AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2022 - 34

BRIEFING
F IRST LOOK /
America's first warbird
New movie celebrates the 'Liberty Plane'
BY JULIE SUMMERS WALKER
LEGENDS OF THE Sky: The Liberty Plane profiles the development of the United States'
first war aircraft, the de Havilland DH-4 Liberty, and the enormous contributions the
aircraft made to aviation history. Filmmaker and pilot Dorian Walker produced the film
with the organization Friends of Jenny, which was established several years ago to restore
a Curtiss Jenny (see " Flying Miss Jenny, " AOPA Pilot July 2016).
" We have finished our film on America's first warbird. Inspired by both the timeframe,
our own DH-4 (which is filmed in it before its hard landing), and Peter Jackson's They Shall
Not Grow Old, we have attempted to take audiences back in time, " said Walker. " I'm a filmmaker
and lifelong aviator. In the past decade I've been focusing on bringing the old birds
back to life, both in film and on the flight line. We still fly the 1917 replica Curtiss Jenny,
which was featured in our first film, Legends of the Sky: The Jenny in 2014. "
The story of America's first warbird, the DH-4 Liberty Plane, was largely unknown,
Walker said, yet so many innovations evolved from it. " The development and history of
America's first warbird is innovative, exciting, and heroic. Legends of the Sky: The Liberty
Plane, brings this story to the screen. " It will air on PBS stations beginning October 15.
The DH-4 Liberty was the only American-built airplane to be flown into combat in
World War I by American crews. Designed by British engineer Geoffrey de Havilland, the
bomber first flew into combat with the British Royal Flying Corps in early 1917. When the
United States joined the war in April, an example was sent to the U.S. to determine if it was
suitable for American production. In less than a year, the U.S. adopted the airframe, and
automakers designed and produced a massive V-12 engine to power the aircraft.
AV I AT ION HISTORY /
Who has made the longest glider flights?
BY IAN J. TWOMBLY
OBSERV ING NATURE'S POWER on a different level is one of the
many privileges of being a pilot. Elite-level glider pilots take that
privilege a step further and harness that power. Browsing through
glider records is a study in the incredible ability these pilots have
to read the conditions and adapt to them in order to stay aloft as
long as possible or fly as far as possible. For decades, American
Thomas Knauff held the world record for the longest out-and-back
distance in a glider when he flew the spine of the Appalachians for
a total of 1,023 miles.
Then along came German Klaus Ohlmann, flying the 87-footwingspan
Schempp-Hirth Nimbus 4 DM. Using the wave action of
the Andes Mountains, Ohlmann has made so many 2,000-kilometer
(1,242-mile) flights that his followers have stopped counting.
The longest yet was his world record flight of 1,869 miles. That's
the equivalent of flying from New York to the Grand Canyon,
nonstop, and without an engine. While his longest flight was a traditional
glider triangle route, he's also made straight-line flights
of more than 2,000 kilometers, a feat made possible with modern
gliders and an increasingly intimate knowledge of the Andean
waves. ian.twombly@aopa.org
34
AOPA PILOT / November 2022
Airing on PBS starting this Fall.
Legends of the Sky: THE LIBERTY PLANE profiles the startling development of
America's first war plane and the enormous contributions the aircraft has made to aviation
history. In less than one year, the U.S. adopted an airframe and automakers designed and
produced a massive V12 engine to power the Liberty Plane. Meet the men and women of a
century ago, as they answer the call of our nation to defend Liberty in Europe during WW1.
One Hour (1 hr.) Never before seen digital footage, Colorized, with aerial battles.
This program will air nationally this fall on PBS stations, check your local station for broadcast times.
Bringing to life a forgotten, yet riveting story about commitment
The American Aircraft Production
Board approved the design for construction
in July 1917, pairing it with the
American-designed V-12 " Liberty " engine.
Because of this, American DH-4 airplanes
were known as " Liberty planes. " The first
Liberty plane rolled out of a U.S. factory on
October 29, 1917.
julie.walker@aopa.org
the liberty plane
Legends of the Sky:
[Type text]
THE LIBERTY PLANE
Bringing to life a forgotten, yet riveting story
about commitment and sacrifice, about manufacturing miracles,
and about bravery and Love...

AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2022