Michael Dunbar

Spoor of A Junkers by Scott 0. Johnson
From the power plants to the landing gear, Iron Annie remains essentially pure, her authenticity unsacrificed. Wherever she alights, the last of the real Annies turns heads and makes men come running, jogging their memories as the most amazing aeronautical curiosity to ever rattle their ears! Scott Johnson traces the history of this award winning restoration and shares many colorful tales that make this plane a living legend.

A Portfolio: The Lovable Cub by Bill Johnson
Somewhere between Kitty Hawk and the evolution of Supersonic jets lies the era of the Cub. In its own way, the Cub has contributed an important and necessary segment to aviation history. Aviation Quarterly presents a colorful look at the Cub.

The Schneider Trophy Contests by Brenda Ralph Lewis
Jacques Schneider, a French balloonist and aviator, offered the Schneider Trophy as a spur to the development of seaplanes. He envisaged the peoples of the world drawn together in mutual understanding and tolerance by "hydro aeroplanes" speeding across the continents and spanning the oceans. However, speed and more speed became the preoccupation of air racing in general and the Schneider contest in particular when activities resumed after the First World War. This British author credits the Schneider contests with aiding the British in the development of their fighter aircraft for the Second World War.

The Story of Aviation Pioneer Benjamin Kelsey by Jeff Ethell
Benjamin Kelsey stands among the pioneers of military aviation responsible for the superiority of American fighters during World War II. From barnstorming at the age of 16 to his retirement from the USAF in 1955 as a Brigadier General and Director of Research & Development, USAF, Kelsey's aviation career as chronicled by Jeff Ethell parallels the development of aviation from the Jenny to the X15.

Fertile Myrtle by David A. Walker
Built in 1945 at Boeing's Wichita, Kansas, plant as Army Air Force B-29, serial number 45/21787, the Superfortress which eventually became known as "Fertile Myrtle" was destined for a pioneer role as the launch platform during this nation's early research in high speed, high altitude flight. Today it is recognized as one of the truly historic aircraft of an era not long removed, but yet so quickly forgotten. 45/21787 was never to drop a bomb in anger nor was it to fire a shot in war. Nonetheless, this aircraft ranks in the forefront as one of the significant members of her breed.… (altro)

A "Honey" of a Taylorcraft by David Walker
In 1931 C.G. Taylor designed and built the Taylor CUB. When the president and chief engineer sold Taylor Aircraft several years later to financier, William T. Piper, both the plane and the company were renamed after the new owner. Inspired by a fresh concept, the designer founded yet another company in 1935, relocated in Alliance, Ohio, and in only three months produced a remarkable plane that featured side-by-side seating. The result of Taylor's creative vision is dramatically apparent in Victor Honey's "classic" Taylorcraft BL-65.

Cal Rodgers "from the Atlantic to the Pacific" by Vera Saban
During aviation's infancy, William Randolph Hearst offered a staggering prize of $50,000 to the first person to fly across the North American continent in less than thirty days. Sponsored by J. Ogden Armour, Cal Rodgers competed in the much publicized contest, piloting a 1911 Wright biplane christened Vin Fiz to promote a new soft drink. Cal Rodgers failed to win the Hearst Prize, but the plucky aviator and his battered Vin Fiz were the first to fly "from the Atlantic to the Pacific," completing the historic, transcontinental flight in 49 days.

The Great Warbirds, 1914-1918 by Dale L. Walker
In the fourth and final installment of his series on WW I aircraft, the author discusses the planes and some of the "aces" who participated in The Great War on behalf of "The Other Nations: Austria-Hungary, Italy, Russia, and the United States." The last contributed only pilots flying foreign-made aircraft until February 1918, when the 94th Pursuit Squadron arrived in France and became the first American unit to experience combat action.

Walt Addems: A Plane and Propper Man by Julie Perlitch
Over 80 years of age, Walt Addems may be the oldest, continuously flying pilot in the world. His career began in 1916 when he built a glider, and is still soaring today. In her biographical account, the author credits her subject with having designed the most commonly used system of instrument training and for his service as one of United Airlines' first test pilots. Piloting a homebuilt Nieuport 11, Walt Addems, the octogenarian aviator, remains a familiar sight to West Coast air show enthusiasts.

13 Black Cats by Robert Loeffelbein
Like the reckless era in which they were born, the 13 Black Cats were innovative, fearless, and famous. The most celebrated stunt team of the Roaring Twenties, they began in 1924 by advertising they would do "ANYTHING, For A Price." And for five years, they proved it by staging aerial performances unrivaled by other barnstorming troupes. Their daily death-defying routines earned the daredevil Cats a colorful niche in an unforgettable chapter of aviation history.

The Blue Angels -- by Alvin S. Fick
In Part II of "Diamonds and Deltas in the Sky," the author describes the intense preparation and intricate maneuvers that characterize an exhibition by the internationally renowned Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team. Photos are used to illustrate the dazzling spectacle the Angels present, and reveal the meaning of such terms as "knife edge," "dirty roll, " and "fleur de lis." Meet the mechanics who keep the A-4 Skyhawks "up," and the pilots who fly them with peerless skill and courage.… (altro)