Acquired Jun 97 ex Kitty Hawk Air Cargo. Previous to that it was N451GA with General Aviation and of course the USAF (52-5832).

It had recently been acquired by Rhoades International ex Century Airlines. Started life as an CV-240 with American Airlines before going to Trans Texas Airways, with whom it was when converted to a CV-600, then Texas International, SMB Stage Lines, Kitty Hawk Cargo and Century Airlines. Broken up by Oct 2004.

Originally a Convair 240 operated by American Air Lines and Trans Texas Airways. Converted to Convair 600 Nov 1966. Joined SMB Stage Lines Jan 78. To Kitty Hawk Air Cargo Oct 91. Operated with Rhoades from Jun 2000 to Aug 2001 when it went to J&R Aircraft Leasing. In Jun 2003 it made its way to Mexico and Transportes Saltillo Monterrey as XA-TYF. Noted still in service Sep 2009. Apparently had some sort of mishap later that year (no details known) and did not fly again.

Delivered as LV-ADO in 1949 and acquired by Líneas Aéreas Paraguayas in 1962. Withdrawn from use by 1972 and stored at Asunción. Placed on display as seen here circa 1997.

I've seen it worked on from time to time, but when you ask when is it going to fly, the answer is usually, "one of these days".

A new T-29D, probably in 1953. The T-29D was a bombardier trainer and the belly radome housed the radar for the B-47 Stratojet's K series bombing system. Photo from: Nederlands Instituut voor Militaire Historie

Location was named Itazuke Air Base, Japan when photo was taken.

This Convair is pretending to be a HC-131A, but in fact it's a Convair 240-11 (ex N280P) which never saw any military service. It was donated to the Castle Air Museum in 1999 and registered to them as N280P on 23 Jun 1999. By Dec 2003 it had been restored in nice USCG markings as "5785". By Jul 2008 those markings had been removed in preparation of a repaint, which is seen in progress in this photo. By Oct 2011 it was back in now very poorly done USCG markings, again as "5785".

In 1987 this Convair was used by the NASA as a Space Shuttle Crew Escape System testbed. It was fitted with a CES (Crew Escape System) mockup on the left side of the rear fuselage. The aircraft was stored here at California City by 1993, and preserved by 1997, reportedly by a set-up called the California Museum of Air and Space.

As of Sep 1987 this Convair was used by the NASA as a Space Shuttle Crew Escape System testbed. This photo still shows the CES (Crew Escape System) mockup that was fitted to the left side of the rear fuselage. The CES was a candidate concept developed to provide crew egress capability during Space Shuttle controlled gliding flight. Actual tests of this system with this Convair began on 20 Nov 1987, whereby life-like dummies were pulled from the modified aircraft's side hatch mockup by tractor rockets. The aircraft had been stored here at California City by 1993, and preserved by 1997, reportedly by a set-up called the California Museum of Air and Space.

Sold in the US as N9313R in 1959

Operated by the University of Washington for atmospheric research. I thought the tail was a different colour but in fact its faded and discoloured. Obviously it got a paint job by the time Mark Piacentini photographed it. Also note that there is no observation dome on the fuselage in my photo.

Operated by Grubbs Aviation Inc.

Retired Aug 1990.

Originally USAF C-131 52-5785 this Convair was transferred to the US Coast Guard in 1976. Pictured in the twilight of it's military service, the aircraft was sold as N27232 in May 1982.

While the aircraft appears to be in good condition, it is not a good fit for Desert Air's business model and hasn't been flown for quite a number of years.