Arizona (mostly)

Considered to be one of the best piston-engine airlines – I’ve always wanted to fly in one. This one is marked for TWA as the “Star of Switzerland” www.pimaair.org/aircraft-by-name/item/lockheed-l-049-constellation

Another angle on the TWA “Star of Switzerland” Lockheed Constellation (see # 0635) www.pimaair.org/aircraft-by-name/item/lockheed-l-049-constellation

This is an improved version of the original Lockheed Constellation, used by the Air Force for long-range VIP transports. This particular one, called "Columbine" after the state flower of Colorado, was used by Eisenhower when he was commander of Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, the predecessor to NATO. Sources: www.pimaair.org/aircraft-by-name/item/lockheed-c-121a-constellation en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Headquarters_Allied_Powers_Europe

The Caravelle was the first jetliner built with engines on the tail and the first built in France; this one first flew in 1955. In the 1960’s when I was in the military and flying overseas, it was common to see these planes. I don’t remember seeing many, though, in the states. The last known regular flight of a Caravelle was in 2004. There's an overhead shot of it on the Pima webpage. www.pimaair.org/aircraft-by-name/item/sud-aviation-se-210-caravelle-86

Worlds first turbo-prop airliner, built in Great Britain in the late 1940’s and continued flying into the 1980’s. Viscounts were flown by multiple U.S. airlines in the 1950’s. www.pimaair.org/aircraft-by-name/item/vickers-744-viscount

C-118 Liftmaster, a militarized version of the Douglas DC-6 airliner. This one was the last propeller driven Air Force One, assigned to President Kennedy. See the detail in the link. www.pimaair.org/aircraft-by-name/item/douglas-vc-118a-liftmaster

A prototype 787-8 used in testing and certification www.pimaair.org/aircraft-by-name/item/787-8-dreamliner

On a Lockheed S-3b, a very white pin-up, for some reason sitting on the end of a pencil, astride a symbol meant to denote something about Japan, with text meant to denote something about Japan, on an airplane that was assigned to Japan. I have never liked the sexualized (hetero) symbolism associated with flying weaponry, and particularly when it seems to have almost no sensitivity to foreign cultures.

One of three DC-3/C-47's parked in a row, painted outlandishly.

The Liberator was the most produced American aircraft of WWII (18,482 built); they were used by multiple Allied nations. The markings on this are for the 446th Bomb Group of Bungay, England. As noted in another photo, I find disturbing the use of humor to denote bombing successes. The B-24 bomber was dropped from use by the U.S. military right after WWII, though some were used in firefighting into the 1990’s. www.pimaair.org/aircraft-by-name/item/consolidated-b-24j-liberator

The Consolidated PBY Catalina, flown by the U.S. Navy starting in 1935 and the most produced flying boat in the world, used by civilians wherever flying boats are needed and even now being used in firefighting. The Wikipedia page has some interesting pictures of them in use. When I was a child in Florida in the 1950’s, we lived under the landing path for Naval Station Jacksonville and I remember these flying low overhead very frequently. www.pimaair.org/aircraft-by-name/item/canso en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consolidated_PBY_Catalina

Overhead view of a PBY, in fake water. See description with # 0671

Grumman J4f-2 Widgeon, produced from 1932 to 1942. Originally designed for civilian use but used by the military in WWII as a coastal search and rescue aircraft. This one was sold to a private corporation in 1948, repainted, and given the name ‘Petulant Porpoise” – I couldn’t find a reason for the name. Sources: www.pimaair.org/aircraft-by-name/item/grumman-j4f-2-widgeon en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_G-44_Widgeon