I have just returned from a family holiday to the USA. Main reason to go was meeting up with my brother in law, who lives in New Haven with his wife, but my girlfriend and I also travelled around quite a bit. And of course where possible aircraft were included!
Here is a log of all that was seen. As usual everything is actually read off unless between (brackets). Unlike most of my reports I am not going to do it day by day, as most days it is only one stop anyway. Instead I will do the whole trip report in two parts (one full log would be too long I guess).
We flew in via New York, and as Michelle and I had never been here before, we spent two days in the city with the family, doing all the well known tourist stuff. Very nice and impressive! Of course also a visit to the USS Intrepid was included.
USS Intrepid museum, New York (2-10)
(60-6925) A-12 pr, no mks
(79-0403)/NY F-16A pr, “174 FW” and “Spirit of Syracuse”, 138 FS mks
142833/AK-512 A-4B pr, VA-95 mks
162185 A-6DSD pr, Grumman mks
147212/AU-773 E-1B pr, VAW-121 DET 11 mks
133566/AG-100 F-3C pr, marked as F3H-2N, VF-41 mks
150628/NK-101 F-4N pr, VMFA-323 mks
134836/AF-111 F-6A pr, marked as F4D-1, VF-162 mks
145550/AK-102 F-8K u. rest, VF-111 mks
141117/E-210 F-9J pr, marked as F9F-8, VF-61 mks
141884/5 F-11A pr, Blue Angels c/s
157986 F-14D pr, Grumman c/s
999734 F-21A pr, VMFT-401/VF-43 mks, also ex/as IDF/AF 734 Kfir C1P with 144 sq mks
(“17649”/1) FG-1D u. rest (N1978M, ex 92013, VF-17 mks)
135868/AF-203 FJ-3 pr, VF-33 mks
“159220”/XE-623 AH-1J pr, no mks (ex 159218)
“130160”/UP-51 (H-19) HRS pr (ex USCG HO4S-3G 1308, HU-1 mks
128519/HU-69 UH-25B pr (N8SA), marked as HUP-2, HU-2 mks
(-)/TT T-34A pr (N34Z, ex 53-4183), USN c/s
53842/+-2 TBM-3E pr (N60393), markings?
159232/NM-601 AV-8C pr, VMA-231 mks
09102/N-102 (AD-4) XBT2D-1 pr, Douglas Testing Div. mks
59-1621/1621 UH-1A pr, no mks
1429 HH-52A pr, USCG Brooklyn mks
N913NA T-38A pr (ex 65-10355)
“MM54476”/7 MB.339A/PAN pr (ex MM54461), Frecce Tricolori c/s
0327 (MiG-17F) Lim-5 pr (ex Pol AF), N. Vietnam c/s
4105 MiG-21PFM pr (ex Pol AF), N. Vietnam c/s
My second museum carrier in the US, after the USS Midway in San Diego. Although the latter has more aircraft, some nice ones are preserved here as well, with the Kfir being my favourite. The F-8 is inside the restoration shed that is placed on the flight deck and is visible through a window. I was convinced there was something behind it at the time, but couldn’t identify it and I had ticked off all aircraft from the list I had. Later on though I found out that Corsair 92013 had actually arrived the evening before our visit and had been put inside the restoration hangar as well. Nice timing for a change!
The TBM-3 has a large + as code on the tail (see here for a picture: https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/10468439 ). I can’t find any info on this, is this an actual squadron marking or fake?
Next day we amongst others took the Staten Island ferry to photograph the Statue of Liberty, and while we passed there MH-65E 6606 of USCG Atlantic City flew over (actually doing a loop around the statue as well!). And just when we finished the return journey its sistership 6604 made a short stop at the heliport in the harbour. Two nice bonusses.
Next day was spent in New Haven, and after saying goodbye to the family, Michelle and I headed into Vermont for a few days. On the way a stop was made at Bradley airport in Connecticut though.
Bradley IAP (4-10)
C-130, 118 AS: 84-0210, 92-1453, 93-1457, 93-1459
80-0322 C-130H pr, 118 AS mks
79-0103/CT A-10A pr, 118 TFS mks
“53-3805”/CT F-100D pr (ex 55-3805), 118 TFS mks
56-1264 F-102A pr, 118 FIS mks
70-16218 UH-1H pr, CT-NG mks
Four of the local Hercs were home, and as these are still old H-models I am happy with them. They can be read off from the road on the Western side of the airfield, and all the preserved stuff is easy to see as well.
We then had to visit the museum as well of course.
New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks (4-10)
79-0173/CT A-10A pr, 118 TFS mks
43-22499/G-50 A-26C pr (N86481), “Reida Rae”, 416 BG c/s
“43-4381”/42 B-25H pr (N3970C, ex 43-4999 and Dom AF 2503), “Dog Daize”, 82 BS c/s
(“44-61566”)/I-55 B-29A pr (ex 44-61975, RF of 44-61793), “Jack’s Hack”, 468 BG mks
52-1488 RB-57A pr, 117 TRS mks
85-0101/MA F-15C pr, 118 FS mks
52-1896/96 F-89J pr (tail of 53-2492), 132 FS mks
52-5761 F-100A pr, 118 FIS mks
“44-20344”/54 P-47D pr (ex 45-49458 and FAP 451), 65 FS c/s, “Norma”
(41-8786) PT-17 pr (N374RA), no mks
142246 A-3B pr, no mks
80759 XF4U-4 pr, no mks
79192/S60 F6F-5 pr, no mks, VBF-11 c/s
74120 FM-2 pr, no mks
161905 SH-2F pr, no mks, former unit anybody??
129801 (OH-43) HOK-1 pr (rear fuselage of 125530), no mks
(04351)/16-B K-16B pr, no mks
31561 LNE-1 pr (N5346G), no mks
138048/8048 T-33B pr, no mks, former unit anybody??
62-04188 C-7A pr, CT AVCRAD mks
70-15981 AH-1S pr, MA-NG mks
62-12550 UH-1B pr, no mks, former unit anybody??
67-16127 OH-6A pr, 1 Cav Div mks
69-18465 CH-54B pr, “Mighty Tarhe”, CT-NG mks (208 Avn Co)
1428 HH-52A pr, USCG Detroit mks
7228 HU-16E pr, USCG Miami mks
2121 HU-25A pr, USCG Mobile mks
N13Y P-51D pr (ex 44-72400)
NX21A K-28 pr (ex BuNo 04378), cockpit
N401A K-225 pr (ex BuNo 125478)
NC14262 Lockheed 10 pr (ex BuNo 0267)
NC41881 VS-44A pr (ex XJR2S-1 BuNo 12391)
NC44792 DC-3 pr (ex C-49J 43-1973)
Again a very nice collection. Unfortunately access to the storage/restoration hangars was not possible, so quite a few aircraft that should be present were missed. Regarding the K-225, some sources say this went to the USCG as YHOK-1C with serial 1239 before reverting back to its civil serial, who knows more? Help with the last operational units of the three indicated aircraft would also be very welcome.
Next day, a Sunday, we were hiking in Gifford Woods State Park (very beautiful!) when we were buzzed by a low flying C-17. According to ADSB this was 96-0005.
Monday was one of only two days during our whole trip where we had some rain. As we had planned to do some cycling this morning (we are Dutch after all!), we changed our itinerary around a little bit, and after a tour at Ben & Jerry’s we drove to nearby Burlington.
Vermont Veterans Militia Museum & Library, Burlington (7-10)
65-0712/VT F-4D pr, 134 TFS mks
79-0357 F-16A pr, 134 FS mks
49-2517 F-94A pr, 134 FIS mks
“52-9734” T-33A pr, ex 58-0592 (still visible), 134 TFS mks
65-09613 UH-1H pr, VT-NG mks (47 Avn Det CECAT)
66-14390 OH-6A pr, VT-NG mks (A/1-150 Avn)
The museum used to be open from Monday till Friday, but that has changed to Tuesday to Sunday. And of course today was Monday…. I wasn’t allowed to walk the grounds of the museum, but the guard let me wander outside the fence to photograph the aircraft luckily. No chance to see the OH-23 that is inside though. The Phantom is located a bit further behind the gate by the way, but is easily visible.
Burlington IAP (7-10)
52-1500 EB-57B pr, 134 DSES mks
83-1165 F-16C pr, 134 FS mks
“52-1883” F-89J pr (ex 53-2494), 134 FIS mks
70-16355 UH-1H pr, VT NG mks
68-17206 OH-6A pr, VT NG mks
There seemed to be no flying with the local F-35s, but I hadn’t planned to spend time here anyway and only came for the gate guards. The F-16 and the choppers are again easily visible, but for the other two jets I had to walk along the fence for a bit.
We had timed it very well by the way, because we did the cycling in the afternoon and didn’t have a drop of rain anymore
OK, I guess that’s enough for part 1. The rest will probably follow tomorrow. As always, additions, corrections and comments are welcome.
That’s all folks!
Patrick Dirksen
Tristar Aviation