Logbook magazine
Great aviation history
volume 16, Number 1
Feature Articles:
Flights and Footprints
- Finn Ronne’s Antarctica -
by
Steve Zuger
Captain Finn Ronne United States Naval Reserve.
On 28 December 1899, the community of Horten, Norway, welcomed a sleepy-eyed newborn into their fold. He was to be named Finn Ronne, a boy who would grow up to be a man possessing all the traits of a steadfast Norwegian. When Finn was a youth, he began absorbing the accomplishments of his idols at the time: Ernest Shackleton, Captain Robert F. Scott RN, and fellow Norwegian Fridtjof Nansen. This helped prepare Finn for his own future Antarctic endeavors by instilling confidence and technical knowledge. This along with his developing “polar sense” left him in good standing when it was time to tackle his own missions. He would eventually lace up his boots to trek into the history books as a durable explorer of the Antarctic region, and later to become commander of the Ronne Antarctica Research Expedition (RARE) of 1946-48.
Finn Ronne was a veteran of two previous Antarctic expeditions. Back in the mid-1930s, he was a member of Rear Admiral Richard E Byrd’s second expedition - 1934-35 - to the Antarctic. It was Finn’s first visit to the frozen land. In his book “Antarctic Conquest - The Story of the Finn Ronne Expedition, 1946-1948” (published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York, 1949), Finn Ronne records that in December 1934, while with Byrd’s second expedition, he had a bit of a revelation. After delivering, via dog sled, a batch of spare tractor parts to a stranded research party, Ronne was standing near the summit of Mount Nilsen, looking out upon what was still a virtually unexplored landscape. He noted in his book: “The driving desire to explore new land, mountains, and perhaps even a volcano engulfed me that day and has taunted be ever since.”
Fiinn Roone standing next to one of the RARE aircraft - a Beechcraft C-45F Expeditor, on loan from the U.S. Army Air Forces. The other two aircraft, also on load from the Army were a Noorduyn C-64 Norseman and a Stinson
L-5 Sentinel. All aircraft were later returned to the Army. Both photos are presented here with the kind permission of Karen Ronne Tupek.
Anymouse, and Other Stories From The Fleet
by
Robert A. Shaver
Lieutenant Commander USN (Retired)
Fine artwork that illustrated one of Lieutenant Commander Shaver’s stories that appeared in the May 1967 issue of Approach magazine. The image is by Mr. Blake H. Rader (1916-2000), who worked for the magazine for 25 years.
My naval aviator career spanned 22 years, from 1958 to 1980. During those years I logged over 5,400 pilot hours in six squadrons with almost 400 left-seat carrier landings. My Navy squadrons, flying duty stations, and aircraft flown were, in a nutshell: Naval Aviation Cadet (NAVCAD) Class 22-28, flying the Beechcraft T-34B Mentor, the North American T-28B/C Trojan, and the Grumman TS-2A Tracker. After training and getting my Wings of Gold I was assigned to Air Early Warning Squadron ELEVEN (VW-11) flying the Lockheed WV-2 Warning Star, then to sea with Antisubmarine Squadron TWENTY-EIGHT (VS-28) flying the Grumman S-2E Tracker. Back shore-based I was an instructor at Training Squadron TWENTY-SEVEN (VT-27) teaching in the Grumman TS-2A Tracker. I was then assigned as the V2 Officer aboard the USS Constellation (CVA-64), where I was also the Grumman C-1A Trader NATOPS Officer, so I got to log a number of hops in the ship’s C-1A. Next it was back to a sea-going squadron when I got orders to Antisubmarine Squadron TWENTY-TWO (VS-22), again flying the S-2E Tracker. During sea duty with VS-22 I received orders to be the Officer In Charge (OINC) of Fleet Tactical Support Squadron FIFTY (VRC-50) - Detachment DaNang, back flying the C-1A Trader. My final tour of duty was with Fleet Logistics Support Squadron TWENTY-FOUR (VR-24) - Detachment Rota (Spain), flying the Lockheed C-130 Hercules.
A series of great Sea Stories - some funny, some not so funny - told by the Naval Aviator who flew the missions. Great reading!
The Question Mark (Point d’Interrogation)
by
David G. Powers
A few years ago I had just flown a load of cargo from New York City to Paris, France, and was now looking forward to a nice, long four day layover before having to fly a bunch of cargo back across the pond. Since this my first trip to Paris in around 30 years, besides the food and wine I would be enjoying, I was going to make a run to one of the best aviation museums in the world - The National Air and Space Museum of France, located at Le Bourget Airport (Le Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace, Aéroport de Paris). I had never been there before, and allocated a full day for the visit. Of the many important and historic airplanes in the collection, one particular bird kindled my interest - the Bréguet 19 TF, nicknamed the “Question Mark” (Point d’Interrogation). Not only was it big and bright red, I also found that it had the name of my home town - Pensacola, Florida - emblazoned on the side of the fuselage. Well, what’s the story here?
One of the most treasured aircraft in the museum’s collection is the Bréguet Bre.19 TF Super Bidon, the sole example built by the French company. The origin of the “Question Mark” moniker is obscure. One theory was that it had to do with who exactly was the secret sponsor of aircraft, which was later revealed to be Frenchman François Coty, founder of the cosmetics firm that carried his name. Another idea was that the question mark symbol simply meant that when this airplane took off its ultimate destination was often just a guess. Photo: A.A.S.
Plus - News, The Aviation Library, Museums, Still at Work, Preservation, The LOGBOOK, and More.
All great aviation history in this issue of LOGBOOK
The de Havilland Canada DHC-6, was an appropriate aircraft to operate in Antarctica. This bird was operated by the United States Science Program - OPERATION DEEP FREEZE 2001. Photo: U.S. Department of Defense by Master Sergeant Joe Cupido USAF