This CL-44 was originally delivered to Flying Tigers as N447FT in August 1961. The plane went on to fly with Transmeridian Air Cargo (as N447FT), British Cargo Airlines (N447FT), Heavylift Cargo Airlines (EI-BND), Buffalo Airways (EI-BND), AZAL and Baku Express (both as 4K-GUP) before becoming 9G-LCA in August 1999. The plane was first stored at Smyrna (MQY) and ferried to BOH in December 2002 for a major overhaul. In December 2006 the plane rejoined Heavylift and was registered RP-C8023 but stored due to regulatory issues. It has since been re-registered N447FT but with an uncertain future.

Always a pleasure to see this bird at events around the area. Ex-52-10580.

Photographer: Eberhard Kunze. K64 slide scan. Built 1945 as R5D-4R for USN, retired 1973. Civilianized 1975 as C-54R N48163. Millardair C-GQIB 1978, Omni Aircraft Sales N500EJ 1990, Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation 1994, the well known "Spirit of Freedom". Damaged beyond repair by a tornado whilst parked at Walterboro, SC 13 April 2020. Replaced by C-54D N9015Q msn 22178 in 2021. Wore promotional Northwest markings for a short period in 1997.

The aircraft was damaged when it hit a ground power unit at Amsterdam on 9 May 1970. After repairs the aircraft flew back to Antwerp, but was never taken on charge again. It ended up as a local club house.

Re-registered as G-OFRT in October 1991, and cancelled in May 2003 as permanently withdrawn from use.

Delivered in 1945 to U.S. Army Air Forces as 44-78649. WFU at Gimli & b/u there. Other Reg's & Operators: N74171 (Pan American World Airways & Ferrer Av. & Ortner Air Svc.) / 5Y-IBX (Relief Air Transport Kenya). Also operated in same Reg. for Northland Air Manitoba & Commando Air Transport & First Nations Trans. & Sasco Ltd. Photographer: Unknown * Original Kodachrome K25 * Fernando Mesquita Slide Collection.

The airfield of Ceadîr-Lunga, in the autonomous territorial unit of Gagauzia in Southern Moldova, was once a thriving airport where Yak-40s could be found. These days are long gone. More recently, the idea was to use the airfield as the base for a flight school and paracentre, for which this An-2 was brought over. It was registered as ER-AIC but that registration could not be found on the airframe, which was found in this sorry state.

In June 1952, this Försvarets radioanstalt (FRA) DC-3, Sweden's National Defence Radio Establishment, took off on a classiifed flight over the Baltic. It is still unknown if the mission was to spy on the Soviet fleet, or to monitor the Soviet radar stations in the Baltic states. After two hours a distress call was picked up and all contact was lost. In 2003, the wreckage of the DC-3 on the Baltic seabed was found, with bullet holes discovered in both the wings and the fuselage. Russia has since admitted that a MiG-15 shot down the DC-3. The lower floor of the museum is given over to the tragedy.

Former Soviet DOSAAF An-2 out grazing at Vadul lui Voda, the former DOSAAF airfield near Chisinau, Moldova's capital. The airfield is still used for general and sports aviation.

Photo by Mario Pace.

Built 1956 and delivered to Sabena June 1956. To Aviaco as EC-APT in 1959 and then to Transporte Aéreo Militar in Bolivia as TAM-44 in May 1972. On 27 October 1975, it departed Tomonoco en route to La Paz-El Alto Airport, carrying military officers and their families. Flights departing Tomonoco to La Paz must climb to FL100 to cross the peaks of the Andes Mountains. Because it was overloaded, it failed to attain that level and crashed in the Cerro Colorado Mountains NE of La Paz. The aircraft was destroyed and all 67 occupants killed. It was the worst Convair 440 accident.