Grünherz Squadron

Between 1962 and 1966, the procurement agency of the Swiss Armed Forces tested a piston engine powered PC-6 (S/N 530, serialled V-611), resulting in 12 units (V-612 through V-623) being introduced as from 1967. V-612 pictured here was manufactured in 1966 and the first of the initial batch. In 1980, all twelve were converted and equipped with the P&W PT-6 turboprop engine. A further six PC-6 Turbo Porters (V-630 through V-635) were added to the Swiss AF inventory in 1976. Having recently received an avionics upgrade, 14 remain in service at the time of upload, with no end in sight.

Former US Navy BuNo Bu153170 was delivered to Portugal as 5512 on 16 April 1982. It served Esq302 until it was withdrawn from use in 1998. After storage at Montreal, the Corsair was moved to Alverca FAP Depot (DGMFA) in February 2009. From August 2010, it was used as a fire trainer at Ota air base where it was last reported in late 2018. The SLUF is here seen while finding its way to runway 10 of Gilze Rijen during the out-of-the-area Tactical Leadership Programme 1995.

At the last light of day, TacAir's F-5E rolls out on runway 31L

Built as Kfir C1 (IAF serial 742) and later modified to Kfir C1P. 742 was leased to the USN between Apr'85-Mar'88. The USN/USMC leased 25 Kfirs between '85 and '89, which were officially designated F-21A. They were modified for use as unarmed adversaries. 12 F-21s were painted in this 3-tone blue-gray "ghost" scheme and were operated by Fighter Squadron (VF) 43 "Challengers" ('AD'), operating out of Oceana. In 1988 they were returned and replaced by the F-16N. The other 13 were assigned to VMFAT-401 at MCAS Yuma (AZ), these were replaced by the F-5E in '89. 742 is now pres in Haifa (Israel).

The aircraft was one of a number of WW 1 replicas built by Electric Television Holdings Inc. in the USA for use in the 2006 movie "Flyboys" which was being filmed at RAF Halton at the time of the photograph.

A crew chief performs a few last minute checks before this Osprey leaves Salt Lake City Airport on their way home to Quantico, VA.

The aircraft wears markings of French WWI ace René Dorme officialy credited with 23 victories but certainly much more....

Wing failed during a high-speed dive near Christchurch on April 23, 1955. Photo from: Air Force Museum of New Zealand

first c/s used by Italian Police

In exercises like this one, US ground commanders had discovered that the humble Piper Cub was quite useful in the field. The army air force didn't like it and changed the O-59 designation for an observation aircraft to L-4 for liaison to stress that such 'puddle jumpers' would better stay behind the frontline. Photo by: Dmitri Kessel / Life