B-36’s of the 7th Bomb Wing

Carswell AFB. #1 & 2 is 44-92060. #3 is 44-92077. Both are the B-36B.

RB-36H 51-13739

Nice view of a B-36’s defensive ability. Much has been said of the vulnerability of the B-36 – the USN even accused the USAF of suppressing such information. Of course it could be shot down, but as the Air Force (and the Soviets) knew well, intercepting fighters would never bag all the B-36’s. Even if only a handful got through, the nuclear weapons those few carried were deterrent enough.

Alaska Air Transport Bellanca Skyrocket bobbing on Seattle’s Lake Union.

Bellanca Skyrocket (NC754W) of Shell Oil co.

Pathfinder Aerial Transportation JN-4

Couldn’t find much on Pathfinder Aerial Transportation, but it was owned by a former Air Service pilot, Valdo H. Brazil. Maybe that’s him holding aloft the tail of one of his Curtiss JN-4’s.

Curtiss JN-4 “Jenny” somewhere in California in 1923

No caption on the photo, but the car’s (a Studebaker, I believe) and the car’s license plate says “California, 1923”. Where in California, I know not.

Famed race pilot Lowell Bayles and the Gee Bee Sportster

Unfortunately, Bayles died in 1931 while attempting a new speed record.

Fokker F.Vll

Quite a bit going on with this Fokker F.Vll: looks like new motors are being hung, and the skin is sliced open for additional repairs.

A gaggle of PB4Y’s

59505 “Redwing”.

PB4Y “Rovin’ Redhead”.

PB4Y 65385

Curtiss F9C Sparrowhawks, USS Macon

Vought SU-2, 9092

Hawker Hunter, 764 Naval Air Squadron

The de Havillland Rapide in the background looks out of place compared to the sleek Hunter.

Grumman UF-2G Albatross

Based at CGAS Port Angeles, this UF-2G (7236) of the Coast Guard is seen while on a visit to Boeing Field in the late 1950’s. Later renamed the HU-16, this “bird” is now displayed at the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola.

SB2U-1 “Vindicator”

Although it’s now a civilian bird, I’ll put this SB2U-1 “Vindicator” in the naval category. NC30447 was snapped up as war surplus.

Flettner Fl 282

Known as the “Kolibri” (Hummingbird), this example ended up in US hands at Freeman Field, Indiana.

Fairchild PT-19 (40-2418)

Grumman FF

The FF made up with innovation what it lacked in the “svelte and graceful” department. What was so innovative, you ask? It was the first US Navy carrier plane with retractable landing gear. Pic #1 shows an FF-1 (9361) of VF-5B (USS Lexington). It crashed in 1935. #2 is an FF-2 (9371) of NAS Norfolk. The hangars are those of Roosevelt Field, NY.

A-6A

A-6A of the Naval Weapons Evaluation Facility pays a call at NAS Whidbey Island in the 1970’s. This would not be its last visit to the island, in fact, it is ongoing: 149482 is now on permanent display outside Whidbey’s gate.

9482 is a real oldie. Delivered in 1962, it was the 16th Intruder, the first eight of those were built as the A2F. In ’62 of course, the services restructured their aircraft designations. There was already an A-2, 3, 4, & 5, so next up: A-6.

A-6E Intruder of NAS Whidbey Island’s VA-52

Showing its stuff during a 1970’s airshow at the home drome, 159180 saw many years of service with the navy and marines before calling it quits in 1996.

S2F (Stoof!) Tracker of VS-721

Based at NAS Glenview, she pays a visit to NAS Seattle in 1961. This aircraft (133295) was later sold on the civilian market.

Vought O3U-1 BuNo 8867

Naval Air Factory N3N-1 (0065)

Handsome machine, even on a dolly.

Me 262 war prize

Me 262 B-1a/U1 two-seat night fighter at Freeman Field, Ind. in 1946.

The SBU-2

The SBU was one of several aircraft named “Corsair” by its manufacturer, Vought. A speedy scout bomber when it entered service in the mid-30s, the SBU was soon overtaken by the lightning-fast changes in aviation of that era. Even so, it stayed around as a trainer well into WWII. Serving in that role, the aircraft seen here, BuNo 811, crashed in 1943.

Boeing B-9

When the Boeing B-9 went aloft in 1931, it was one speedy airplane. Its top speed of almost 200 MPH equaled or bettered that of the pursuit planes who vainly tried to intercept it. Within a year or two, it was eclipsed by the Martin B-10, but the B-9 had now set the standard for all future bomber and pursuit aircraft.