This WP-3A (MH-4/BuNo 150496) was assigned to Fleet Weather Reconnaissance Squadron Four (VW-4) at NAS Jacksonville. It is deployed to an unknown Air Force Base (AFB). Two hurricane flags - Red-trimmed Black squares - are painted on the tail. This aircraft was later converted to VP-3A standards and was the first P-3 to ever land in the Soviet Union. (PHCS Mahlon K. Miller) P-3s assigned to Fleet Oceanographic Development Squadron Eight (VXN-8) had some of the most colorful paint schemes ever applied to Orions. RP-3A (BuNo 150500) ARCTIC FOX was assigned to Project BIRDSEYE, the Navy's study of polar ice behavior. It is painted Insignia White and glossy International Orange (FS12197), with colorful forward fuselage art. The aircraft was deployed to NAS Moffett Field in December of 1975. (Michael Grove via PHCS Mahlon K. Miller)

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All three of these sensors originated in either the immediate pre-war or wartime research or matured into a usable system during the U-Boat war. American aircraft used in anti-submarine operations included the Douglas B-18 Bolo, Lockheed PBO Hudson and PV Harpoon/Ventura series, Consolidated PB4Y Liberator/Privateer, and several flying boats. The latter included the PBY Catalina, Martin PBM Mariner, and Consolidated PB2Y Coronado. In 1941, Lockheed began developing a large twin-engine land-based patrol aircraft to meet the USN's future needs. Development of this aircraft was delayed until 1944; however, the Navy awarded a contract to Lockheed for two prototypes and 15 service evaluation aircraft that April. The resulting P2V (later P-2) Neptune was the Navy's standard land-based patrol aircraft between 1947 and 1962. Lockheed built 1051 Neptunes, which served with distinction in the US Navy and with several foreign nations.

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This type entered the headlines of the world press when Vladimir K. Kokkinaki and his navigator Mikhail Gordinenko set a world distance record in the TsKB-30 Moskva (Moscow). They departed from Moscow bound for New York on 29 April 1939. Bad weather forced the crew to make an emergency landing at Miskou Island, at the northern tip of New Brunswick, Canada after a flight of 22 hours and 56 minutes. The TsKB-30 Moskva had traveled approximately 8000 km (4971 miles) at an average speed of 348 kmh (216 mph). It became the first Soviet aircraft to land in Canada and on the Eastern Coast of North America. The DB-3 received its baptism of fire in early 1939, when the Soviets delivered 24 aircraft to China. From its base at Chengdu, the DB-3s flew several raids against the invading Japanese forces. The most successful missions were two raids flown to Hankou. a Japanese held airfield approximately 1500 km (932 miles) from Chengdu.

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Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation of Bethpage, Long Island, New York was still a relatively new company in 1935. Lcroy Grumman, Jake' Swirhul, and William Schwendler founded the company in the midsl of the Great Depression in December of 1929. Grumman began its existence by manufacturing aircraft floats for the Vought O3U observation aircraft, and aluminum truck bodies. Expressing a desire to become an airframe manufacturer. Grumman submitted a bid in the US Navy's High-Speed Two-Seat Fighter (HSTSF) competition in early 1930. This competition resulted in a contract for 27 of Grumman's G-5 design, or FF-1. This advanced aircraft and its derivatives introduced Naval Aviation to metal aircraft construction, retractable landing gear, and enclosed cockpits. Following the FF-1's success. Grumman set about designing a follow-on fighter, this time in a single seat configuration. The result was the F2F-1, which became the Navy's premier fighter aircraft during the mid-1930s. By 1935, Grumman was already hard at work designing the F2F-1's eventual successor, the F3F. The F3F was built in three major sub-variants between 1935 and 1938. By 1938, all US Navy (USN) and Marine Corps front-line lighter squadrons were equipped with Grumman's F2F-1 and all F3F variants.

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The North American Aviation F-100 Super Sabre, often nicknamed 'The Hun' (for Hundred), was the first production aircraft to exceed the speed of sound in level flight. North American's F-86 Sabre and some other early jet aircraft easily broke the sound barrier in a dive. The rocket-powered Bell X-l series also broke the sound barrier, but they could not take off under their own power. The 'Hun' could break the barrier at any time and it was a true aircraft, breathing air to make power and abie to take off and Jand under its own power. Based as an evolution of the F-86 design series, the F-100 was truly a 'Super Sabre.' Following on the success of the F-86 Sabre program, North American Aviation (NAA) began an in-house program to increase the Sabre design's total performance on 3 February 1949. This design would make the Sabre capable of flying at Mach 1 speed and beyond in level flight. The F-86 Sabre design was limited to approximately 0.95 Mach in level flight. Several proposals were put forth, including installation of a much larger engine and a complete redesign of the airframe including the wing sweep angle, to decrease the drag co-efficient of the basic design. All of these proposals would require a total redesign of the airframe, not simply bolting in one of the new, higher thrust engines or a simple change in the wing.

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The Amiot 143 prototype was originally powered by 700 up Gnome & Rhone 14Kars (port)/Kbrs (starboard) radials, which were soon replaced by the specified 800 HP 14Kdrs/Kgrs, and replaced in turn by 850 HP 14Kirs/Kjrs. Gnome & Rhone 14 series engines were handed, so the port engine turned clockwise and the starboard engine turned counterclockwise. This inward motion countered engine torque and reduced aircraft yawing in the event of one engine shutting down during flight. Flight tests with CEMA at Villacoublay began during October of 1934. The prototype demonstrated a maximum speed of 293 kmh (182 mph) at 4000 m (13,123 feet) during these trials. The Amiot 143 prototype was returned to Amiot after CEMA testing to have its engines moved forward 25 CM (10 inches), which altered the aircraft's center of gravity and improved its stability. This prototype was then redesignated Amiot 143M.

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This Bleriot 127M was one of 34 examples built which entered Aeronautique Militaire service from April of 1929. These aircraft were assigned to the Escadrilles de Protection (Defense Squadrons) of the 11th Escadre de Bombardement (Bomber Wing) at Metz. Numerous fatal accidents plagued the Bleriot 127M's service life and led to the introduction of several modifications. These modifications proved ineffective and the French grounded the massive Bleriots in 1933. Cocardes (roundels) were painted only on the wings of French military aircraft prior to 1940. The center disc was Roundel Blue (FS25090), with a White (FS27780) inner ring and a Roundel Red (FS21105) outer ring. Rudders were striped (from front) Roundel Blue, White, and Roundel Red. Bloch 200 No 193, White 6 (E-202), was assigned to the 32nd Escadre de Bombardement at Tours. It was a sturdy and reliable aircraft with reasonable performance when it entered Armee de I'Air service in 1934. Its two 760 hp Gnome & Rhone 14Kdrs radial engines powered it to a maximum speed of 215 kmh (134 mph). The Bloch 200 carried a 1500 kg (3307 pound) bomb load and was armed with three 7,5mm Dame machine guns located in single mounts in the nose, dorsal, and ventral positions. Bloch built 2Q8 Bloch 200s, with 92 of them still in service at the outbreak of World War Two. This bomber was painted overall Dark Green (FS24058), with natural metal cowlings. The matricute militare (military registration number) was painted in White across the wing undersurface. This practice was discontinued on French aircraft built after 13 January 1940.

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Always overshadowed by its successor, the Gladiator, the Gloster SS.19 (Gauntlet) prototype (J9125) emanated from a 1926 British Air Ministry specification for a new RAF fighter. It was not until 1932 that a suitable powerful engine became available for the proposed fighter. J9125 was fitted with a 536 HP Bristol Mercury VIS nine-cylinder, air-cooled, radial engine. It was then sent to the Aircraft & Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) at Martlesham Heath, England for service evaluation in February of 1933. Its performance figures included a rate of climb of over 2000 feet (609.6 M) per minute at sea level where it attained a speed of 163 MPH (262.3 KMH). The speed rose to 210 MPH (338 Kmh) at 14,000 feel (4267.2 M). The Gauntlet's performance was only marginally improved by fitting a 570 HP Mercury VIS2, removing the wheel spats. and replacing the tail skid with a wheel. Its maximum speed only increased to 214 MPH (344.4 kmh) at 15,000 feet (4572 m). These figures included the weight of two .303 caliber (7.7mm) Vickers Mk V machine guns with 600 rounds per gun, a radio, and oxygen and night flying equipment.

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