all Avengers produced. When the Avenger production lines stopped in 1945, nearly 10,000 Avengers had been built, making the aircraft the most produced naval strike aircraft of all time.

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum's TBM-3E was built in 1944 and is believed to have served with the U.S. Navy in San Diego. The aircraft is painted in the scheme of Marine Torpedo Squadron 132 from the escort carrier U.S.S. Cape Glouchester (CVE-109) during World War II

 

 

ENGINE		Wright R-2600 Cyclone 1,900 h.p.
ARMAMENT		3 -.50 cal. machine guns & up to 2,000 lbs. of ordnance
WING SPAN		54 feet, 2 inches
LENGTH		40 feet, 9 inches
HEIGHT		13 feet, 9 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		16,412 pounds
CREW		3
MANUFACTURED BY		Eastern Aircraft
TOTAL BUILT		9,839
TOTAL EXISTING		145
FIRST BUILT		1941
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1944
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		276 m.p.h.
RANGE		1,130 miles
SERVICE CEILING		23,400 feet
BUREAU NUMBER		86280

 

The Heinkel He-111's sleek lines mask the plane's capability and versatility as a medium bomber. This aircraft was classified as a passenger/mail plane to circumvent limits imposed on German rearmament by the Treaty of Versailles. Designed in the early 1930s, production began in November 1936. Almost from its introduction, the He-111 was engaged in combat; early model He-111s served in Spain with the infamous "Condor Legion" in support of Nationalist forces during the Spanish Civil War.

The He-111 was well liked by its crews and despite its relatively light defensive armament, was able to fend off enemy fighter attacks and return to base with heavy damage. The He-111 was also very adaptable. He-111s were used to launch V-1 "Buzz Bombs", transport men and equipment as well as drop paratroopers. A five-engine variant, the He-111Z, was even produced to tow combat gliders.

Roughly 7,000 He-111s (in various models) were produced and operated extensively around the world for more than two decades. He-111s were shipped to China, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey and Bulgaria. Beginning in 1943, Spain received approximately 100 He-111s as a gift from Nazi Germany and produced 130 copies. Initially, these Spanish built He-111s, known as CASA 2.111s, were fitted with German engines. However, between 1953 and 1956, Spain purchased 173 Rolls-Royce Merlin engines and fitted them to the seventy remaining airframes.

The Museum's 2.111E was manufactured as B2-H-155 in 1950, but due to a lack of engines was put into storage. In 1956, it was modified to photographic and map making configuration and fitted with Merlin engines. It was accepted by the Spanish Air Force on December 14, 1956 as B2-I-27, to serve with the Spanish Air Force Cartographic Group. In 1968, it was painted in German colors and used in the film "Battle of Britain". From 1970 to 1972, it was operated by 403 Squadron from Cuatros Vientos, near Madrid, Spain. In November 1972, it was transferred to 406 Squadron at Torrejon, Spain. In January 1974, it was transferred to 46 Group in Ganda, Canary Islands, and active in the Spanish campaign in the Western Sahara. On January 21, 1975, B2-I-27 was returned to the air armaments factory in Seville, officially listed as surplus, and placed into storage. From all available information, it appears that B2-I-27 was the last CASA 2.111 in active service with the Spanish Air Force.

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum added B2-I-27 to its collection in 1995. The aircraft is painted in the color scheme of Kampfgeschwader 51 (KG51) "Edelweiss", of the German Luftwaffe of World War

 

ENGINE		Two Rolls-Royce Merlin 500s developing 1,600 h.p. each
ARMAMENT		CASA 2111: normally unarmed He-111: up to six 7.92 machine guns or 20mm cannons and 6,600 lbs. of ordnance
WING SPAN		74 feet, 1 inch
LENGTH		53 feet, 9 inches
HEIGHT		13 feet, 1 inch
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		30,800 pounds
CREW		5
MANUFACTURED BY		Construccions Aeronauticas S.A.
TOTAL BUILT		Over 7,000
TOTAL EXISTING		15
FIRST BUILT		1935
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1950
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		288 m.p.h.
RANGE		1,277 miles
SERVICE CEILING		32,800 feet
SERIAL NUMBER		B2-I-27

 

The small, tubby F4F/FM-2 Wildcat is one of the important, yet often forgotten Allied fighters of World War II. Designed in 1935 by the Grumman Aircraft Corp., the XF4F-3 was the first all-metal, carrier launched, monoplane fighter purchased by the U.S. Navy. The F4F beat out competing designs from Brewster and Seversky. The robust and agile F4F was the primary front line fighter of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps at the onset of World War II. This Wildcat proved to be dependable and was loved by pilots and maintenance crews alike.

The first Wildcats to see action were flown by the Royal Navy. Both Britain and France placed orders for the F4F-3 (although with different engines and armament layouts) during late 1939 and early 1940. The aircraft ordered by the French were claimed by the British after France fell in the fall of 1940. Known as the “Martlet”, British Wildcats claimed their first victory on Dec. 25, 1940, almost a full year before the first American Wildcats saw action at Wake Island. The Wildcat was America's primary naval fighter through the end of 1942. However, during 1943 most Wildcat squadrons were re-equipped with either the larger Grumman F6F Hellcat or the Chance-Vought F4U Corsair.

By late June 1942, Grumman found itself hard pressed to maintain maximum production of both the F4F and TBF Avenger, while also beginning to tool-up the F6F Hellcat production lines. As a result, production of the Wildcat was transferred to five East Coast General Motors automobile plants. The General Motors FM-2 was the most numerous Wildcat variant produced. From mid-1943 to the end of the war, General Motors' Eastern Aircraft divison built 4,777 FM-2s -- nearly 70% of all Wildcats produced. The FM-2 differed from the original Grumman F4F in a number of ways. The FM-2 had a lighter, yet more powerful Wright R-1820 radial engine. Additionally, the plane carried four rather than six .50 caliber machine guns and was often fitted with HVARs (High-Velocity Aircraft Rockets) for use against ground targets, ships or surfaced submarines. The FM-2 also had a larger tail than the standard F4F to counter the increased torque produced by the Wright engine.

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum's FM-2 was one of the last Wildcats built and was accepted by the U.S. Navy only days before the official Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay (a testament to the utility of the type). The museum's FM-2 spent most of its military career in storage at Bethpage, NY and was stricken from the U.S. Navy's inventory in 1947. The aircraft was restored in the late 1970s and was the Oshkosh Fly-In Grand Champion in 1979. Today, this aircraft carries the markings of a FM-2 from VC-70, a composite squadron which operated from the escort carrier U.S.S. Salamaua (CVE-96) from May to September 1945.

*This Aircraft is available for your airshow!*

 

ENGINE Wright R-1820-56 developing 1,350 h.p. ARMAMENT Four .50 cal. machine guns, six 5-inch HVARs WING SPAN 38 feet LENGTH 28 feet, 9 inches HEIGHT 11 feet, 5 inches MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT 8,221 pounds MANUFACTURED BY General Motors - Eastern Aircraft TOTAL BUILT 7,251 TOTAL EXISTING Approximately 45 FIRST F4F BUILT 1940 FIRST FM-2 BUILT 1943 MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT 1945 NOT CURRENTLY ON DISPLAY AT Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas MAXIMUM SPEED 322 m.p.h. RANGE (W/ EXTERNAL TANKS) 1,150 miles SERVICE CEILING 35,600 feet

 

Designated the BT-13 by the Army Air Corps and the SNV-2 by the Navy, the Vultee Valiant was the next aircraft cadet pilots flew after learning to fly the PT-17 (Stearman), PT-19 or PT-22. Less forgiving than these primary trainers, the SNV/BT-13 required the student pilot to pay more attention to the aircraft in flight. Additionally in the SNV/BT-13, student pilots were introduced to advanced items such as a two-way radio for communication with the ground.

Designed in the late 1930s, the SNV/BT-13 was chosen in 1939 by the U.S.A.A.C. and by the Navy in 1940 for use as a basic trainer. A confidence builder for green pilots, the SNV/BT-13 has been described as a “roomy, noisy, aerobatic and smelly” airplane and received the ignominious nickname “The Vultee Vibrator” from its pilots. The aircraft sharpened the pilot's skills and introduced students to the feel of a more complex and powerful aircraft. Unlike the primary trainers that were fitted with a fixed pitch prop, the SNV/BT-13 was equipped with a two position, variable-pitch propeller requiring greater skill to fly. After mastering the SNV/BT-13, pilots advanced to the AT-6 Texan for fighter pilot training or a twin-engined advance trainer for bomber or transport pilot training.

Once America was fully involved in World War II, Vultee received orders for more than 10,000 SNV/BT-13s, making the plane one of the most important American trainer aircraft of the war. Due to a shortage of the BT-13's Wasp Junior radial engine, Vultee began to fit the Wright R-975-11 radial to BT-13 airframes. A total of 1,693 BT-15s, as these planes were called, were built before the end of the war. Today, the few airworthy SNV/BT-13s or BT 15s left are very popular with warbird collectors and can often be seen at airshows around the country.

The paint scheme of the SNV-2 on display is authentic for a SNV-2 based at the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi, Texas during World War II. This SNV-2 was delivered to Cabaniss Field, Corpus Christi on April 8,1944. It served in VN12D8, a training squadron based at Cabaniss Field from August 1944 to February 1945. In March 1945, it was transferred to VN13D8C (also a training squadron) at Chase Field in Brownsville, Texas where it served until March l945, when it was transferred to the Naval Air Station in Clinton, Oklahoma. It remained in Clinton until October 31,1945, before it was stricken from the Navy's records.

 

ENGINE		Pratt & Whitney R-985 Junior Wasp
WING SPAN		42 feet, 2 inches
LENGTH		28 feet, 8 inches
HEIGHT		12 feet, 5 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		4,227 pounds
CREW		2
MANUFACTURED BY		Consolidated Vultee Aviation
TOTAL BUILT		11,537
TOTAL EXISTING		Approximately 150
FIRST BUILT		1939
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1944
MAXIMUM SPEED		155 m.p.h.
RANGE		880 miles
SERVICE CEILING		19,400 feet

 

The North American Texan trainer is one of the most important aircraft of all time and is universally recognized. First built as the NA-16 in 1935, the Texan was in continual production for nearly 10 years and in active use for more than five decades. Primarily used as a trainer, the Texan remains a favorite among warbird collectors around the world.

The U.S. Navy took delivery of a version of the North American trainer called the NJ-1 in late 1936. This aircraft had fixed landing gear and a fabric covered rear fuselage. Besides serving as trainers, these aircraft also flew as command and staff transports. Shortly after the appearance of the NJ-1, the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) released a requirement for an advanced trainer offering performance and handling as close as possible to the generation of fighters then in use. North American added a 500 h.p. Pratt & Whitney R-1340 radial engine to the NA-16 airframe and called the new aircraft the NA-26. The NA-26 had retractable landing gear, a full metal fuselage and a position for a single fixed machine gun. The USAAC was elated with the aircraft and ordered it into service as the BC-1. The U.S. Navy also purchased the aircraft as the SNJ-1. From these small initial orders, the North American “Texan” (as the aircraft was commonly known) grew into what has become an all-time aeronautical classic.

The basic Texan design constantly underwent modifications. The last model of the Texan, the T-6J, was produced for the U.S. Air Force in the early 1950s. The AT-6 was commonly fitted with a single fixed .30 cal. machine gun, which was used for basic aerial and air-to-ground gunnery training. During the Korean War, the U.S. Air Force and Marine Corps fitted Texans with smoke and white phosphorous rockets and used the plane as forward air controllers.

The British Commonwealth, desperately needing modern aircraft, eventually took delivery of nearly 5,000 T-6's. These aircraft were flown by Australia, Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand, South Africa and Southern Rhodesia. Canada produced a similar aircraft (under license), the Harvard, which featured a heating system using engine exhaust but otherwise was largely identical to the American Texan. The South African Air Force (SFAF) retired their fleet of 100 T-6 trainers in the early 1990s, more than 50 years after the SFAF took delivery of its first Texan.

 

The Museum's grey AT-6, Serial Number 42-85697 was built by North American Aviation in Dallas Texas and delivered to the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) on August 19, 1944. The first assignment was to the 3028th Army Air Field (AAF) Base Unit (Advanced Single Engine Pilot School [ASEPS], AAF Flying Training Command [AAFFTC]) at Luke AAF, AZ. In April 1946 it was transferred to the 3010th AAF Base Unit, (ASEPS, AAFFTC) at Williams AAF, AZ. In November 1946 it was transferred to the San Antonio Air Material Area at Kelly AAF, TX. In February 1948 it was transferred to the 2533rd Air Force Base Unit (Pilot School, Air Training Command [ATC]) at Goodfellow AFB, TX. In August 1948 it was transferred to the 3545th Basic Pilot Training Wing (ATC) at Goodfellow AFB, TX. In March 1951 it was transferred to the 3301st Training Squadron (ATC), at Columbus AFB, MS. In July 1952 it was transferred to the 3585th Pilot Training Wing (ATC) at San Marcos AFB, TX. In September 1952 it was transferred to the 3555th Flying Training Wing (ATC), at Perrin AFB, TX. In May 1953 it was transferred to the 116th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (Air National Guard) at Geiger Field, WA. In March 1954, it was transferred to the 3040th Aircraft Storage and Disposition Squadron at Davis Monthan AFB, AZ. In September 1955 it was dropped from inventory as surplus.

 

 

 

 

ENGINE		Pratt & Whitney R-1340 w/600 h.p.
ARMAMENT		Normally none; can be fitted with one or two .30 cal. machine guns
WING SPAN		42 feet, 7 inches
LENGTH		29 feet
HEIGHT		12 feet, 9 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		5,617 pounds
CREW		2
MANUFACTURED BY		North American Aviation
TOTAL BUILT		Over 15,000
TOTAL EXISTING		Over 1,200
FIRST BUILT		1938
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1942 (Gray), 1943 (Silver)
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		210 m.p.h.
RANGE		770 miles
SERVICE CEILING		23,200 feet

 

Its sleek lines and graceful curves make the Supermarine Spitfire arguably the most esthetically pleasing aircraft of World War II. Although only available in small numbers during the fall of 1940, the Spitfire became world famous thanks to its performance during the Battle of Britain. The Spitfire was truly a global fighter with more than forty different versions of the aircraft used all over the world. The Spitfire was the product of the great British designer Reginald J. Mitchell, who found fame designing racing seaplanes for the Schneider Trophy races. First flown on March 5,1936, the Type 300 (as the prototype of the Spitfire was known) was ordered into production for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in July 1936. When World War II broke out in late 1939, the RAF had taken delivery of a total of 306 Spitfires, only half of which were in service with front line squadrons (the remainder were assigned to training units).

As the air war over Europe raged on, Supermarine continuously updated and modified the Spitfire to keep it ahead of, or at least on par with, the latest version of the German Me-109 or FW-190. The basic Spitfire airframe proved readily adaptable, receiving a variety of engines, wing layouts and armament mixtures. During its long career, Spitfires were modified for use as naval fighters (the Seafire), unarmed photo reconnaissance aircraft, fighter/bombers, night fighters and seaplanes. When Spitfire production ended in March 1949 more than 20,000 Spitfres, of all types, had been manufactured. The Spitfire Mk. VIII was basically a non-pressurized version of the Mk. VII. The Mk. VIII featured a stronger fuselage than earlier Spitfires and a retractable tail wheel. Ironically, the Mk. VIII entered service after the Mk. IX, which was built as a “stopgap” fighter following the long teething period experienced by the Mk. VIII. First ordered in July 1942, Supermarine built nearly 1,658 Mk. VIIIs by the end of 1945.

The RAF took delivery of the museum's Mk. VIII in June 1944. It was quickly tropicalized in England and shipped to Bombay, India in July 1944. Once in the Far East, the plane was assigned to the RAF's No. 17 Squadron, based at China Bay and Vavyuina, Ceylon (Sri Lanka). It flew numerous combat missions against the Japanese from July 1944 to June 1945 and often flew as a fighter escort for the No. 28 Squadron, a dive bomber unit equipped with Hawker Hurricanes.

The aircraft was sold to the Indian Air Force in 1947. After thirty years in India, the aircraft was sold in 1977 and returned to England. An Italian collector purchased the plane in 1979 and completely restored the aircraft. The Cavanaugh Flight Museum acquired the Spitfire in 1993 and it wears the same colors it carried while serving with No.17 Squadron during World War II.

 

ENGINE		Rolls-Royce Merlin 66 developing 1,720 h.p.
ARMAMENT		2 Hispano 20mm cannons, 4 Browning .303 machine guns
WING SPAN		36 feet, 10 inches
LENGTH		32 feet, 2 inches
HEIGHT		11 feet, 8 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		7,767 pounds
CREW		1
MANUFACTURED BY		Vickers Supermarine
TOTAL BUILT		20,334
TOTAL EXISTING		Approximately 70
FIRST BUILT		1938 (MK. VIII - 1943)
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1944
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		404 m.p.h.
RANGE W/ EXTERNAL TANKS		1,180 miles
SERVICE CEILING		41,500 feet
SERIAL NUMBER		MT719

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The famous gull-wing design of the F4U Corsair makes the plane one of the most distinctive fighters of World War II. Designed and built by Chance-Vought, the Corsair prototype first flew on May 29, 1940. It was the world's first single-engine fighter capable of speeds over 400 mph in level flight. Though first rejected by the U.S Navy, the F4U proved to be one of the best all-around fighters of World War II and was the only American piston engined World War II fighter produced in large numbers after 1945.

During World War II the Corsair proved more than a match for the Japanese Zero and other advanced Japanese fighters. The Corsair achieved an impressive eleven-to-one victory ratio against Japanese aircraft. Corsairs also excelled in the ground attack role and were heavily employed as close air support aircraft during the Pacific island hopping campaign.

As a testament to the plane's effectiveness, Japanese ground troops nicknamed the Corsair “the Whistling Death” (the plane's distinctive whistling was caused by airflow over the F4U's leading edge oil coolers). Later during the Korean War, the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps used the plane almost exclusively in the attack role, carrying high explosive bombs, napalm and high-velocity aircraft rockets. Corsairs were instrumental in the Marine's famous “advance in a different direction” from the Chosin Reservoir in December 1950.

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum’s Corsair, is one of 120 Corsair IVs ordered from Goodyear Aircraft Corp. for the British Royal Navy. With the end of the war near, the order was cancelled and the aircraft were delivered to the U.S. Navy. It was accepted July 3, 1945 at Norfolk VA. After reconditioning to US Navy FG-1D specifications, it was assigned to VF-1 at Naval Air Auxiliary Field (NAAS) Cecil Field, Jacksonville FL and served from 10/5/46-6/23/47.  The remainder of its assignments are as follows:  Norfolk VA, Naval Air Reserve Training Unit (NARTU) 6/24//47-11/25/47; Overhaul at Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville FL; VMF-451 at NAS Willow Grove PA, 5/2/48-4/5/49; Storage at NAS Jacksonville FL; NARTU at NAS New Orleans LA, 12/10/49-8/6/51; Overhaul at NAS Jacksonville FL; NARTU at NAS Grosse Isle MI, 1/8/52-3/20/52; Airframe overhaul to Marine specifications at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point NC; Marine Air Squadron 31 at MCAS Miami FL, 5/14/52-12/17/52; NARTU at NAS Willow Grove PA, 12/18/52-8/18/53; Storage at NAS Jacksonville FL until stricken from Navy records January 1957.

 

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum’s Corsair is finished in the armament arrangement of an F4U-1C, having 4, wing mounted 20MM cannons. The paint scheme is that of Major Archie Donahue’s Corsair when he served with VMF-112 at Guadalcanal. On May 13, 1943, Maj. Donahue destroyed five Zero aircraft in a single engagement, thus becoming an “Ace-in-a-day”. Maj. Donahue is one of only 7 Marine pilots to accomplish this feat. He repeated this accomplishment by destroying another 5 enemy aircraft over Okinawa in 1945 while serving with VMF-451. He is credited with a total of 14 aerial victories and his decorations include the Navy Cross, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, and five Air Medals.

 

 

 

 

*This Aircraft is available for your airshow!*

 

ENGINE		Pratt & Whitney R-2800-18W Double Wasp 2,100 h.p.
ARMAMENT		4 - 20mm cannon & up to 2,000 lbs of ordnance
WING SPAN		41 feet
LENGTH		33 feet, 8 inches
HEIGHT		14 feet, 9 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		16,160 pounds
CREW		1
MANUFACTURED BY		Goodyear Aircraft Corporation: Under license from Chance-Vought Aircraft
TOTAL BUILT		Over 12,571
TOTAL EXISTING		Approximately 100
FIRST BUILT		1940
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1945
NOT CURRENTLY ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		466 m.p.h.
RANGE W/ EXTERNAL TANKS		1,005 miles
SERVICE CEILING		41,500 feet
BUREAU NUMBER		92399

 

 

 

Lightweight, easy to manufacture and fly, the de Havilland Tiger Moth is to English aviation what the J-3 Cub or N2S-4 Stearman is to American aviation. Based on a line of highly successful civilian aircraft, the Tiger Moth went on to be the primary basic trainer for England and the Commonwealth powers during World War II. In the 1920s, Geoffrey de Havilland designed the famous DH 60 Cirrus Moth which first flew on February 22, 1925. The Cirrus Moth was a quiet and comfortable aircraft with a relatively inexpensive price of £830 Sterling. It marked the beginning of private flying in Britain and throughout the world. The Taylor Piper Cub was still 10 years in the future.

The early Cirrus Moth was succeeded by several variants: the Genet Moth the Hermes Moth and the Gypsy Moth. The success of the de Havilland peaked due to a massive flood. Production rose from one airplane a week to more than three a day. By 1929, the price had dropped accordingly to a mere £650 Sterling, and 85 out of 100 private airplanes in Great Britain were Moths of one model or another. After His Highness, the Prince of Wales purchased a Moth, the aircraft became extremely fashionable. Society magazines were full of pictures of sports characters and “bright young lady pilots” setting out for weekends in the country flying their Moths. Any kind of private airplane in England became known as “a Moth” much like any small airplane in America was “a Cub”.

All of these Moths were conventional one or two seat biplanes with unswept, unstaggered wings. Consequently, access to the forward cockpit of the two-seat version was restricted by the center-section struts. This shortcoming was eliminated in the Tiger Moth by moving the upper wing section forward to clear the front cockpit while sweeping both wings back to keep the aircraft's center of gravity (C.G.) in the desired position.

The prototype DH 82 Tiger Moth first flew on October 26, 1931 and quickly aroused interest in the Royal Air Force (R.A.F.). De Havilland delivered the R.A.F.'s first Tiger Moths in 1932. When World War II started, the R.A.F. had more than 1,000 Tiger Moths in service. By the end of the war, well over 4,200 Tiger Moths had been delivered and the majority of R.A.F: pilots received their elementary training in a Tiger Moth. In addition, almost 3,000 Tiger Moths were built in Australia, Canada and New Zealand for use in the Commonwealth Air Training Plan. The Tiger Moth on display was one of 1,384 examples built in Canada during World War II and served as a primary trainer in the Commonwealth Air Training Plan.

 

 

 

ENGINE		de Havilland Gypsy Major 1C 130 h.p.
WING SPAN		29 feet, 4 inches
LENGTH		23 feet, 11 inches
HEIGHT		8 feet, 10 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		1,733 pounds
CREW		2
MANUFACTURED BY		de Havilland Aircraft
TOTAL BUILT		8,706
TOTAL IN EXISTENCE		Approximately 200
FIRST BUILT		1931
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1942
MAXIMUM SPEED		107 m.p.h.
RANGE		275 miles
SERVICE CEILING		14,600 feet

 

Built by Curtiss-Wright, the P-40 Warhawk was the U.S Army Air Force's standard fighter at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Although it could not match the performance of the Japanese A6M Zero or the German Me-109, the P-40's strong construction and heavy armament made it a competent foe for any Axis aircraft. Operating as part of the Chinese Air Force over mainland China, the American Volunteer Group (A.V.G.) -- better known as “The Flying Tigers” -- used their P-40s to win victories over nearly 300 Japanese planes from June 1941 to July 1942, while losing only 12 of their own in aerial combat.

Curtiss-Wright developed the P-40 Warhawk in the late 1930s to replace the Curtiss P-36. The XP-40 was basically a P-36 airframe refitted with an Allison V-1710 in-line engine instead of the P-36's Pratt and Whitney radial. In this configuration, the XP-40 boasted a top speed of 342 mph and beat both the Bell P-39 Airacobra and the Lockheed P-38 Lightning in the 1939 Army Air Corps (AAC) fighter fly-off. Though outdated by 1941, the P-40 saw extensive action in China, India, North Africa, Egypt, Russia and the Pacific. The aircraft received great acclaim from those who flew it. According to one P-40 pilot: “We couldn't outmaneuver [the Japanese] fighters, but we could out-dive them, and the Hawk would take more punishment than anything we met. It was a sturdy, fine airplane.” The P-40N was the last and fastest production variant of the Warhawk. By reducing the overall weight of the design, Curtiss managed to increase the P-40N's overall top speed to 378 mph. The P-40N was also fitted with a new canopy improving the pilot's visibility to the rear. A total of 5,219 P-40Ns were built making it the most numerous of the P-40 series.

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum's P-40N (serial number 44-7369) was constructed at the Curtiss-Wright plant in Buffalo, New York and was delivered to the Army Air Force (AAF.) on May 26,1944. The plane was sent in June 1944 to Peterson Army Air Field, Colorado Springs, Colorado and served with the 268th AAF Base Unit (Combat Crew Training Station-Fighter, Second Air Force). In March 1945, the aircraft was transferred to the 232nd AAF Base Unit (2nd A.F.), stationed at the Dalhart Army Air Field (Texas). In June 1945, the plane was disposed as surplus.

The P-40N was purchased by the museum in 1995 from Joseph Mabee, who had owned the aircraft since 1978. Today, the aircraft is painted in the scheme of Major General Charles R. Bond, Jr.'s No. 5 and is representative of P-40Bs and P-40Es flown by the Flying Tigers in the early days of World War II. The aircraft often appears at air shows across the country.

*This Aircraft is available for your airshow!*

 

ENGINE		Allison V 1710-115 1,460 h.p.
ARMAMENT		Six .50 cal. machine guns & up to 500 lbs. of ordnance
WING SPAN		37 feet, 3.5 inches
LENGTH		33 feet, 3.72 inches
HEIGHT		12 feet, 4.5 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		8,850 pounds
MANUFACTURED BY		Curtiss-Wright
TOTAL BUILT		Roughly 15,000
TOTAL EXISTING		Approximately 90
FIRST BUILT		1940
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		May 1944
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		378 m.p.h.
RANGE		240 miles
SERVICE CEILING		38,000 feet

 

Nicknamed the “Yellow Peril” thanks to its somewhat tricky ground handling characteristics, the Stearman is one of the most easily recognized aircraft. Its simple construction, rugged dependability and nimble handling made the Stearman much loved by those who flew and trained on it. The Stearman Kaydet, as it was officially named, was the only American aircraft used during World War II that was completely standardized for both Army and Navy use as the PT-13D (Army) and N2S-4 (Navy). Sold by the thousands after World War II, the Stearman has had a long and full career as a trainer, crop duster and air show performer. The name “Stearman” is so widely known that it has become the generic name for almost all currently flown biplanes. It is truly a “classic.”

The famed Stearman Model 75 has its roots in the earlier Model 70, which was chosen in 1934 as the U.S. Navy's primary trainer. At a time when biplanes were becoming a thing of the past, the Model 70 offered the fledgling pilot a steady and sturdy steed. Designed and built in only 60 days, the prototype Model 70 could withstand load factors much higher than were expected to occur in normal flight training. The U.S. Army and Navy tested the prototype in 1934. At the conclusion of these tests, the Navy ordered the aircraft while the Army decided to wait for the introduction of the improved Model 75 appearing in 1936. Over the next decade, the Army received nearly 8,500 Stearmans in five different variants. The difference among these versions were the engines fitted; Kaydets were fitted with Lycoming (PT-13), Continental (PT-17) or Jacobs (PT-18) radial engines. The U.S. Navy took delivery of their first Stearman (called the NS-1) in 1934. Powered with the obsolete but readily available Wright R-790-8 engine, the NS-1 proved its worth as a primary trainer. The Navy purchased several thousand of an improved model, the N2S. The N2S was built in five sub-variants, each variant being equipped with a different model engine. Additionally, the Canadian armed forces took delivery of 300 PT-27s, a winterized version of the PT-17.

A later, more powerful version of the Stearman, the Model 76, was purchased by Argentina, Brazil and the Philippines. The Model 76 featured wing mounted .30 caliber machine guns, a bomb rack between the landing struts and a single machine gun for the rear cockpit. These aircraft were used as light attack or reconnaissance aircraft. After World War II, many Stearmans were fitted with Pratt & Whitney 450 h.p. engines and utilized as crop dusters. These more powerful Stearmans are also commonly used for wing-walking or aerobatic routines at air shows.

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum's N2S-4 was assembled in 1985 from original Stearman components. The aircraft is painted in an authentic U.S. Navy paint scheme.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ENGINE		Continental W-670 220 h.p.
WING SPAN		32 feet, 2 inches
LENGTH		24 feet, 10 inches
HEIGHT		9 feet, 2 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		2,700 pounds
CREW		2
MANUFACTURED BY		Boeing Aviation
TOTAL BUILT		10,346
TOTAL EXISTING		2,136
FIRST BUILT		1933
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1985
MAXIMUM SPEED		104 m.p.h.
RANGE		260 miles
SERVICE CEILING		14,000 feet

 

Sleek and elegant, the North American P-51D Mustang was truly a "fighter pilot's dream." It is perhaps the best known fighter aircraft of all time. Designed in record time at the request of the British in 1940, the Mustang possessed a deadly combination of speed, endurance, maneuverability and firepower. By the end of the Mustang's production run, more than 15,000 P-51s had been built and the aircraft had seen service around the world as an escort fighter, fighter/bomber, dive bomber, reconnaissance aircraft, and finally, a race plane. The Mustang first drew blood in the spring of 1942 and the last Mustangs were withdrawn from active service more than four decades later - a service record which no other fighter aircraft has been able to match.

Manufacture of the Mustang began in early 1941 at North American's Inglewood, California plant. As orders for the new fighter quickly increased, North American opened a new plant near Dallas, in Grand Prairie, Texas to assist in the production of the P-51.

Originally fitted with an Allison V-1710 engine, the Mustang proved to be a superb fighter at low to medium altitudes, but its performance dropped off above 12,000 feet. At the urging of a Rolls Royce test pilot, a few RAF P-51s were tested with a Rolls Royce Merlin engine and the Mustang found new legs. The P-51D rolled out of the factory with a Packard V-1650.  The Packard V-1650 is a US built Rolls Royce Merlin produced under license by the Packard Motor Car Company.  With the powerful, supercharged Merlin, the Mustang's high altitude performance drastically increased as did the plane's range. This immediate boost in range allowed the plane (with drop tanks) to escort American bombers into the heart of Germany or Japan and back. Once the bombers had full fighter coverage, the air war for Europe and the Pacific was as good as won.

The museum's P-51D was manufactured in 1944 and shipped to England. It was assigned to the 9th Air Force, 370th Fighter Group, 401st Fighter Squadron, and was flown by Lt. Hjalmar Johnsen. In June 1947 it was sold to the Swedish Air Force and served as Flygyapnet (FV) Serial No. 26115 based at F-4, Ostersund. Between 1952-53 it was sold to the Dominican Republic and served as Fuerza Aerea Dominica Serial No. 1918 until 1984 when it was retired from active service. The plane is painted in the colors and markings of Lt. Hjalmar Johnsen while in service with 401st Fighter Squadron, 370th Fighter Group, of the 9th Air Force during World War II.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*This Aircraft is available for your airshow!*

 

ENGINE		Packard Merlin V 1650-7 developing 1,590 h.p.
ARMAMENT		6 - .50 cal. machine guns & up to 2,000 lbs of ordnance
WING SPAN		37 feet
LENGTH		32 feet, 3 inches
HEIGHT		13 feet, 8 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		11,600 pounds
CREW		1
MANUFACTURED BY		North American Aviation
TOTAL BUILT		Over 15,500
TOTAL EXISTING		Approximately 200
FIRST BUILT		October 1940
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		March 1944
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		445 m.p.h.
RANGE W/ EXTERNAL TANKS		1,895 miles
SERVICE CEILING		41,900 feet
SERIAL NUMBER		44-72339

The T-34 Mentor is another very successful example of military pilot training aircraft. It was conceived by Walter Beech in 1948 as lower cost replacement of the North American T-6 Texan. He based his design, (Beechcraft designation A45) on the already successful civilian Beechcraft Model 35 Bonanza, using many of the same parts.  The Model A45 is essentially a tandem seat version of the Bonanza, with structural improvements, giving the aircraft a +10G and -4.5G ratings. 

 

Production began in 1953 with the T-34A for the United States Air Force and in 1955 the T-34B for the United States Navy. Beechcraft produced a similar model B45 for export and licensed its production in Canada by Canadian Car Foundry; in Japan by Fuji Heavy Industries and Argentina by Fabrica Militar de Aviones (FMA). Production of the piston powered versions ceased in 1959. 

 

The United States Air Force used the T-34A until the late 1950s when it was replaced by the T-37 jet trainer. The United States Navy used the T-34B until 1973 when it replaced them with a turbine powered version of the T-34, the T-34C. Production of the T-34C began in 1973 and ceased in 1990. The T-34C remained in service with the US Navy as a trainer until 2002 when the Navy began gradually phasing them out and replacing them with the T-6A Texan II, a joint primary trainer for use by both the United States Navy and United States Air Force.

 

 

ENGINE		Continental O-470
HORSEPOWER		225
WING SPAN		32 feet, 10 inches
LENGTH		25 feet, 10 inches
HEIGHT		10 feet, 0 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		2,900 pounds
CREW		2
MANUFACTURED BY		Beechcraft
FIRST BUILT		1953
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1958
NOT CURRENTLY ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		188 m.p.h.
RANGE		728 miles
SERVICE CEILING		19,500 feet
CONSTRUCTION NUMBER		G-123

 

 

 

 

 

Developed at a time when faster swept wing jet aircraft were becoming prominent, the piston engine straight winged AD Skyraider (redesignated A-1 in 1962) filled a vital niche for the United States Navy, Marines and Air Force.

Ed Heinemann of Douglas Aircraft Co. designed the Skyraider in response to a US Navy requirement for a single place carrier based long range dive-bomber / torpedo attack aircraft. The prototype Skyraider first flew on March 18, 1945. The first production AD-1, delivered in December 1946, went into service in Navy Fighter Squadron Nineteen (VA-19A).

The plane played an important role in the Korean War. Flown by Navy and Marine squadrons, the Skyraider was the backbone of close air support and ground attack operations. Its powerful Wright R-3350 radial engine and ample fuel load gave it a large combat radius, especially compared to jets of the period while its large straight wing and seven hardpoints per wing, gave it excellent low speed maneuverability plus the ability to carry a large amount of ordnance.

Years later, in the Vietnam War, the Skyraider again proved its usefulness flying ground attack support missions for the Navy and Air Force, and a new mission: Search and Rescue. Affectionately known as " Sandys," Skyraiders would fly to the location of a downed pilot and stay on site, laying down smoke, napalm, rockets and 20 mm fire to cover the rescue. Though the plane was never designed for air to air combat, Navy Skyraider pilots shot down two MiG-17 jet fighters, a further testament to its abilities.

 

Douglas manufactured a total of 3,180 Skyraiders  in seven variations. The AD-6 was an improved version of the AD-4 single-seat attack aircraft with updated avionics and bomb racks and a long ventral airbrake as on the AD-5. Production of the AD-6 totaled 713 aircraft.

 

The AD-6 on display, Bureau No. 139606 (Serial No. 52-139606) was accepted by the United States Navy on August 29, 1955. It served in the following units: Attack Squadron 215 (VA-215) based at NAS Moffett Field from September 1955 to August 1956 when VA-215 deployed aboard USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA 31). Following the Western Pacific (Westpac) cruise, in March 1957, to NAS Alameda for overhaul and repair. The next assignment was VA-145 based at NAS Miramar, October, 1957. In January 1959, VA-145 deployed aboard USS Ranger (CVA-61). After the Westpac cruise 139606 went into storage at NAS Litchfield Park and in September 1960, to NAS Quonset Point for overhaul and repair. In December 1960, 139606 was assigned to VA-122 stationed at NAS North Island until Agust 1961 when VA-122 moved to NAS Moffett Field. In November 1962, 139606 returned to NAS Quonset Point for Overhaul and repair. In April 1963, 139606 was assigned to VA-165 at NAS Moffett Field. In August, VA-165 deployed aboard USS Oriskany (CVA-34).  Following the Westpac cruise, VA-165 went to NAS Alameda. In January 1965, VA-165 deployed aboard USS Coral Sea (CVA-43). Following the Westpac Cruise, 139606 went to NAS Alameda until September when it returned NAS Quonset Point for Overhaul and Repair. In January 1966, 139606 was assigned to VA-176 and deployed aboard USS Intrepid (CVA-11). The final Naval assignment was VA-122 based at NAS Lemoore and served there from March 1967 until August 1967 when it was transferred to Davis Monthan AFB, ending its Naval service.

 

After Naval service, 52-139606 was transferred to the U.S. Air Force and served with the 6th SOS (Special Operations Squadron) call signs "Spad" operated from Pleiku and Da Nang. In 1972 it was transferred to the South Vietnamese Air Force and served in the 518th Fighter Squadron call sign "Dragon" of the 23rd Tactical Wing from Bien Hoa Air Base.

 

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum added 139606 to its collection in 2016. The plane is painted in the colors and markings it wore wile in service with the 6th Special Operations Squadron.

 

 

Click HERE for AD-6 / A-1H Skyraider T-Shirt

 

 

 

 

*This Aircraft is available for your airshow!*

 

 

 

ENGINE		Wright R-3350-26W developing 3,020 h.p.
ARMAMENT		4 - 20MM Cannons & up to 8,000 lbs of ordnance
WING SPAN		50 feet
LENGTH		38 feet, 10 inches
HEIGHT		15 feet, 8 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		25,000 pounds
TOTAL BUILT		3,180
FIRST BUILT		1945
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT
NOT CURRENTLY ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
CRUISE SPEED		205 m.p.h.
RANGE		1,300 miles
SERVICE CEILING		32,000 feet
BUREAU NUMBER		139606
SERIAL NUMBER		52-139606

Developed at a time when faster swept wing jet aircraft were becoming prominent, the piston engine straight winged AD Skyraider (redesignated A-1 in 1962) filled a vital niche for the United States Navy, Marines and Air Force.

Ed Heinemann of Douglas Aircraft Co. designed the Skyraider in response to a US Navy requirement for a single place carrier based long range dive-bomber / torpedo attack aircraft. The prototype Skyraider first flew on March 18, 1945. The first production AD-1, delivered in December 1946, went into service in Navy Fighter Squadron Nineteen (VA-19A).

The plane played an important role in the Korean War. Flown by Navy and Marine squadrons, the Skyraider was the backbone of close air support and ground attack operations. Its powerful Wright R-3350 radial engine and ample fuel load gave it a large combat radius, especially compared to jets of the period while its large straight wing and seven hardpoints per wing, gave it excellent low speed maneuverability plus the ability to carry a large amount of ordnance.

Years later, in the Vietnam War, the Skyraider again proved its usefulness flying ground attack support missions for the Navy and Air Force, and a new mission: Search and Rescue. Affectionately known as " Sandys," Skyraiders would fly to the location of a downed pilot and stay on site, laying down smoke, napalm, rockets and 20 mm fire to cover the rescue. Though the plane was never designed for air to air combat, Navy Skyraider pilots shot down two MiG-17 jet fighters, a further testament to its abilities.

 

Douglas manufactured a total of 3,180 Skyraiders in seven variations. The AD-5 was a multiple crew variant with significant modifications. The fuselage was lengthened and widened to accommodate side by side seating for pilot and co-pilot as well as a crew / equipment compartment aft of the pilots. The engine was moved 8 inches forward and the vertical tail area was increased almost 50%. The AD-5 was produced in the following models: AD-5 (A-1E) Side-by-side seating for pilot and co-pilot, without dive brakes; 212 built. AD-5N (A-1G) Four-seat night attack version, with radar countermeasures; 239 built. AD-5Q (EA-1F) Four-seat electronics countermeasures version; 54 conversions. AD-5W (EA-1E) Three-seat Airborne Early Warning with APS-20 radar installed; 218 were built. UA-1E Utility version of the AD-5; conversions.

 

The AD-5W on display, Bureau No. 135152 was delivered to the United States Navy in 1955. It served with Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron Twelve (VAW 12) from November 1956 through December 1960. The next assignment was with VAW 11 from May 1961 through November 1962. It was retired from Navy Service in 1963. In 2008, the Cavanaugh Flight Museum added 135152 to its collection and to its Living History Flight Experience Program. The plane is painted in the colors and markings it wore when in service with VAW 12 (Nickname “Bats”) during the late 1950s.

 

 

Click HERE for AD-5W / EA1-E Skyraider T-Shirt

 

 

 

*This Aircraft is available for your airshow!*

 

 

 

ENGINE		Wright R-3350-26W developing 3,020 h.p.
ARMAMENT		4 - 20MM Cannons & up to 8,000 lbs of ordnance
WING SPAN		50 feet
LENGTH		40 feet, 1 inch
HEIGHT		15 feet, 10 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		25,000 pounds
TOTAL BUILT		3,180
FIRST BUILT		1945
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1955
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
CRUISE SPEED		205 m.p.h.
RANGE W/ EXTERNAL TANKS		3,000 miles with external fuel
SERVICE CEILING		32,000 feet
BUREAU NUMBER		135152

 

The spectacular MiG-15 fighter used a combination of Russian ingenuity and “borrowed” advanced European aviation technology to become one of the most famous aircraft designs of its era. Called the “aircraft-soldier” by Russian pilots, the aircraft was exceptionally strong and dependable. The MiG-15 is still respected for its speed, maneuverability and firepower; advantages that made it a worthy adversary of the North American F-86 during the Korean War.

The Mikoyan and Gurevich (MiG) design team utilized captured German technology when developing the layout of the MiG-15. The plane's 35-degree swept wing, fuselage-mounted engine and clean lines gave the aircraft exceptional performance. Powered by a unlicensed copy of the famous British Nene centrifugal-flow jet engine, the MiG-15 was capable of speeds up to Mach .934. The initial prototype, the I-310, made its first flight in December 1947 and won a fly-off against the Lavochkin La-15. The MiG-15 went into production and entered front line service in 1949.

Shortly after its introduction the MiG-15 entered combat over Korea. Flown by Russian, North Korean and Chinese pilots, the swept-wing MiG fighter terrorized USAF B-29 bombers flying strategic bombing missions over North Korean cities. The MiG-15's speed, maneuverability, and heavy armament (two 23mm and one 37mm cannon) allowed it brush aside escorting fighters and rip through the B-29 formations. B-29 losses to MiGs reached such high levels that the USAF stopped daylight B-29 bombing raids and flew all strikes under the cover of darkness. Although several MiG-15s were brought down by B-29 gunners and other UN aircraft, only the North American F-86 Sabre was the MiG-15's equal in combat. The MiG's combat success and its dependability made the plane very popular with Eastern Bloc and Communist nations around the world. Since 1950, roughly 7,500 MiG-15s have been built in Russia, Czechoslovakia, Poland and China. In addition to the Korean War, the MiG-15 has been used extensively as an air defense fighter, an air superiority fighter, a ground-attack aircraft and reconnaissance fighter in a number of conflicts in the Middle East and the Orient.

The two seat MiG-15UTI trainer (known as the “Midget” by NATO) was introduced soon after the standard MiG-15 entered service and served as the standard Soviet advanced trainer for many years. The SBLim-2 is the Polish-developed variant of the MiG-15UTI, a conversion of the single seat Lim-2 into a two seat trainer. The Cavanaugh Flight Museum's SB Lim-2 was produced in Poland in 1955, and is armed with a single 12.7mm machine gun. It is painted in Soviet MiG-15 markings.

 

ENGINE		WSK Lis-2 (Licensed Klimov VK-1A) turbojet 5,004 lbs. of thrust
ARMAMENT		One 12.7mm machine gun or one 23mm cannon
WING SPAN		33 feet, 1 inches
LENGTH		33 feet, 2 inches
HEIGHT		12 feet, 2 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		12,006 pounds
CREW		2
MANUFACTURED BY		WSK Mielec
TOTAL BUILT		Over 7,500
FIRST MiG-15 BUILT		1949
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1955
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		631 m.p.h.
RANGE W/O EXTERNAL TANKS		590 miles at 32,808 feet
SERVICE CEILING		47,982 feet
SERIAL NUMBER		512036

 

 

During the early years of the Cold War, the primary threat to the superiority of the U.S. Navy was not an enemy surface fleet but the numerous Soviet submarines that regularly patrolled the world's oceans. In response to this very real threat, Grumman designed the S2F-1 in the early 1950s as the U.S. Navy's premier sub hunter. Outfitted with the latest submarine detection equipment, the S2F-1 Tracker revolutionized anti-submarine warfare (ASW). Variations of the basic S2F-1 design were developed to serve many functions including: fire bombing, target towing, photo-reconnaissance, Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD) and multi-engine proficiency training.

Also called the “Stoof” (S-Two-F), the Tracker's twin engines and crew of four allowed the plane to search hundreds of miles of ocean on each patrol, ensuring that American carrier groups could proceed without harassment from Soviet subs. The S2F carried a search radar mounted on the bottom of the fuselage in a retractable radome, a retractable magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) mounted at the base of the tail fin and air-launched sonobuoys carried in the ends of both engine nacelles. The Tracker's armament included ASW torpedoes, bombs, depth charges and rockets. It is interesting to note the unique wing folding mechanism of the Tracker, the right wing folds slightly forward while the left wing folds slightly aft. This allows the wings to remain nearly flat on top of the cabin, reducing the plane's width by nearly 40 feet.

The S2F-1 was a very successful design. It was sold to several countries including Australia and Argentina. Additionally, the Tracker was produced under contract in Canada by de Havilland. The “Turbo Tracker,” a version of the plane refitted with turboprop engines, is still in service in Brazil and Taiwan. The ultimate conversion of the “Stoof” was the E-1B “Tracer,” an Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft. The Tracer featured a massive radome mounted on the top of the fuselage earning the E-1B the nickname “Stoof with a Roof.” The Tracer's radar system had a search radius of some 250 miles, and the E-1B saw extensive service in Vietnam as the U.S. Navy's “eye in the sky.”

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum's S2F-1 (BuNo. 136431 ) was accepted by the U.S. Navy in 1957. Assigned to the Air Anti-Submarine Squadron 37, it completed one deployment aboard the U.S.S. Philippine Sea (CVS-47). The aircraft was converted into a US-2B (the unarmed utility and training version of the Tracker) in 1964 and served with various U.S. Navy squadrons. Last stationed at N.A.S. Corpus Christi with Combat Training Wing (COMTRAWING) 4, the museum's Tracker was retired in January 1979. During its service with the Navy, it accumulated nearly 11,000 flight hours and performed more than 650 catapult launches.

 

ENGINE		Two Wright R-1820-82 Cyclone radials 1,525 h.p. each
ARMAMENT		One ASW torpedo or 4,810 pounds of depth charges, bombs or rockets; plus sixteen sonobuoys
WING SPAN		69 feet, 8 inches
LENGTH		46 feet
HEIGHT		16 feet, 3.5 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		26,000 pounds
CREW		4
MANUFACTURED BY		Grumman Aircraft Corporation
TOTAL BUILT		854
TOTAL EXISTING		Unknown
FIRST BUILT		1953
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1957
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		263 m.p.h.
RANGE		841 miles
SERVICE CEILING		22,000 feet
BUREAU NUMBER		136431

 

Comparable to the Lockheed T-33 (the trainer version of the F-80 Shooting Star), the TS-11 Iskra (meaning “spark” in Polish), served as Poland's primary jet trainer for more than two decades. A simple, rugged and forgiving aircraft, the Iskra was the starting point for Polish fighter pilots on their way to flying the faster and more complex MiG or Sukhoi aircraft used by the Polish Air Force. The Iskra was built by Wytwornia Sprzetu Komunikacyjnego - Mielec (Transport Equipment Manufacturing Centre) at Mielec in Poland under the direction of the famous Polish aviation firm of Panstwowe Zaklady Lotnicze. The Iskra was produced in two variants: a single-seat attack and reconnaissance fighter or a two-seat, fully aerobatic, primary and basic trainer.

The development of the Iskra airframe progressed quickly and was finished in 1958, but a suitable engine was not yet available. The development of a Polish built engine promised to be a lengthy process, thus negotiations were started with Bristol Siddeley in England for a supply of British Viper engines. The negotiations were unsuccessful and the development of the Iskra was slowed, awaiting the production of a suitable Polish engine. The first prototype flew in February 1960 and was demonstrated to the public for the first time on September 1, 1960 during an air display at the Lodz-Lublinek Airfield. Mass production of the Iskra began in 1962, and the formal presentation of the Iskra for service in the Polish Air Force took place in March 1963. Tadeusz Soltyk, the supervising designer of the plane, was awarded the title of Master of Polish Technics in 1962 for his work in developing the Iskra.

The TS-11 can be armed with either one 23mm cannon or two 12.7mm machine guns mounted in the nose section. The Iskra also has provisions for bombs or rocket pods carried under the wings on pylons. The single-seat attack and reconnaissance version of the Iskra was produced with the rear cockpit being replaced by an extra fuel tank, cameras and other equipment.

Today the TS-11 is a very popular warbird with aircraft collectors. Relatively inexpensive to own and operate, the Iskra is often the first step these collectors take toward flying a larger, higher performance jet warbird. The Cavanaugh Flight Museum acquired its TS-11 Iskra in 1993. It is painted in the camouflage scheme of a Polish single-seat attack fighter.

 

ENGINE		IL SO-3W turbojet 2,425 pound of thrust
ARMAMENT		One 23mm cannon or two 12.7mm machine guns and bombs or rockets
WING SPAN		32 feet, 8 inches
LENGTH		36 feet,1 inches
HEIGHT		10 feet, 8 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		7,496 pounds
CREW		2
MANUFACTURED BY		Panstwowe Zaklady Lotnicze (PZL)
TOTAL BUILT		Approximately 600
TOTAL EXISTING		Unknown
FIRST BUILT		1960
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1970
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		466 m.p.h.
RANGE		719 miles
SERVICE CEILING		39,370 feet

 

The UH-34 Seahorse is a military helicopter originally designed by Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation for the US Navy for service in the anti-submarine warfare role.

The aircraft first flew on March 8, 1954. It was initially designated HSS-1 Seabat (in its anti-submarine configuration) and HUS-1 Seahorse (in its utility transport configuration) under the US Navy designation system. The US Army and US Air Force used the designation H-34. In 1962, the Seabat was redesignated SH-34, the Seahorse as the UH-34 (NAVY), and the Choctaw as the CH-34 (ARMY).

This military helicopter served many roles including utility transport, anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, and VIP transport. In its standard configuration, the transport version could carry 12 to 16 troops, or eight stretchers if utilized in the Medevac role. As a VIP transport it carried fewer people in greater comfort.

The US Marine Corps (USMC) continued to use the UH-34 even after the US Army had phased it out. UH-34s continued to be used up to and for a period after the Tet Offensive in 1968, even after the USMC received the newer UH-1E "Huey". The UH-34s higher availability and reliability, due to its simplicity compared to the newer helicopters, led Marines to ask for it by name.

Marine Corps UH-34s were also among the first gunship helicopters to be tested in combat, being fitted with a Temporary Kit-1 (TK-1), comprised of 2 M60C machine guns and two 19 shot 2.75 inch rocket pods. The operations were met with mixed enthusiasm, and the armed H-34s, known as "Stingers" were quickly phased out. The TK-1 kit would later form the basis of the TK-2 kit used on the UH-1E "Huey" helicopters of the USMC.

The Seahorse on display, Bureau Number 150213, is a UH-34D built by Sikorsky Aircraft Company and accepted by the Marine Corps on November 27, 1962. During the first 3 years it served at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River with H&MS 26, HMM-262, HMM-261, HMM-264. On October 18, 1967, it was deployed to Da Nang, Vietnam with H&MS 16. In June 1968, it was transferred to HMM-163 in Da Nang, Vietnam. In August 1968, it was transferred to H&MS 36 at Phu Bai, Vietnam. Upon returning to the United States in 1969, it served in the Marine Air Reserve Training Detachment at the following locations: Los Alamitos, CA; Alameda, CA; Glenview, IL; and South Weymouth, MA. It was retired from service in 1971.

This aircraft is on loan from the National Museum of the Marine Corps located in Quantico, Virginia. It was restored by museum volunteers and members of the USMC Combat Helicopter Association "Pop A Smoke" and was painted to reflect when it served with HMM-163 in Da Nang, Vietnam in 1968.

 

*Purchase your DVD copy of AMERICA’S MARINE AVIATORS (AMA) Documentary Film HERE.*

 

ENGINE		Wright R-1820 Radial Engine developing 1,525 h.p.
MAIN ROTOR DISC DIAMETER		56 feet, 0 Inches
LENGTH		46 feet, 9 inches
HEIGHT		15 feet, 11 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		14,000 pounds
MANUFACTURED BY		Sikorsky Aircraft
TOTAL BUILT		Over 1,800
FIRST BUILT		1954
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1962
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		123 m.p.h.
RANGE		280 miles
BUREAU NUMBER		150213

 

Arthur M. Young of the Bell Aircraft Company began development of Bell's first helicopter in September 1941. The prototype (model 30) made its first unteathered flight in June 1943. Improvements to the model 30 led to the development of the model 47 which made its first flight in December 1945. In 1946, the Bell 47 became the first helicopter to be certified for civilian use. The US Air Force announced a military version, the YR-13, in 1947. The US Army placed their initial order in 1948 and designated them H-13B "Sioux" and thereafter all Army helicopters have been named with American Indian Nation names.

During the Korean Conflict, fifteen H-13s were converted for medical evacuation using two external litters. The two-seat H-13D soon followed with a larger engine, the familiar Plexiglas "goldfish bowl" canopy and twin-skids instead of the earlier four-wheeled landing gear. The H-13D became famous in the motion picture and television production "M*A*S*H" (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) which portrayed its use in the Korean War.

During the Vietnam War the H-13 was used for basic and instrument training of helicopter pilots. More than 300 OH-13s served as part of 1300 training aircraft at the U.S. Army Helicopter Primary Training Center at Fort Wolters near Mineral Wells, Texas. It was also during the Vietnam War, that the US Army Air Cavalry modified H-13s with twin .30 caliber, and others with twin 7.62mm machine guns, to test the effectiveness of armed scout helicopters in combat.

During its 27 year production run, more than 5000 model 47s were produced in more than 20 variants for civilian and military configurations, and used by 40 different countries worldwide.

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum's TH-13T, serial no. 65-8040 was built at the Bell plant in Fort Worth Texas on October 25, 1965. The aircraft served with the US Army as a trainer at Fort Gordon Georgia. It was obtained for the Museum in 2006 and is completely restored. It is painted to replicate the early Viet Nam scheme of the H-13D.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*This Aircraft is available for your airshow!*

 

 

 

 

 

ENGINE		Avco Lycoming VO-435 developing 265 h.p.
MAIN ROTOR DISC DIAMETER		37 feet, 1.5 Inches
LENGTH		31 feet, 7 inches
HEIGHT		9 feet, 3 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		2,950 pounds
MANUFACTURED BY		Bell Helicopter
TOTAL BUILT		Over 5,000
FIRST BUILT		1948
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1965
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		85 m.p.h.
RANGE		256 miles
SERVICE CEILING		10,500 feet
SERIAL NUMBER		65-8040

 

The North American F-86 Sabre was arguably the most successful and elegant American fighter of the 1950s. Yet this champion of the Korean War, owes its existence not to the U.S. Air Force but rather the U.S. Navy. In late 1945, as World War II was coming to a close, North American developed the straight-winged FJ-1 Fury, the Navy's first jet powered fighter. North American offered a land-based version of the FJ-1 to the USAF and was rewarded with an order for three XP-86s. Shortly afterward, captured German research on the aerodynamic benefits of swept back wings became available and North American responded by fitting a thirty-five degree swept back wing to what was basically a FJ-1 fuselage. The F-86 Sabre was born.

The F-86 was a remarkable performer, although its turn and roll rate dropped off at higher altitudes and speeds. Sabre pilots enjoyed a 360-degree view of the surrounding skies, and the firepower of six M-3 .50 cal. machine guns. The plane proved to be smooth and agile. Initially underpowered with an Allison J35-A-5 turbojet, once the Sabre had the more powerful J-47 turbojet installed Sabre test pilots began to take the F-86A into the relatively unknown region of transonic speeds. The Sabre first “officially” broke the sound barrier in April 1948. The first operational F-86A Sabres entered service in May of the same year.

Little more than two years later, the Sabre would test its mettle against what was arguably the most advanced fighter of the time, the Russian MiG-15. Shortly after the United States became involved in the Korean War, the MiG-15 made its first appearance in the skies over Korea and immediately outclassed every U.S. aircraft in the theater. In response, the U.S. sent the Sabre to Korea, setting up one of the classic aerial confrontations of all time. On paper, the MiG-15 and the F-86A were fairly evenly matched. Following the introduction of the improved F-86E model, the Sabre could easily out fly the MiG at low to medium altitudes and hold its own at higher altitudes. However it was the superiority of the American Sabre pilots that made the difference in what became known as “MiG Alley”. In less than three years of intense combat, often against overwhelming odds, F-86 pilots established a kill ratio of better than 8-to-1 over the MiG-15 and claimed nearly 800 of the Russian-built fighters.

With a proven combat record, the F-86 quickly became the standard fighter for the USAF and many NATO countries. Nearly 10,000 F-86s of all models were produced and operated by such countries as Canada, Britain, Australia, Pakistan, West Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Portugal and Turkey. The Cavanaugh Flight Museum's F-86 is a Canadian-built Mark VI and has a slightly wider fuselage to accept a powerful Orenda 14 engine. The aircraft carries the personal colors of Maj. Gen. Frederick “Boots” Blesse, who flew 123 combat missions and had ten confirmed victories during the Korean War.

 

ENGINE		Avro Orenda 14 generating 7,275 lbs. of thrust
ARMAMENT		6 -.50 cal. machine guns & up to 3,000 lbs. of ordnance
WING SPAN		37 feet, 1 inch
LENGTH		37 feet, 6 inches
HEIGHT		14 feet, 8 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		13,791 pounds
CREW		1
MANUFACTURED BY		Canadair Limited
TOTAL BUILT		9,786
TOTAL EXISTING		87
FIRST BUILT		1947
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1954
MAXIMUM SPEED		692 m.p.h.
RANGE W/EXTERNAL TANKS		1,200 miles
SERVICE CEILING		49,000 feet

 

Known as the “missile with a man in it”, the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was the first American fighter capable of reaching twice the speed of sound. Its exceptionally clean lines and high top speed made the Starfighter one of best air superiority fighters of its time. Although the F-104 saw limited use in America, it did reverse the Air Force's trend of fielding heavy, complex fighter-bombers and was a true fighter pilot's aircraft. The F-104 began life as a result of the USAF's experiences in the Korean War. The inability of Air Force fighters (excepting the F-86 Sabre) to match the performance of the MiG-15 in combat was of great concern to the Air Force. Reacting to what he saw as a need for a lightweight, high performance fighter with an exceptional rate of climb, famed Lockheed engineer Kelly Johnson submitted the design for the F-104 to the Air Force. The XF-104 beat out designs from Republic and North American and entered production in 1957.

The F-104A first entered service in 1958, equipping four Air Defense Command (ADC) squadrons in the process of transitioning from the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger to the newer (and more complex) F-106 Delta Dart. Due to its phenomenal performance, the Starfighter excelled as a quick reaction point-defense fighter. In this role, F-104s were sent to West Germany and Taiwan to shield American allies from possible communist aggression. F-104s were also sent to Florida during the Cuban Missile Crisis to augment the ADC squadrons already in the area.

The USAF deployed four Starfighter variants: the single seat F-104A, the improved F-104C, the two seat trainer F-104B, and the F-104D. However, due to the Starfighter's high accident rate (a result of the plane's high landing speed and small span tricycle landing gear), the aircraft did not remain in American service for very long. The F-104 did find a wide and accepting audience in a number of European and Asian air forces. F-104s were built for Turkey, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Norway, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Japan and Taiwan. Some F-104s in these countries remained in active service well into the 1990s.

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum's F-104 SN# 56-779 was manufactured by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation in Burbank, California and delivered to the United States Air Force on January 28, 1958. The first assignment for this F-104 was to the 78th Fighter Group ADC, at Hamilton AFB, CA with deployment to Tyndall AFB, FL. In July 1960 it was assigned to the 161st Consolidated Maintenance Squadron Air National Guard (ANG) at Sky Harbor MAP, AZ until transferred in April 1961 to the 197th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron ANG also at Sky Harbor but with deployment to McGhee-Tyson MAP, TN. In November 1961, 779 was sent to Ramstein AB, Germany when the 197th was called to active duty as a result of the Berlin Crisis. Returning to the United States in August 1962 it was assigned to the 161st Fighter Group (Tactical Air Command), back at Sky Harbor MAP, AZ. The next stop for 779 was at McEntire ANGB SC, in September of 1962 when it was assigned to the 157th Fighter Interceptor Squadron and then in January 1963 it was assigned to the 169th Fighter Group (ANG) also at McEntire. The next assignment in June of 1963 brought 779 to Texas to the 331st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (ADC), at Webb AFB, TX where it served until March of 1968 when it was transferred to Davis-Monthan AFB, in AZ to the Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center. It was dropped from USAF inventory in 1972.

It appears that 56-779 received the tail section of 56-780 sometime while in USAF service. The visible sign of identifying an aircraft is by the serial number on the tail so after this happened, our aircraft #779 effectively became #780.

The plane was then sold to the Royal Jordanian Air Force and served as #908. After several decades of service in the Middle East, this F-104A, along with two other Starfighters, were sold to private individuals in the U.S. The museum purchased the aircraft in 1994 and placed it on static display.

 

ENGINE		GE J79-GE-3B turbojet 14,800 pounds of thrust
ARMAMENT		One M-61 20mm cannon and up to 4,000 pounds of ordnance
WING SPAN		2l feet, 8 inches
LENGTH		54 feet, 9 inches
HEIGHT		13 feet, 6 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		22,422 pounds
CREW		1
MANUFACTURED BY		Lockheed Aircraft Corporation
TOTAL F-104A's BUILT		153
TOTAL EXISTING		Unknown
FIRST BUILT		1956
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1957
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		1,532 m.p.h.
RANGE W/EXTERNAL TANKS		1,380 miles
SERVICE CEILING		60,000 feet
SERIAL NUMBER		56-779

 

An aircraft of “firsts,” the sleek Grumman F9F Panther was the first jet powered fighter to see widespread service with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. It was the first Navy jet to shoot down an enemy aircraft, the first Navy jet to shoot down an enemy jet-powered aircraft and the first jet aircraft used by the Blue Angels aerobatic team.

 

The Panther was initially designed as a four engine night fighter. However, when the Pratt & Whitney J42 engine became available in 1946, Grumman redesigned the XF9F-1 into a single-engine day fighter, the XF9F-2. The first XF9F-2 flights took place in November 1947 and the Panther entered service in May 1949.

The remarkably strong and reliable F9F proved that jet powered aircraft could handle the rigors of carrier operations. During the Korean War, Panthers supported United Nations operations there and illustrated the type's flexibility and effectiveness. The F9F, although clearly outperformed by the Soviet MiG-15, brought down five of the swept-wing enemy fighters. Armed with bombs and High Velocity Aircraft Rockets (HVARs), F9Fs also conducted thousands of interdiction and close-air-support (CAS) missions.

Grumman produced the Panther in a number of different variants. The F9F-5 had a longer fuselage and the more powerful Pratt & Whitney J48 engine. The F9F-2P unarmed photo-reconnaissance version conducted numerous dangerous missions over Korea. The F9F-6 Cougar utilized the F9F-5's fuselage, but had a swept wing that gave the Cougar a top speed of nearly Mach 1 and a climb rate of 5,600 feet per minute. Some Cougars remained in service until the 1970s.

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum's Panther, Bureau No. 123078 was accepted by the United States Navy on October 21, 1949 and initially assigned to Fighter Squadron VF-31 at Naval Air Station (NAS) Quonset Pt. RI until 05/01/50. The next assignment was to Fleet Aircraft Service Squadron (FASRON) 2 also at NAS Quonset Point, until 05/12/50. The remainder of its assignments are as follows: VF-61 with Carrier Air Group (CVG) -6 at NAS Oceana VA, 5/50-8/50; VF-22 / CVG-6 at NAS Oceana VA, 08/50-04/51; Marine Fighter Squadron VMF-115 at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, NC 04/51-8/51; Navy Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer) for overhaul & repair (O&R) at NAS Norfolk VA 9/51-3/52; VF-72 at NAS Quonset Point RI, 03/52-4/52; BuAer at NAS Norfolk VA for O&R 4/52-5/52; On May 23, 1952, 123078 was transferred to Reserve Fighter Squadron VF-721, the "Starbusters". In August 1952, VF-721 was assigned to the aircraft carrier, USS Kearsarge (CV-33) which was deployed to waters off the Korean coast. During the months that followed, 123078 participated in over 30 combat missions attacking targets in North Korea. After receiving damage from anti-aircraft fire, 123078 was transferred to (FASRON) 11 for O&R. After repair, 123078 resumed combat operations with VF-91 aboard USS Philippine Sea (CV-47), 5/4/53-7/28/53 and subsequently VF-151 aboard USS Boxer (CV-21) 07/28/53-02/23/54.

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum acquired 123078 in 1993 and put it through a 25,000 man hour restoration to restore it to its original flying condition. It was awarded the title "Grand Champion Warbird" at both the 1995 E.A.A. Sun-N-Fun Fly-In at Lakeland, FL and the 1995 E.A.A. Fly-In in Oshkosh WI. The Plane is painted in the colors and markings it wore when in service with Fighter Squadron VF-721 "Starbusters" during the Korean War.

 

ENGINE		Pratt & Whitney J42-P-8 5,750 pounds of thrust
ARMAMENT		Four 20mm cannon and up to 2,800 lbs. of ordnance
WING SPAN		38 feet
LENGTH		37 feet, 3 inches
HEIGHT		11 feet, 4 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		19,494 pounds
CREW		1
MANUFACTURED BY		Grumman Aircraft Corporation
TOTAL BUILT		761
TOTAL EXISTING		9
FIRST BUILT		1947
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1949
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		526 m.p.h.
RANGE		1,353 miles
SERVICE CEILING		44,600 feet
BUREAU NUMBER		123078

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nicknamed "Loach", after the acronym LOH for Light Observation Helicopter, the nimble OH-6 Cayuse, built by Hughes Helicopters performed missions that bigger, slower and louder helicopters could not.

 

The first prototype flew in February 1963, and after successful testing at Fort Rucker, Alabama, the Army ordered 1,438 OH-6As for use during the Vietnam War. The OH-6A Cayuse entered service in September 1966, and established 23 world records for speed, distance and altitude. The Cayuse was Hughes’ longest-running helicopter program and, during the Vietnam War, as many as 100 OH-6As were built a month.

 

Some of the duties of the OH-6 during the Vietnam War included transport of personnel, escort and attack missions, and observation. Often paired with the AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter to form hunter killer teams, the OH-6s (known as Scouts) flew just above the tree tops looking for enemy forces which were then eliminated by the Cobras.

 

The Cayuse can be armed with a wide choice of weapons which is attached to the cabin sides. These weapons include but are not limited to 7.62 mm Miniguns, .50 caliber machine guns, 40mm automatic grenade launchers, and 2.75-inch (70 mm) rockets.

 

Although initially called Loach, it was also known as the Flying Egg, and when equipped for combat, the helicopters were known as Killer Eggs.

 

After the Vietnam War the OH-6 remained popular with special operation groups due to its rapid insertion and extraction capability of personnel. In the 1980s, a modified version of the OH-6, the MH-6 was selected for the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. The MH-6, known as "Little Birds," could carry up to 6 troops on external benches and operate on rooftops and or smaller landing areas day or night. Because of their ability to strike undetected during darkness, the U.S. Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), gained the name “Night Stalkers.” 

 

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum's OH-6, serial number 69-16006 served in Vietnam with US Army B troop 7/17 Cavalry Regiment (Call sign "Scalphunter") from June 1970 to September 1970. It was damaged and sent back to the United States for repairs, afterwards it served with the North Dakota Army reserves until July 1993 when it was retired from military service. The helicopter is painted in the colors and markings it wore when in service with the US Army B troop 7/17 Cavalry Regiment during the Vietnam War.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ENGINE		Allison T63-A-5A developing 317 shaft h.p.
ARMAMENT		2 - M60 7.62 mm machine guns, 2 - .50 cal H2HB Machine guns, or 2 - 7.62 mm M134 Miniguns & rocket pods
MAIN ROTOR DISC DIAMETER		26 feet, 4 Inches
LENGTH		23 feet, 0 inches
HEIGHT		8 feet, 1.5 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		2,700 pounds
MANUFACTURED BY		Hughes Helicopters
FIRST BUILT		1963
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1969
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		150 m.p.h.
RANGE		413 miles
SERVICE CEILING		15,800 feet
SERIAL NUMBER		69-16006

 

 

 

 

 

ENGINE		Allison TF41-A-2 turbofan 14,250 lbs. of thrust
ARMAMENT		One 20mm M61-A1 Gatling gun; AIM-9 Sidewinders; 10,000 lb. ordinance
WING SPAN		38 feet, 9 inches
LENGTH		46 feet, 1.5 inches
HEIGHT		16 feet, 3/4 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		42,000 pounds
CREW		1
MANUFACTURED BY		LTV Aerospace Corporation
TOTAL BUILT
TOTAL EXISTING		Unknown
FIRST BUILT		1965
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		693 m.p.h.
RANGE		980 miles
SERVICE CEILING		43,000 feet
Bureau Number		160615

 The Huey is the most recognizable military helicopter of the modern era. It has served in all four branches of the American services and in the armed forces of at least 48 other nations.
In early 1955, the US Army awarded Bell Helicopter a contract for a multi-purpose helicopter which could evacuate injured personnel from the front lines, serve as an instrument trainer and as basic utility. Bell Helicopter produced the Model 204 and conducted the first flight on October 22, 1956. After a successful period of testing, production model HU-1As (later redesignated UH-1As) entered service in 1959.

 

Although the official Army name of the UH-1 is Iroquois it is known as the Huey. The name Huey came from the original Army designation, HU-1, for Helicopter Utility. From that designation the nickname Huey took on a life of its own. Later models actually incorporated the name Huey on the pilot’s foot pedals.

The Huey entered combat in Vietnam in 1962, first as a troop transport and medevac helicopter and later as an armed assault helicopter used to protect troop transports. It served throughout the Vietnam War and earned a reputation for being rugged, durable, versatile and able to fly even after receiving substantial damage from enemy fire.

 

The UH-1H on display, (Serial No. 64-13553) was built in 1964 by the Bell Helicopter Co. of Ft. Worth Texas as a UH-1D for the United States Army. This aircraft was assigned to the 117th Aviation Company (later renamed the 117th Assault Helicopter Co.), in Vietnam. On June 16, 1966, while flying an Air/Land assault mission in a hot area on landing zone in support of “Operation Hawthorne”, (one of the most significant and decisive battles fought in Vietnam), 64-13553 was hit 5 times by enemy fire wounding one on board and causing damage to the bottom of the fuselage, hydraulic, and flight control systems. In November 1967 it was transported to the Army Aeronautical Depot Maintenance Center (ARADMAC) in Corpus Christi Texas for overhaul and repair. In April 1968 it was sent to Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth for upgrade to “H” model. In April 1968, 64-13553 was transferred to the 355th Aviation Company at Fort Sill, north of Lawton, Oklahoma. In July it was transferred to Fort Belvoir, Virginia and again transferred to Army Flight Training Center at Fort Stewart, Georgia.

 

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum acquired 64-13553 in 2018. It is painted in the colors and markings it wore when in service with the 117th Aviation Company during the Vietnam War.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click HERE for CFM UH-1H Little Annie Fanny T-Shirt.

 

ENGINE		Lycoming T53-L-13 turboshaft developing 1,400 shaft h.p.
ARMAMENT		2 - M60 7.62 mm machine guns, 2 - .50 cal H2HB Machine guns, or 2 - 7.62 mm M134 Miniguns & rocket pods
MAIN ROTOR DISC DIAMETER		48 feet, 0 Inches
LENGTH		41 feet, 5 inches
HEIGHT		14 feet, 5 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		9,500 pounds
MANUFACTURED BY		Bell Helicopter
TOTAL BUILT (ALL MODELS)		Over 16,000
FIRST BUILT		1956
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1964
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		147 m.p.h.
RANGE		285 miles
SERVICE CEILING		16,900 feet
SERIAL NUMBER		64-13553

In 1964, the United States Air Force (USAF) chose the standard Cessna 172 as an initial training aircraft for student pilots. Designated T-41, it was put into service by the United States Air Force and Army, as well as the armed forces of many foreign countries as a pilot training, and liaison aircraft.   In 1964 the USAF ordered 170 T-41As and an additional 34 in 1967. The first USAF class of students began training in the T-41 from the civilian airport in Big Springs, TX in August 1965. In 1968 and 1969 the USAF Academy acquired 52 T-41Cs with more powerful engines for cadet flight training at the Air Force Academy (USAFA) in Colorado Springs.   In 1966 the US Army ordered 255 T-41Bs which had a more powerful engine and a constant speed propeller.   Beginning in 1993, the United States Air Force began phasing out much of the T-41 fleet. The Air Force Academy in order to support certain academic classes as well as the USAFA Flying Team, still flys 4 T-41s.   The museum's T-41B Serial number 62323-70-D-R was manufactured in 1967. The aircraft is not currently on display.     ENGINE CONTINENTAL IO-360-D developing 210 h.p. each !-- ARMAMENT 6 - .50 cal. machine guns & up to 2,000 lbs of ordnance --> WING SPAN 35 feet 10 inches LENGTH 26 feet, 11 inches HEIGHT 8 feet, 10 inches MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT 2,300 pounds CREW 2 MANUFACTURED BY Cessan TOTAL T-41s BUILT 756 !-- TOTAL EXISTING Approximately 200 --> FIRST T-41 BUILT 1964 MUSEUM'S T-41B BUILT 1967 ON DISPLAY AT The aircraft is not currently on display. MAXIMUM SPEED 144 m.p.h. MAXIMUM RANGE 720 miles SERVICE CEILING (MAX) 17,000 feet SERIAL NUMBER 62323-70-D-R

 

The Republic F-105 Thunderchief is one of America's most important, yet often overlooked, aircraft of the 1950s and 1960s. Envisioned by the great engineer Alexander Kartveli, the F-105 was a brutally large, powerful and effective fighter/bomber. Employed over Vietnam in a role for which it had not been designed, the F-105 Thunderchief (commonly known as the “Thud”) flew more missions than any other type of American aircraft in Southeast Asia -- and suffered more losses than any other type.

The F-105 was born as Advanced Project 63 in 1951. Designed as a replacement for the F-84 Thunderjet, Advanced Project 63 was a single-seat, high speed nuclear attack bomber carrying a single tactical nuclear bomb carrier in its internal bomb bay. The powerful Pratt & Whitney J-75 turbojet engine enabled the F-105 to fly faster than the speed of sound at very low altitudes. The first F-105 prototype flew on October 22, 1955 and delivery of the new aircraft followed soon afterward. Though hamstrung by a series of maintenance problems, by 1964 the F-105 had become the U.S. Air Force's premier fighter/bomber. The F-105B was used for a short time by the Air Force Thunderbirds (F-105 aerobatic routines were possibly the loudest air show performances ever put on). Shortly after the Gulf of Tonkin incident in August 1964, F-105s flew their first combat missions over Vietnam. Over the next five years, the “Thud” conducted countless low-level, low-speed tactical bombing missions, and although not meant to be a fighter, F-105s (mostly the F-105D model) brought down no less than 25 MiG fighters over Vietnam.

The two seat F-105F model was introduced in 1963 as a combat proficiency trainer. Equipped with additional armor plate, a secondary flight control system, improved ejection seats and electronic counter measures (ECM) pods, the F-105F was a natural selection for the Air Force's Wild Weasel program which began in 1965. Wild Weasels were used to hunt enemy surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites and radar-guided antiaircraft guns. F-105Fs flushed out these weapons by allowing themselves to be used as bait; a very critical, but often costly role. Other F-105Fs were modified to jam Communist radio communications and to conduct low-level precision bombing strikes in bad weather or at night. These missions were later turned over to the more advanced F-111. 

The F-105F on display serial number 63-8343 is on loan from the National Museum of the United States Air Force. It is painted in the colors and markings of the 457th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 301st Tactical Fighter Wing, based at Carswell Air Force Base. It was retired in 1981.

 

ENGINE		Pratt & Whitney J75-P19W turbojet 26,500 lbs. of thrust
ARMAMENT		One M-61 20mm cannon and 14,000 lbs. of ordnance
WING SPAN		34 feet, 11 inches
LENGTH		67 feet
HEIGHT		20 feet, 2 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		54,580 pounds
CREW		2
MANUFACTURED BY		Republic Aviation
TOTAL BUILT		833
TOTAL EXISTING		Unknown
FIRST BUILT		1955
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1964
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		848 m.p.h. (at sea level)
RANGE W/EXTERNAL TANKS		1,500 miles
SERVICE CEILING		47,800 feet

 

The MiG-21 was the first Soviet fighter capable of flying faster than twice the speed of sound. Its revolutionary delta wing design offered excellent handling characteristics, a high top speed and a respectable pay load. This potent combination of speed, agility and powerful armament made the MiG-21 one of the most successful fighters of the 1960s and 1970s. MiG-21s saw extensive combat action in such diverse conflicts as Vietnam, the Arab-Israeli Wars, the Iran-Iraq War, Afghanistan and Desert Storm.

The MiG-21 was designed in the months following the end of the Korean War. Like its contemporary, the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, the MiG-21 was designed with the lessons of the jet war in Korea in mind. The MiG design team hoped to create an aircraft that matched the maneuverability of the combat proven MiG-15 with Mach 2 speed and advanced air-to-air missiles. The MiG-21 prototype, the Ye-5, first flew in mid-1956 and MiG-21s first entered service with Soviet squadrons in 1958. In Vietnam, the MiG-21 provided the North Vietnamese Air Force with a modern, fast and powerful fighter which could engage American F-4 Phantom IIs and F-8 Crusaders on nearly equal terms. The distinct arrowhead shape of the MiG-21 became a feared image to American pilots over North Vietnam.

More than 10,000 MiG-21s (of all variants) have been produced since 1958. The MiG-21 found a welcome home in many communist and Third World countries including: Cuba, Libya, Egypt, North Korea, Syria and Vietnam. Moreover, MiG-21s have been produced in China, Czechoslovakia, and India. Through the years, the basic MiG-21 airframe has been modified to fulfill a number of different roles. For example, two altered MiG-21s (nicknamed “Analogs”) were fitted with a scaled down version of the Tupolev Tu-144 Mach 2 commercial airliner's airfoil instead of the standard MiG-21 fighter wing assembly. Additionally, MiG-21s were used to test a number of advanced Russian ejection seat systems.

The first two seat MiG-21 “Mongol” (NATO's code word for the type) trainer appeared in 1960, replacing the MiG-15 UTI Midget, and has served as the standard Soviet advanced trainer for many years. Though normally flown without armament, the Mongol can carry a single 23mm cannon pod and two air-to-air missiles. One of the plane's most interesting features is the periscope mirror located on the back canopy. This allows the instructor to view over the forward cockpit to see where the aircraft is headed during ground operations and takeoffs and landings. The MiG-21US Mongol B on display served with the Polish Air Force as an advanced trainer. It was added to the museum collection in 1993. The aircraft is painted in the colors of the 921st Fighter Regiment ("Sao Do") of the North Vietnamese Air Force circa 1968.

 

ENGINE		Tumansky R-1 lF2S-300 after-burning turbojet, 13,600 pounds of thrust
ARMAMENT		Can be fitted with one GP-9, 23mm cannon pod and two K-13 air-to-air missiles
WING SPAN		23 feet
LENGTH		46 feet, 2 inches
HEIGHT		13 feet, 2 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		18,430 pounds
CREW		2
MANUFACTURED BY		Mikoyan Gurevich
TOTAL BUILT		Over 10,000
FIRST MONGOL BUILT		1960
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1970
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		1,351 m.p.h.
RANGE W/EXTERNAL TANKS		826 miles
SERVICE CEILING		57,750 feet
SERIAL NUMBER		4685145

 

During 1954 to 1957, the McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft Company designed the Phantom II, perhaps the most well-known and beloved American jet fighter of the post-World War II era. The Phantom II came from a long line of St. Louis built naval fighters which included the FH-1 Phantom, the F2 Banshee, the F3D Skyknight and the F3H Demon. First envisioned as an attack aircraft armed with 20mm cannons, the Phantom II's design was changed into a gun-less, all-weather interceptor fitted with the most advanced radar system and air-to-air missiles of the day. The F-4 prototype first flew on May 27,1958. It soon demonstrated unprecedented performance and was ordered into production for use in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.

The first production version, the F-4A, had tandem seats for the pilot and radar intercept officer (RIO) and was armed with four AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles. Production of the Phantom II began in volume with the F-4B, a variant featuring raised cockpits, an enlarged canopy and a larger nose cone for additional radar equipment. Eventually, the F-4A and F-4B established more world records for speed, rate of climb and altitude than any other aircraft in history. In a 1961 competition the F-4B out-performed all contemporary U.S. Air Force fighters by a wide margin. In March 1962, the Air Force adopted the F-4C for use in 16 of its 23 Tactical Air Command wings.

The F-4 has seen combat all over the world but most notably in Vietnam, the Middle East and the Persian Gulf. In Vietnam the F-4 proved itself as the definitive multi-role fighter. The Phantom replaced the Republic F-105 as a tactical bomber, interdicted North Vietnamese Army supply lines night and day and fought against North Vietnamese MiGs. Additionally, specially adapted Phantoms were used on photo-reconnaissance missions and or in the Wild Weasel role, hunting enemy surface-to-missile (SAM) units and anti-aircraft guns. During Desert Storm, the F-4 served as the Air Force's primary air defense suppression aircraft, nearly 30 years after it first entered service!

During its long career, the F-4 Phantom has been used in every conceivable role: fighter, interceptor, fighter/bomber, electronic counter measures, reconnaissance, tanker and target drone. The F-4 is the only aircraft to be flown by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the Navy's Blue Angels at the same time. When production of the F-4 ended in 1979, 5,195 Phantoms had been built in 17 major variants.

 

The F-4C Phantom II (Serial Number 64-0777) on display at the Cavanaugh Flight Museum was built by McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis Missouri in 1965 and delivered to the United States Air Force. In July of 1965 it was assigned to the 389th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS), 366 Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) at Holloman Air Force Base (AFB), New Mexico. In March, 1966 it was deployed with the 389th TFS to Phan Rang Air Base (AB) in South Vietnam. In October 1966 it was deployed with the 389th TFS to Da Nang AB, South Vietnam. In November 1966, while on a combat mission, it was damaged by an SA-2 surface to air missile. The aircraft was diverted to Udorn AB, Thailand where it was subsequently repaired and returned to service the following year. On May 20, 1967 with crew, Lt. Col Robert Titus and 1st Lt. Milan Zimer, 64-0777 shot down a MiG-21 over North Vietnam. In 1971, following it's service in Vietnam, it was assigned to 310th TFTS, 58th TFW, Luke AFB, Arizona. In 1983 it was transferred to the Oregon Air National Guard, 123rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 142nd Fighter Interceptor Group, Portland, Oregon. In October 1989 it was transferred to Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center, Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson Arizona. In 1994 it was transferred to the Cavanaugh Flight Museum and is on loan from the National Museum of the United States Air Force. The aircraft is painted in the colors and markings it wore while on deployment with the 389th TFS in Vietnam.

 

Col. Drury Callahan, USAF (ret.), tells the combat story of this F-4C Phantom II, now in the Cavanaugh Flight Museum from Steve Zimmermann on Vimeo.

 

ENGINE		2 General Electric J-79-GE-15 turbojets 17,000 lbs. of thrust each
ARMAMENT		Up to 16,000 lbs. of air-to-air missiles, nuclear or conventional bombs, rockets, air-to-ground missiles or gun pods
WING SPAN		38 feet, 5 inches
LENGTH		58 feet, 2 inches
HEIGHT		16 feet, 6 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		54,600 pounds
CREW		2
MANUFACTURED BY		McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft
TOTAL BUILT		5,195
TOTAL EXISTING		Unknown
FIRST BUILT		1958
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1964
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		1,400 m.p.h.
RANGE W/EXTERNAL TANKS		1,750 miles
SERVICE CEILING		59,600 feet

 

 

 

The Bell Model 209 Cobra series of attack helicopter was developed from the proven Model 204 (UH-1B/C Iriquois). Combining the basic transmission, rotor system, and engine with a new streamlined fuselage designed for maximum speed, armament load, and crew efficiency; produced an armed helicopter purpose-built for close air support/attack roles.

The Model 209 prototype first flew on September 7, 1965. The AH-1G Huey Cobra a single engine version for the United States Army went into production in 1966. The AH-1J Sea Cobra, a twin engine version, for the United States Marine Corps went into production in 1968. By 1975, a total of 69 Sea Cobras were in the Marine Corps. inventory. Modifications to the Cobra series for both the Army and Marines have continued over the years with improved capability, performance, reliability, and survivability. The latest in the series is the AH-1W Super Cobra which went into service with the Marines in 1986.

The Sea Cobra on display, Bureau Number 159220, is a AH-1J built by Bell Helicopter Company and accepted by the Marine Corps.

This aircraft is on loan from the National Museum of the Marine Corps located in Quantico, Virginia.

 

*Purchase your DVD copy of AMERICA’S MARINE AVIATORS (AMA) Documentary Film HERE.*

 

 

ENGINE		Pratt & Whitney T400-CP-400 twin engine turboshaft, developing 1,800 s.h.p.
ARMAMENT		One, M-197 three-barrel 20mm Gatling Gun in under-nose turret and external stores for: up to 14, 2.75" rockets or 8, 5" rockets, or 2, AIM-9 Sidewinder Missiles, Minigun pods, etc.
MAIN ROTOR DISC DIAMETER		44 feet, 0 Inches
LENGTH		44 feet, 7 inches
HEIGHT		13 feet, 8 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		10,000 pounds
MANUFACTURED BY		Bell Helicopter
FIRST AH-1 BUILT		1965
MAXIMUM SPEED		207 m.p.h.
RANGE		359 miles
BUREAU NUMBER		159220

 

This deadly Russian fighter earned the respect of U.S. pilots in the war-torn skies over Vietnam. Flown by North Vietnamese pilots, the MiG-17 boasted excellent maneuverability and a heavy cannon armament. First introduced in l951, the MiG-17 has seen combat throughout the world and has been used by more than 40 countries.

The prototype of the MiG-17 was a conversion of an older MiG-15 airframe. This prototype had a thinner wing that incorporated a mid-span bend in the leading edge. The prototype also had a longer fuselage and a larger vertical fin than the older MiG-15. In August 1951, with its test program completed, the aircraft was ordered into mass production and designated the MiG-17 (called the “Fresco” by NATO). The first MiG-17F (known as the “Fresco C”) rolled off production lines in spring 1953. The MiG-17F was the most widely produced variant of the MiG-17. The main difference between the MiG-17 Fresco A and the later MiG-17F was the powerplant. The MiG-17F used the more powerful VK-1 F after-burning turbojet which provided a substantial increase in power for takeoff and combat maneuvering over the older Fresco A model (the “F” in MiG-17F designates “with afterburner”).

Although it did not see combat in Korea, the MiG-17 saw extensive action in the Arab-Israeli Wars and in a wide variety of other Third World conflicts. In 1958, Communist Chinese produced MiG-l7Fs (designated the F-5) destroyed two Republic F-84G Thunderjets and six North American F-86A Sabres flown by Nationalist Chinese pilots. However, the MiG-17F's most visible role came during the Vietnam War. The MiG-17 proved the continued worth of automatic cannons in a era of advanced air-to-air missiles. American flight crews repeatedly stated they feared the North Vietnam's elderly MiG-17s far more than the newer, faster and missile-armed MiG-21 Fishbeds.

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum s Lim-5 / MiG-17F Serial No. 1228 was manufactured by the Polish Aviation Factory (Polskie Zaklady Lotnicze) in Mielec, Poland. It was delivered to the Polish Air Force on July 30, 1958 and was initially operated by the 2nd Fighter Aviation Regiment (2 Pulk Lotnictwa Mysliwskiego) at Goleniow airport in Szczecin, Poland.

After many years of service in Poland the aircraft was released for private sale and shipped to the United States in 1993. It was acquired by the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in 1994 and placed on static display. The aircraft features a complete cockpit, including its original ejection seat, gun sight, radios and instrumentation.

 

ENGINE		WSK Lis-5 (Licensed Klimov VK-1F) after-burning turbojet 7,452 lbs. of thrust
ARMAMENT		One N-37 37mm cannon and two NR-23 23mm cannons
WING SPAN		30 feet, 10 inches
LENGTH		36 feet, 5 inches
HEIGHT		12 feet, 3 inches
MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT		13,386 pounds
CREW		1
MANUFACTURED BY		WSK Mielec
TOTAL BUILT		Over 3,000
TOTAL EXISTING		Unknown
FIRST BUILT		1952
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1958
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		715 m.p.h.
RANGE W/EXTERNAL TANKS		1,038 miles
SERVICE CEILING		52,841 feet
SERIAL NUMBER		1228

 

It was the Golden Age of Aviation and aircraft were all the rage and new aircraft companies were formed to meet the demand. The Travel Air Manufacturing Company was one of these companies and was established in 1925 by Walter Beech, Clyde Cessna and Lloyd Stearman each of which who would go on to become icons in the aviation community. The company began manufacturing biplane trainers and sport aircraft.

 

The first production model, the 1000 series was conventional biplane, with staggered wings braced with N-struts, a fabric covered steel tube fuselage with tandem seating and provisions for two passengers in the front seat. The 1000 series was powered by the  Curtis OX-5 liquid cooled v-8 engine. The 1000-4000 series aircraft are similar in design and differ mainly by the type of engine installed. The 2000 series was powered by a Curtis C-6, liquid cooled inline 6-cylinder engine and the 3000 series also by a liquid cooled V-8 engine, built by Hispano-Suiza. The 4000 series was the first in the series to be powered by radial engines and was available in horsepower ranging from 100 to 300 hp depending on the engine installed.

 

The Travel Air Company enjoyed tremendous success, but in 1929, in the face of the Great Depression, orders for new aircraft plummeted. The Travel Air Company now unable to pay its bills was acquired by the Curtis Wright Company. In its short five-year history, Travel Air produced 1,300 to as many as 1,800 aircraft; the exact number is not known since no official company production records are known to exist. Travel Air and earned a reputation for building dependable, well designed aircraft.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum's Travel Air 4000 is not currently on display.

 

ENGINE		Lycoming R-680-9 air-cooled radial, 300 hp
WING SPAN		34 feet 8 inches
LENGTH		24 feet 2 inches
HEIGHT		8 feet 9 inches
EMPTY WEIGHT		1968 pounds
CREW		3
MANUFACTURED BY		Travel Air
TOTAL BUILT (All Types)		1,300 - 1,800
FIRST Travel Air BUILT		1925
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1928
NOT CURRENTLY ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
CRUISE SPEED		100 m.p.h.
SERVICE CEILING		13,000 feet

 

 

The Pitts Special is the brainchild of Curtis Pitts and a favorite for both competition and sport pilots alike. The Pitts is fully aerobatic with structural limits of +6 and -3 G's and has been the aircraft of choice for numerous national and international top ranked aerobatic pilots.

In the mid-1940s, Curtis Pitts wanted to build and fly an aircraft that would make the acrobatic planes of the day look like lumbering giants. Using a 55 hp Lycoming engine salvaged from a Taylorcraft destroyed in a tornado, Pitts built an extremely small biplane that was lightweight, strong and relatively inexpensive to produce. From very humble, home-built beginnings, the Pitts Special became instantly popular with professional aerobatic and other adventuresome pilots across the country. Over the next five decades, the appearance of the Pitts has changed little, although the aircraft has been improved in many ways. Most notably, Pitts added symmetrical wings to allow the plane to fly inverted as well as right side up, ailerons to the upper wing and a lengthened fuselage to accommodate larger engines. A two-seat version of the Pitts, the S2-A, was also produced for aerobatic training as well as competition flying.

While European countries developed new monoplane acrobatic aircraft in the late 1960s, the United States found its first success on the world aerobatic stage with the tiny Pitts S1-S biplane. The nimble S1-S, with its round airfoil, four ailerons and 180 h.p. Lycoming engine, was the ultimate competition aerobatic plane of its day. With a fantastic power-to-weight ratio, the Pitts was able to perform practically any maneuver, and its small size helped to hide mistakes from the judges during aerobatic routines. The S1-S achieved its finest moment during the 1972 World Aerobatic Championship in Salon de Provence, France. Charlie Hillard used the Pitts unique characteristics to perform his signature “Torque Roll,” a delayed tail slide where the aircraft continues to roll while falling backward. His four minute freestyle performance earned his and America's first World Championship (also the only time a biplane won the World Championships).

The Pitts Special S1-S on display was built by museum founder, Jim Cavanaugh, with the assistance of his father, James Cavanaugh, Sr. Construction of the aircraft took approximately two years, and it first flew in 1984. The Pitts Special is a well constructed example of what aircraft enthusiasts can do on their own given enough time, space and resources. Today, the Pitts Special is manufactured in Wyoming by Aviat Aviation and may be purchased as a finished, ready to fly product or as a project for home construction.

 

ENGINE		Lycoming AEIO-360 200 h.p.
WING SPAN		17 feet, 4 inches
LENGTH		15 feet, 6 inches
HEIGHT		6 feet, 6 inches
WEIGHT (EMPTY)		830 pounds
MANUFACTURED BY		Aviat Aviation
TOTAL BUILT		Over 600
FIRST BUILT		1943
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1984
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		185 m.p.h.
RANGE		309 miles
SERVICE CEILING		24,000 feet

 

Developed in the late 1970s, the Christen Eagle II set a new mark of excellence for home built kit aircraft. The Eagle II, based on the famous Pitts Special, was designed by Frank Christensen as an unlimited class aerobatic aircraft that could be used for competition, advanced aerobatic training and sport cross-country flying. Since its introduction, more than a thousand Eagle IIs have delighted their owners and found homes with both professional and amateur pilots alike.

Frank Christensen was a self-made millionaire even before he entered the aviation industry. Prior to his aviation career, Christensen built inverted oil systems for Curtiss Pitts. This experience led him to begin thinking about developing a home built aerobatic aircraft that anyone could safely build and fly, regardless of their background in aircraft construction or engineering. After his bid to buy the Pitts aircraft line failed, Christensen set his plans to open his own aircraft company in motion. The Eagle II debuted at the 1977 Oshkosh Fly-In and was immediately popular with both professional and amateur aerobatic pilots. After test flying the Eagle II, World Champion Aerobatic Pilot Bob Herendeen stated; “All in all, I like the very light feel of the controls of the Eagle II. Its responsiveness and roll rate give one the feeling of flying in a Pitts S-1S, but with stability more like that of the Pitts S-2A. The clean, comfortable cockpit area and control stick position are ideal. I don't see how anyone would not like this airplane.”

The first Eagle II kits cost roughly $40,000 (minus a paint job). By 1982, Christensen had sold nearly 500 kits. The Eagle II set a new standard for home built kit aircraft. Unlike most home built aircraft, which start with only a set of plans and perhaps some building materials, the Eagle II kit contains nearly 30 individually packaged “sub-kits” that are assembled in numerical order (without the need for any welding). Even the Eagle II's flight manuals and assembly directions come computer “published” in three-ring binders. The Eagle II's simplicity and Christensen's remarkable "total concept" design have given the Eagle II kit a remarkable completion rate of nearly 90 percent.

Perhaps the greatest tribute to Frank Christensen's design is that the famed Eagles Aerobatic Team flew the Christen Eagle I (a modified single-seat Eagle II) for nearly two decades. The Eagles, made up of the Tom Poberezny, Gene Soucy and the late Charlie Hillard switched from using Pitts Specials to the Eagle I in 1979 after being invited to fly the Eagle at the Christen factory. The Eagles never signed a contract to fly Christensen's plane. They continued to fly the aircraft solely because of its aerobatic performance. The Cavanaugh Flight Museum's Christen Eagle II was assembled by Jim Cavanaugh, Sr. and Joe Cragin. The construction of this Eagle II kit took nearly eight years to complete.

 

ENGINE		Lycoming AEIO-360-A 1 D 200 h.p.
WING SPAN		19 feet,11 inches
LENGTH		18 feet, 6 inches
HEIGHT		6 feet, 6 inches
WEIGHT (EMPTY)		1,050 pounds
CREW		2
MANUFACTURED BY		Aviat Aviation
TOTAL BUILT		Approximately 1,000
FIRST BUILT		1977
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1997
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		184 m.p.h.
RANGE		350 miles
SERVICE CEILING		25,000 feet

 

The Piper Cub was conceived in bankruptcy and developed during the Great Depression. The J-3 Cub was so popular that it made a fortune for its backer, Mr. William T. Piper. The Cub's silhouette is instantly recognizable to every aviator and is universally known and loved. The Cub has touched the lives of a majority of aviators, either as a model built at home, a training aircraft, ownership or just a dream. Most pilots have either flown a Cub or wished they had. The J-3 was so successful that at one time, “Cub” became a generic term for all light airplanes. There is a saying in aviation that “if you can land a Cub smoothly, you can land anything.”

The J-3 Cub is by far the most successful of the 11 “Cub” designs. In 1929, Mr. Piper, who had made his money in Pennsylvania oil fields, invested in an aviation company headed by Mr. C.G. Taylor. Mr. Piper persuaded Mr. Taylor to design a low priced, low upkeep airplane to sell to the general public. Unfortunately, before the new design “took off,” the Taylor Aircraft Company declared bankruptcy and Mr. Piper bought all of the company assets for a total of $761.00. Now the owner, Mr. Piper reorganized the Taylor Aircraft Company. Piper gave Taylor half interest and the presidency but retained control of the finances himself. Eventually, Piper bought Taylor out in 1936 after the two had disagreements. Taylor then started another company of his own, Taylorcraft Aviation.

Mr. Piper's dream of building a lightweight, inexpensive and easy to fly aircraft took the form of the J-2 Cub (the “J” representing the last name of the plane's designer, Walter Jamouneau). While the J-2 Cub brought Piper Aircraft some success, it was Jamouneau's next project, the J-3, that ensured Piper's place in aviation history. The J-3 Cub featured a new steel tubing frame (which allowed the use of more powerful engines), bucket seats instead of boards, a steerable tail wheel and brakes (a feature seldom found on light aircraft of the day).

In the words of one historian, “The J-3 turned out to be exactly the right airplane at the right time and quickly dominated the light plane market.” Production of the J-3 Cub began in 1938 and continued until 1942. After the war, buoyed by the sale of thousands of J-3s to the military where they saw combat action as L-4 Grasshoppers or as part of the Civilian Pilot Training Program, the J-3 continued in mass production until 1947. The standard J-3 Cub has proved to be a wildly popular and versatile aircraft, many J-3s (or later model Cubs) have been fitted with floats or even skis. The Cavanaugh Flight Museum's J-3 was produced in 1939 and wears the same paint scheme that all factory built Piper J-3 Cubs received until 1947.

 

ENGINE		Continental A-65 65 h.p.
WING SPAN		35 feet, 3 inches
LENGTH		22 feet, 5 inches
HEIGHT		6 feet, 6 inches
WEIGHT (UNLOADED)		707 pounds
CREW		2
MANUFACTURED BY		Piper Aviation
TOTAL BUILT		Approximately 40,000
TOTAL IN EXISTENCE		Nearly 11,000
FIRST BUILT		1938
MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT		1939
ON DISPLAY AT		Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas
MAXIMUM SPEED		85 m.p.h.
RANGE		190 miles
SERVICE CEILING		11,950 feet