Beech C-45 Expeditor "Arctic Annie"

The Beechcraft Model 18 was a civilian aircraft introduced in the late 1930's, and saw considerable military service during World War II. It served in the U.S. Army Air Forces as the C-45 Expeditor (cargo), AT-7 Navigator (navigation trainer), and the AT-11 Kansan (bombing and gunnery trainer); and in the U.S. Navy as the UC-45J Navigator, and the SNB-1 Kansan. The Royal Canadian Air Force designated the C-45F's they received under Lend-Lease as the Expeditor III. Other variants ranged in type from floatplanes to photo reconaissance.

More than 4,000 were built for service throughout the war (total production, including civilian models, numbered over 8,000), in 40 different variants, and has been operated by 39 different countries. The USAF operated C-45's until 1963, the USN retired their last SNB in 1972, and the Army flew C-45's until 1976.

This particular aircraft, named "Arctic Annie", served with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Bleriot -1 (Replica)

Courtesy of the KC Dawn Patrol. Louis Bleriot designed the original Bleriot in 1909; In WW I, various versions served as a trainer, observation aircraft, and light bomber.

Boeing E6-B Mercury

Douglas AD-5 Skyraider

The Skyraider took its first flight in 1945. Designed as a successor to the SBD Dive Bomber, the Skyraider was the most powerful carrier aircraft every fielded. The AD-5 was a multi-seat variant of the Skyraider line. Allowing a side-by-side pilot/copilot arrangement it allowed further flexibility in the use of the aircraft as a bomber, air ambulance, and other mission roles. 212 of this variant were built.

This Skyraider served with VMA-332 in the Korean War aboard the USS Ranger making 70 traps during its sea-borne career.  Its most famous role during Vietnam was in escorting rescue helicopters to the sites of downed airmen and providing suppressing fire during the retrieval of the pilots.

The 442nd Fighter Wing, located at Whiteman AFB, participated in our 2005 Salute to Veterans Celebration with its own salute to the men and women who have served in our Armed Forces:

Thanks to the 442nd Maintenance Group, this A-10 from the 303rd Fighter Squadron was re-named the U.S. VETERANS' THUNDERBOLT and dedicated at the airshow by by Colonel Patrick Cord, 442nd FW Commander. It is the only plane in the squadron that was not named for a city.

Fokker D.VII (Replica)

Courtesy of the KC Dawn Patrol. Germany produced around 1,700 D.VII aircraft in the summer and autumn of 1918. In service, the D.VII quickly proved itself to be a formidable aircraft. The Armistice ending the war specifically required Germany to surrender all D.VIIs to the Allies at the conclusion of hostilities. Surviving aircraft saw continued widespread service with many other countries in the years after World War I.

Fokker E.III (Replica)

Courtesy of the KC Dawn Patrol. A German WW I Fighter. Around 250 were produced, with another 50 earlier aircraft upgraded to the E.II.

Fokker E.IV (Replica)

Courtesy of the KC Dawn Patrol. A German WW I Fighter. It was an update of the E.III, essentially lengthening the fuselage and increasing engine size.

Lockheed P-38 Lightning

This distinctive-looking fighter was used in a number of different roles, including ground attack, photo reconnaissance, long-range fighter escort, pathfinder, and radar-equipped night-fighter. In many theaters, the P-38 was the primary long-range fighter of the U.S Army Air Forces until the P-51 Mustang became available in large numbers, later in the war.

The Lightning was flown by the two top-scoring American aces: MAJ Richard Bong scored 40 victories, and MAJ Thomas McGuire scored 38 victories.

The P-38 was the only U.S. fighter who's production spanned Pearl Harbor and VJ Day. The first production batch was ordered by the U.S in 1939; the final Lightning operator was Italy, who retired them in 1956.

Lockheed Martin C130 "Hercules"

Courtesy of the Missouri Air National Guard. The C-130 Hercules primarily performs the tactical portion of the airlift mission. The aircraft is capable of operating from rough, dirt strips and is the prime transport for air dropping troops and equipment into hostile areas. The C-130 operates throughout the U.S. Air Force, serving with Air Mobility Command (stateside based), Air Force Special Operations Command, theater commands, Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve Command, fulfilling a wide range of operational missions. Basic and specialized versions of the aircraft airframe perform a diverse number of roles, including airlift support, Antarctic ice resupply, aeromedical missions, weather reconnaissance, aerial spray missions, fire-fighting duties for the U.S. Forest Service and natural disaster relief missions.

Lockheed Martin P-3 "Orion"

Based on the Lockheed L-188 Electra, the Orion has been modified to fit its mission. The Orion entered service in 1962 and has been in continuous service since. Its mission is primarily an antisubmarine and anti-ballistic missile platform. Its internal bomb bay can carry torpedoes or other weapons.

Morane-Saulnier "L" Parasol Fighter (Replica)

This is a smaller-scale replica of the first airplane to shoot down a Zeppelin in WW I. The Morane-Saulnier was one of the first successful fighter planes. It was built in both one- and two-seat configurations. It had a forward-facing machine gun that fired through the arc of the propeller, which was armored so as to deflect any shots that struck it.

Overall, about 600 were built. Its success triggered a rapid aircraft cycle in several nations, which quickly rendered it obsolete. Interestingly, the first fighter-fighter victory occurred when a German Fokker shot down one of the two-seat versions of the L-series aircraft.

Nieport 11 (Replica)

Courtesy of the KC Dawn Patrol. The Nieuport 11 was an extremely successful French-built WW I fighter. It was flown by the French, British, and Russian armed forces.

North American P51 Mustang

The North American P-51 was a long-range fighter and escort designed during World War II. Initially built with an Allison engine, the fighter handled well at low altitudes, but exhibited lackluster performance over 15,000 feet.

Over time, many of the P-51s were sold to Britain, who also found it inadequate at altitude. Rolls-Royce was invited to review the aircraft, and the result was legendary: with the Rolls-Royce 61 engine, the fighter could reach 433 mph at 20,000 feet, with an absolute ceiling of 40,300 feet. This combination catapulted the Mustang to near-mythic status, which continues today.

Pictured at Right: The three P-51's that are coming:

• P-51D "Petie 2nd" - The noseart on the airplane originated on the P-51 of Colonel John C. Meyer, who was the commanding officer of the 352nd Fighter Group, based in Bodney, England during WWII.   The swastikas represent the number of victories that Colonel Meyer had during WWII.
• P-51D "Archie"
• P-51C "Tuskegee Airmen" - Click here for its history
  

North American SNJ "Texan"

The AT-6 was the premier trainer of its time, with over 17,000 built. The SNJ-5 at the Airshow was built in 1943, and will be flying some outstanding aerobatics by Clyde Zellers.

Schukert D-1

During WW I, German forces captured a number of French Nieuport-17's. Using the Nieuports as a template, the Siemens-Schukert D-1 was created. It never saw combat, but was used for a trainer. About 95 were created.

Sikorsky MH-53E Sea Dragon

SPAD 13 (replica)

Courtesy the KC Dawn Patrol. The Société Provisoire des Aéroplanes Deperdussin (SPAD) designed this aircraft as a WW I fighter. Appearing in 1916, it was first thought to be too heavy and unmaneuverable to be an effective fighter, but as pilots learned its strengths, it became one of the most popular fighters of the war.

Stearman PT-17 Kaydett

Originally designated the X-70, the Stearman PT-17 was designed in 1933 to meet the US Air Corps requirements for a new trainer. Over 10,000 Kaydett's of different variants were ultimately built.

This particular Kaydette was built in 1942 and used as a trainer in the Royal Canadian Air Force until 1944, at which time it was returned to the US Army Air Corps. It was mustered out in 1945, after which it spent the next 20+ years towing advertising banners over Cape May, NJ. In 1990, she began a 7-year restoration and has been flying since.

Voisin-3 (Replica)

The Voisin-3 was the vanguard of a new type of aircraft: the two-seat bomber. Used by the French and Russian forces, as well as Belgian and Romanian forces in smaller numbers, about 1350 were built.

The Valiant was the most widely used trainer in the USAAF for basic pilot training during World War II. Compared to the primary traininers of the time, the Valiant was more complex, having radios, flaps, a more powerful engine, and a variable-pitch propellor. The Valiant also had full instruments to teach pilots to fly at night or in bad weather. Students trained on the Valiant soon gave it another name: the "Vibrator."