2007 Museums: CAF Arizona Wing

Summer 2009:  Anytime I drive near this fine facility, I stop by to take a look... you never know what will be on the ramp and this time I saw these:
 

B-25J Maid in the Shade finally in flying condition !
  Another shot of the lady.

Beech C-45 Expeditor
  New CAF recognition artwork on the side
  Rear view

Douglas DC-6/C-117 Liftmaster

Douglas C-47 (near the field Control Tower, not the museum)

Sikorsky UH-19D, 1971  (N6735)

Fall 2007:  Yet another visit to this great flying museum produced another batch of pictures.  Here they are for your enjoyment:
 

Exhibit Hangar:

Blériot:
  Blériot XI

Boeing:
  N2S-4 Kaydet (Stearman)
    Nose view

Cessna:
  C-185 Skywagon (N3455Y)

Douglas:
  A-26C "Miss Murphy"
    Nose art

Frankfort Sailplane:
  QQ-3 Drone

Grumman:
  AF-2S Guardian

Mikoyan Gurevich:
  MiG-15UTI "Fagot"
  MiG-21PF "Fishbed-D"

McDonnell:
  F4N-2 Phantom II
    Tail view

Naval Aircraft factory:
  N3N-3 "Yellow Peril"
     Rear view

Schweizer:
  TG-3A Training glider

Vultee:
  BT-15 Valiant
    Side view
    Cockpit side
    Rear panel
    Throttle quadrant

Engines:
  Allison V-1710 (P-38, P-40)
  Continental R-670 (N3N)
  GE J-47 (F-86, B-36, B-45, B-47)
  GE J-79 Turbojet (B-58, F-4, F-104)
  P&W R-1830 Twin-Wasp (B-25)
  P&W R-4360 Wasp Major (B-29, B-32)
  Righter 2GS-17 (QQ-3 Drone)
  Wright R-2600 Cyclone (B-25, TBM)
  Wright R-3350TC (C-121)
  Wright R-3350 (B-29, B-32)

Restoration Hangar:

Aeronca:
  L-16A Grasshopper
    Rear view
    Nose art

Beech:
  C-45 Expeditor
    Nose compartment
    Engine w/o cowling

Sikorsky:
  HO4S/H-19 Chickasaw

On the ramp:

Douglas:
  DC-6 / C-118 Liftmaster
    Side view, nose

Lockheed:
  PV-2 Harpoon
    Side view, nose

North-American:
  B-25J Mitchell "Ol Grey Mare"
    3/4 Rear view

Summer 2005:

Aeronca:
  L-16A
     With big friend
     In hangar

Beech:
  Beechcraft C-45 (in new hangar)
     Side view
     Rear view
  T-34A Mentor

Boeing:
  N2S-4 (in new hangar)
  B-17G "Sentimental Journey"
     Nose art
     Nose view
     Engine start
     Taxiing
     B-17G (from cockpit of SNJ-2)
     On taxiway
     Take-off
     Tail guns
     Cockpit (pilot)
     Cockpit (co-pilot)
     Looking at an old friend

Canadair:
  Silver Star 3 (CT-33 on the ramp)

Cessna:
  O2-A Skymaster

Douglas:
  A-26C "Miss Murphy"
     Tail side
  AC-47 "Puff the Magic Dragon"
  C-47
     Nose view
     With B-17 taking off
  DC-3

Grumman:
  AF-2S Guardian
     Nose view
     3/4 front view

Lockheed:
  PV-2 Harpoon
     3/4 rear view
  C-60C / 18 Lodestar

McDonnell:
  F4N-2 Phantom II

Mikoyan-Gurevich:
  MiG-15 (in new hangar)
    On the ramp
  MiG-15 bis
  MiG-21

Naval Aircraft Factory:
  N-3N-3 (Yellow Peril)

North American:
  B-25J Mitchell "Ol Grey Mare"
     Nose art
  B-25J "Maid in the Shade"
     Nose art
  SNJ-5
     From the rear

Wright:
  B-26 radial engine

And then, something very special at the CAF, you can actually take a ride in their airplanes !  I had the trill to have one in their SNJ-5, with Col. Bob Jacobson as pilot in command.  A very special entry in my pilot logbook !  Here are a few pictures of that flight:

Col. Bob preflighting the SNJ
Engine checks
Engine run-up
Little friend
Taxiing for a ride
Looking forward standing on the rear seat
View of the rear panel gauges
On our take-off run while the B-17G is positioning for departure
Me during the ride
On initial climb out
My limited view forward from the rear seat
View of the airport from downwind
View of the airport with Superstition Mountain in the background
Low pass in the desert
Lower pass in the desert !
During a "steep" turn !
Me, all smiles after the ride
Mesa Arizona from the cockpit
Col. Bob Jacobson (my pilot)
Going back to bed...
 

Here is my pictorial homage to the CAF's unique Heinkel HE-111-2 who has crashed on its way back from an air show a few years ago, sadly killing the entire crew and destroying this unique aircraft...

Heinkel:
  HE-111 Blitz Bomber
  Side view
  Nose view
  Mid-ship