8th of October, 2022
We're pleased to present the next edition of "Hangar Talk" our monthly "live magazine" of presentations.
Doors to the Museum will open at 9:00am.
Hangar Talk will begin at 10:30am on Saturday, October 8, 2022 in the Museum's Maloney Hangar and conclude at 12:00pm. Immediately following "Hangar Talk," we'll conduct our "Flying Demo" of the Museum's F4U-1A "Corsair."
We've got an engaging series of presentations for this month's event.
For many of us, our introduction to VMF 214 and its tough, hard-living leader, Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, came through a loosely-based television series of the 1970s. But the real story of the Black Sheep Squadron is the stuff of legend - in only 84 days this unit shot down or damaged 203 Japanese planes, produced nine aces, and captivated America through its daring exploits. Planes of Fame's Brian Finnegan will look at the legacy of this renowned group of young heroes of the Second World War.
It sits in front of the majority of aircraft in the Museum's collection and performs the essential job of generating thrust to help an aircraft fly. Yet few of us know the history or inner-workings of the ubiquitous Propeller. Planes of Fame's Ken Saltgaver will break it all down for us to give us insight into this complicated but essential part of flight.
Planes of Fame's Mike Smith will reveal the rousing true story of "Operation Halyard." From 1943 until 1944, nearly 1,000 allied airmen had survived crashes or bailouts over German-held territory in Yugoslavia (modern day Serbia). Many of these had evaded capture and were being secretly protected by local Chetniks and Partisans. Beginning in August 1944, with the the help of these locals, daring rescue missions were flown by the 15th Air Force to get these men to safety. This operation was code-named "Operation Halyard."
Planes of Fame's Ted Mount will present another of his popular TED Talks, this time about aviation pioneer and innovator Frank Hawks. From his World War I exploits to his experimental and record-breaking flights to his work as an aircraft designer, Frank Hawks advanced aviation - always with his emphasis on speed and safety. A true "trailblazer," Hawks' life can serve as an example to us all and Ted will provide insight into how we can become trailblazers in our lives as well.
At 12:15, out on our hot ramp, we'll conduct a short presentation about the amazing combat role of the Vought F4U "Corsair." From its innovative design to its remarkable combat history in World War II and the Korean War, we'll briefly discuss this aircraft before her powerful 2,000 horsepower radial engine fires up in front of the crowd. The Museum's "Corsair" is a World War II combat veteran, having flown missions in the South Pacific and the Central Pacific. It appeared in the television series "Baa Baa Blacksheep" and more recently in the upcoming film, "Devotion."
After she taxis away, we'll hold our "Member's Only" raffle drawing to win a flight in our Vultee BT-13B "Valiant" for one lucky winner.
The Corsair will fly over the Museum for 20-minutes. Upon her return, guests can ask questions of the Corsair's pilot.