Empire Test Pilots' School - Crashed on take-off November 24,1959

This seaplane has a truely unique place in avaition history being the first aircraft to cross the Atlantic. Three aircraft from Seaplane Division One set off on 8th May 1919 from NAS Rockaway on the crossing via Halifax and the Azores but only this NC-4 touched down in the waters of Lisbon harbour nineteen days later. Now on display at the wonderful National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola.

Curtiss Model 12 (NC) flying boat - the first aircraft to fly across the Atlantic. 8-31st May, 1919

Exhibited in the museum at Rockcliffe

This aircraft saw combat with JG26 in the Battles for France and Britain claiming five victories. On 30th Sept. 1940 it suffered engine failure in combat and belly landed near East Dean, Sussex. The pilot, Horst Perez, was shot, wounded and captured as he tried to exit the damaged plane.

This large four-engined patrol flying boat was the first aircraft to cross the Atlantic. Between 8 May and 31 May 1919 it flew from New York with intermediate stops to Newfoundland then across to the Azores and on to Lisbon and to Plymouth, England. It was returned by sea and is now preserved at the NMNA at Pensacola.

I was looking forward to visiting the Flying Heritage Collection at PAE and wasn't disappointed. Super aircraft along with informative displays made the time waiting for the 'Luftwaffe Fly-Day' to start go very quickly. I'm not particularly interested in photographing aeroplanes preserved indoors but with an immaculate I-16 just sitting there what else was there to do! Incidentally, due to the backlit nature, this shot was taken with centre rather than multi-segment metering - makes a huge difference.

This aircraft was delivered to Aeronavale as WU-21 in 1952. It was damaged while landing, Mata Uti, Wallis Islands, South Pacific and stripped and abandoned in 1963. The hulk was recovered in 1984 and conveyed to Le Bourget for restoration

This Bf-109 is painted as a JG300 machine tasked with defending Germany against the Eighth Air Force daylight bombing raids. Now on display at the National Museum of the USAF.

Performing in the warbird event at Oshkosh '83, former BuNo 79683.

Two Meteor T.7's of 613 (City of Manchester) Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, awaiting collection after the closure of the unit as part of the 1957 UK defence cuts which resulted in the total disbandment of the R.Aux.A.F. WA637 is furthest from camera.

This aircraft was shot down and belly landed in Sussex on 30th September, 1940. It is preserved in the Imperial War Museum Duxford collection.

Former BuNo 112114, at the '84 Valiant Air Command show.

Served with the Luftwaffe's Pilot School A at Landsberg in the late 1950s.

This Corsair was manufactured by Goodyear hence the FG-1 designation