This P-35 really is 36-404

Bell Aircraft began studying the tilt rotor concept in the 1940s. The XV-3 was the first hardware to come out of the design work and led to the V-22 Osprey (via the Bell XV-15 tilt rotor). Two XV-3s were built between 1952 -55, with the first (54-147) crashing in 1956 during testing. The cause was in-flight instability and the remaining aircraft continued extensive flight and wind tunnel testing. This aircraft was retired in 1966 after being damaged during the last wind tunnel test. It was transferred to the National Museum of the US Air Force in 2007 after a two year restoration by Bell.

Eugene Sommerich Collection via Jim Morrow

Initially flew as XS688 with the Tripartite Evaluation Squadron before being allocated to the USA for further tests.

Photographer: Jack Morris. Possibly on delivery to the US Air Force Museum.

In the 1970s flown by the 410th BW and latterly by the 5th BW and a participant in 2010's Fairford show, this was the penultimate B-52 of 744 produced

My first US trip included a highly rewarding excursion to the USAF Museum at Wright Field. This great old West Virginia ANG bird was shot from the pool of my nearby lodgings. In 1971 she visited Greenham Common, UK, from her Charleston base as a C-119G with 4-blade props but was modified to 'L' standard with 3 blades soon after. At one point she was also a test bed for Stealth technology, painted black with special $300/gallon paint. The frame still survives, exhibited at Fort Bragg, NC

Exhibited at Wright Patterson AFB, but later broken up.

New to ONA 10.67 and sold on to Evergreen in 10.76, this convertible freighter has been with Airborne Express since late 1981, becoming N905AX. Taken from my hotel during a visit to the USAFM