Boeing L-15 Scout

The L-15 Scout never made it as a military aircraft, but the dozen aircraft that were built eventually found work elsewhere. Nifty idea with the quick-attach wings.

Boeing P-12 of the 27th Pursuit Squadron

Record breaking P-80

P-80 44-85123 has had a long career. Used to set several world speed records in the 1940’s, it is preserved today at Edwards AFB.

Early days of the USAF

A pair of P-80’s of the 56th Fighter Group. 45-8320 is from the 61st Fighter Squadron, Jet. 44-85464 is from the 62nd Fighter Squadron, Jet. It wears the kill markings of Group CO, Dave Schilling.

Vickers Vulture. Great looking aircraft, great sounding name

P-47N 44-88412, 414th Fighter Group

O2U Aircraft at NAS Norfolk

North American B-25D flares for landing somewhere in Italy, 1943

AT-12 Guardsman

Republic AT-12 (41-17509) was a two-seat trainer version of the P-35. Built for the Swedish air force, The AT-12 and other foreign-bound aircraft were impounded by the US early in WWII. This AT-12, like most of the impounded aircraft, entered US service.

USS Shenandoah (ZR-1) Prior to its Commissioning in 1923

USS Shenandoah dwarfs all visitors at the 1923 National Air Races, Lambert Field, MO.

Now, that’s an airshow

Couple of classy dames and a Fokker F-32

1962: DC-8 Visits Troutdale Airport

On August 12th, 1962, UAL flight 861 had the misfortune of mistaking Portland International for the more provincial airport at Troutdale, just up the Columbia River. Committed to his approach, the pilot landed. Getting in was one thing; getting out was another. Troutdale’s runway was only about 4,600 feet in length, thus requiring the mishap airliner to lose some weight to ensure a safe takeoff. The DC-8 was stripped of everything, the flight engineer crunched the numbers, and the crew departed without too much trouble.

This photo is from a Christmas card sent to my dad from a fellow UAL captain – the pilot of the DC-8. If he could make a card out of it, he must have had a sense of humor. Interestingly, the pilot mentions they toyed with using a JATO-type device to get the plane out of Troutdale.

Washington National Guard’s 116th Observation Squadron. Douglas O-38 (30-414) and a Consolidated O-17 Courier (28-360)

891 893

De Havilland DH-4’s ready to haul the mail at Reno

P-12C 31-168

P-80’s, 27th Fighter Squadron, Jet.

(“Fighter Squadron, Jet” – Yep, that was its actual name)

Douglas O-2H’s, 91st Observation Squadron, Mather Field, 1929

Douglas O-25

Emblazoned with a Wright Field arrowhead, and a complimentary decal from the Prestone company.

Crew of “Classy Chassis”

832nd Bomb Squadron, 486th Bomb Group. Though they pose in front of a B-24, they eventually transitioned to the B-17. The crew signed the back of the photo, and unfortunately, several of these men did not survive the war.

Doolittle’s Raiders before they were famous.

Crews of the 17th Bomb Group and their B-25’s in the summer of 1941. Sharp-eyed viewers will spot several of the men who will soon become forever famous as Doolittle’s Tokyo raiders. Photo #1 has the future author of “30 Seconds Over Tokyo”, Ted Lawson, on the right.

B-17G 42-31573, Boeing Field, 1944

The analogy is a bit strained, but I get the idea: a Chase “Velmo”, excuse me, VELMO seat, is just one big Barcalounger in the sky.

Desert Storm Weasel F-4G

69-7234, lately of Spangdahlem Air Base’s 480th TFS, is seen here at Shaikh Isa Air Base, Bahrain during the Gulf War of 1991. While assigned there, the aircraft was part of the 3552nd Tactical Fighter Squadron. Interestingly, 234 was the only aircraft at that base that still retained the old green & gray “European 1” paint scheme.

P-80’s

(45-8333) of the 63rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron, P-80 (44-85275) of the 61st FIS, and 45-8335 of the 335th Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled.