B-26s of the 397th Bomb Group. The nearest aircraft, 43-34401 / 9F-K, is a B-26G of 597 BS. That aircraft crashed due to engine failure near the group's base, Péronne / Saint-Quentin (LFAG) in France on 14 February 1945, shortly after this photo was taken. Photo from: Imperial War Museums

Sold in Taiwan as B-247 in June 1969. Photo from: State Library of Western Australia

There were 25 24R-40 models of the Fairchild 24 built. The R in the designation stood for Ranger, the inline engine offered as an alternative to the Warner radial. NC28527 remained registered until 2019. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

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

This aircraft is listed as crashing at Cape May, New Jersey on January 19, 1935. The photo shows it almost two years later. A rebuild explains why it was reserialled as V136 long after the 1935 accident, which had been viewed as an anomaly. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

Prototype G-44 Widgeon later NC28633. Registration cancelled in 1947. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

NS stood for state aircraft which covered federal, state and municipal aircraft. The NYPD showed some humour in buying NS370N for the Keystone Cops were a band of bumbling police officers from American silent movies. The term became part of the English language for any incompetent group, police or otherwise. NS370N was cancelled in 1935. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

NX12V was retained by Grumman as a demonstrator. NR12V when used for racing. It was sold to Canadian Car and Foundry Company as a demonstrator for the G-23. Canadian production as a way to get around bans on the export of weapons from the USA to Spain during its civil war. A small number also served with the RCAF. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

Crashed near Fellenere, Florida, on November 7, 1937, while on a a cross-country flight from Jacksonville. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

Delivered to a civilian buyer in 1937. Bought by the Canadian air force in 1940 as serial 942. Post World War II had a civilian career in Canada as CF-BHL until lost in an accident in 1953. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

There were nine of the 22 C7F model powered by a Warner Super Scarab engine. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

Built for Gulf Oil pilot Alford Williams. Drafted into the USAAF in 1942 as an UC-103 high-speed transport. It returned to civil use after World War II and was lost when it crashed into the Everglades in October 1948. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

Reserialled V147. Struck a beacon during takeoff and crashed July 18, 1939, Amelia River, Florida. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

The prototype Mallard. Became NC41824 and used as a demonstrator. Sold in Newfoundland as VO-ACC in 1949 and then CF-GPA when Newfoundland became part of Canada later that year. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

Swissair briefly operated two CV-880s, HB-ICM and HB-ICL, because of the late delivery of its CV-990s. HB-ICM to JA8030, crashed in 1966 on a training flight. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

Prince Bernard had himself celebrated in several cities on his birthday and then flew off from the highway near Schiphol - war damage was so extensive that the runways were unusable. The aircraft wears a pseudo RAF registration with ML presumably standing for Militaire Luchtvaart. Built in 1934 it was orginally F-AMXO and made a flight to Madagascar. To PH-VYG in 1937. Requisitioned by Dutch army as 961 in 1939. Hidden away for the Germans and 'seized' by Bernhard in 1945. To PH-NCP. Landed in East Germany on a flight to Copenhagen in 1948. Returned to Holland but not flown again and scrapped. Photo by: Willem van de Poll / Nationaal Archief (Netherlands)

Detail of photo 582623. PH-TBD is a 1937 DC-3, ex PH-ARB, which survived the war in England as G-AGBD. It was sold to Skyways as G-AGBD later in 1946. PH-TAT was the first DC-4-1009 delivered to KLM in March 1946. It is in a livery only worn by it and PH-TAP, with large orange Royal Dutch Airlines titles. Behind it are two C-54 Skymasters in Netherlands Government Air Transport markings. Photo by: Luuk Vrind / Nationaal Archief (Netherlands)

The Fairchild 22 C7D was powered by a DH Gipsy I engine licensed built in the US by Wright. There were coincidentally 22 C7Ds built. The engine was mounted upright as in the DH60 Moth. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

Paulus Potter did not gain altitude after take-off from Rwy 05, now short Rwy 04, and crashed through the airport perimeter fence at Schipholweg, near today's police aviation base. It was a sunny Whit Monday and two girls among the specators were killed. Photo by: Harry Pot / Nationaal Archief (Netherlands)

Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution