After donation to the NMNA in 1976, the surviving VS-44 was later transferred for an extensive restoration at Sikorsky's Stratford CT airfield, where it was built in 1942. First operated by American Export Airlines with beds, dressing rooms, galley, snack bar, lounge and full ventilation, it was impressed for war service by the USN as JR2S-1 12391, carrying passengers and freight between New York and Foynes, Ireland. In 1949 Tampico Airlines attempted to start freight runs in the Amazon but abandoned the VS-44 in Peru. In the late 1950s it was recovered to California for Avalon Air Transport.

Delivered to the US Army in 1962 as a CV-2B and named "The Ruptured Duck" while based at Fort Benning GA, this Caribou was reassigned to the USAF in 1967 and operated from Cam Rahn AB with the 458th TAS. On return from Vietnam, in 1976 it transferred to the 150th TAS at McGuire AFB, NJ then the 135th TAS, Martin State, MD. In 1980 it went back to the US Army with the National Guard here at Bradley Field, coming under the control of the Connecticut Aviation Classification Repair Activity Depot in 1990 in these unusual colours. Given to museum by 1992 having made the last flight by a C-7

This B-29 was recovered from the Aberdeen Proving Ground by the Bradley Air Museum in 1973 and although damaged in the 1979 tornado, was restored between 1998 and 2003 (using the rear fuselage of 44-61739). Although the aircraft was too late to see war service, it was painted to represent 46-1566 (without serial) which had flown with the 468th BG/58th BW from Tinian.

Beautifully restored, this early F-100 was another local resident, operated by the CT ANG's 118th TFS/103rd TFG from 1959 to 1964

This is a single Lockheed Model 10 built as an XR2O-1 for the Secretary of the Navy with BuNo 0267. Post war it flew as N57573 with various corporate operators and airlines, including a short period with Provincetown-Boston Airline in early 1962. It joined the Wings and Wheels Museum in Orlando in the early 1980s and was later transferred to its current location, where it was restored in these Northwest Airlines colours by 2010

It's 49 years since I'd been to this collection, back then known as the Bradley Air Museum. At that time, the only surviving VS-44 of the three built was lying dismantled and unrestored at the Naval Air Museum, Pensacola, having been donated by Antilles Air Boats who had used it to ferry passengers among the Virgin Islands until damaged beyond repair in January 1969 on hitting rocks while taxiing at Charlotte Amalie. In 1983 it was transferred on permanent loan to NEAM, first being shipped by barge to Sikorsky Memorial Airport, Stratford, CT where restoration took place between 1987 and 1997

The "Miss Piggy" nose artwork on N43RF

The mission tally on N43RF

One of several ex-Jordanian F1s held by Draken International

Here at its home base, like sister-ship N42RF, this Orion is kept in immaculate condition, belying its almost 50 years of flying as a Hurricane Hunter.

Built for the USAAF as 44-86697 and after post-war storage, to the RCAF as 5239 in 1952. Sold to the Fuerza Aerea Venezolana as 0953 and recovered to the US in the 1980s for restoration to flyable condition on the warbird circuit.

Ex B-2688 of Shanghai Airlines, converted to freighter at Yaoqiang in October 2023

Like sister-ship N43RF, delivered to the US Department of Commerce in 1976 and initially based at McDill AFB, FL, before the hurricane hunting operation was taken under NOAA control.

Taken on strength with the Czech AF in 1973, this MiG was gifted by the Slovak AF to the RAF Benevolent Fund at Fairford in 1994. Moved to Florida in 2005 and allocated N7708, it was donated to the Florida Air Museum by Draken International in 2019

The PiperJet was first flown in 2008 and was intended as a competitor to the twin-engined Eclipse 500 and Cessna Citation Mustang VLJs. But is it any wonder it was not a success and only this prototype was built?

This is actually an ex-Lee County Mosquito Control District sprayer Dak, N839M, first delivered to the USAAF as 43-15700. At one stage before civilisation it flew with the US Army Parachute Team.

The XFV-1 was in competition with the equally precarious Convair XFY-1 Pogo (my photo #21684) in 1954 for a high performance fighter that could be vertically launched from small platforms on ships. The sheer difficulty in flying these bizarre designs together with the rapid advance of conventional jets led to these projects being quickly abandoned. This was the second of two XFV-1s built and was not completed. Some sources say this survivor is actually the first (BuNo 138657), others that it was completed for display using parts from the first.

This Canberra was built as a B.2 by Handley Page at Radlett, being delivered to the RAF in 1953 for familiarisation and work-ups by Canberra PR.3 crews with 540 Sqdn at RAF Benson. Moved to 57 Sqdn at Cottesmore and eventually sold to BAC in 1969, 'B' Class marks of G27-182 being allocated. After around five years it was re-delivered to the Royal Navy, now configured as a TT.18 target tug for the FRADU at Yeovilton, even completing a first sojourn in Florida when detached to NAS Key West in 1978. After storage at St Athan from 1989, sold in the US for trials work and moved to VAC in 2012

Besides the two Orions and a Gulfstream, NOAA also operate four Twin Otters and a pair of King Airs

My first encounter with a NOAA WP-3D, just three years old at the time