Peter Butt Transport Collection Gallery

North American P-51D Mustang N335 BARDAHL II

North American P-51D Mustang N335, BARDAHL II, race number 14 at Santa Monica, with sister-ship N335J just visible parked alongside. built as P-51D-30-NA for the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) 7June 1947: Delivered to Royal Canadian Air Force as 9564.20 September 1960: Struck off charge.25 February 1957-1960: James H. FeFuria-Fred Ritts-Intercontinental Airways, Canastota, NY, February 25, 1957-1960, registered as N6343T, but stored at Carberry, Manitoba.10 May 1960-1964 Aero Enterprises, Elkhart, IN.17 April 1964-1973: E.D. Weiner, Santa Monica, CA., registered as N335, race number 14 - Bardahl II'.1965: Sep - Race number 14 - white-black checkers, polished prop, no name - piloted by E.D. Weiner - 1st place in Transcontinental Race from Tampa to Reno1966: Sep - Reno, Race number 14, pilot: E.D. Weiner1967: Sep - Reno, Race number 14 - Bardahl II - piloted by E.D. Weiner- 2nd in the Transcon Race at 400.234 mph1968: Sep - Reno, Race number 14 - Bardahl II - piloted by E.D. Weiner- yellow and black checkerboard paint- new racing canopy-turtle-deck- won the Harold's Club Transcontinental Trophy Dash from Milwaukee to Reno, 1,667 miles averaging 361.14 mph1969: Sep - Reno, Race number 14 - STP Special - all red paint- E.D. Weiner too sick to fly in the Transcontinental Race- Weiner raced his pylon racer number 49 Bardahl Miss, but pulled out because of a heart attack. He died a week later.8 May 1973-2002 : Violet M. Bonzer, Los Angeles, CA. - 1973-1980 loaned to EAA Museum, Hales Corner, WI,.- 1980-1989 Stored, Truckee, CA., then trucked to Mesa, AZ for restoration.- Under restoration to airworthy as American Dreamer. 2012: Seen in good condition. (Note: Not to be confused with N335J Miss Bardahl a different aircraft also painted in Yellow checkerboard, owned by E.D. Weinr) Date: circa 1968

© The Peter Butt Aviation Collection / Mary Evans Picture Library

United States Air Force - Martin NRB-57D Canberra 53-3973

United States Air Force - Martin NRB-57D Canberra 53-3973 31 May 1956 accepted by the 4080 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing 1959-61: AFSC. Converted to WB-57D. re-designated NRB-57D when used in a research program at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. 4 January 1964: Crashed when wings failed near Dayton, OH and plane came down in a school-yard at Dayton, OH., forcing the grounding of the entire W/RB-57D Fleet. (It was reported in late autumn of 1958 the aircraft made a full-fuel landing during an emergency immediately after take-off at Laughlin AFB, Texas, but when right main landing gear hit the runway the wing separated at the engine root. ) Date: circa 1963

© The Peter Butt Aviation Collection / Mary Evans

United States Army Beechcraft RU-21D Laffing Eagle 67-18105

United States Army Beechcraft RU-21D Laffing Eagle (msn LM-101) converted to JRU-21D, later to RU-21H Guardrail V, then U-21H. To civil registry as N7139Z, noted in 1997 as on static display outside HQ 224th MIB at Hunter AAF, GA. On 8 December 1968, the 509th Radio Research Group distributed 16 RU-21D LAFFING EAGLE aircraft to the 138th, 144th, and 146th Aviation Companies during the Vietnam War. The deployment improved the Armys ability to track the enemy in the critical northern and central zones of South Vietnam. With twin turboprop engines, it had greater range, speed, and rate of climb than other ASA aircraft in Vietnam. It also had a larger payload capacity with cabin space for two operators and their mission equipment. With more interior space for SIGINT equipment, LAFFING EAGLE became a more efficient surveillance platform with both collection and direction-finding capabilities. The collection system had an improved frequency range and could record low-level voice intercepts on tape. These recordings could be hand-carried to an analysis center or transmitted by secure voice to units. The direction-finding position could establish the necessary bearings without requiring the pilot to point the aircraft into the incoming signal. Instead, the operator made the necessary measurements independent of the cockpit. With these capabilities, LAFFING EAGLE was able to intercept the attack plans of the North Vietnamese Army 1st Division in February 1969.In October 1970, ASA upgraded LAFFING EAGLE with the ARD-23 direction-finding system. Date: circa 1968

© The Peter Butt Aviation Collection / Mary Evans Picture Library