Alfred Fartknocker:
The Grumman Albatross was a very popular ex-mil amphibian. N115FB flew on with Chalks Aero Service, but is seen here engineless at Mesa, Falcon Field, AZ. It's ex US Navy HU-16E Bu.Aer 148327 but also flew for the Japan MSDF as 9054.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This wonderful machine is a Hawker Hart trainer- thus the yellow paint. K4972 is a remarkable survivor, preserved in the RAFM, Hendon. It was discovered in an attic in 1962 and thoroughly restored by 1969.
Alfred Fartknocker:
You have to hand it to the early pilots. Imagine relying on this thing! '3066' is really G-AETA, a Caudron G.III preserved in Hendon. It was constructed in 1921.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Grumman produced thousands of aircraft at nearby Calverton, so it's good that this Prowler survives at Farmingdale. EA-6B Bu.Aer 162938/ NJ-906 clearly retired from VAQ-129. This is the American Airpower Museum.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Before Boeing got into the airliner business, they built tens of thousands of these. This Stearman is Bu.Aer 43581, an ex US Navy N2S-5, preserved with HARP at Floyd-Bennet, NY.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Daughter Louise, aged about seven near Achnaherd, itself near Achiltibuie. Another windy day in Scotland- the weather has stripped the paint from this Landrover.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Republic built the F-84 Thunderjet at Farmingdale, NY. It was a troubled design and the straight wing jets only came good with the F-84G. 49-59504 is an F-84B preserved at Garden City, NY. Amazing today, but no less than 7,524 F-84s were made.
Alfred Fartknocker:
McDonnell produced the unsuccessful F3H Demon before they did the F-4, and there are a few design aspects that made it into the Phantom. Only three remain and F3H-2N (later F-3C) Bu.Aer 133566 survives on the USS Intrepid AM, New York, NY.
Alfred Fartknocker:
The Romanian AF have seven of these Alenia C-27J Spartan light transports. 2701 first flew in Italy as CSX62256. It's taking part in BIAS 23 here at Otopeni.
Alfred Fartknocker:
IAR produced the Puma under license as the IAR.330H in Romania. #75 here, chucking flares has been upgraded to IAR.330M for operations in Mali. It's flying in Bucharest during BIAS 2023.
Alfred Fartknocker:
There were six Hawker P.1127 built, and XP984 was #6. At one point it was a G.I. at RNEC Manadon (A2658), but it's now preserved inside at Brooklands. After the 1127 came the Kestrel FGA.1, then the Harrier GR.1, the Sea Harrier and the AV-8. As of 2025..
Alfred Fartknocker:
Dassault did well with the Mystere (Mystery), including overseas sales to India and Israel. This is the prototype, 01, preserved in the Musee de L'Air et Space at Le Bourget. It's a Mystere IVA.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Soviet Yak-3M had its own building at Le Bourget. It looks to be in very authentic condition. Apparently it is 4 white, c/n 2530.
Alfred Fartknocker:
There are many unusual looking machines in the Musee de L'Air et Space at Paris Le Bourget. F-WFKC is the sole example built of the Breguet G.111 helicopter made, and it did indeed fly.
Alfred Fartknocker:
F1258 is a Airco DH.9A 'Ninak', preserved in the Le Bourget AM. They were busy setting this area up in 2019 and it looked like a very intricate task, re-assembling these ancient machines- luckily they'd left a door open, so I got a quick look around and a
Alfred Fartknocker:
The Sun shone on this pair during the 2019 Paris Air Show. N209PB is a PC-12 operated by Pilatus. 9H-VBG is a Malta registered Bombardier 6500.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Some jets in the Musee de L'air et Space in Paris. The F-100D Super Sabre is 52736/ 11-EF (fy 55) & the Sabre is F-86K 54841/ 13-PI, also fy 55.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Well, it's a blast from the past! Ex Spanish AF CASA 352L F-AZJU (T.2B-212) gets airborne at Paris Le Bourget. I was surprised to discover I first saw it at Blackbushe in 1979 as G-BECL, but disguised as 'N9+AA'.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Just two helos are preserved in the Maritime Museum at Varna, on the Black Sea. 45 red here is a Bulgarian Navy Mil Mi-4A 'HOUND'- a bit like the H-19/ Whirlwind but quite a bit larger.
Alfred Fartknocker:
My wife and son, Aden, sit on the wing of a Bulgarian AF MiG-17F 'FRESCO-C' at Aksakovo, Bulgaria.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Bulgarian AF MiG-17F was at a health centre in a forest near Aksakovo. It's known to be 85, and has moved on to a more appropriate location somewhere. 'FRESCO-C' to NATO- a day fighter.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Someone keeps this MiG-19S in his back garden in Panayot Volovo, Bulgaria. 877 used to be up a pole at Shumen North RAP. The 19S was an improved day fighter/ attack jet armed with guns, rockets or bombs- but no missiles. 'FARMER-C'.
Alfred Fartknocker:
I've forgotten taking this pic, but it's of NA SNJ-6B Bu.Aer 111987/ N9825C coded BA-34 in its hangar at Frasca, IL. It flies on in Illinois at Champaign as of 2025.
Alfred Fartknocker:
The USAF rescued this TF-102A Delta Dagger from Fox Field, CA and restored it. Search for 54-1353 to see how it looks today at Edwards AFB.
Alfred Fartknocker:
The Belgian AF operated their twelve C-130Hs for decades, based at Zaventem, Brussels. CH-12 here is c/n 4483- it flies on for Pakistan as 4483. It's at Fairford here.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Ordered by the USAAF as a North American AT-6D Texan, Bu.Aer 91091 was diverted to the US Navy where if flew as a SNJ-5. Here it is preserved in the hangar deck on the USS Midway AM, San Diego, CA.
Alfred Fartknocker:
SFT 1301 looks like a MiG-15 UTI, but is in fact a Chinese copy of the MiG-17 fitted with an extra seat. In China this is known as a Shenyang JJ-5, (Jianjiji Jiaolianji- English 'Fighter Trainer') and this export version is an FT-5. This is at Ratmalana.
Alfred Fartknocker:
This Sri Lankan AF MiG-17 'FRESCO' has clearly had a hard life. This in the Sri Lanka AF AM at Ratmalana. The marks have faded, but it is either CF904 or 905. Both are here.
Alfred Fartknocker:
Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) modelled their air force closely on the RAF. This MiG-23 was their only two seater, used for training and checking the pilots. SFT730 (ex SFT1701 & CTF730) is a MiG-23UB, preserved at Ratmalana. 'FLOGGER-C'.
Alfred Fartknocker:
The Sukhoi Su-17/ 22 was widely used by the Warsaw Pact. 511 here is a variable geometry Su-22M4 preserved in Sofia. 'FITTER-K'. The Su-22 is the export version of the Su-17.
