Issue 9 - North American F-86 Sabre: Editors Introduction
By: Web Editor
Friends - As I began my second issue as editor, I found myself dealing with an aircraft I thought I knew well, the F-86 Sabre. As time went on however, more and more came to light that I was unsure of or found questionable despite the oft-documented history of the type. This is where I really began to understand the power of friends.
The Planes of Fame Air Museums F-86 and MiG-15 in a Korean War re-enactment at the 2009 County of San Bernadino Planes of Fame Airshow. Frank B. Mormillo; inset - Duncan Curtis
Doug Dildy, an ex-F-15 driver and a tremendous aviation historian of note, introduced me to Dave Powers. Doug was writing the excellent Korean War section of the magazine and suggested Dave as the man to cover the naval variants of the Fury.
As a docent at the National Naval Aviation Museum, Dave was well placed to research the types in depth, and did an astounding job as you will see. Of course since we were covering a Naval topic, Norm DeWitt’s suggestion of a piece on the 100th Anniversary of Naval Aviation was another great idea. He and Keith Draycott have produced an excellent piece on the celebrations.
Doug also suggested that the man to write the rest of the issue was Duncan Curtis. Thanks to Doug’s suggestion, this issue of Aviation Classics is as good as it is.
Every now and then you meet someone who is simply the world expert on a given subject. This is Duncan Curtis, and his subject is most definitely the F-86. Duncan served for 24 years in the RAF as an airframe/engine technician, initially with search and rescue Wessex helicopters and then via Pumas in Central America to seven years doing airframe repairs on the C-130 Hercules.
Since 2005 Duncan has worked as a technical author for Airbus. His interest in the F-86 began in 1974 when his curiosity was sparked by a photograph of Ben Hall’s F-86A in Aviation News magazine. Since then he has written six books on the subject and contributed a number of further magazine articles. He also runs a dedicated F-86 website, http://f-86.tripod.com.
Basically, if someone is restoring an F-86 anywhere in the world, Duncan is probably involved in some way. Sitting in his home one day, a question of detail arose, so he disappeared into his prodigious library. He returned with the official air force manual of the type we were discussing and examined the engineering drawings therein. “Where on earth did you get that?” said I. “Oh, I have most of them for most models” said he!
Nearly the whole magazine has passed before his eyes, so it is only fair to say Duncan Curtis is the co-editor of the F-86 issue, as he has contributed far more than I. Thanks Duncan, good job!
Keeping on the subject of friends, this issue also introduces the work of Adam Tooby, a renowned artist who will be familiar to many aviation enthusiasts because of his work on the Airfix models boxes. As an avid Airfix collector myself, I was delighted when Adam contacted me asking if he could help with illustrating the pages of Aviation Classics.
From now on, each issue will feature two double page artworks from Adam, exclusive to the magazine. This month he has chosen to depict Maj George Davis of the 334 FIS, 4th FIW on the 30 November 1951. On this day, one of the largest air battles of the Korean War took place, with F-86s intercepting a force of 12 Tu-2 bombers with La-11 escorts and a MiG-15 CAP. George Davis shot down 3 Tu-2s and 1 MiG-15 and damaged another Tu-2 in F-86A 49-1184.
Davis shot down the MiG after he returned to the fray to help his room-mate, Capt Raymond Barton, who, as Barton put it himself, “had started to collect more MiGs, who seemed to be more than a little irritated.” Davis shot one of the gaggle of MiGs behind Barton down, and both returned safely to Kimpo Air Base.
The other artwork from Adam is part of our tribute to the late Michael Fox. It is the 60th FIS Aerobatic Team in formation, their classic diamond.
Michael’s sudden death in January occured just after he had completed his article on the 60th FIS, and shocked us all, as Doug Dildy, Duncan Curtis and I had all been in touch with him. Everyone at Aviation Classics sends their heartfelt condolences to Michael’s family, and thanks to his brother, John, for his support.
It is hoped that Michael’s book on Sabre Aerobatic Teams of the World may yet be completed, as his artwork for it and research on it is mostly complete.
They say that friends only die if we allow them to be forgotten. I hope that this issue of Aviation Classics helps the memory of Michael to live on.
All best,
Tim Callaway
Editor
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Current Issue: The Hawker Hurricane
Two UK fighters have gone from being mere machines to become icons. The first is the Supermarine Spitfire, the second is the subject of the next issue of Aviation Classics... the Hawker Hurricane.
Designed by Sydney Camm, it represented the bridge between biplane and monoplane technology and was originally known as the ’Monoplane Fury’, after the Fury biplane fighter of 1931. The type formed the backbone of RAF Fighter Command, with 18 squadrons in service when the Second World War began in September 1939. Hurricanes saw action over France and the Low Countries before the Battle of Britain began in June 1940, during which they were to shoot down more enemy aircraft than all the other air and ground defences put together. Later, it went on the offensive in Europe – as a night intruder and fighter bomber. Large numbers fought over Malta, the Western Desert, Burma, India and the Far East, excelling as fighters and ground attack aircraft. All over the world the Hurricane earned a reputation for reliability and toughness. This issue tells the story of the Hurricane and its crews from inception to war career.
PLUS:
• Next issue on sale: 25th May 2012
Charley Says:
January, 7th 2012 at 02:56 pm
My dad, Capt. Fred Stevens was one of the pilots killed at Barnes Field in Westfield, Mass. along with Lt. Danell. I have been trying to find out all I can about my dad's military career. Your article in Aviation Classic opened my eyes to a lot of details I didn't know about my dad's death. I too have been in contact with John Fox and was sorry to hear about his brother's death. In honor of the two pilots killed that day, there will be a memorial service at the East Mountain Country Club on October 20th of this year. Again, thank you for the fine article in your magazine.
Charlie Stevens