Freedom is not free. Each aircraft etched
onto these glass panels near the entrance to the American Air Museum in
Britain represents an American aircraft that took off from Britain and never
returned.
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Continuing on the other side, the visitor
is struck by the enormity of the air war in Europe. Some 30,000 American
airmen perished in the skies over Nazi-held Europe.
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"Gibraltar Gun" - a coastal defense gun
moved, brick-by-brick, piece by piece, from its mount on the rock of Gibraltar
to the American Air Museum in Britain at Duxford. This gun once defended
the Straights of Gibraltar, between Spain and Africa.
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Looking down the business end of the massive
gun.
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The Author in front of the building
that was once the headquarters of 133 Squadron RAF (American Eagles) that
became the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, USAAF. This building
is featured prominently in the Novel, Never Lark nor Eagle: A Fighter
Pilot's Story.
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A fully-restored - and flyable
- P-51A Mustang (very rare), painted in the livery of 336th FS Ace Don
Gentile, prior to his more famous Mustang Shangri-La. NOTE: "Boxing
Eagle" logo, designed at Gentile's request by Walt Disney. Inexplicably,
this 336th commander's personal logo was "adopted" by the 4th FG's
334th FS, which it still uses today.
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Republic P-47D Thunderbolt starting up for the airshow in honor of
former President George H.W. Bush.
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The author posing in front of a Battle of Britain
Hawker Hurricane and its Rolls Royce Merlin engine.
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To paraphrase the old U.S. Cavalry expression: "The only
good Messerschmitt is a dead Messerschmitt." This particular Bf-109 was
made "good" by an American pilot in the RAF.
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This is the British De Haviland D.H.100 Vampire F.1. Like the American
Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star, it arrived too late to be used in combat
against the German Me-262 jet. The Top Secret testing of this aircraft
in 1945 is also described in Never Lark
nor Eagle: A Fighter Pilot's Story.
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The Author by an absolutely beautiful example of a Supermarine
Spitfire! And, it flies too!
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This Hurricane flies at Duxford air shows
as well.
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