Aviation History - July 2018

2 AH JULY 2018

28 THE BLOODY 100TH

The 100th Bomb Group’s B-17 crews served a deadly

apprenticeship over Germany, honing their skills and

tactics during 22 months of brutal combat.

By Douglas R. Dechow

36 SEA SENTINEL

Designed for maritime surveillance and sub-hunting,

Lockheed’s P2V Neptune succeeded straight out of

the box. By Stephan Wilkinson

46 CAP’S CIvILIAN

COMBAT PILOTS

Private aviators helped protect America’s vulnerable

coastlines and borders in the darkest days of World War II.

By David T. Zabecki

54 PUNCHING OUT

The quest to devise the fastest, safest way to get out of

airplanes has led to a succession of ingenious ejection

seats and escape pods. By Don Hollway

60 MARATHONS IN THE AIR

Soon after the advent of aerial refueling, record-seeking

fliers began pushing the endurance limits of man and

machine. By W.M. Tarrant

DEPARTMENTS

ON THE COVER: Photographer Paul Bowen captured the B-17G Aluminum Overcast in flight near Oshkosh, Wisc., in 2001. One of a dozen surviving airworthy B-17s from

the thousands built during World War II, the Flying Fortress was donated to the Experimental Aircraft Association by Dr. Bill Harrison. Cover: Paul Bowen Photography.

features

5 MAILBAG

6 BRIEFING

12 AVIATORS

Henry H. “Hap” Arnold

wrote six aviation novels

for teens during the 1920s.

By Walter S. Andariese

16 RESTORED

A Bell H-13E gunship took

top warbird honors at

Florida’s 2017 Sun ’n Fun.

By Frederick A. Johnsen

18 EXTREMES

Convair’s F-106 Delta Dart

won over pilots with its

Mach 2 performance.

By John Lowery

20 STYLE

Showcasing products of

interest to aviation

enthusiasts and pilots.

26 LETTER FROM

AVIATION HISTORY

66 REVIEWS

70 FLIGHT TEST

72 AERO ARTIFACT

16

46

36

A Lockheed P2V-

Neptune makes a test

flight off the California

coast in the mid-1950s.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: LOCKHEED-MARTIN; BRADY PATIN; NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

JULY 2018