Some favourites in aviation
(click on image for a bigger view)
The world's greatest aircraft, the Douglas DC-3, takes off from Chicago's Meigs Field.
The Continental Airlines flagship DC-3 at Meigs Field, Chicago, July 27, 1997. Built in 1940, this plane saw service with Trans-Texas Airways. It was acquired by Continental in 1989, restored for promotional tours, and painted with a circa-1950 paint scheme. It landed in Chicago to show Continental's support for general aviation and the Friends of Meigs Field. It then flew to the Oshkosh fly-in, where it won the Transport Champion award in the antique aircraft competition. Note that this is a right-side loading version of the DC-3.
C-47 Dakota in British markings at Aurora, Illinois, August 1995. If I remember correctly, this particular C-47 flew a number of different missions during WWII, including several Himalayan Hump flights as well as support following D-Day. It also flew for several years as a commercial liner. This info is only my vague recollection from talking with the guy who was sitting in the pilot seat at the time I was aboard. Photo by Ramina. Check out The Online DC-3 Aviation Museum.
Love that Lockheed Constellation! Here is more info on this particular bird, the MATS Connie, from the brochure I received at the Aurora airshow.
Another Connie, the EC-121D "Triple Nickel," photographed April 1997 at the Air Force Museum.
The A-10 Thunderbolt II, a kick-ass anti-tank and close ground support fighter. The seven-barrel Gatling gun in the nose (close up) can fire up to 3,900 30mm depleted-uranium rounds per minute. Photographed April 1997 at the USAFM.
This is a North American AT-6 "Texan" advanced trainer in the guise of a Navy SNJ, one of many variously-painted Texans at the Aurora, Illinois airshow, August 1995. Actually this is not one of my very favourite planes, but I like this photo because of the gorgeous woman posing with the plane, my darling wife Ramina. She wanted to pose with this plane because it was so well-kept and clean, and she loved the gloss navy blue paint job. I have to agree.
All images, unless otherwise noted, were photographed by Kevin S. Forsyth
