Two of five 349th SRS/100th SRW U-2s on the Airborne Location Strike System/Pave Strike deployment to Wethersfield in May and June 1975. 56-6700 crashed near Bonn in Germany just days after this shot, on 29.5.75. The official press realease stated that they were involved in a "high altitude sampling program"

Built as an RC-121D and progressively updated as EC-121D, then EC-121H and finally EC-121T. Retired to MASDC in late 1978 by the Homestead AFB-based 79 AEW & CS, with 20980 hrs recorded. Later broken up

Civilian registered as NL63004 after WWII and advertised as a 6-seat executive conversion in 1952. Acquired by the USAFM in 1961 and nowadays displayed indoors, painted to represent 43-21475 "Little Joe"

Looking superb on the Northolt ramp, this 58th MAS VIP JetStar ended its days at Rhein-Main as a battle damage repair practice airframe

North American's B-45 was the first jet bomber for the USAF, serving SAC from 1950 till 1959, but quickly superseded in the nuclear role during the early 50s by the B-47 Stratojet. A total of 143 were built, most 'C' models being completed as RB-45C reconnaissance aircraft, although this example was used latterly by Pratt & Whitney for engine testing, being flown to the Museum in 1971. Now housed inside in the marks of 47th BW (Light), which based B-45s at RAF Sculthorpe from 1952-58

One of 12 A-7Ds seen on a 3-week detachment from the 169 TFG/157 TFS, McEntire ANGB, South Carolina ANG, accompanied by another six from other units, for exercise "Coronet Teal". Later served Virginia ANG (named "Cadillac") then Ohio ANG and was destroyed on the Eglin ranges by a missile in Nov 2000

Used as a test bed at Wright-Patterson AFB under the designation JB-47E in the 1960s, this was the first USAF aircraft with a fly-by-wire control system. Added to the Museum in 1969 and displayed until 2003, latterly inside, when replaced by RB-47H 53-4299. Now stored outside the Museum's Restoration Hangar

My favourite exhibit at the superb AMC Museum. One of a handful surviving out of 50 built, the Cargomaster was designed as a long-range strategic airlifter, particularly for the transport of ICBMs. All were withdrawn in 1971 when metal fatigue was found. This example was delivered to the 1501ATW (MATS) at Travis AFB, CA in 4.61, the unit becoming 60MAW in 1966. Decommissioned and to Offutt AFB, NE for the SAC Museum in 6.71; like the C-124, flown to Dover inside a C-5 when the SAC Museum relocated in 1998

This A-26 was acquired from the Eagles Air Museum (part of the Bonanzaville Museum and Historic Village) in Fargo, ND by the AMC Museum in Aug 2008 for restoration and placed on display soon after. Most sources incorrectly quote the aircraft as c/n 28802 ex N3428G (ex USAAF 44-35523), due to a mistake by the Eagles Air Museum in Fargo. This is why it is also falsely painted as such. Its true identity however is 44-35552 c/n 28831 ex N5544V. It's

This former 167th TFS WV ANG Sabre was acquired on disposal in 1961 by Dan Moyer of Front Royal, VA. Stored for over 30 years before being restored and placed on display at his local regional airfield with "Howdy Doody" nose art on the other side

This Provider was taken on charge in 1957 as a C-123B and served in Vietnam from 1961 to 1972, first as a UC-123B and later as a UC-123K when the auxiliary J85 jets were added, flying low-level defoliant and insecticide spray missions and cargo deliveries into strips as short as 2,000ft. Stored at Davis-Monthan from 1976 but reactivated for the Peruvian police on drug interdiction work under US Department of State registration N97033 from 1987 (nicknamed "El Burro"), prior to preservation at Dover in 1990. Serial presentation "AF40-658" is of course nonsense and should have read "AF54-658".

While developing the XP-84, Republic looked at installing rockets in fighters, inspired by late wartime German research. However the resulting XP-91 was quickly obsolete thanks to the rapidly increasing performance of newer jet engines and only two prototypes were built, although one was the first US fighter to exceed Mach 1 in level flight. An unusual feature was the wing planform, markedly tapered outwards from the fuselage to a wide chord at the wingtips to combat stall problems with early swept-wing designs

In 1978 the first of 116 F-4Gs, converted from F-4Es, joined the 35th TFW to accelerate the take-over from F-105s in the 'Wild Weasel' SAM suppression role. This example was later converted to a QF-4G drone and was w/o on 10.4.02

This Dagger entered storage under the Arizona sun in 1973 and still wears the marks of the 57th FIS from its duty in Iceland in this 1979 photo, but went on to enjoy a short new life being shot at as a PQM-102B drone after conversion by Sperry just six months later

Arrived at Upper Heyford on 9 May 1979 along with 55-0107 and 56-0659 and left on 23 May 1979. From the 96th BW at Dyess AFB, TX and participating in Exercises Flintlock and Dawn Patrol. While serving in Vietnam with the 43rd BW, this one was adorned with a huge sharkmouth and was involved in the 'Linebacker II' campaign of 1972. It is a survivor, now nicely preserved with the Yankee Air Museum at Willow Run near Detroit in the polyurethane finish first introduced in 1970 for better weather resilience in South East Asia

Delivered to the 314th TCW in 9.57 and seen here with the 711th SOS, this early Hercules went to the Bolivian AF as TAM-65 in 10.88 and was wfu by 7.96; still stored at La Paz in 2008

This AFRes/302TAW Provider, heading a line of six, was placed into store at DM on 29.6.80 and scrapped in 2013

Originally Air Force One from 1959, this superb machine has been preserved at Boeing Field since 6.96

Strangely marked as 96205 instead of the usual 26205. Based with the 56th RQS at Lakenheath, a place I associate more with the good old days of Super Sabres!

Seen here at its Eglin base, this F-111 of the resident 3246th Test Wing later carried their 'ET' tail code. Arrived AMARC 9.94 and scrapped 2011