A Pratt & Whitney R-985 radial engine distinguished the DGA-15P from the other models. NC22404 (now N22404) is still registered in 2023. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

The first of 205 NH-1 instrument trainers. These wore a green band around the rear fuselage. The US Navy appreciated the qualities of the Howard DGA-15 and some 275 utility transports designated GH were also acquired, adding to four impressed civil aircraft. The GH-2 model was an ambulance. It is not clear if the name Nightingale applied to the GH-2 or to the GH and NH overall, depending if it referred to Florence or the bird. Photo from: Naval History and Heritage Command

On departure the aircraft taxied downwind some distance and turned into wind which was west. We watched with some interest, my chief pilot included, and we all commented that there wasn't enough room. We saw the aircraft leave the water and then settle a couple of times.now getting really close to our dock. It rose for the third time to maybe 50 feet and stalled, dropped a wing and cartwheeled. We ran for the rescue boat and were alongside the wreckage very quick. The two passengers were already in the water so we hauled them into the boat. The pilot was sitting on top of aircraft barely wet.

Built in 1940 and presumably photographed by Arnold when new. Briefly registered to a company in Lawrence, Massachusetts in 1951 and that is all that is known about this airframe. Photo from: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

Race number "40" and with the name "Spirit of the Fraser Valley" in gold on the port side of the nose, CF-NTY was the rarest of a diverse field of participants in the 1971 London to Victoria, BC Air Race. It may have made the first ever visit of a Howard DGA-15P to the UK. The blue Beech Staggerwing CF-GWL, race number "12", parked behind also generated vintage interest. Held to mark the centenary of British Columbia formally becoming a State of Canada. For a number of participants, the first leg of the Race was Abingdon - Prestwick, with Reykjavik being the next transatlantic waypoint.

The Howard DGA-15 was a further development of earlier Howard designs with a roomy five place cabin. After the US entry into WWII, most civil DGA-15s were commandeered by the military. Hundreds of new built aircraft were also ordered for the Army and Navy (who was the largest user). The high performance antique remains popular with pilots today.

Destroyed when the Wellington building where it was being exhibited burnt down on September 25, 1946. Photo from: RNZAF/Air Force Museum of New Zealand

In front of the Coast Guard hangar at Floyd Bennett Field. The source gives the same 6 July 1940 date for this as Rudy Arnold's other shots of this aircraft, but the special paint makes clear it was likely taken in February 1941, towards the end of its flight through the Americas. Rios Montenegro and Rivery Ortiz arrived at NOP on 4 February 1941 and departed for Havana via Miami one week later. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution