Of over 15,000 Ju 88s built, only two complete airframes survive, one at the RAF Museum, Hendon and this Fortele Aeriene Romane example whose disillusioned pilot defected to Cyprus in July 1943. It is a long-range photographic reconnaissance version modified for tropical use. In October 1943 it arrived here at Wright Field for evaluation and went into store at Davis Monthan in 1946. Displayed from 1960, my photo here shows as of 1973 in the second iteration of Luftwaffe camouflage carried since going on show. It was restored to its true Romanian AF markings in 1988

The Huskie's unusual intermeshing configuration used two wooden rotors turning in opposite directions, eliminating the need for a tail rotor. Such helicopters on crash rescue alert could be airborne in approximately one minute with a 700-gallon fire suppression kit hanging beneath. Last serving with the 42nd ARRS at Kirtland AFB, NM, this one had set several climb/altitude/distance class records in 1961/62. It was flown to the USAFM in April 1973

This 'Thud' is marked as it appeared while serving in the 357th TFS/355th TFW at Takhli RTAFB in Thailand. The nickname "Memphis Belle II" refers to the B-17F that carried the same artwork during WWII. The red stars under the cockpit represent the two MiG kills it claimed during the Vietnam War. Last operating with the 121st TFS/113rd TFW Maryland ANG from Andrews AFB, it arrived at the museum in April 1990

This Mossie, true serial RS709, has been restored to a Mk. XVI configuration and painted c1988 as a weather recce aircraft of the USAAF's 653rd BS based at RAF Watton in 1944-1945. It is a British-built B.Mk.35 manufactured in 1946, converted for towing targets by 1959 for 3 Civil Anti-Aircraft Cooperation Unit, Exeter. In 1963 it was registered G-ASKA to fly in the filming of 633 Squadron. At the end of 1971 it was ferried to Harlingen, TX as N9797 and back to the UK (Blackbushe) in November 1979. Restored as G-MOSI in RAF camo, it ferried to the USAFM Oct 1984/Feb 1985

This is actually L-5GG 42-98225 and once bore civil registration N66225. It is named "Guinea Short Lines" on the left of nose and "Pacoma Howdy" on the right

Painted as a USAAF 14th Photographic Squadron aircraft that flew from Mount Farm in England in the latter part of WWII, this is actually PA908 which was retrieved from Poona in India in 1984, where it had been in use as Indian AF instructional airframe M342. It was transferred to the IAF in 1947 after service at various RAF stations in the Far East, ending up at Palam (Delhi) in May 1946

This is a flyable replica built for Cole Palen's flying circus at Old Rhinebeck aerodrome, NY. Painted to represent the aircraft of Lt Rudolf Stark, squadron leader of Jasta 35b in October 1918, it was loaned to the museum in 1996

Built as UH-1F-BF 64-15476 by Bell at Fort Worth, in 1969 this was one a number converted to UH-1P for special operations in SE Asia while it was assigned to the 20th SOS (Green Hornets), 14th SOW. In April 1980 it was flown to the USAFM and is now presented to represent a UH-1F involved in a Medal of Honor winning rescue mission in November 1968 as depicted in this set piece

Painted to represent a P-40 of the famous Flying Tigers, the First American Volunteer Group (AVG) of the Republic of China Air Force, this is actually a Kittihawk I taken up by the RAF in 1941 as AK987, transferred to the RCAF as 1068 in January 1942. Postwar it received registrations N1237N and N5673N. Crashed in Ohio in 1958, in 1965 it was loaned to the USAFM. The technical block stencilling has been left incomplete, showing only 41-

This Jenny was delivered to the US Army Air Services around 1918 as A2805 and postwar was used for barnstorming till about 1930 when it was dismantled and went into store in a barn. Acquired by the USAFM in 1956, it was displayed with its correct identity of 2805 from 1971 until restored again in 2023, emerging as a Signal Corps aircraft based at Love Field, TX, in 1918

Built as Spitfire F.Vc (Trop) MA863 in mid-1943, this aircraft was shipped to the RAAF in October 1943 and entered service as A58-246. After a crash landing at Lake Tarang, Victoria in August 1945 it was relegated to ground instructional use before disposal and farm storage. Long-term restoration began in 1975, not completed till 2000 after shipment to England in 1998. In March 2000 it was flown by C-5A to Wright Patterson for the USAFM and was initially displayed in RAF camouflage as 'XR-T' of 71 Sqdn. By 2006 it had been repainted as a machine of the 308th FS, USAAF Mediterranean Theatre

What could happen when a cadet pilot applied the brakes too hard with the wind behind. On average during the war, 40% did not graduate from flying school. Painted to represent a USAAC BT-9C, this NA-64 is one of a group originally built for the French but diverted to Canada when France was overrun in the Blitzkrieg. Flown by the RCAF in Ontario with s/n 3417, it was stored by a private buyer from 1946 to 1969. It was then restored to fly as N4737G till joining the museum in 1978

Given USN BuNo 46595 in 1943, this Cat was demobbed as N9501C but by 1963 was operated by Panair do Brazil (for oil company Petrobras) as PT-AXM. In February 1963 it joined the Forca Aerea Brasileira with s/n 6551 designated as a C-10, continuing operations in the Amazon. Ferried to Fort Lauderdale in by March 1984, it flew on to the UASFM in July, the nose gear collapsing on landing at Wright Field. By 1988 it was presented as OA-10A 44-33879 of the 2nd Emergency Rescue Sqdn in the Pacific Theatre with a 'Snafu Snatchers' logo on the right side and mission marks on the left

This SPAD was built by the Kellner et ses Fils piano works outside Paris in October 1918 for the Armee de Terre with s/n 16594 but too late to see combat service. In 1919 it was shipped to the US with 434 other SPAD XIIIs, a smaller 150hp Wright-Hispano being fitted. In 1930 it was flown to Roosevelt Field, NY and abandoned till bought by Cole Palen for his flying circus at Old Rhinebeck. Flown as N2030A after restoration in 1956, it was bequeathed to the USAFM arriving in 1996. Now painted as the 94th PS SPAD of ace Capt. Rickenbacker, restored with correct 220hp Hispano-Suiza engine

This was the last Mustang in operational service with a USAF tactical unit, 44-74936 - see my 1973 photo here. In view of that, it is odd that around 1982 it was repainted as seen now to represent a P-51D flown by the commander of the 325th Fighter Group in Italy in 1944

First flown in 1935, the Norseman was designed for rugged Canadian bush country operations on wheels, floats or skis. Noorduyn supplied 769 to the USAAF by the end of WWII; it was abroad one of these that bandsman Glenn Miller disappeared on a flight from England to France, the aircraft never being found. Marked to represent a UC-64A operated in Alaska late in WWII, this example is actually 44-70296 civilianised in 1946 as N55860 and then CF-KVB in 1958. It was damaged by fire in 1962 but restored by 1969, becoming N57WS in 1980 and being donated to USAFM next year

This Skytrain on display is actually 43-49507, the last C-47 in routine USAF use. Constructed as a C-47B-15-DK by Douglas at Oklahoma City, it was taken on by the USAAF as 43-49507 in November 1944 and postwar served with several different support units in Florida, Texas, Nebraska and Louisiana, having undergone modification to C-47D around 1947. It was flown to the museum in 1975 having accumulated 20,821 hours and in 1987 was painted in the marks of the 438th Troop Carrier Group, changed after 2010 to the current scheme representing a C-47A of the 439th TCG used to recover gliders on D-Day

This is a P-38L built by Lockheed at Burbank which was taken up by the USAAF in July 1945 as 44-53232, painted to represent a P-38J of the 55th FS based at Wittering and Kings Cliffe in England. In fact the aircraft was immediately converted to an F-5G reconnaissance variant but was civilianised in 1946 as N66678 and was raced as #11, named "City Slicker". Sold to the Honduran AF as FAH505 in 1949, in returned to the US in 1960 and after storage at Kelly AFB, TX, it was ferried to the USAFM in May 1961 and soon displayed in the current scheme outdoors

Constructed as B-26G-11-MA 43-34581 by Martin at Baltimore, MD, in October 1944 it was delivered to Casablanca where it joined the Free French forces as s/n 334581, flying 37 combat missions by the end of WWII. After storage at Mont de Marsan, it was transferred to the Air France airline school at Vilgenis as a ground trainer in 1951. In June 1965 it was airfreighted by C-124 from Chateauroux AB to the USAF Museum where it initially went on display with its true serial, but by 1982 was repainted as now seen in the marks of a B-26B of the 387th BS/556th BG, 9th AF

In 1945, A-20 43-22200 was modified as a CA-20G staff transport, but early in 1946 it was civilianised and operated with the registration N63004 till donated by the Bankers Life & Casualty Co of Chicago to the USAFM in 1961. My 1973 photo here shows the aircraft as it was displayed then with correct serial, but by 1994 it was repainted to represent a Havoc of the 312th BG/389th BS "Roarin' 20s" which flew the type in the Southwest Pacific