Air Museum aircraft before they were air museum aircraft

[mustangdriver]

I was always interested in seeing old pictures of aircraft that are now in air museums both flying and static museums. I know alot of you guys have pics out there, so I thought this might be a cool thread.

[Craig59]

Sikorsky HRS-1, Bureau Number 127828 was accepted on charge on the 26th of September, 1951. It was flown across the country from the factory in Bridgeport, CT. to its first station at Marine Corps Air Facility, Santa Ana, CA. There it was assigned to squadron HMR-162 and painted with the call letters, HS-10: How-Sugar Ten.

According to S-55 researcher and historian Sid Nanson, BuNo127828 was relegated to a Ground Instructional Airframe (GIA) status on 26 August, 1957 and was struck off charge sometime later with a total of 1812 hours on her airframe. It was then purchased surplus by Harry Doan of Daytona Beach, Florida.

In June of 1987, Doan traded BuNo127828 back to the Marine Corps for another surplus aircraft. As part of the trade agreement, Doan was to restore the HRS, making it suitable for display - painted and marked appropriately. According to Benjamin Kristy, a curator at the National Museum of the Marine Corps, it is unknown why Doan applied the incorrect markings identifying the HRS as BuNo127834.

Here is BuNo127828 as it appears today at the National Museum of the Marine Corps.

[Ztex]

Fuddy Duddy photographed by John VanDyke on Okinawa @ 1952



From the Web - Today!

[kenlyco]

A-26 at Bridgeport late 60's, now at New England Air Museum

[spookythecat]

Not exactly an old picture but I happened to be at the Museum of Flight when the Dash 80 left for the Smithsonian

[Bluedharma]

1944 Boeing B-29 44-69729

And one of Bills TE308... (I know it is not in a museum but I thought people would like to see it.)

[mustangdriver]

Does anyone have one of the PBY and A-26 in the NMUSAF? These are all great.

[kenlyco]

P-40, 44-7619

[Fouga23]

P-40, 44-7619

What's the story behind that?

[APG85]

Pink?

[Bluedharma]

Pink?

The paint scheme on the Museum's P-40 is actually a combination of two paint schemes.
The Desert Pink color and yellow rim around the national insignia are from the 9th A.F. P-40s used in North Africa.
The stylized "Flying Tiger," shark's teeth, and evil eye hex sign are more reminiscent of the P-40s used by the AVG in China.

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p40registry/p40-447619.html

What's the story behind that?

- Modified as racer but never flown.

[APG85]

I'm no expert, but pink doesn't seem accurate...

[daveymac82c]

Wow, interesting racing mod. She would have been interesting to see the pilot ducking from side to side to see around the nose of the thing.

Cool pictures everyone. Great thread!

Cheers,

David

[Jeff Funk]

This one is now mounted on a rotating stand at RAF Museum Hendon. Here she is at happier times in Reading, PA (picture taken 2002, added to website in 2004)

[JDK]

I'm no expert, but pink doesn't seem accurate...

It isn't. But it is cool.

No-one's ever muddled Sue Parish's P-40 with anyone else's!

BTW: 'Desert Pink' is (was?) a military colour - and it could be a quite a bright 'flesh' pink, but never gloss and usually more light beige.