ON THE COVER:
A USAAF instructor explains the bombardier position in a Beech AT-11 Kansan to student bombardiers at a Texas base during WWII. Fitted
with a Norden bombsight, the AT-11 was capable of dropping 100-pound practice bombs from its internal bomb bay, which can be seen under
the fuselage. During the war, the USAAF trained over 45,000 bombardiers and around 90% of that number received their training with the Kansan. During 1943, the USAAF established a minimum proficiency standard of 22% hits on target for trainees. Typical combat training missions took continuous evasive action within a ten-mile radius of the target with straight and level final target approaches that lasted no longer than 60 seconds. After 30 September 1943, the AT-11 usually carried a Norden
bombsight and a C-1 automatic pilot, which allowed the student to guide the aircraft during the bomb run. (USAAF)

FEATURES:

“FILL ‘ER UP!”
Part Three of our series on vintage American roadside gas stations and restaurants that featured an aviation theme / by Adam Stanton

BATTLE OVER HUNGARY
How the elite pilots of Hungary’s Puma squadron used their Messerschmitt Bf 109Gs to attack the Lockheed Lightnings of the 82nd Fighter Group / by Steve Blake

COLORS OF WAR
Drawing upon the extensive photo files at Challenge Publications, we present another selection of color WWII images / by Michael O’Leary

STARFLIGHT SAGA
Utilizing four engines, the Monsted-Vincent MV-1 hoped to revolutionize post war aviation / by Howard Carter

DEPARTMENTS:

MESSAGE FROM THE PUBLISHER

WARBIRD & CLASSIC REPORT
Expanded department features details on the NASM’s newly-refinished Bf 109G / by Doug Fisher

LOG ENTRIES
Examining the little-known Smith and Bronte transpacific flight to Hawaii in 1927 / by Mark Bingham

FRIDAY NIGHT OLDIES
Rare Kodachromes of surplus ex-military aircraft / by Doug Fisher

DOWN MEMORY’S RUNWAY
Interesting American aircraft from aviation’s glorious past / by Doug Fisher

AIRLINES
News and views from the readers of Air Classics