Boeing Flying Boat 1942

Churchill occupied the Bridal Suite

The video below is footage of his return to U.K.

Churchill returned to Bermuda Jan- uary 15, 1942 for his trip back to UK via a Boeing 314 Berwick flying boat.

Churchill inquired if the pilot, Captain Kelly Rogers could get him back to London, and the reply was yes! This entailed 20 hours flight rather than an eight day cruise. 

On the morning of January 17, as the “Berwick” approached Britain, Captain Kelly discovered a navigational error in not sufficiently correcting for the prevailing winds. This had allowed the aircraft to drift south of its intended landfall.

When they did not pass over the Isles of Sicily at the expected time it was realized that they were heading for the port of Brest, the most heavily defended of all the German occupied towns in Europe.

They were only six miles off when the decision was made to turn abruptly north, and the Luftwaffe planes scrambled to investigate a raider heading in from the sea never found them. They were lucky again as they approached the Royal Navy base at Plymouth. Coming in from an unexpectedly southern direction they were now thought to be a German raider and ‘six Hurricanes from Fighter Command were ordered to shoot us down’ Churchill later recalled.”

Fortunately — as the Prime Minister curtly noted — “they failed in their mission.” Below is Churchill's communication to Roosevelt on his return trip. By the way, he always addressed himself as "Former Naval Person" to President Roosevelt in their "minutes."



“To President Roosevelt I cabled, We got here with a good hop from Bermuda and a thirty-mile wind.”

Read more here about Churchill's trans Atlantic flight by "Flying Boat."

My Best,

Anne Steele

In 2011 the Aviation Museum of Kentucky (AMK), a 501c3 non-profit organization, inherited a unique 1956 Austin-Healey 100, series BN2 (BN2L230999) with an equally unique history behind it. Now you might be wondering what a museum devoted to old aircraft is doing with an old little British car? The car was purchased second-hand by Hugh Lee Grundy in Taiwan (China) in 1957. Grundy, who was born and raised on a farm in Kentucky, was a World War II aviation veteran. Soon after the war ended, he went to China where he served in managerial-level positions in several aviation enterprises during a very tumultuous period in Asia. When he purchased the car he was serving concurrently as president of Air America, Air Asia and Civil Air Transport. All were in support of CIA “covert” operations during the Cold War and the war in Southeast Asia. Grundy’s duties in Southeast Asia were so secret that even his wife did not understand his true role until Congress and the CIA recognized him in 2001.

Read more about the Healey and Mr. Hugh Grundy here!



Hugh Lee Grundy, born in 1916 at Valley Hill, Kentucky, earned his pilot's license at Louisville's Bowman Field. He attended Curtis Wright Institute of Aeronautics and Plosser Flying School, and occasionally helped Howard Hughes with his Boeing 307 and his famous Speed Holder.

April 24 The luxury resort of Der Fuhrer, Berchtesgaden, is bombed by RAF Bomber Command in its last significant mission. It had a great view but a despicable owner.

April 25 In another part of Germany, Hanna Reitsch, one of the Fatherland’s most capable pilots, is tasked with flying General Ritter von Greim from Munich to Berlin. She reaches Gatow air base near the city, but later has to retrieve him from the city. In the Arado Ar 96, Reitsch avoids the Soviet assault, touches down on a main street and lifts away. The famous female pilot of the Third Reich passed away in 1979. 

By Marty Schadler

AMK Board Secretary