McDonnell F-4E Phantom II: One of those days.

A BUFF‘s wing and an “ICBM” employed to hang a Rhino in this post-apocalyptic nightmare of Colin Hay.

SNCASE SE.200: Baleine échouée.

Originally designed by Lioré et Olivier as the LeO H-49, the SE.200 with the Laté 641 and the Potez-CAMS 161 completed the trio of massive flying boats built to fulfil an Air France specification of 1936 for a transatlantic airliner. The Fall of France caught the SE.200 prototypes still under construction; four of them were envisaged. The first one took its maiden flight in Dec. 1942, and was soon seized by the Germans. The war didn’t go well for them: the 1st prototype was destroyed in Bodensee by Mosquitos and another was obliterated during USAAF air raids, the rest were damaged. The end of the war saw a revival of the program, specially on the almost complete third SE.200 which made its first flight in 1946. To no avail, seaplane airliners were dinosaurs at that stage. It was retired in 1950.

The dilapidated SE.200-03 at l’Étang de Berre just weeks before going to the smelter, 1965. Someone tried to make a restaurant out of it, but the flying boat was just too big for transportation to the intended place.

Sukhoi Su-15TM: Just Because (CXXVI).

A trio of “Taifun Modifikatsiya” interceptors which still retain the original more aerodynamic conical radome.

A staged photo, but who cares?

Supermarine Spitfire F.XVIII: Still getting riches from there.

The sad remains of this XVIII (TP367) at its temporary resting place, Kharagpur, India. The last duty of this Indian Air Force example was its service as airfield decoy. It was recovered by “Spit expert” Peter Arnold in 1991.

CANT 22: Palpito d’ali.

Elegant, but utterly conventional, the CANT 22 was an 8-passanger flying boat designed by Raffaele Conflenti in the mid/late-1920s. A sesquiplane of traditional construction, it was originally powered by a trio of 250hp Isotta Fraschini Asso 200s; the central engine was later replaced in some examples by a 500hp Asso 500, becoming the CANT 22R.1. Ordered by the SISA company, the around ten produced served mainly in the North Adriatic well into the 1930s, operated by then by the Ala Littoria.

Artist: Pollione Sigon (1927).

Canadair CL-44-D4: Taking good care.

The CL-44-D4 (N228SW) operated by BOAC Cargo Service on leased from Seaboard World Airlines Incorporated and its cargo for the 1963 US F1 Grand Prix at Watkins Glen. The aircraft departed Heathrow in September of that year carrying 19 race cars.

Lotus 24 & 25, Lola Mk 4, BRM P57, Cooper T66,….. How time flies.

Rumpler D.I: You are the one for me, Fatty (IX) .

The Rumpler company was not famous for their fighter aircraft. In fact, the D.I type was their only attempt to produce one. Charming, in its own way, the design work started late in 1916, and the construction early next year. The usual 160hp Mercedes D.III, 180hp IIIa and later the 185hp BMW IIIa powered the various prototypes which endured a protracted development due to some structural shortcomings. A few variations of the design took part in the Idflieg (Inspektion der Fliegertruppen) contests of 1918, and was in the end ordered into production. But it was just too late, so none of them saw operational service.

Short and chubby. This is one of the three 180hp D.IIIa-powered 8D1s. The production model was modelled on it.

Morane-Saulnier MS.406: Rough & Ready.

A French fighter pilot posing in front of his Morane 406. Not the most fashionable of flying outfits, specially with the frequency selector control of the troublesome RI 537 radio hanging above the parachute quick release buckle.

NAA X-15: “Right There, Kids”

Space from boys and girls in 1959, tutored by a natttly attired spaceman. An early-configuration X-15 piggy-back matted to what appears to be a developmental Atlas ICBM.

 Not sure if the Atlas pressurized balloon tanks could have allowed such combination, and placed over one of its vernier engines.

SEPECAT Jaguar A: “Le Repos du Guerrier”

The SEPECAT A (A36) placed by artist Dan Gerbo at the front of his Musée d’art Contemporain, Mulhouse (France).

Not a very relaxed warrior rest.