War To War

This is the A.E.G. G.IV, a twin engine bomber built in Germany for the First World War. It was a tactical bomber used for short range work around its base. This happens to be the only surviving one left in the world.

The Nieuport 12 was used by Allied forces primarily as a reconnaissance or escort plane for bombers. This is one of two left in the world. It is perched over the others.

In the group shot above, this plane is at ground level. This is a Curtiss JN-4, nicknamed the Canuck, the first Canadian aircraft to go into mass production. Used as a training aircraft during the Great War, these were often used by barnstormers afterwards. This one was purchased after the war by an American and ultimately acquired by the museum in 1962. The aircraft's restoration work included a paint job matching that of the No. 85 Canadian Training Squadron. The black cat on the fuselage is the insignia of the Squadron.

The Second World War would see new advances in aerial combat, and several planes are clustered together. I'm going to start with this small one, nestled beneath the wing of a Lancaster. The Messerschmitt Komet was an experimental rocket plane that proved to be impractical in combat. Its high speed made it difficult for pilots to strike targets, and it burned fuel rapidly.