6 Mar '44: TOS USAAF. D-Day: Was lead aircraft for the invasion, dropping paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division at 0048. Hit by Flak. Returned to England, repaired Flak damage, then made 2nd mission in the evening, delivering a glider load of troops and equipment. 1944: Flew many missions flying supplies into France and evacuated wounded troops to England. 15 Aug 44: Dropped paratroopers in Operation Dragoon. 17 Sep 44: Dropped paratroopers during Operation Market Garden. 12/44-1/45: Flew supply missions during Battle of the Bulge. 24 Mar 45: Dropped paratroopers for Operation Varsity.

This is actually N2S-3 Bureau Number 05276, delivered new to the US Navy on 30 July 1942. It was based at NAS New Orleans from 31 July 1942 through July 1945. Transferred to NAS Dallas, TX in August 1945 and stricken there on 31 March 1946.

The Experimental Aircraft Association acquired this rare North American P-64 in 1964. Flown for years by EAA President Paul Poberezny at EAA events, the aircraft was retired to the EAA Museum in 1988. The engine was run again in 2013 and it returned to flying in 2016 after further refurbishment.

This CA-18 was built by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation and TOC by the RAAF as A68-100 in November 1947. After its military service it was used by Fawcett Aviation, allocated VH-BOW, for test flights 1961-1962 to evaluate its use for high-altitude photographic survey. After these trials it was retired and the registration was ntu, after which it was shipped to USA in 1968 to be restored for use as a warbird and for racing eventually becoming N51AB in July 1971. The plane was exported to Germany in January 2015 and is pictured taxiing in to take part in this very interesting show.

ex El Salvador 405.

In Europe for the recent D-Day commemorations. Each engine appears to have a name, 'Idling Ada' and on the starboard side 'Eager Eileen'.

With G-JERK 'Jersey Jerk' and G-BIXL 'Miss Helen'

Up close with Maverick's Mustang at Planes of Fame Air Museum. This aircraft was constructed at Dallas in 1944 as a P-51K. Two Eastman Kodak K-24 aerial cameras were mounted near the tail for photo recce. These cameras with interchangeable lenses could carry up to 56 feet of film that would take a 5" square photo by day or night. There is no reliable record of the Mustang's use by the USAAF during WW2. Tom Cruise flew this aircraft in Top Gun 2.