LoneStar Air Museum

THE LONE STAR FLIGHT MUSEUM, GALVESTON, TEXAS: A marvellous Aviation Museum in Texas, the Lone Star Flight Museum (LSFM) includes a large collection of flight certified Aircraft and static exhibits. A particular highlight for me was a gorgeous F4U Corsair.

AIRCRAFT EXHIBITS: Galveston defined that I have to start my photographic records with the magnificent North American P51 'Galveston Gal'.

NORTH AMERICAN P51D MUSTANG - 'GALVESTON GAL': TF-51D Galveston Gal was first flown by the Royal Canadian Air Force, subsequently the El Salvador Air Force and many unrecorded Owners. The LSFM acquired the aircraft and painted it to represent the colours of the USAAF 359th Fighter Group, 370th Fighter Squadron, 'Galveston Gal' as flown by Galveston native, Captain Ray Lancaster.

The aircraft was powered by a Packard manufactured Rolls Royce Merlin engine which produced 1,490hp with a maximum 'war emergency rating' of 1,720hp. The maximum speed rating was 437mph at 25,000 feet, a service ceiling of 41,900 feet and a combat range of 1,155 miles. Armament included six 0.50 calibre M2 machine guns and two 1,000lb bombs.

BOEING B17G FLYING FORTRESS - 'THUNDERBIRD': Incredibly the 'Thunderbird' came off the assembly line on VE Day, the 8th May 1945. Initially stored, the aircraft was used for Aerial Mapping Photography for 25 years. In 1989 the LSFM purchased the aircraft and following a four year restoration she was presented as 'Thunderbird', a B17G flown by the USAAF 303rd Bomb Group (Heavy), 359th Squadron. The original 'Thunderbird' flew 112 combat missions over occupied Europe with no crewman injuries. The aircraft was designed for a crew of ten and 12,731 examples were manufactured.

The aircraft was powered by four Studebaker manufactured Wright Cyclone nine cylinder radial engines, each rated at 1,200hp. The maximum speed rating was 287mph at 36,500 feet, a service ceiling of 36,500 feet and a combat range of 2,000 miles. Armament included twelve 0.50 calibre M2 machine guns and a maximum bomb load of 8,000lbs.