Not a film set! The Mariner is from an early batch of unarmed transport aircraft. It has Second Series BuNo 6464 and wears the emblem of NATS on the nose. Photo apparently taken at Tarawa which was taken by US Marines in a bloody battle in November 1943. A seaplane base was established in the atoll's lagoon, supported by a seaplane tender. Photo from: Peter Stackpole / Life

'Naval review.' Data for the most central aircraft. We gather the R tail code was for Naval Air Reserve units at NAS New York (Floyd Bennett Field). The F9F Panther, E-109, is from NAS Minneapolis (MSP); the F7U Cutlass, I-313, is from NAS Gross Ile, Michigan; and the FJ-1 Fury, K-104, is from very inland NAS Olathe, Kansas! The tail codes for these stations were changed in 1956-57 according to Wikipedia. See photo 682839 for another view. Photo by: Frank Scherschell / Life

'Naval review.' Data for bottom centre aircraft, a fighter-bomber F2H Banshee of Naval Air Reserve, NAS Norfolk. Right row from bottom: F9F Cougar; F3D Skynight 124624; S2F Tracker; and two AD Skyraiders. Second row: the F2H-2B; F9F Panther coded E-109 of NAR, NAS Minneapolis; F7U Cutlass I-003 of NAR, NAS Gross Ile; AF Guardian 130370 / R-189 of NAR, NAS New York(?); and AJ Savage. Third row: FH Phantom(?); AD; FJ-1 Fury K-104 of NAR, NAS Olathe; AD-2 122270; V-173 Flying Pancake; and FR Fireball. A3D Skywarrior tail on the right. Still more types on the far left and behind! NAS Norfolk's P5M Marlin ramp in the background. Photo by: Frank Scherschell / Life

Rather anonymous US Navy P-3C taking off from Hato for another counternarcotics mission in the Souther Caribbean.

I left the B/W mode on the camera...or switched it on by mistake...still pleased with the result though...

Former Swiss air force J-3060.

This aircraft was written of in March 1983, details unknown. Note Bell TH-1L Iroquois BuNo 157822 c/n 6417 in the background.

The F9F-6 Cougar was the US Navy's first swept wing jet. After it was stored at NAF Litchfield Park, AZ, this Cougar was acquired by the City of Anaheim in November 1959. It was parked at what is now Boysen Park in a children's playground. The seat and controls were left in and storage areas open for kids to explore. Years of play caused sharp edges in the metal and in 1967, the jet was covered with wire mesh and a two inch layer of a cement and glue mixture was layered on. Seat and controls removed and compartments sealed for safety, children are still able to crawl all over it.

Struck of charge in 1977 this Douglas A-4L Skyhawk is painted as an A-4C (although labeled an A-4G) of retired Cdr. Everett Alvarez, Jr USS Constellation VA-144 Roadrunners.

Photo by C.J. van Gent

Photo by David Spiteri Staines.

MATS was originally a joint US Air Force and Navy affair. In December 1956 the USAF was put in control and in 1958, the US Navy had to transfer 32 of its 50 R7V Constellations to the USAF. Perhaps the struggle for these aircraft began earlier since they were allocated 1954 serials, in this case 54-4051. Photo from: US Navy - National Naval Aviation Museum

Delivered to the US Navy as 158566 in 1972. Stored at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ in 2004. Left in 2010 and rebuilt for the Republic of China Air Force as 3302. Delivered in 2014.

Stored at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ in 1993. Sold for scrap in 2015.