Looking splendid, with the better nose art version, regained code and original serial on the tail. Built as a DC-3 for American Airlines but not taken up, became USAAF C-49J 43-1975 instead. To N87745 in September 1976, after a handful of US registrations and one Mexican. Operated by Southern Cross Aviaton for about two decades as a jump plane, until badly hurricane-damaged. Into the airshow circuit to regain funds spent on restoration; doing pleasure flights at the photo date. Registration modestly in black below the horizontal stabiliser, not visible from this angle.

Painted and marked to represent a Royal Navy Gosling I in West Indies service. Has serial FP469 applied in addition to the colours and markings, unfortunately behind the float here and I forgot to go back and get it on photo once people had left. The real former FP469 was taken off the register in October 2013 as N700BL.

Departing back to Augusta, GA. This was one of the first CJ3s, off the line in September 2004 even before FAA certification of the type. Registered as shown since March 2005 with various owners.

Ex N1135V. On loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation (Pensacola, FL).

Still incredible how the Whale was operated from aircraft carriers, with a maximum take-off weight of over 80,000 lbs (37 tonnes). Last served with VQ-2, coded JV-003, and went to AMARC in October 1990 as 2A0126. With the museum since November 2012 and painted with older VQ-2 markings.

Featuring an RAF desert camouflage scheme, home-built in 2019.

Ex USAAF 41-39427. Previously flew as "437140/R". Now without serial and coded "P". It carries "Night Mission" nose art on the left side.

Destined for Air Spray in 1977 but was damaged at Macon, GA prior to delivery and stored. Acquired by Denny Lynch (of Lynch Air Tankers) in Sep 1978 and repaired. Flown to Billings, MT and stored. Restored as a warbird in 1985 but rarily flown. Sold to the Greatest Generation Aircraft in 2009 and flown to Denton, TX on 9 Jan 2010 for paint stripping, then on to Meacham Field on 20 Jan 2010 for long term restoration at the Vintage Flying Museum. Sold to Jim Reynolds in Feb 2012, and first post-restoration flight was on 8 Jul 2017, in bare metal. In 2018 it was painted as seen here, but it hasn't flown much since. This is the only airworthy Counter Invader in the world.

This Sentinel is ex USAAF L-5E 44-17631, but it is painted to resemble a US Marines OY-1 with incorrect serial 03918 (obviously taken from the c/n). It has "OY-1 - Marines - 03918" on the rear fuselage, and the name is only carried on the other side.

Parked in front of the museum hangar. From 2008 until about 2012 this former C-49J was wrongly painted with nonsense serials 41-6315 and 41-6531 at the same time, on the left and right side respectively (both obviously based on the c/n). In the mid 2010s it briefly flew with fake serial "411973", but in about 2016 it was finally painted with its correct serial, 43-1975.

Parked on the apron in front of the museum hangar.

Most of the museum's aircraft are airworthy, but this impressive Skywarrior is on static display next to the museum hangar.

w/o 31 october 1985

owner Montex Drilling Company