First flown in 1931, the four-seat FK.43 executive aircraft and air taxi was one of the more succesful Koolhoven types, with a dozen examples built plus another eight by Fokker after WWII. Nine of the original aircraft were used by KLM. This one was delivered to the airline in November 1933 and named Juffertje (damselfly). It crashed at Amsterdam on 18 December 1935. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

One of the countless stops on KLM's intercontinental Holland - Java route, to refuel with BOC petrol. In addition to the mail, only a few affluent passengers were carried. Swiss geologist Arnold Heim was one of them. Photo by: Arnold Heim / ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

A five-passenger aircraft used by Widerøe for transporting tourists. It had several mishaps. Leased to Norwegian army air force in February 1940, still as LN-ABO, and damaged beyond repair on 28 March 1940. Photo by: Kristian Magnus Kanstad / Nordlandsmuseet

The second prototype of the Latham 47 flying boat was sent to Norway to take part in the rescue effort following the crash of the airship Italia. It is of special historic interest since it disappeared with famous polar explorer Roald Amundsen on board. Photo from: Perspektivet Museum

International rescue. The Swedish and Finnish Junkers airliners, S-AABG and K-SALG, were involved in the rescue effort following the crash of the airship Italia in 1928. Photo by: Vilhjelm Riksheim / Perspektivet Museum

Seen near Tromsø, this is the second prototype of the Latham 47 flying boat, sent north to take part in the rescue effort following the crash of the airship Italia. This aircraft disappeared with famous polar explorer Roald Amundsen on board. Photo by: Vilhjelm Riksheim / Perspektivet Museum

At the northern terminus of the Bergen to Tromsø coastal route. DNL logo worn on tailfin. Photo by: Håkon Mathisen / Perspektivet Museum

Junkers sent this new floatplane as a rescue aircraft in support of Roald Amundsen's planned flight across the North Pole from Alaska to Spitsbergen, known today as Svalbard. It arrived in Tromsø by ship on 21 June 1923 and made some local pleasure flights. By then Amundsen had cancelled his Arctic flight. On 1 July 1923 D-260, now named Eisvogel, was still shipped from Tromsø to Spitsbergen to make some pioneering flights in the archipelago. Photo from: Perspektivet Museum

Entered service in May 1927. Seen at Tromsø while taking part in the search and rescue effort following the crash of the airship Italia on 25 May 1928. Later SE-ABG. Photo by: Vilhjelm Riksheim / Perspektivet Museum

Airline service to remote Tromsø was inaugurated on 7 July 1935. The W34 took over ten hours from Bergen. The old port in Tromsø was used. Construction of a seaplane station, Skattøra, began in 1938. Photo by: Håkon Mathisen / Perspektivet Museum

Built in Pisa in 1926 for the Italian air force. Civil registered for the rescue effort following the crash of Umberto Nobile's airship Italia. Photo by: Vilhjelm Riksheim / Perspektivet Museum

On its way north to take part in the rescue effort following the crash of the airship Italia. The Italian air force sent two Wals, registered I-PLIF and I-XAAF, and a Savoia-Marchetti S.55, I-SAAT. Photo from: Haugalandmuseet

Swordfish torpedo-bombers of No 820 Sqn over the carrier Ark Royal. Aircraft 649 is K8449. Photo from: Royal Navy

In 1947(!) this B-17 was put up as an eye-catcher at Art Lacey's Bomber Gas & Restaurant on SE McLoughlin Boulevard in Milwaukie, OR, on the west side of Route 99E. In this photo the faded name "Sky Chief" can still be seen on the nose, taken from Texaco's gasoline brand of the same name. Nearly 50 years later, in March 1996, the forward fuselage and the tail gun turret were removed for restoration, but the rest of the aircraft remained at the restaurant until also removed in December 2014. By 2023 the aircraft was still under restoration to flying condition by the B-17 Alliance Foundation in their hangar at McNary Field, Salem, OR. Photo by: John Margolies / John Margolies Roadside America Photograph Archive / Library of Congress

This camouflaged LAPE DC-2 landed at Ta Qali on 12 November 1938 at 2pm, bringing Spanish Minister Bernardo Giner de los Ríos and three generals en-route to Ankara for the state funeral of Turkish President Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Martin Mars prototype at the Martin factory, repaired following the #3 engine fire on 5 December 1941, but still before its first flight. It is seen here still in its original configuration as a patrol bomber, complete with gun turrets and provisions for bombing. However, the aircraft was soon to be converted to XPB2M-1R transport aircraft, which involved removing all armament and armored plating, and adding extra cargo hatches, cargo loading equipment and reinforcing the decking. Photo from: US Navy - National Naval Aviation Museum

By 1981 this former Panagra DC-7 served as the "DC-7 Steak House" on the southwest corner of Georgia Highway 49 and Interstate 75 near Byron, GA, complete with outdoor terrace and swimming pool. Its tail plane and the wings outboard the #2 and #3 engines were removed, but otherwise it was complete and in good condition. The aircraft carried no registration or titles, but still had "700" on the nosewheel doors. The facility stayed open for a few years only, and by 1988 it had fallen in disuse and the aircraft had become a derelict. It was broken up a short while later. Photo by: John Margolies / John Margolies Roadside America Photograph Archive / Library of Congress

The Martin Mars prototype in take-off at an unknown location, possibly the Pacific off San Francisco. This photo was taken circa 1944, about two years after it had been converted from patrol bomber to transport aircraft, by the removal of its gun turrets, bomb bays, armored plating and other combat provisions. Instead, this transport version received additional cargo hatches and cargo loading equipment, as well as reinforced decking. Photo from: US Navy - National Naval Aviation Museum