PBY-5A Catalina out of San Francisco.
“West Point of the Air”
This classic was filmed at Randolph Field in 1934. Promising “‘Contact’ for Thrills”, and “‘Happy Landings’ for Romance”, the film, starring Wallace Beery, was popular and profitable.
A pair of Consolidated PT-3’s
#1 is 29-64 of Brooks Field, #2 is 29-113 of Love Field.
Convair in the 1950’s had something for everybody!
P4M Mercator
Martin Aircraft had a post-war string of bad luck that included the Mercator. Though a capable aircraft, it lost out to Lockheed’s more versatile (and less expensive) P2V Neptune. The Mercator did enter service, but only 21 were built.
B-26 Marauders, 391st Bomb Group
B-26 Marauders, 322nd Bomb Group
XB-48 and XB-51
A couple of Martin bombers that failed to enjoy a long life. #1, the XB-48 was no match for Boeing’s B-47, and #2, the XB-51 fared no better in its efforts to be the USAF’s premier tactical bomber.
Consolidated NY-2 of the USS Lexington
Douglas Dolphin NC967Y of Wilmington-Catalina Airline arriving in Los Angeles Harbor.
B-32 Dominator 42-108480 awaits the scrappers at Kingman AAF, AZ
A pair of oddball B-24 Liberators
#1 is the XB-24Q (44-9916) which was used to test the remote controlled guns for the B-47. (The array at the tail says it all) #2 is the EZB-24M (44-51228) used, as you guessed, for ice research. The last B-24 in USAF service, the EZB soldiered on until the 1950’s, was salvaged and put on display at Lackland AFB. It eventually wound up at the museum in Duxford, UK.
B-24D 42-63800, 3rd Bomb Squadron down Panama way
B-24D 41-11832
B-24J 44-40848 “Lil Texas Filley”
Sadly sitting out the end of its days. Interesting nose for a J model – perhaps it was converted to a VIP transport?
B-24J 44-50725, 459th Bomb Group
B-24J 42-73250, 308th Bomb Group
B-24 44-41436, 425th Bomb Squadron
B-24J 42-50551, 44th Bomb Group
The Jive Bomber 