A selection of my photographs of warbird category aircraft seen on visits to USA during the decade
An earth mound near the duty runway threshold provided the vantage point for many of the following photographs.
American Volunteer Group "Flying Tigers" P-40 of the Chinese Air Force. It was originally a RCAF Kittyhawk Mk.1.
was stored behind a hangar at Chino CA in August 1989.
August 1989 when owner Bob Pond was strong supporter of the resident Planes of Fame museum, prior to establishing his
own impressive Palm Springs Air Museum.
Here's P-51D N471R Huntress III, rebuilt with dual controls from a stripped hulk salvaged in Israel.
This was former RNZAF Mustang NZ2417, flown briefly in NZ as civil ZK-CCG before export to US in 1974.
C-GMUS was a Cavalier Mustang Mk.2 delivered in 1968 to the Bolivian Air Force as FAB 523 and later one of four acquired
from Bolivia by Canadian Arny Carnegie. It was in the P-51 rows in the warbird park at Oshkosh July 1989.
from Bolivia by Canadian Arny Carnegie. It was in the P-51 rows in the warbird park at Oshkosh July 1989.
been stored by a Californian aircraft dealer for many years when caught outside its hangar at Mojave CA in December 1981.
Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat N100TF at Chino CA in August 1989 had just completed a rebuild using parts of three aircraft.
New owner Stephen Grey of The Fighter Collection, Duxford, England had it painted in wartime Royal Navy camouflage.
New owner Stephen Grey of The Fighter Collection, Duxford, England had it painted in wartime Royal Navy camouflage.
Grumman F7F-3 Tigercat N700F from the Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum, Michigan fires up on a drizzly day at
Oshkosh July 1989. Like all warbird Tigercats, it had previously been modified as a forest fire bomber.
Oshkosh July 1989. Like all warbird Tigercats, it had previously been modified as a forest fire bomber.
of the TBM flown during WWII by the future US President George H.W. Bush.
It retains the maritime canopy configuration from its Royal Canadian Navy days as an Avenger AS Mk.3.
They had been flown to Thailand by their pilots with their families during the fall of South Vietnam in 1975 and abandoned.
They were acquired by US warbird dealer David C. Tallichet, shipped to California for resale to private owners.
all were popularly known as "Bamboo Bombers". This is former USAAF UC-78 42-72125 at Oshosh July 1989 as N88878.
The RR Merlin exhausts were still clicking as I took this picture.
at the Rosamund aistrip near Mojave CA in August 1989, still in original faded RAF paintwork from its days as WD285.
The blown cockpit canopy was standard for RCAF Chipmunks later in their service careers.
Bill Dempsay's Central Air Service C-54 fire tankers. Dempsay had just ferried the Norseman from Canada for local resale.
sky-writing team based at Long Beach CA in November 1981. Note their extended exhaust pipes.
Texan N3931Z at Oshkosh 1989 wearing its former Spanish Air Force markings. This typical Texan was built in 1943 as an
AT-6D to USAAF order, transferred to US Navy as a SNJ-5B, then to Spain.
AT-6D to USAAF order, transferred to US Navy as a SNJ-5B, then to Spain.
CCF Harvard Mk.4 N1254 seen landing at Madera CA in August 1989 came from the large scale post-war production runs
by Canadian Car and Foundary Ltd at Fort William, Ontario. It was delivered in 1952 to RCAF as 20439.
by Canadian Car and Foundary Ltd at Fort William, Ontario. It was delivered in 1952 to RCAF as 20439.
Many Texans were modified as Mitsubishi A6M Zeros for movie and airshow work. N296W at Oshkosh July 1989 was a
convincing Zero replica, one of a group of CCF Harvard 4s rebuilt in 1968 for the movie Tora Tora Tora.
convincing Zero replica, one of a group of CCF Harvard 4s rebuilt in 1968 for the movie Tora Tora Tora.
Some Harvard/Texan owners resisted the temptation to paint their aircraft in military markings.
Here's SNJ-5 N3258G at Riverside-Flabob Airport CA in September 1981 while with a local owner.
Here's SNJ-5 N3258G at Riverside-Flabob Airport CA in September 1981 while with a local owner.
N56915 was one of several attending the Madera CA fly-in in August 1989.
Surplus Convair L-13s were upgraded and re-engined for the civil market by various US contractors during the 1950s.
CF-NOI seen at Langley BC in September 1981was a Longren Centaur 101, with a 300hp Lycoming radial engine.
CF-NOI seen at Langley BC in September 1981was a Longren Centaur 101, with a 300hp Lycoming radial engine.
Following USAF service it went to French Air Force as an armed Fennec, then to Moroccan Air Force.
during August 1989. It had been shipped to Californian warbird enthusiast Bob Pond and became N360BP.
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