Arrived from MASDC a year earlier having been retired from service with the 605th Air Commando Squadron, 24th Composite Wing at Howard AFB, Panama in 1968. Now restored as an aircraft operating over the 'Hump" in WWII as per my December 2024 upload

Taken on strength with the Tripartite Evaluation Squadron (TES), West Raynham in June 1964 as XS688, in 1966 this Kestrel was one of six transferred to the USA as XV-6As for further trials. In 1970 it was delivered by air aboard a C-5A from Edwards to Wright-Patterson AFB and is seen here sans nose wheel

Seen outside in the TAC markings in which it finished its service career, before restoration in Presidential colours as "The independence" (as per my upload from December 2024)

Satellite recovery C-119J seen before preparation for display as per my upload from December 2024

Taken into service in September 1954 as an F-89D and upgraded to F-89J in 1957, this aircraft was the last Scorpion in service with an operational unit and arrived at the museum in July 1969 from the Maine ANG. These days it is painted as an F-89J of the 449th FIS as per my upload from December 2024 here

Built as an A-26C-45-DT by Douglas at Tulsa and delivered to the USAF in May 1945, this Invader served with a Base Unit in Grenada from September that year. Redesignated B-26C in 1948, it went on to operate with the Louisiana, Virginia and New York ANGs before being flown to the museum in September 1957

Convair's magnificent but demanding B-58 equipped two of SAC's Bomb Wings between 1960 and 1970, the 43rd at Carswell AFB, TX and the 305th at Bunker Hill/Grissom AFB, IN. The example which has been preserved by the USAFM since December 1969 served the former and won trophies in 1962 for the fastest transcontinental crossing of the US

In 1965 this became the last WB-50D to be retired, but it flew on for another couple years as a JB-50D test vehicle here at Wright Patterson (further details with my December 2024 photo)

Delivered as an RC-121D and redesignated EC-121D in 1962. Operating from Korat RTAFB, Thailand by 1967 with 553rd and later 552nd AEW&CW. Ferried to museum in August 1971, a much better photo being possible back when it was parked outside

This 363rd TRW Vietnam veteran was one of the many fabulous exhibits lined up on the old Wright Field runway before the second and subsequent indoor galleries were built, affording never-to-be repeated photographic opportunities. This link shows how she looked during my next visit, a mere 51 years later

This Mustang, redsignated as an F-51D in 1948, had the honour of being the last prop-driven fighter operational with a USAF tactical unit when retired by the 167th Fighter-Bomber Squadron (ANG), Shepherd Field, Martinsburg, WV in January 1957. It was ferried in these colours from Charleston, WV to Patterson Field, OH for preservation at the USAF Museum, being met over Ohio by an F-100 Super Sabre. It seems rather surprising in view of its significance as the last P-51 in service that by 1982 it had been repainted to represent a different aircraft (see my 2024 photo)

It was very difficult shooting in the dark corners of the USAF Museum on Kodachrome, but modern processing of the scan has produced this result. A Black Widow that was used for thunderstorm research from Clinton County AFB, OH and radar testing from Wright Field post-war, going to the Boy Scouts of America for display in Urbana, OH in 1949. Donated to USAFM in 1958 and painted as P-61B 42-39468 of the 55th Night Fighter Sqdn, scrapped at Clark in the Philippines in 1949. A few years after this shot, that serial was applied at the museum but it later reverted to the true identity for this frame

built as a TC-131E for the US Air Force. Ex N105 with the FAA. To the US Navy as N3UW, in 1997 to the University of Washington before becoming a freighter with Contract Air Cargo, then to Kelowna Flightcraft Air Charter - converted to a Convair 5800. In 2007 to Gulf & Caribbean Air - IFL Group operating in the Miami area (photographer not known)

Photographer: Unknown photographer.

This slide was taken at the Blue Angels hangar at Pensacola not long after the Blue Angels mid-air collision at NAS Lakehurst, which was the last time the F-4s were used by the team. In 1974 153084 was transferred to NATC. Later it was converted to a EF-4J and assigned to VAQ-33 from 1976-80. It was then converted to a DF-4J, spending 1983-85 at PMTC. Retired in 1985 and stored at AMARC.

Last Superfreighter built

Photo by Steve Kraus.

Ex-SE-FPF. Later SE-FPF, N404RS. Written off 25-Feb-1985, Sunset Hills, Missouri. Photo by Tuomo T. Mäkinen

slide from Norbert Kröpfl. - This Falcon 20 was the personal aircraft of Jean-Bédel Bokassa, the ruler of the Central African Republic, and was operated out of its base Bangui from 1969 until 1974. Sold via Switzerland as HB-VER, the bizjet found new owners in Saudi Arabia for the following 25 years, registered as HZ-KA3 and HZ-NES. Therafter it was flown to the US as N174BD and was finally noted as such in storage at Fayetteville AR in 2007.