I would like to devote this editorial to the wonderful weekend I spent at the Flying Legends airshow at the Imperial War Museum Duxford on July 9 and 10. I must mention the incident at the end of the show on Sunday, of course, but only to say what a huge relief it was to see Rob Davies, beneath his parachute canopy, and the Skyraider land back on the airfield. All of us here at Aeroplane pass on our very best and sincere wishes to all those involved in any way. Others better qualified than I report on the circumstances in this month’s News.

A trio of Hispano HA-1112-M1L Buchóns was one of numerous highlights during Flying Legends at IWMDuxford over the weekend of July 9–10. Credit: Gary R. Brown

I spent much time at the event catching up with many friends from far and wide; from New Zealand to the USA in fact. Some of them I have not seen since Duxford airshows last year, and some for even longer. That is what is so great about events like Flying Legends. We all congregate to see the wonderful historic aircraft and to watch them flying, but a huge social aspect envelops such occasions too. I also met a number of people connected with Aeroplane whom I had not previously known, which added further to my enjoyment of the weekend.

As for the variety of aircraft and flying, what can I say? Just a few of the highlights for me were seeing the four Hawker biplanes in the air together, the three Hispano Buchóns, three Curtiss P-40s, a Lockheed P-38 Lighting and the welcome return of the Fairey Swordfish to the airshow circuit. It all combined to make it one of my best Legends for some years, and, listening to what others had to say, I was not alone in that opinion. There are several months of the UK airshow season left and I plan to make the most of them, and hopefully meet even more Aeroplane readers, advertisers and contributors along the way. Blue skies!

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In our June issue we published an article entitled “Marinell’s mystery solved”, telling how the lady who was the inspiration behind the wartime naming of Maurice Hammond’s North American P-51D Mustang, 44-13521 Marinell, had recently made contact and for the first time revealed the origin of the aircraft’s name. The story has now gone one step further, as Mary Shuffleton visited the UK this June with her family and friends, and on the 19th went to Hardwick, Norfolk, to see the Mustang for herself.

Maurice Hammond stands alongside the Marinell nose-art of his combat-veteran P-51D at Hardwick, Norfolk, on June 19 with 87-year-old Mary Shuffleton, the real “Marinell” Credit: Jarrod CotterTo recap, Mary was dating the Mustang’s regular pilot, Bradford V. Stevens, before he went to England to fly with the 339th Fighter Group. When writing she always signed her name “Marinell”, a shortened version of her two Christian names, Mary Anella, or Mary Nell as her family called her. Bradford therefore had her signature emblazoned on his Mustang. Maurice is particularly interested in the social history of his aircraft, and has brought about some wonderful achievements in that respect. In 2005 Bill Price, pilot of the original P-51D Janie, which Maurice’s first Mustang restoration represents, came over see that aircraft. His day was made very special when he was flown in it to his wartime base at Raydon in Suffolk.

On August 13, 1944, 2nd Lt Myer Winkelman took off in Marinell from his base at Fowlmere, Cambridgeshire, on a low-level bombing mission, and was shot down and killed over France. On August 15, 2009, almost 65 years to the day that Marinell last left Fowlmere, Maurice flew the P-51D back to the airfield in a symbolic returnhome tribute and commemoration. This latest heart-warming occasion is again all down to the great work that Maurice does with his warbirds.

Asked how she felt upon learning that an aircraft had been named after her during the war, Mary said, “I got goosebumps”. On her feelings about seeing the restored Marinell “in the metal”, she added, “I was really touched.” It was a rare and special occasion, the like of which we may never see again. The inspiration behind the naming of a combat-veteran Second World War fighter seeing at first hand, for the first time, the aircraft she had seen before only in pictures. What a pleasant way to start this issue.

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Since my last editorial it really has been quite a month of history in the making, and repeating itself. It all started on April 29, when I thought it would be interesting to compile a snapshot of how the RAF went about ensuring that the seven-aircraft flypast for the Royal Wedding would arrive overhead Buckingham Palace exactly on time. Once the aircraft had set off for London I hastened to my parents’ house, some 2hr drive away, for a family barbecue, arriving just in time for the first sausages to be ready. I must have picked up a few tips from the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s precise planning!

Aeroplane editor Jarrod Cotter flying in RAF BBMF Chipmunk T.10 WG486 close to the type’s 65th anniversaryI had anticipated that the Royal Wedding would be hugely popular by its very nature, but when the astonishing audience figures were published they quite took me aback. My thanks to Sqn Ldr Ian Smith and Yvonne Masters at the RAF BBMF for letting me record this piece of history from such a different perspective.

On May 4 I was invited to the Imperial War Museum (IWM) Duxford for a Spitfire press call and photo shoot; the anniversary of the very day that 19 Sqn’s Spitfire Is were first shown to the press at RAF Duxford in 1939. As The Aeroplane had attended that event all those years ago, it seemed quite surreal for me be representing the journal at its recreation. Among several representatives from the media there was a reporter from BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, and my thoughts on the occasion were transmitted on the next day’s breakfast show. Thanks to IWM Duxford’s Marketing and PR Manager Esther Blaine and the patient ground crew for all their help on the day.

Two days later, because this issue was to include a fascinating series of pictures of a 13 Sqn Bristol Blenheim V sortie in 1943, I visited RAF Marham to bring the unit’s history up to date. Aircrew were making what will probably be 13 Sqn’s last “manned” flight, as it was to be disbanded a week later. It was announced at the disbandment that the squadron will re-form next year, but will be equipped with Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles. As can be seen on page 36, this “flight into history” was most impressive.

The next event, on May 15, marked the 70th anniversary of the first flight of the Gloster E.28/39, at RAF Cranwell. Hearing Capt Eric “Winkle” Brown recall, exactly 70 years to the day after its first flight and at the same location, how he was at Cranwell purely by chance and witnessed the flight, and then became a test pilot on the E.28/39, was simply breathtaking. Schedules and pressure of time meant that we shall have to bring you more on this in a forthcoming issue. May 22 marked the 65th anniversary of the first flight of the de Havilland Canada Chipmunk, of which I am most fond, as it was the first RAF aircraft in which I flew, and the type on which I first put all my principles of flight theory into practice. Therefore I felt privileged to recently have a flight in the RAF BBMF’s T.10, WG486. It was like going back to my roots, and all around the “Chippie’s” anniversary. All in all, it really has been quite a month.

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Founder editor of The Aeroplane C.G. Grey, seen wearing his monocle and holding his fountain pen.When I accepted the job to become editor of Aeroplane, one aspect that encouraged me hugely was the prospect of taking the position on in the title’s centenary year. I therefore gave it much thought about how I would tackle that issue in particular - and here we are! The Aeroplane was first published on June 8, 1911, so this issue traces the title’s lineage back to those origins.

One of my first concerns was what to have on the cover and centrefold - just which aircraft could I use to celebrate this landmark occasion? After much thought I decided to go “retro”, with a 1930s-inspired painting for the cover and a double-sided pull-out centrefold poster with two wartime covers of The Aeroplane - fighter or bomber, take your pick. Please also note the old-fashioned “Special Centenary Collectors’ Number” wording at the top of the cover too - an added touch of nostalgia I thought worth including.

These choices came to me after much time spent browsing through the fascinating bound volumes of The Aeroplane within our archive - every time I’m in there I always find something to sidetrack me from what I’m supposed to be doing. I drew much inspiration from reading the work of founder editor C.G. Grey, whose opinions I doubt I’d get away with publishing nowadays. But he was certainly someone to be admired within this industry, and I found his claim on the cover of the first issue that he was an "Aero Amateur" most amusing - those of us who write about, and do not fly, the wonderful aeroplanes featured within the magazine must know our place! However, I think C.G. was being somewhat modest . . .

Aeroplane’s current editor Jarrod Cotter while working on the title’s centenary issue, pictured in his study looking though the “25th Birthday Number” of June 3, 1936. Credit: Duncan CubittIn this issue launch editor of Aeroplane Monthly Richard Riding traces the title's history, while we also look at some noteworthy events within the British aviation scene as well as a few things connected with the original weekly-published The Aeroplane. I have utilised our superb archive of glass-plate negatives as best I could, in an attempt to showcase the title's heritage. Just look at the 111 Squadron Hurricane feature on pages 16–20, and the Mosquito production article on 44–48, and I’m sure you’ll agree this is wonderful material. You may note that some of the regular features and columns have been dropped to accommodate everything, but all will resume back to normal next month.

My aim was to make this issue stand out as something rather unusual for all our readers. It’s quite an occasion to be marking 100 years of this title, so taking all the above into account I sincerely do hope you enjoy it.

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