An extremely odd-looking flying machine that literally defies description and called the "e-volo" has been named the winner of the annual Lindbergh Prize by the foundation of the same name.

The announcement was made at AERO-Friedrichshafen in Friedrichshafen, Germany by Erik Lindbergh, grandson of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

The Lindbergh Foundation's aviation prizes are designed to recognize and stimulate innovation, and promote meaningful advancements in green aviation.

"This aircraft was so innovative that it appears to be in a category all by itself," a spokesman said.

The e-volo Volocopter VC1 is a completely novel vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) system. Using the distributed power of multiple small electric propulsion units, e-volo has demonstrated breakthroughs in redundancy, simplicity of controls and inefficiencies inherent in the control surfaces normally used in aircraft.

Safety: The VC1 proof of concept includes multiple redundancies of all security relevant systems including 16 motors, controllers and propellers.

The next phase design, Volocopter VC evolution 2P, will relocate the propulsion units above the fuselage which should improve the stability with a lower center of gravity and allow for the use of a whole airframe parachute (a safety system not normally available in a helicopter).

Simplicity: e-volo has demonstrated control of this aircraft with a fly-by-wire system using a joystick. One can imagine that a new generation of pilots will be able to transition right from their smart phones and game stations to the Volocopter, an aircraft that will ultimately be easy and safe to fly.

Efficiency: The e-volo system has a unique application of electric power to control flight direction and velocity, much different than normal flight controls. For example, ailerons, elevators and rudders create drag when they are applied to change the flight path of a normal aircraft.

The VC1 demonstrates the potential of differential power to change flight path which will reduce the amount of power required. Also, with multiple small distributed electric propulsion units the amount of noise generated is significantly reduced.

"We believe that the development of the Volocopter holds significant promise to radically change short distance transportation," said Erik Lindbergh. "It has a long development path ahead, but if this innovative design reaches the commercial market it will dramatically change the way we move about the planet."

The Bose Corporation provided two QC-15 acoustic noise cancelling headsets to the prize winning team.

See http://www.mybombshells.com for that and other items for sale.

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An initial report on the horrific Sept. 16, 2011 tragedy at the Reno Air Races, in which Jimmy Leeward's P-51 "Galloping Ghost" plunged into the VIP boxes in front of the grandstands, was released April 10 by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Leeward and 10 spectators were killed an up to 70 injured, some critically. Several lawsuits are pending against the Reno Air Racing Association, among others, as a result of the crash.

The NTSB said it still doesn't know what caused Leeward's Mustang to suddenly lurch straight up, putting up to possibly 10 G's on him, but it did have a list of seven recommendations to the FAA regarding safety measures.

"We are not here to put a stop to air racing," said Chairwoman Deborah A.P. Hersman. "We are here to make it safer."

Examination of video footage taken during the incident at Reno Stead Airport showed that Leeward's plane experienced a "roll upset," or a roll not caused by the pilot, just six seconds before an elevator trim tab broke loose, Hersman said. The NTSB said telemetry data shows the plane was traveling at 530 mph when it pitched violently upward, exerting a force of at least nine times or even more of the normal force of gravity on the pilot's body.

The modified Mustang flown by the 74-year-old pilot then lost its single trim tab on the horizontal stabilizer six seconds later - the other one was welded into a fixed position - as the plane flew straight up and then pitched nose first onto the tarmac. Officials say that technical finding could take months.

The safety recommendations address race course design and layout, pre-race technical inspections, aircraft modifications and airworthiness, FAA guidance on air racing, the effects of g-forces on pilots, and ramp safety issues, including protective barriers. They were issued to the FAA, the Reno Air Racing Association (RARA), and the National Air-Racing Group Unlimited Division.

One key safety area highlighted during the investigation is the extensive modifications made to airplanes that race in the unlimited class and the lack of documentation and inspection associated with those modifications, a spokesman said.

On the Galloping Ghost, modifications included reducing the wing span from about 37 feet to about 29 feet, and significant changes to the flight controls - all designed to increase speed and enhance racing performance.

"Our investigation revealed that this pilot, in this airplane, had never flown at this speed, on this course," said Chairman Hersman. "We are issuing a safety recommendation to ensure that pilots and their modified airplanes are put through their paces prior to race day."

Related findings from telemetry data showed that during the upset, the airplane exceeded the accelerometer's 9-G limit. While the investigation into g-forces and g-tolerance is ongoing, the photographic and telemetry evidence indicates that both the airplane and pilot experienced an unanticipated, rapid onset of high g-forces and appears to support pilot incapacitation.

"The fatalities and injuries in this accident draw attention to the course design and layout," the NTSB said. "The unlimited race course is designed for an average ground speed of 500 miles per hour."

"As pilots make the final turn toward the home pylon, the trajectory of the airplane is in the direction of the spectators in the box seats and grandstands," Hersman said. "The NTSB has recommended that RARA review the current course and consider changes to lessen the exposure to spectators."

When the NTSB announced the changes, it said the FAA's rules were inconsistent concerning the spectator setback. Air Race Chairman Mike Houghton said the association had followed the FAA order requiring a 500-foot setback, and at the time of last year's crash, the box seating area was set back 874 feet from the showline.

"Our position all along was that we exceeded all regulations," Houghton said.

One FAA order said viewers had to be 500 feet from the showline, while an FAA "advisory circular" said the spacing for races where speeds top 250 mph should be 1,000 feet.

Later, the FAA said the advisory circular was correct and it was changing the order, which would mean seating would be 1,000 feet back.

Consider, however, that a plane flying 530 mph and aiming straight at the crowd is traveling at 777.32 feet per second- more than two football field lengths - which means that even 1,000 feet away a spectator would have but a second or two to get clear of an out of control airplane. It wouldn't be possible, of course.

Besides the different race course layout, the NTSB also recommended G-suits for unlimited pilots, distancing the spectators from the course, pre-race practice around the course in the airplane at race speeds and a thorough mechanical examination of each aircraft prior to the race.

One key safety area highlighted during the investigation is the extensive modifications made to airplanes that race in the unlimited class and the lack of documentation and inspection associated with those modifications.

G-SUITS FOR PILOTS?

The agency also recommended that pilots should undergo special training to learn how to mitigate the potential effects of high G exposure. The board said the air races should evaluate requiring pilots to wear special suits to minimize G-forces.

Experts say F-16 fighter pilots, who wear special flight suits, can typically take 9 Gs, but only for a limited time. And those are modern planes designed with tilted seats intended to help keep blood flow to the brain, flown by strong young pilots who are exceptionally fit physically.

Most Reno Unlimited Air Racers are flown by men in the later years of life because they can afford to.

Tom Rose, a commercial pilot from Mississippi whose father died in a crash at the Reno races in 2002, said it might be possible to require pilots to wear G-suits to counteract excessive pressure changes. But he said it might not be practical, and it might not have helped Leeward.

"The thing that happened out there with the G-load he incurred, I don't know if a G-suit would have mattered. With 10 Gs, slam, it hits you like a baseball bat."

Houghton said his organization will consider all the NTSB's recommendations, and said G-force training is already being implemented. But, he said, he doesn't think flight suits are feasible.
The gear costs anywhere from $14,000 to $20,000 and could make maneuverability difficult for pilots in the cramped cockpits, he said.

Howard Plagens, NTSB's lead investigator said no more than eight seconds passed from the P-51's pitch up to when the plane crashed. A final report on the cause of the crash is still months away, though it's expected to be released before this year's air races, scheduled for Sept. 12-16.

Plagens said the Galloping Ghost's final seconds will be thoroughly scrutinized.

"That eight or nine seconds is going to get a lot of written words" in the final report, he said.
Still photos also show that a part of the tail known as the elevator trim tab came off after the plane was already out of control. Aviation experts shortly after the crash had theorized the parts failing may have caused the plane to go down.

Another safety recommendation would require pilots to provide an engineering evaluation that includes flight demonstrations to show modifications made to planes are structurally sound.

A mechanic in 2009 certified that the Galloping Ghost, after undergoing modifications, was "controllable throughout its normal range of speeds and throughout all maneuvers to be executed." But the NTSB noted there was no indication the plane was evaluated "while operating within the speed and flight regimes that would be encountered on the race course."

"Our investigation revealed that this pilot in this airplane had never flown at this speed on this course," Hersman said. "We are issuing a safety recommendation to ensure that pilots and their modified airplanes are put through their paces prior to race day."

Houghton, however, said Leeward likely would have opened the throttles during practice rounds.
Other safety recommendations involve changes to the race course layout and where fuel trucks and spectators are located.

Hersman said it's possible that putting more distance between the planes and the spectators could have helped, but stopped short of saying the tragedy could have been prevented by such a change.

"I don't think we can say what the outcome would have been," she said.

Houghton said he welcomed the NTSB recommendations and most were "doable." But he doesn't think having them in place last fall would have changed the course of events.

"I don't think any of these would have had an impact on the tragedy we experienced," he said.
A "rookie school" will be held at Stead Field June 13-16 for pilots new to pylon racing, as well as veterans who want to hone their skills, and some of the NTSB recommendations, which are not mandatory unless the FAA says so, may be implemented.

Houghton noted that the board didn't mandate changes, and hasn't issued its final report on the deadly crash. He said the Air Racing Association is awaiting a separate report by the end of the month from a four-member panel of pilots and regulators established in January to look at event safety.

"We'd be foolish not to listen to (the NTSB) if they've found something," Houghton said.

Houghton also expressed confusion about the recommendation to double the spectator safety buffer from 500 feet to 1,000 feet. But he said that if necessary, he'd change the air racing course before rearranging seating, including about 3,600 folding chairs in 300 boxes on the airport tarmac in front of the grandstand.

(Air shows must have a 1,500 foot safety barrier between performers and the show crowd. For some reason, the FAA has allowed the high powered race planes at Reno to come as close as 500 feet.)

"We anticipate having box seats on the apron again this year," Houghton said.

Spectators in those VIP seats bore the brunt of the carnage when Leeward's plane pitched downward and slammed nose-first to the tarmac. The impact blasted a crater about three feet deep and eight feet wide and scattered metal, chairs and body parts across more than two acres.

Leeward, of Ocala, Fla., was the 20th pilot killed since the competition began 47 years earlier in Reno. It was the first time spectators were killed.

The NTSB also called on the FAA to correct what it said were numerous errors and discrepancies in its guidance for race course designs, including the distance that spectators should be from the edge of the course. The FAA said it was already acting on the NTSB recommendation.

Hersman said it's possible that putting more distance between the planes and the spectators could have helped, but stopped short of saying the tragedy could have been prevented by such a change.

The Reno Air Racing Association is moving ahead with plans to hold the event in mid-September and is already selling tickets.

An FAA team will conduct a review of Reno Air Racing Association operations, the race course and proposed spectator areas, the agency said.

However, the FAA waffled last month on whether to move spectators at the races father away from the course, while race organizers worked under a tight deadline to lay out their plans for this year's event. When the NTSB announced the seven changes that would make the Reno Air Races safer, it said the FAA's rules were inconsistent concerning the spectator setback.

The Reno Air Racing Association has until June to submit its race course plan to the FAA for approval. The course must be in place for the Pylon Racing Seminar.

Houghton said he expects the FAA will take some time before deciding on how to respond to the NTSB recommendations.

The NTSB also questioned, curiously, the FAA's rules on the angles the planes fly while whizzing around the pylons. And, it questioned whether the race rules were based on a maximum speed of 500 mph or an average speed of 500 mph.

The NTSB said the inconsistent requirements needed to be fixed. But the FAA said it needed more time.

"I don't anticipate any firm position from the FAA this quickly," Houghton said. "We're waiting for them to come out with an official position, and we're not doing anything until we hear an official position from the FAA."

"Our position all along was that we exceeded all regulations," Houghton said.

For this year's event, Houghton also must secure insurance. Its special-event license in the past required a $100 million policy, but that might change, he said.

"The new insurance will be slightly greater than last year," Houghton said with a smile that suggested he was half-joking. "I make light of it because it keeps me from crying."

And oddly enough, there's still no official word on whether the races will even be permitted. The association must still get a waiver from the FAA and a permit from the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority, which owns the airport, before the September races can be held.

McDonnell-Douglas Helicopters of Mesa, Arizona has introduced a new six-bladed single-engine scout helicopter designated the MD 540F.

CEO Lynn Tilton said the machine is expected to receive certification next year. The aircraft, designed for both the military and commercial markets, is an upgrade of the company's MD 530F, which was certified in 1985.

The turbine powered MD 540F will have a fully articulated rotor blade system made up entirely of composite material, in addition to a more rugged landing skid built for heavier takeoff and landing weights.

"This aircraft will be a game changer for our company," said Tilton. "The commercial and military markets have long sought an affordable, light, single-engine helicopter that can perform exceptionally well at hot and high altitudes while carrying a larger useful load.

"The MD 540F will be that aircraft," said.

"Our engineers have bolstered performance to achieve a dramatic increase in max gross take-off weight and useful load capability," she said. "This increase will allow the MD 540F to carry a full avionics and weapons package while hovering at 6,000 feet at 95°F."

MDHI said the new helicopter will feature a fully integrated, digital glass cockpit, with multifunction color displays and a helmet display and tracking system. The armed version of the aircraft will have rockets, guns and Hellfire missiles.

"The 540F will be a lethal fighting machine," said Tilton. "The 540F will carry much of the same punch as the heavier attack helicopters at a fraction of the acquisition expense and life cycle operation costs."

The MD 540F's information will be displayed to the pilots on large, easy to read, multi-function color displays, and beam directly onto the pilot's eyes using a sophisticated Helmet Display and Tracking System (HDTS).

The Targeting FLIR with laser designator coupled with the HDTS and laser guided rockets or Hellfire missile, will allow the pilot to easily locate and destroy hostile targets - day or night," she said.

"The 540F will be a lethal fighting machine," said Tilton. "The 540F will carry much of the same punch as the heavier attack helicopters at a fraction of the acquisition expense and life cycle operation costs. Using precise aim points and laser guided missiles and rockets, the MD 540F will be able to destroy enemy armor and infantry positions with little collateral battle damage."

Whatever that cost is, however, was not reported. The company is flight testing the helicopter at present and certification is projected for the 1st quarter of 2013.

The armed version will be on display at the Army Aviation Association of America convention in Nashville later this year.

To test new flight management software, a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber recently flew from Edwards AFB to the North Pole and back, without landing.

The flight took 18.5 hours, a spokesman for Northrop Grumman said.

The sortie also included air-refueling to and from the North Pole from Edwards. The verification reviews and flight test were the culmination of more than two years of detailed planning and coordination between Northrop-Grumman, the Air Force and multiple suppliers to verify hardware, software and process requirements, a spokesman said.

"The computer upgrade system, which is the cornerstone for all future B-2 upgrades, is now ready to enter low-rate initial production," the spokesman said. "The Extremely High Frequency (EHF) Increment 1 system verification review demonstrated the computer upgrade program and successfully satisfied the government's requirements."

The flight mission was led by the Combined Test Force team at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

"A successful event of this magnitude on a program this size is a testament to the common vision and team-centric approach that the Increment 1 team utilized," said Josh Foster, Northrop Grumman's EHF Increment 1 integrated project team leader.

The B-2 Spirit stealth bomber remains the only long-range, large-payload aircraft that can penetrate deeply into protected airspace. The B-2 can fly more than 6,000 nautical miles unrefueled and more than 10,000 nautical miles with just one aerial refueling, giving it the ability to reach any point on the globe within hours.

All this technology afford the B-2's ability to ensure an effective U.S. response to threats anywhere in the world, Northrop said, such as say, oh, Iran or North Korea. Or China.

First, one violated the airspace restrictions around Washington DC on August 2, 2010 then others began crashing around the world from Libya to Afghanistan.

The Fire Scout was designed to provide reconnaissance, situational awareness, and precision targeting support for ground, air and sea forces. The initial RQ-8A version was based on the Schweizer 330, while the enhanced MQ-8B was derived from the Schweizer 333, all overseen by Northrop-Grumman.

The latest incident was when a Fire Scout went down on March 30 in the ocean off the coast of West Africa. The little chopper made multiple landing approaches to the ship it was flying from but was unable to get aboard so it ditched, according to the Navy.

Apparently the little chopper was banged up, but he might be salvageable.

That incident was followed by a crash on April 6 when an unmanned helo - thought to be a Fire Scout - went down in Afghanistan. The Afghan crash ruined the party for the rest of the Fire Scout fleet, with the Navy issuing a ban on MQ-8B flights that same day.

Consequently, the Navy has grounded the little helicopter drones indefinitely. However, the pentagon ordered six more so who knows?

The agency said in a preliminary report that Pardue, 77, had just taken off in his F8F Bearcat at Breckenridge, Texas. He announced over the radio that he "was going to perform a Half Cuban Eight aerobatic maneuver after takeoff and then overfly the runway in the opposite direction," according to the NTSB report.

A pilot who was waiting to take off behind Pardue, told investigators that Pardue announced over the radio what he planned to do, according to the NTSB report.

"After liftoff the accident airplane climbed 100 to 200 feet in a shallow climb before it pitched-up into a near vertical climb," the NTSB report said.

"The airplane continued the climb in an inside loop before leveling out, inverted, about 500 feet above the runway heading the opposite direction of the takeoff."

Then something went wrong. According the NTSB, the witness then saw "the airplane's wings roll suddenly before the airplane entered a near vertical descent."

The witness described the final portion of the aerobatic maneuver as a split-S maneuver, or a descending half loop, from which the airplane was unable to recover before colliding with terrain on a southeasterly heading.

"The witness stated that there was an explosion when the airplane collided with terrain and that a post impact fire ensued."

The NTSB did not reach any conclusions about probable cause in its preliminary report. Formal statements usually aren't issued until months after the mishap when the Board releases its final report.

The Department of Defense plans to boost the number of umanned aerial vehicles in its fleet by at least 45% over the next decade. The Pentagon plans to have 645 unmanned drones in fiscal 2022, compared to around 445 UAVs in fiscal 2013.

* * *

The US Navy has published its request for information to get a replacement for FA-18E/F and EA-18G Growlers "in the 2030 timeframe", following a mention of the tentative aircraft in the latest 30-year aviation funding plan. This is a Pre-Material Development Decision (MDD) market survey, i.e. still very far from an RFP. Once interested contractors have expressed their interest by April 26, they will receive - provided proper levels of clearance - a classified Government Furnished Information (GFI) package that is meant to allow them to submit their response by June 29, 2012.

* * *

Lockheed Martin CEO Bob Stevens, 60, says he will step down and turn the post over to Lockheed President Chris Kubasik in January. Stevens said his decision was prompted by the prospect of a long-term struggle with defense spending cuts, which he expects to last past what would be his mandatory retirement age of 65. Lockheed said this week that it was bracing for the sweeping spending cuts that would come as part of budget sequestration.

* * *

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's unmanned hypersonic glider that aborted its flight last summer over the Pacific Ocean probably did so because its exterior skin peeled off, the Pentagon said last month. The glider was able to fly 20 times the speed of sound (about 14,000 mph at sea level) before its flight ended. That would probably peel anyone's skin off.

* * *

Only 109 new small jets were sold globally in 2011, compared with 204 in 2010. Part of the reason sales dropped is that financing for very light jets and entry-level jets has become more difficult, analysts say. "Few banks out there will touch anything worth less than $10 million, nor anything over 15-20 years of age, which covers a large amount of aircraft within the light jet segment," said Daniel Hall, an aviation analyst.

* * *

Hawker Beechcraft reported a loss of $632.8 million for 2011, compared to a $304.9 million loss in 2010. "Hawker Beechcraft continues to work closely with our lenders to restructure the company's balance sheet, and to do so as quickly as possible," said Hawker Beechcraft CEO Robert S. "Steve" Miller. Late last month Beechcraft notified 350 employees in Wichita of pending layoffs. Beechcraft has (had) a workforce of about 4,700 in Wichita.

* * *

Frederico Curado, president and Chief Executive Officer of Embraer S.A., has been named the recipient of the 2012 Tony Jannus Award. Celebrating those with outstanding achievements, leadership and perseverance within the airlines industry, the Tony Jannus Distinguished Aviation Society will present the award to Curado at a dinner banquet at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club on Thursday, November 29, 2012. Tony Jannus was the founder of the world's first scheduled airline, which began flights on New Year's Day, 1914 and had only one plane, a single-engine Benoist flying boat that flew round trips daily between Tampa and St. Petersburg, Fla.

* * *

Pipistrel, an aircraft manufacturer based in Slovenia, unveiled its Panthera aircraft at the Aero 2012 in Friedrichshafen, Germany. Eventually, the Panthera will be equipped with hybrid or electric engines. "Hybrid and electric aircraft are the future of aviation with Panthera being the best airframe to demonstrate the potential of this technology" said Pipistrel's Ivo Boscarol.

* * *

Textron reported a profit of $118 million for the first quarter, compared with $29 million in the same quarter in 2011. "The demand environment for our commercial aircraft and industrial products continued to improve, which reinforces our confidence in our outlook for the year," said CEO Scott Donnelly. Textron is the parent company of Cessna Aircraft and Bell Helicopter.

* * *

The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International's (AUVSI) President & CEO Michael Toscano was elected April 19 to serve on the NextGen Institute Management Council (IMC), an industry board comprised of 17 senior leaders from the aviation community. The IMC gives direction and advice to the U.S. government's development of the next generation air transportation system (otherwise known as NextGen).

* * *

More than 50 entities across the U.S. have applied to the FAA for permission to use drones, according to data released by the Electronic Frontier Foundation. The special permits from the FAA allow drones to fly in contained geographic areas. The entities include police departments, universities and other nonmilitary organizations.

* * *

United Technologies says there are no plans to restart the manufacturing of the Eclipse very light jet. "We're not investing any more money in Eclipse," said Chief Financial Officer Greg Hayes. "We are not in the light jet business." So there!

* * *

Because of certification delays from the European Aviation Safety Agency. Cessna has put sales of its Skycatcher on hold in Europe. The light sport aircraft doesn't require a type or production certificate from the FAA to be sold in the U.S., but the European agency requires both FAA certificates.

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By Sanford hughes
Photos by Mike Ullery

WW II B-25 Mitchell bombers lined the Grimes Field ramp in Urbana, Ohio last month, providing rides in honor of the 70th anniversary of the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders mission that marked a turning point in World War II, in U.S. morale if not damage.

Hundreds of spectators gathered at the field April 15 to learn about the history of the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders and watch the mighty B-25s take off and land. The Grimes Gathering of B-25s sought to be the largest group of the bombers to be in one locations, with as many as 20 on hand to participate.

Volunteer crews dedicated their time to shining, maintaining and flying these icons of history. Doug Duff, a Canadian volunteering with the Yankee Warrior crew, says the United States is one of the few countries where volunteers help keep history flying, which is in danger (see related story on warbird amendment in U.S. House).

There were 80 volunteers on the 16 planes that flew off the Hornet that day on April 15, 1942, led by the 46-year-old Col. James "Jimmy" Doolittle. All had two pilots, three crewmen and each was loaded to max gross weight with various kinds of bombs.

As everyone knows by now, they were to launch when the carrier got within 450 miles of the Japanese mainland but strong seas caused their battleship escorts to fall back, although the USS Enterprise stayed nearby.

Then they were spotted by a Japanese picket ship and Doolittle elected to launch immediately, almost 700 miles from the coast in a raging storm, which meant none of the planes would have enough fuel to reach the Chinese bases where they had planned to land.

The B-25s crossed the raging seas at wavetop height, with 10 bombing Tokyo. Three planes aimed for Nagoya and Osaka, two crews attacked Yokohama and one bomber would hit Yokosuka (pronounced Yo-kus-ka).

In the original raid, one of the 16 aircraft turned north to land in Russia, and the crew was interned. The other 15 aircraft with 64 crewmembers went down in Japanese territory, either ditching at sea or continuing into China. Eight men were captured, three of whom were executed; another died of malnutrition.

The Chinese provided aid to the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders to help them return to friendly soil, something the civilians paid for dearly: A quarter-million Chinese were killed in retaliation for the protection the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders received.

Now, 70 years later on April 15, that extraordinary heroism was recalled as almost as many general aviation aircraft were parked in the grass as B-25s on the ramp, creating an impressive display of the range of aviation.

A 20-degree, 30-plus-knot crosswind couldn't keep light general aviation aircraft or the massive B-25s on the ground. The Grimes Gathering of B-25s served as a living history lesson of the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders for younger generations.

"This is not a fly-in, it's a history lesson," said Larry Kelley, organizer of the Grimes Gathering of B-25s and pilot of Panchito, the lead aircraft in the mass flyover to commemorate the anniversary of the raid.

"It's the first and the last time we could ever do this," he said, explaining that the Grimes Gathering and National Museum of the U.S. Air Force brought together the five remaining Doolittle Tokyo Raiders - Lt. Col. Richard E. Cole (Jimmy Doolittle's co-pilot), Maj. Thomas C. Griffin, Lt. Col. Robert L. Hite, Lt. Col. Edward J. Saylor, and Staff Sgt. David J. Thatcher - along with a survivor of the October 1942 Japanese attack that sank the USS Hornet, a Chinese woman who assisted the Raiders, and sister ships of those mighty bombers that carried the brave young men aloft.

Putting all the pieces together, including bringing two Chinese to the United States, required coordination from both countries' governments.

A five-ship formation of North American B-25 Mitchells departed in rapid succession, a 20-degree, 30-plus-knot crosswind causing no little excitement in the cockpits.
The pilots and crew of these restored B-25s volunteered their time to fly 45-minute hops, returning to cheering spectators with their passengers exploding with excitement after a ride of a lifetime.

"I think the Doolittle Raiders was one of the more daring things I've read about," said Bruce Bream, who flew his Arrow III to Grimes Field with friends. Nearly 20 light general aviation aircraft had flown in by midday April 15.

Despite the steady rain that prevented many aircraft from arriving early, better weather provided a window that allowed more aircraft to join a mass formation flyover of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base on April 18 during a special ceremony. Events continued through April 20 at the museum.

Announcers recounted the raid for hundreds of spectators from toddlers to non-agenarians who gathered to see the B-25s, P-51s, a P-40 and a Japanese Zero on display. Veterans from all branches of the military who served in various wars from World War II to present and active duty servicemen and women also came out to pay tribute.

Crews who had their B-25 on display, like Pacific Princess, answered questions for several youngsters. Some of the children already had "a little bit of knowledge of the Raiders," said Frank Donnelly, who flew on Pacific Princess from Los Angeles to Urbana. "We do it for the veterans.

"We do it for the American history. We do it for the future generations."

The B-25 groups paid for their expenses themselves, Kelley said, adding that for some, that bill could reach $35,000. Fuel expenses alone are staggering; each 1,700-hp engine burns one gallon of fuel per minute.

Northrup Grumman and Enterprise provided corporate sponsorships, and individual donations comprised the rest of the $100,000 raised for the gathering, but that is just a fraction of the $900,000 that was needed to help offset the costs for the crews. In return, the crews were permitted to sell rides for $450 per person to help recoup some of the cost.

"The people who served, that's why we're doing it," Kelley's crewmember Matt Sager said.