"Flagship Detroit" at Spirit of St. Louis Air Show 2024. This aircraft was built in early 1937 and was delivered on March 2 as the 24th DC-3 to join the American Airlines fleet at Phoenix. The airliner did not serve in WW2 but it had the distinction of flying First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt several times. In 1947 AA sold the DC-3 which changed hands many times over 34 years, finally being used as an aerial sprayer. Capt. George Dennis and the Flagship Detroit Foundation bought the DC-3 in 2004. Restoration by volunteers has seen the aircraft return to its historically correct paint scheme.

Operated by Minden Air Corporation and photographed at San Bernardino Air Tanker Base. Sadly this aircraft was written off after it was substantially damaged when the nose wheel landing gear collapsed during the landing roll at Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT), Fresno, CA., on 15th June 2014.

This registration was cancelled on 26th September 2016 when the aircraft was sold to Canada where it became C-GFBP with Longview Aviation Services and was converted to turboprop powered CL-215T configuration. 

Photo by C. Gerdes

With Eurafric and about to be acquired by Redcoat Air Cargo - full details with my upload as XL639 at #736751. W/o Boston 16th February 1980

Photo by Michael Genovese.

Taken at an unknow location and -date

Jul 44: TOS USAAF and served in many units until October 1969 when it was ferried to Offutt AFB, NE for display at SAC Museum. 1997: Transported to new SACM facility.

Jul 44: TOS USAAF and served in many units until October 1969 when it was ferried to Offutt AFB, NE for display at SAC Museum. 1997: Transported to new SACM facility.

Turbo Beaver CF-OEE was originally delivered to the Province of Ontario, Department of Lands and Forests, Sault Ste. Marie in June 1965. It was later operated by the Province of Manitoba Air Division between 1977 and 1989 until sold to Hatchet Lake Aviation Ltd., Regina, SK in June 1989. In June 2013, it was sold to 70017 Newfoundland & Labrador Ltd., Corner Brook, NL and based Deer Lake, NL. It was photographed at Goose Bay Airport, NL on June 21, 2014. It was subsequently registered to PAL Aerospace Ltd in September 2018 and cancelled from the Canadian civil register on May 20, 2021. Fate?

The last surviving Boeing Stratocruiser (of 56 built) pictured with fading remnants of it's original Northwest Airways color scheme. The aircraft was scrapped in 1983.

Delivered as 62-4190 to the US Army in September 1963, this Caribou was transferred to the US Air Force in 1967 under Operation Red Leaf . A Military Assistance Program transfer to Spanish AF as T.9-20 Oct 1981, it was later sold to NewCal Aviation as N56NC. The aircraft was registered to Pen Turbo Aviation Mar 29, 1995 for turbine conversion. The conversion program floundered and the aircraft's registration was cancelled in 2013. At the time of uploading it remains stored at Cape May with several other DHC-4 airframes.

Taken on charge in 1955, this Pembroke was first issued to 2nd TAF Comms Sqdn, Wildenrath before storage with various MUs. In 1962 it was allocated to HQ Bomber Command Comms Sqdn, Booker, in 1963 to Flying Training Command Comms Sqdn, White Waltham and in 1964 to Western Comms Sqdn, Andover. WCS became 21 Sqdn in 1969 and the aircraft was modified to allow loading of the AOC's wife's wheelchair. Re-sparred by BAC in 1971, it joined 207 Sqdn, Northolt in 1973 and 60 Sqdn, Wildenrath in 1975. To the RAF Museum Cosford in 1987, allocated 8938M at the end of its flying career

XL639 was delivered to 99 Sqdn in October 1958, the unit becoming 99/511 Sqdn in 1961. Stored at 5 MU Kemble from October 1975, it was bought by Guiness Peat Aviation in early 1976 and on to Airline Engineering a year later after storage at Stansted. Registered EI-BDC it operated various lease periods with Aer Turas and Cyprus Airways before being sold to Eurafric in January 1978. Moving to Redcoat Air Cargo as G-BRAC in June 1978, it sadly crashed after take-off from Boston-Logan on 16th February 1980 due to ice accumulation and windshear. Pre-flight weather briefing was judged inadequate.

Although not part of the show, the RAE's Argosy is seen here leaving after the 1971 Battle of Britain Day at RAF Coltishall. First flying on 8th May 1961, XN817 initially served as a Transport Command aircraft before being transferred to the RAE at West Freugh. It crashed there on landing when the undercarriage collapsed on 1st October 1984. The fuselage was used for fire training until b/u in 2011

5 November 1943 14 Squadron (442 Squadron) Advanced Fighter Base, R.C.A.F., Aleutians, Alaska, A pilot's fast thinking and a nice piece of emergency work by ground crew saved this big R.C.A.F. transport plane which crash landed in the North West Territories. Working under extreme difficulties the ground crews made it fly again, after the pilot had landed it in such a way that repairs were possible. DND photo.