A new T-29D, probably in 1953. The T-29D was a bombardier trainer and the belly radome housed the radar for the B-47 Stratojet's K series bombing system. Photo from: Nederlands Instituut voor Militaire Historie

Location was named Itazuke Air Base, Japan when photo was taken.

This Convair is pretending to be a HC-131A, but in fact it's a Convair 240-11 (ex N280P) which never saw any military service. It was donated to the Castle Air Museum in 1999 and registered to them as N280P on 23 Jun 1999. By Dec 2003 it had been restored in nice USCG markings as "5785". By Jul 2008 those markings had been removed in preparation of a repaint, which is seen in progress in this photo. By Oct 2011 it was back in now very poorly done USCG markings, again as "5785".

In 1987 this Convair was used by the NASA as a Space Shuttle Crew Escape System testbed. It was fitted with a CES (Crew Escape System) mockup on the left side of the rear fuselage. The aircraft was stored here at California City by 1993, and preserved by 1997, reportedly by a set-up called the California Museum of Air and Space.

As of Sep 1987 this Convair was used by the NASA as a Space Shuttle Crew Escape System testbed. This photo still shows the CES (Crew Escape System) mockup that was fitted to the left side of the rear fuselage. The CES was a candidate concept developed to provide crew egress capability during Space Shuttle controlled gliding flight. Actual tests of this system with this Convair began on 20 Nov 1987, whereby life-like dummies were pulled from the modified aircraft's side hatch mockup by tractor rockets. The aircraft had been stored here at California City by 1993, and preserved by 1997, reportedly by a set-up called the California Museum of Air and Space.

Sold in the US as N9313R in 1959

Operated by the University of Washington for atmospheric research. I thought the tail was a different colour but in fact its faded and discoloured. Obviously it got a paint job by the time Mark Piacentini photographed it. Also note that there is no observation dome on the fuselage in my photo.

Operated by Grubbs Aviation Inc.

Retired Aug 1990.

Originally USAF C-131 52-5785 this Convair was transferred to the US Coast Guard in 1976. Pictured in the twilight of it's military service, the aircraft was sold as N27232 in May 1982.

While the aircraft appears to be in good condition, it is not a good fit for Desert Air's business model and hasn't been flown for quite a number of years.

Sold in Pakistan as AP-AHO in June 1956. Photo from: Civil Aviation Historical Society, Melbourne, Australia

Photo from: Civil Aviation Historical Society, Melbourne, Australia

Almost totally disassembled and ready for transport to the scrapyard in Leesburg, FL.

Former United States Airline Industry Museum CV240 being disassembled. The cockpit to be used to build a simulator; the engines to an engine rebuilder in California; the seats, hat racks and rear entrance door to Scroggins Aviation in California; and the remainder transported to a scrapyard in Leesburg, FL and scrapped.

Delivered to the USAF as C-131A 52-5792, this Convair was transferred to the Coast Guard in June 1976. Sold in 1984 as N5575A, it would get a rear cargo door and fly for Cargo Plus and Starship before sold in March 1995 in Mexico . Registered XA-SOG with Aero Internacional, the aircraft was written off in a landing accident at Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico January 24, 1997.

Registered to Air Carrier Transport.