Although there was an F-86 squadron at Fresno, Ca. during the 1950’s, this is not one of theirs. The date is July 19, 1958, and this F-86E (51-12994) of the Van Nuys Airport based 195th Fighter Interceptor Squadron has met its fate away from home. Mechanical difficulties brought about this mishap which was sufficient enough to write-off the aircraft.
Photos #1 & #2 show a squadron of O-47’s lined up while on maneuvers at the Malone, NY, airfield. A couple of BT-2’s and a B-10 are thrown in for good measure.A mass of struts and wires, an O-43 waits beside the less strutted (but less graceful appearing) O-47’s.Classy gas truck fills up the beasty O-47’s.Lt. Howard Means and crew deplane after a grueling mission over upstate New York.O-43 (33-271) gets a few tweaks before darting back in the sky.
Engines are warming up as ships of the 19th Pursuit Squadron prepare to take to the Hawaiian skies in the early 1930s. The P-12E in the foreground(31-565) is the personal mount of the 18th Pursuit Group. Most of the aircraft are “C” models, but there are a few “E’s” seen as well (taller horizontal stabilizers).
F-5 42-13095 of the 12th Photo Recon Squadron zooms in for landing at its base in Italy. This aircraft carried three names: “Shark” on the nose. “Louise” on the left engine nacelle, “Vera” on the right.Two shots of “Anna” landing in Italy. Note the local civilian onlookers.F-5 “Hoppy” flares for landing.F-5F 44-26045 was transferred to the Chinese Air Force. The same thing happened to the B-24 in the background, 44-42270. Perhaps all of the aircraft pictured were similarly transferred (?)P-38J 44-25605 was modified to a personal transport for General George Stratemeyer. Perched in the Plexiglas nose, he had the best seat in the house.Early P-38’s. Marvelous aircraft.
I do not know what the occasion was, but these bombers are not what one typically finds crowding your city airport (there are at least a dozen B-47’s), in this case, Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix. Judging by the vehicles at the Avis Rent-A-Car, I would say this slide photo dates from circa 1954. There is a 1962 date stamped in the slide, but I think that is when a copy was made. My evidence: the B-47’s in 1962 wore different markings, and, Avis rentals would not have had these shiny ten year old cars on their lot.
Although there was an F-86 squadron at Fresno, Ca. during the 1950’s, this is not one of theirs. The date is July 19, 1958, and this F-86E (51-12994) of the Van Nuys Airport based 195th Fighter Interceptor Squadron has met its fate away from home. Mechanical difficulties brought about this mishap which was sufficient enough to write-off the aircraft. 
