This former 167th TFS WV ANG Sabre was acquired on disposal in 1961 by Dan Moyer of Front Royal, VA. Stored for over 30 years before being restored and placed on display at his local regional airfield with "Howdy Doody" nose art on the other side

This Provider was taken on charge in 1957 as a C-123B and served in Vietnam from 1961 to 1972, first as a UC-123B and later as a UC-123K when the auxiliary J85 jets were added, flying low-level defoliant and insecticide spray missions and cargo deliveries into strips as short as 2,000ft. Stored at Davis-Monthan from 1976 but reactivated for the Peruvian police on drug interdiction work under US Department of State registration N97033 from 1987 (nicknamed "El Burro"), prior to preservation at Dover in 1990. Serial presentation "AF40-658" is of course nonsense and should have read "AF54-658".

While developing the XP-84, Republic looked at installing rockets in fighters, inspired by late wartime German research. However the resulting XP-91 was quickly obsolete thanks to the rapidly increasing performance of newer jet engines and only two prototypes were built, although one was the first US fighter to exceed Mach 1 in level flight. An unusual feature was the wing planform, markedly tapered outwards from the fuselage to a wide chord at the wingtips to combat stall problems with early swept-wing designs

In 1978 the first of 116 F-4Gs, converted from F-4Es, joined the 35th TFW to accelerate the take-over from F-105s in the 'Wild Weasel' SAM suppression role. This example was later converted to a QF-4G drone and was w/o on 10.4.02

This Dagger entered storage under the Arizona sun in 1973 and still wears the marks of the 57th FIS from its duty in Iceland in this 1979 photo, but went on to enjoy a short new life being shot at as a PQM-102B drone after conversion by Sperry just six months later

Arrived at Upper Heyford on 9 May 1979 along with 55-0107 and 56-0659 and left on 23 May 1979. From the 96th BW at Dyess AFB, TX and participating in Exercises Flintlock and Dawn Patrol. While serving in Vietnam with the 43rd BW, this one was adorned with a huge sharkmouth and was involved in the 'Linebacker II' campaign of 1972. It is a survivor, now nicely preserved with the Yankee Air Museum at Willow Run near Detroit in the polyurethane finish first introduced in 1970 for better weather resilience in South East Asia

Delivered to the 314th TCW in 9.57 and seen here with the 711th SOS, this early Hercules went to the Bolivian AF as TAM-65 in 10.88 and was wfu by 7.96; still stored at La Paz in 2008

This AFRes/302TAW Provider, heading a line of six, was placed into store at DM on 29.6.80 and scrapped in 2013

Originally Air Force One from 1959, this superb machine has been preserved at Boeing Field since 6.96

Strangely marked as 96205 instead of the usual 26205. Based with the 56th RQS at Lakenheath, a place I associate more with the good old days of Super Sabres!

Seen here at its Eglin base, this F-111 of the resident 3246th Test Wing later carried their 'ET' tail code. Arrived AMARC 9.94 and scrapped 2011

One of two 157th FS F-16s at Aeroexpo. As the only wing in the USAF currently flying the Block 52 F-16, the 169th FW (McEntire ANGB, SC) was specially invited in view of the commonality to the 24 of this HTS-equipped variant now on order for Morocco. The flying demonstration will certainly have impressed the many African military dignitaries present

This aircraft carried an all grey livery with minute codes and low-visibility markings

Arriving for the Malta airshow, with one of the island's iconic churches in the background.

This F-106 served with the 5th Fighter Intercepter Squadron at Minot AFB, North Dakota, for a full 25 years, from 1960 to 1985. It survived a mid-air collision as well as conversion to QF-106 drone, and is now preserved.

Note the wrinkled belly skin of this quinquagenarian.

USAF combat rescue helicopter and MC-130 tanker.

The proposed fleet of B-70 deep penetration nuclear bombers was cancelled in 1961 due to high costs and the introduction of ICBMs, but two prototypes of this awesome six-engined Mach 3 beauty were used in supersonic test flights from 1964 to 1969. One crashed following a midair collision with an F-104 while filming in 1966, the other became an outstanding exhibit at the USAFM, arriving on 4.2.69. One of the most memorable sights of my first visit to the USA

Two C-17s in one show static is not bad - nearby was a UAE example

This Voodoo was assigned to Wright-Patterson AFB for ejection seat tests from July 1960 until its retirement to the Air Force Museum in 1970. It was displayed there till moved to the Yankee Air Museum in Michigan during the 1980s