The USA presented 44-76310 to King Farouk of Egypt in March 1945, straight from the factory. It is seen here with 476310 in both Western and Eastern Arabic numerals, but was later reserialled to F3, and then to 113 when used by Nasser. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

Prototype of the four-engined DH.86, one of a few examples built for single-pilot operation. Later G-ACPL. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

The Cutlass was cutting edge technology. This airframe spent the summer of 1955 at NACA Ames for testing. Photo from: NASA

The first ever visit of Soviet aircraft to Switzerland, flying in a delegation to demand the return of Soviet citizens who were somehow interned in Switzerland during WWII. Built by Douglas Oklahoma the front C-47, US serial 44-76715, was delivered to the Soviet air force as late in the war as April 1945. To civil on 28 April 1945. It seems to have washed-out white titles. The C-47 parked behind is CCCP-Л960 (c/n 26336 ex 43-49075) with what looks like a roughly painted out red star on the tailfin. CCCP-L976 / CCCP-Л976 came in the following day. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

Short Calcutta flying boat on the Nile before departure with King Albert of Belgium on board who was travelling to the Congo. Photo from: Library of Congress

NASA Ames conducted tests to compare the Hiller YROE-1 Rotorcycle's handling qualities with those of larger VTOL aircraft, long after the Marines had rejected it as dangerous to fly. The red box underneath the pilot contains an instrumentation package. This example was later N777MV. Photo by: Dave West / NASA

Used for VTOL research at NASA Ames. Photo by Lee Jones / NASA

Lockheed's experimental VTOL project. Two were built, but the design never managed vertical take-off. The project was cancelled in 1955, leaving the second aircraft (138658) incomplete without an engine. The flying prototype 138657 was donated to Hiller Aircraft for further VTOL testing, but its fate is unclear. Reliable sources say that only parts (engine and props) of this aircraft survived these tests, others say it is the aircraft that went on display in Florida in the mid 1990s, and that for reasons unknown it was painted as 138658...
Note: this design is often quoted as "XFV-1 Salmon", but it was in fact unnamed. Salmon was the name of Lockheed's test pilot for the project. Photo from: Library of Congress

Designed as an airliner and bomber, the Ju 86 saw more civilian use than the He 111. Swissair bought one Ju-86B-0, HB-IXI (c/n 860008) in 1936. It was soon damaged, returned to the manufacturer and replaced by HB-IXE. This machine became HB-IXA in 1939 when its Jumo diesel engines were replaced by BMW 132 radials. It crashed in July 1939. DC-2 HB-ISI is in the background here. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

Winter flying at the newly opened Samedan airfield. The Golden Years Register gives the aircraft as a C.600C but this is possibly a typo for C.600G. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

Early He 111 fast airliner, one of a few delivered to DLH in 1936. In reference to the single-engined He 70 Blitz the type was called 'Doppel-Blitz'. Koolhoven FK.50 HB-AMO is visible in another shot, probably taken on the same day, thus dating the photos before 10 September 1937, the crash date of the FK-50. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

A biplane Fokker airliner? Yes and no - the substantial lower wing of the F.V (F.5) could be detached and it could be operated as a monoplane, although as such it looked dangerously incomplete. Only this example was built and it was tested for two weeks by the German-Russian airline Deruluft, carrying the Russian registration RR13. It became H-NABW in March 1924, and shortly thereafter it was exported to Austria. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

The prototype of the HP-42/HP-45. The HP-42 model, called HP-42E by Imperial Airways, was intended for services to India and South Africa and the fleet was based in Cairo. Here Hannibal is seen in Switzerland though, probably during initial testing. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

Flown by Alan Bristow, this S-51 arrived in Switzerland on 22 September 1948 for a demo tour. It was built by Sikorsky but assembled and used by Westland. It was later evaluated by British European Airways. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

On the return leg of a photo reconnaissance sortie to Venice, Lt Wood of No 1 PRU, RAF, got engine trouble and landed his Mosquito at Bern - Belp on 24 August 1942. After test flights by the Swiss air force it was civil registered as HB-IMO, but it was never used as a fast mailplane as intended. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

A razor sharp photograph of an early, Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar-powered D.XVI fighter. The markings are apparently Italian - it seems that 157 is an Italian MM serial number. The aircraft was not accepted by the Regia Aeronautica folllowing test flights. It arrived in Mukden (Shenyang) on 25 July 1931, shortly before the Mukden Incident. It was reportedly tested in Peking in August 1931. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

The C.VIII was designed as a three-seat strategic reconnaissance aircraft for the Dutch army, but rejected. Nine C.VIIIw floatplanes were ordered by the navy. G-1 was the first of these, delivered in 1930, and the photo was probably taken early on. The same aircraft was temporarily registered PH-AFQ and displayed at the 1930 Paris Air Show. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

17 examples were built of the Bloch MB.220 airliner, which first flew in 1935. A few survivors were used by Air France for a couple of years after the war, with this one still wearing military roundels here. It still has the original Gnome-Rhône 14N engines, but was later converted to MB.221 standard with Wright Cyclones. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

The first Amsterdam to Zürich service after WWII. The camouflaged aircraft has the KLM logo on the rudder. It was added to the KLM fleet in exile in Bristol, operated on behalf of BOAC, in 1944. Military serials 42-92378 and FZ617. To 'PH-AZT' and G-AGJT May 1944. To PH-TBA on 18 January 1946, three days before this picture was taken. Later OO-TBA, PH-TFB, N94530 and N3BA. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

This picture of the first Fokker 100 prototype was taken during its maiden flight on 30 November 1987. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich