This rare gem of an aircraft was displayed outside the Musee de l'Air during the airshow again, though it was not easy to find and must have been missed by many visitors. It is not the real 130077, but ex 128594.

This helo appeared just outside the former Soesterberg air base, reportedly to form part of the air force museum at the base. However, the Netherlands have no history with this type of aircraft. It was transferred to the then Aviodome museum at Amsterdam-Schiphol and when the museum moved to Lelystad (and became Aviodrome) was stored at the back of a hangar. It is now meant as barter for a relevant aviation artefact.

Delivering the mail to the cruiser USS Salem. Note the enormous North American AJ-2 Savage of VAH-7 on the deck of the carrier USS Lake Champlain. Photo from: Naval History and Heritage Command

Painted as one of 15 HUP-2 Retrievers operated by the Aéronavale, this is acutally BuNo 128594.

Packed up and ready to be hauled off along with a wing from a Grumman F-9. The Piasecki was on its way to the Grissom air base in Indiana but is not currently listed as a exhibit. The connection is that astronaut Gus Grissom was picked up a Piasecki HUP after his splashdown on the Mercury 2 mission.

On the deck of the aircraft carrier Saratoga. HU-2 maintained a number of HUP-2 detachments aboard carriers. Photo from: US Navy - National Naval Aviation Museum

[Nikon D300 + Tokina 12-24mm/4]

This one wouldn't fly again!

This Retriever was delivered from Edwards AFB to the Midway Restoration hangar at NAS North Island during Jan. 2010 and is now on display on the flight deck of the USS Midway Museum.

This Retiever is currently undergoing restoration at the Tennessee Museum of Aviation.

This beauty, a rare type has apparently been in store at Dugny (the opposite side of Le Bourget to the Museum) for decades. Beautifully restored it was displayed outside the Musee de l'Air during the airshow. Often misquoted as cn 77, it is not the real 130077, but ex 128594.

This is the former French Navy 130076 which has been preserved in good condition by the Baris petrol station since 1973.