Despite its markings here, this Harvard never saw service with the US military. It is ex RCAF 2951, which was taken on charge on 11 March 1941 and struck off charge on 11 December 1946. After many years of storage it spent some years in a museum in Ontario in the mid 1970s. It very briefly became C-GDJC in Dec 1975 before sale to Hawkins & Powers Aviation in March 1976 as N99839. The Harvard finally arrived at the museum here in the early 1980s. Its identity is also quoted as ex RCAF 2684 c/n 66-2417, but in 1976 N99839 was definitely officially registered as c/n "66-2684".

Seen at a Harvard meet at the Bassingbourn Barracks. This aircraft was operated by A & AE Boscombe Down

The reason for the Japanese markings is not known but presumably it is for a film or TV show. Mike Madden photo.

Off the assembly line as 42-86286 in 1942, this T-6 was in a group transferred to the US Navy as SNJ-5s. Bu 90789 was with the Navy until sold surplus and registered N3366G around 1960. A new owner re-registered the trainer as N41BT in 1971 and it became a regular at the National Championship Air Races in the T-6 class with race number 41. It continued racing with number 77 after 1978 to around 2010.

Later to Germany as D-FXXX. Was still flying in 2018.

Sold in Australia as VH-USN in 1986

Taken during the Compton Abbas Vintage Saturday, held on the first Saturday of every month, with free landings to all pre 1970 vintage aircraft.

Gate guard at Gando. Really E.16-107.

Ex USAF 49-2983, French Air Force 92983, Moroccan Air Force Y61501, Tunesian Air Force Y61-501. It never served in Canada so the markings in this photo are very nice but totally fake (except for the serial on the fin). This aircraft is one of six Texans recovered from Tunesia by Didier Chable and brought to France in the mid 1980s. Restoration of this Texan started in the 1990s, and it was first registered as F-AZVN in 2001.

One of several Harvards converted by Jean-Baptiste Salis into A6M Zero or NA-68 replicas. This one started life as USAAF AT-6C 42-84227, converted to T-6G 51-14367 in the early 1950s, then to the French AF in 1957 as 114367. AJBS acquired it in 1978, and it was registered to them as F-AZBK on 1 Dec 1982. In 1987 it became F-WZBK, for conversion into a A6M Zero replica for use in the movie "Empire of the Sun" (with new "c/n" SAM2-367). Reverted to F-AZBK in 1989. In 1992 it was again converted, now to the NA-68 replica seen in this photo. On 2 Dec 1992 it was falsely registered as "North American NA-68" F-AZHD, with new "c/n" SA-30. In fact only one real NA-68 survives worldwide (N840 c/n 68-3061).

From Aug 1980 until the early 1990s, Harvard F-AZBE was c/n 88-12127. But in 1993 that airframe was rebuilt as an NA-68 replica with new "c/n" SA-31, and the registration F-AZBE was given to one of Salis's other Harvards (c/n 88-12304). This aircraft originally was US Navy 27268 and became N7403C in 1954, then to the Spanish AF as C.6-180 later that year. Damaged in Mar 1977 and withdrawn from use. Acquired by Jean-Baptiste Salis in Jan 1979. Kept in storage until the early 1990s, when it was restored in these nice USAF markings with fake serial. It was officially registered as F-AZBE on 2 Mar 1993, unfortunately still under the old and now incorrect c/n 88-12127. It is in fact c/n 88-12304.