From the archives

Flight Journal, Jun 1999

Because of its radical powerplant arrangement (two Allison V-1710 engines mounted behind the cockpit), its high speed, original armament installation and numerous tactical features, the Douglas XB-42 Mixmaster was designed, built and tested in the greatest secrecy. In June 1944 at Wright Field, the first of the two models built was flown. When the first crashed, the second took on the responsibilities of the flight tests. Many modifications and some encouragement from Gen. H.H. "Napa Arnold set the plane up for a coast-to-coast dash. On December 8, 1945, it new 2,295 miles from Long Beach, California, to Washington, D.C., in five hours, 17 minutes at an average speed of 432mph (breaking the existing record by well over an hour). Eight days later, it was demolished in a crash at Bolling Field, Washington, D.C.

In September 1944, to aid the War Bond drive, a Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat was paraded along New York City's Broadway. (At that time, a Hellcat cost the government a paltry S5,000!) Broadway next saw a Grumman fighter on V-J day, when two exuberant Navy pilots flew Wildcats through that busy thoroughfare well below the tops of the buildings (photo courtesy of Corky Meyer).

TARGET PRACTICE NEW GUINEA-THE WATER ALL AROUND IT PEPPERED BY BULLETS FROM A NAVY PB4Y PATROL BOMBER, PILOTED BY LT. JOHN E. PORTER JR., USNR, OF LONG BEACH, CALIF., THIS JAPANESE TWIN-ENGINED BOMBER SKIMS THE WATER IN A DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO EVADE THE HAIL OF LEAD. A FEW SECONDS AFTER THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN THE PLANE WAS HIT AND PLUNGED INTO THE OCEAN. #1A DJH CREDIT (U.S. NAVY PHOTO FROM ACME) 6/16/44 (MD) MARINES EXAMINE JAPANESE PLANE ON MUNDA-AMONG THE STATELY COCONUT PALMS THE MARINES FOUND A JAPANESE PLANE ALMOST COMPLETELY DEMOLISHED. THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN BY A MARINE CORPS PHOTOGRAPHER AFTER THE STRIP WAS TAKEN BY AMERICAN TROOPS. REVETMENTS OF STONE ARE SEEN ON EITHER SIDE OF THE PLANE. NOTE U.S. MARINE ON WING OF PLANE ATTIRED IN CAMOUFLAGE SUIT. HDQTRS. No: 57,566 WATCH YOUR CREDIT LINE

OFFICIAL U.S. MARINE CORPS PHOTO. .....1ST. LIST 2 & 4. .... ..8-27-43

FROM: H. A. BRUNO & ASSOCIATES, 30 ROCKEFELLER PLAZA, NEW YORK 20, N.Y., CIRCLE 6-8040 FOR: GOODYEAR TIRE AND RUBBER COMPANY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

"SWEE' PEA" TO ENTER GOODYEAR TROPHY RACE PICTURE SHOWS ONE OF THE APPROXIMATELY 20 LIGHT PLANES TO BE ENTERED IN THE GOODYEAR TROPHY RACE AT CLEVELAND IN THE NATIONAL AIR RACES NEXT LABOR DAY WEEKEND.-ART CHESTER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, WORKS ON SWEE PEA, WHICH HAS A LENGTH OF 15 FEET 6 INCHES; A WINGSPAN OF 17 FEET 5 INCHES AND WEIGHT OF 520 POUNDS WITH EMPTY TANKS. THE ONLY RACING PLANE I KNOW OF WITH A BUTTERFLY OR V' TAIL, SAYS CHESTER.