The EDO factory was at College Point, Queens, very close now to La Guardia's Rwy 04/22 pier, and this is thought to be this location. New York photographers Arnold and Hans Groenhoff sometimes shot the same subjects - or were some of their photos mixed up? Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

Two Piper Cubs were put on the wing of the Martin XPB2M-1 Mars prototype to show its size. This doesn't work too well in this view. The flying boat was rolled out on 27 September 1941. The photo date is given as late 1942, which seems too late. The Cubs, NC40743 and NC40745, are listed as manufactured in 1941. Photo by: Hans Groenhoff / Smithsonian Institution

Withdrawn from use in 1945. Had been used for propaganda flights. Photo from: Townsville City Library

The C-76 was built of wood as a precaution against aluminium shortages but these did not arise in America during WWII. The type also had lots of issues. The first YC-76, 42-86918, lost its tail and crashed one week after its first flight in May 1943. The War Department cancelled its orders in August 1943. Eleven YC-76 and nine YC-76A airframes were completed by a new Curtiss plant in Kentucky, and five C-76s with lower serial numbers, including this machine, in Buffalo. The US roundel with a red outline was used during the summer of 1943. The chase plane is a CW-22B, NC19446. Photo by: Hans Groenhoff / Smithsonian Institution

The Prussian Aeronautical Observatory Lindenberg provided weather information for the aviation industry. About the time the Junkers was acquired it was sampling ozone levels at different altitudes. D-754 was scrapped in 1936. Photo from: University of Melbourne

Sold in the civil market as VH-BVX in 1960. Photo from: National Archives of Australia

Crashed near Darwin, Northern Territory, on December 19, 1939 after a forced landing in the dark following an engine failure. All on board escaped but VH-UXI was burnt out. Photo from: State Library of New South Wales

Rolls-Royce Nene powered. Used for test flying until withdrawn from use in 1956. Instructional airframe until burnt on the fire dump at RAAF Forest Hill (Wagga Wagga) c.1961. Photo from: State Library of New South Wales

Reregistered VH-MAE in May 1952. Photo from: State Library of New South Wales

Another view of the Iskierka prototype outside the Mielec factory. Photo from: Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe

Smart biplane airliner of CIDNA. The company operated Vienna - Warsaw as a branch of its Paris - Istanbul route. Photo from: Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe

PLL Aerolot originated as PLL Aerolloyd in the Free City of Danzig in 1922. In 1925 the company was renamed, its German shareholders were bought out and the company moved its base to Warsaw. Six F13 aircraft are seen here, including P-PALP, P-PALR and P-PALG. P-PALF (c/n 776) was a recent acquisition in 1927, replacing P-PALF (c/n 625) which was lost in 1925. Aerolot merged with two other companies to form LOT in 1929. Photo from: Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe

Three ANT-6 aircraft flew from Moscow to Warsaw on 28 July 1934, taking eight hours and 40 minutes. In August ANT-6 flights visited Paris and Rome. Photo from: Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe

Photo from: State Library of New South Wales

Impressed into the RAAF as A33-7 within a few weeks of being registered. It did not return to Guinea Airways. Photo from: State Library of South Australia

The first of the 'Flitfire' Cubs built to raise money for the RAF Benevolent Fund, NC1776 was donated by the Piper factory. This unnamed aircraft had a special N number and was fitted with spats. It is preserved at the North Carolina Aviation Museum in Asheboro. Photo by: Hans Groenhoff / Smithsonian Institution

A10-2 had made the first seaplane crossing of Bass Strait prior to being exhibited at Kings Pier during the annual Hobart Regatta. Photo from: Libraries Tasmania

Reregistered VH-MAS in November 1960 after sale to Mandated Airlines. Photo from: State Library of New South Wales

In 1941 Piper donated one Cub, NC1776, to raise money for the RAF Benevolent Fund. Piper dealers ordered another 50 J-3s, each named after a US state in small print on the nose. The so-called 'Flitfires' are seen here in New York for a fund-raising event following a formation flight from Lock Haven. The aircraft subsequently went to the respective dealers and never trained RAF pilots in a coherent manner. Readable are NC37927, NC37919, NC37923, NC37907, NC35966, NC35964, NC35967, NC37909, NC37924, NC37922, NC37903 and NC37916. NC28541, in the foreground, is a Luscombe. The Whitestone Bridge is seen in the background. Photo by: Hans Groenhoff / Smithsonian Institution

CF-CPC was lost without trace on July 21, 1951 between Vancouver and Anchorage. Last report was to say the aircraft was 90 minutes from landing. Photo from: State Library of New South Wales