Salem-News.com Aviation articles Page 43

Movie Review:The Flyboys Shoots Myths About WW1 Pilots Down in Flames (VIDEO)

American pilots, who chose to enter WW1 before the U.S. officially became involved, joined a French Air Service organization called the Lafayette Escadrille. They fought and died and were cherished by France. The movie debuts today.

(SALEM) - A movie set to debut in October called The Flyboys casts these historic pilots in a Top Gun sort of way. The pilots in WW1 were little more than kids, with the early 20’s being the average age.

Missing World War II Airmen Are Identified

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The Defense Department POW/Missing Personnel Office has announced that nine airmen missing in action from World War II have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

The nine are 2nd Lt. Hugh L. Johnson Jr., Montgomery, Ala.; 2nd Lt. Byron L. Stenen, Northridge, Calif.; 2nd Lt. John F. Green, Watertown, N.Y.; 2nd Lt. John M. Meisner, Pembroke, Mass.; Staff Sgt. Walter Knudsen, Sioux City, Iowa; Cpl. John A. DeCarlo, Newark, N.J.; Cpl. Robert E. Raney, Monon, Ind.; Cpl. William G. Mohr, Mt. Wolf, Pa.; and Cpl. Michael J. Pushkar, Mahanoy City, Pa. All were assigned to the U.S. Army Air Forces.

The individually identified remains of Stenen, Green, Meisner, Mohr and Pushkar, as well as the group remains representing all nine crewmen, were buried this week at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. Johnson, Knudsen and Raney will be buried elsewhere.

Giants Land in Salem

(SALEM) - Ever heard of the Memphis Belle? How about the Lady Be Good? They sound like girls who have exemplary manners.

The Memphis Belle is a Boeing B-17 that along with her crew was the first `Flying Fortress` to complete her required 25 bombing missions in Europe.

The Lady be Good was a B-24 `Liberator` bomber that crashed in the Libyan Desert on the way back from a bombing mission in Italy in 1943.

Now local residents have a unique chance to see a B-17 and a B-24 up close this week at Salem`s McNary Field.

Evergreen Aviation Museum Offers Aviation Summer Camp for Local Students

Summer camps at the Evergreen Aviation Museum explore the history and science of flight.

(MCMINNVILLE) - Since the beginning of time, man has dreamed of joining the birds in flight and has looked to the sky as a source of inspiration. This summer, at the Evergreen Aviation Museum and the Captain Michael King Smith Educational Institute, area students will have the opportunity to participate in multiple summer camps to rediscover this fascination with flight.

The Museum is hosting four summer day camps where students will have fun learning about the science and history of flight while building gliders, airplanes, rockets and flying radio controlled (RC) aircraft. All of this will take place among the museum`s collection of over 80 historic aircraft and exhibits...

McMinnville Prepares for Annual UFO Festival

(MCMINNVILLE) - The McMinnville Downtown Association (MDA) and McMenamins Hotel Oregon once again welcome all UFO believers, aliens, skeptics and the like for the annual UFO parade and UFO Fest.

The event, which celebrates a 1950 UFO citing on a farm just outside of McMinnville, will be held May 19th and 20th, in Historic Downtown McMinnville.

The UFO Parade will make its annual trek down Third Street on Saturday the 20th. The MDA is looking for parade entries to compete in the areas of Best Alien Float, Best Alien Group, and Best Alien Male & Female (who will also be named King & Queen of the parade), and Best Alien Child.

Salem Man Lands Experimental Plane Safely After Losing Propeller.

Pilot is unhurt after successful propellor-free landing.

(SALEM) - A Salem man safely landed his experimental plane Monday night in a Linn County sheep pasture after his plane`s propeller fell off.

Linn County Sheriff Tim Mueller says the plane, piloted by 33-year-old Jeffery Trembly was on final approach to the Albany Airport just before 6:00 PM, when the propeller came off of the plane at approximately 1000 feet.

Salem-News.com`s Tim King Returns From Research Trip on WW1 Aviator

Unruly cowboy aviator Lt. Frank Luke Jr. is the inspiration behind countless "maverick" American fighter pilots over the years. His story is riveting and a Salem, Oregon producer and a Virgina-based author are hot on the story's trail, preparing individual versions for print and for the screen.

(SALEM) - A producer`s plans to produce a documentary and an author`s goal to complete a book about America`s first bad-boy military pilot took a huge leap forward over the weekend, as a team of researchers including our Executive Editor Tim King, rendezvoused at an aviation museum in Colorado to study and record prized historic documents relating to Second-Lieutenant Frank Luke JR of Phoenix, Arizona.

Luke is remembered in history as `The Arizona Balloon Buster` because his specialty, along with his wingman Joe Wehner, was shooting down and `flaming` Hydrogen-filled German observation balloons that loomed over the front lines. It was dangerous work, and both were killed doing it.

Firefighting 747 Supertanker to Begin U.S. Tour

Hear this story and more Salem-area News on our news partner Newsradio 1190 KEX.

(McMINNVILE) - Evergreen International Aviation based in McMinnville will start demonstrating its firefighting 747 Supertanker during an 11 state tour that begins this month.

Airplane Museum Enthralls Thousands Saturday

Sean King reports on special activities for families Saturday at the Evergreen Air Museum in McMinnville, home of the world's largest airplane.

(MCMINNVILLE) - Special activities at Evergreen Aviation Museum celebrate Annual Family Day with a long list of events that took place Saturday, March 18th, and will continue during Spring Break.

Best known as the home of the world`s largest wooden airplane, the Spruce Goose, there are more than 75 historic aircraft and exhibits on display at the Evergreen Aviation Museum, including the SR-71 Blackbird and Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat. The experience of seeing these spectacular pieces of history is a worthy use of time, whether or not one is an aviation buff. It`s something everyone in the family, young and old alike, will appreciate and remember.

Watch the streaming video news report by Salem-News.com's Sean King.

Airport Hosting Fly-in This Weekend

The Siletz Bay State Airport is a half-mile south of Salishan

(LINCOLN CITY) - A great fly-in event geared toward families is taking place this weekend at the Oregon Coast.

The Siletz Bay State Airport is hosting it`s annual fly-in Saturday and Sunday.

Organizers say people looking for something interesting to do this weekend should bring a chair or a blanket and watch a variety of planes take-off and land at the airport.