Historic Aviation Photos

Black and white photographs of vintage aircraft and aviation scenes, illustrating the early days of air travel and airline history.

Vintage photograph. Constellation airliner

A Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 24 (VR-24) CT-39G Sabreliner aircraft sits on the air station's crowed flight line. Base: Naval Air Station, Sigonella State: Sicily Country: Italy (ITA)

Anefo photo collection. Departure committee with the "Edam". June 23, 1949

The first De Havilland Comet jet airliner to visit Australia, the Empress of Hawaii, leaving London on Sunday. It will arrive in Sydney on Thursday. The comet will inaugurate Canadian Pacific Airway's jet service between Sydney and Honolulu. March 03, 1953.

Anefo photo collection. Arrival 12 super constant. For KLM. There are still 12 same times. June 29, 1953

Anefo photo collection. Schiphol. Lifting with background traffic tower. February 21, 1949. Schiphol

Vintage photograph. Constellation airliner

Anefo photo collection. Strike of the KLM pilots. March 17, 1958

Vintage photograph. Men standing on the wing of a Capital Airlines plane on the tarmac at La Guardia Airport

dal pullman all'aereo, 1960

Anefo photo collection. Strike of the KLM pilots. March 17, 1958

The Farnborough Air Display -- Visitors to the Farnborough show today seen going aboard a Viscount, operating on the Trans Australia Airlines service, which was on view for inspection.Today is the second day of the 1954 Flying Display & Exhibition at Farnborough for private viewers. This Flying Display and Static Exhibition, the biggest-ever this year, is annually organized by the Society of British Aircraft Constructors to promote the export trade of it's member companies and to demonstrate the quality of British aeronautical products. September 07, 1954. (Photo by Fox Photos).

España. Avión bimotor de la compañía de aviación Iberia, en el aeropuerto del Prat de Llobregat (Barcelona). Año 1950.

Anefo photo collection. unknown . Printed at Schiphol. August 9, 1961. Noord-Holland, Schiphol

Canadians Deliver New Air Liner: First of The Canadairs Here, For B.O.A.C.Mechanics at work on the first of 22 Canadair IV aircraft ordered by British Overseas Airways Corporation after it's arrival here - delivered two months ahead of scheduled contract time. It will carry forty passengers and will fly on Empire air routes. March 30, 1949.

Anefo photo collection. New Plane Transavia: De Airbus 300. 12 May 1976

Vintage photograph. Pan American World Airways newest turbine engine clipper seen taking off

A rear view of an S-3A Viking aircraft that crash landed at the Naval Air Facility. The aircraft is assigned to Air Anti-submarine Squadron 41 (VS-41). Base: Naval Air Facility, El Centro State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Vintage Photograph. Fueling plane at airport.

World's Largest Land-Based Bomber -- The world's largest land-based bomber, Consolidated Vultee XB-36, is being readied for its initial ground tests. The bomber is a pusher type Aircraft powered by six 3,000 horsepower Pratt & Whitney engines, has a wing spread of 230 feet, and a fuselage length of 163 feet. Initial test are scheduled for later in the summer, depending on the completion date of ground and taxi tests. June 21, 1946. (Photo by Associated Press Photo).

Passengers boarding an airplane, Pittsburgh International Airport, Pennsylvania, USA

Anefo photo collection. Mayor of Urk G. Keijzer eventually leaves Argentina to represent the interests of the Emergated fishermen. March 19, 1952. Noord-Holland, Schiphol

Vintage Photograph. Consolidated Vultees XC - 99 worlds largest land plane

Anefo photo collection. Opening air line Amsterdam to Rome. 9 June 1947. Amsterdam, Rome

Vintage Photograph. Jet plane in flight.

Comet III Breaks Atlantic Records -- The Comet landing at London.Britain's de Havilland Comet III airliner landed at London Airport Wednesday morning after setting up two transatlantic records - the first non-stop Atlantic crossing by a jet airliner and the fastest commercial time between London and Montreal.The Comet III, with Group Captain John Cunningham, De Havilland's chief test pilot, at the controls, had covered 3,350 miles in six hours, eight minutes, averaging a speed of 548 m.p.h.The speed record, set up on the final lap of the Comet's 30,0000-mile world flight, was not the result of a deliberately planned attempt. December 28, 1955.

Vintage Photograph. Planes and flight deck at airport.

Photo collection Service for army contacts Indonesia. DLC Transmission of physical surplus Siamese Prince Paribatra. On Sept. Sept. The physical surplus of Prince Paribatra from Siam, who died in Bandoeng during the Japanese occupation, was reduced to Siam per KLM-Constellation. To this end, a special mission from Siam consisting of dignitaries, W.O. Crown Prince Chumbhot, Prince Bandhuma, the wife of the deceased, Princess Siriratma and many other high authorities came to Indonesia, in order to guide the deceased Prince on his last trip. The specially furnished KLM Constellation "Franeker". September 28, 1948. Indonesia, Dutch East Indies

A Flying Tiger migrant Skymaster an arrival at Kingsford Smith airport with Boeing and from Bremen, Germany. The flying tiger line was originally formed by the American wartime flying tiger after the war - has since changed hands. Operate world-wide charter service. February 06, 1951.

New French Jet Air Liner -- The new French jet air liner, the "Caravelle" under construction. It will carry 91 passengers. May 07, 1954.

D.H. Comet. November 03, 1951.

Vintage Photograph. Pan-American Boeing 707 in flight.

1940S Domestic Propeller Passenger Airplane Dual Engine Landing Gear Nose And Partial Wings Visible

A Couple of Big Birds -- The new Boeing prototype Stratotanker, foreground, is hauled into place alongside a U.S. Air Force tanker-transport, the Boeing KC-97G Stratofreighter, at Renton, Wash. The Stratotanker jet will carry from 80 to 130 passengers in its airline version. The new aircraft will be used in tests to demonstrate its capabilities as a military tanker transport each developing more than 10,000 pounds of thrust, will power the aircraft. Its cruising speed is 550 miles per hour. May 18, 1954. (Photo by AP Wirephoto).

Poll photo collection. Israel: Lydda airport (LOD). Loading and detachment with a device from El al already at the airport. undated. Israel, LOD Airport, Lydda Airport

Vintage photograph. Eastern Airlines plane in flight, Martin 404

Vintage Photograph. US Air Force manned space probe rocket ship X-15

Poll photo collection. Berlin airport - Tempelhof. BFW M.20 D-1480 at Berlin airport - Tempelhof. October 1934. Berlin, Germany

Anefo photo collection. "As a third wheel on the car", new system of engine lodge transport on long distances (the leftmost is new). December 7, 1964

Royal Air Force Bomber Command, 1939-1941. Vickers Wellington Mark IC, T2470 'BU-K', of No. 214 Squadron RAF, is towed into a C-type hangar at Stradishall, Suffolk, for repair and overhaul following damage sustained on operations.

DN-SN-86-04984. Country: Unknown

Anefo photo collection. First super DC 8 for KLM at Schiphol. July 16, 1967. Noord-Holland, Schiphol

Collection of the Dutch Heidematschappij. Recreation sites, airports E.D., platforms, aircraft, Rotterdam airport. August 1965. Rotterdam, South Holland

A right side view of a C-141B Starlifter cargo aircraft as it is deiced at Tempelhof Central Airport. Base: West Berlin Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

Commercial plane, airport building in the background

Douglas DC-7 in flight

Boeing Jet Commercial Airliner. proto type N70700

Collection of the Dutch Heidematschappij. Recreation sites, airports E.D., platforms, aircraft, Rotterdam airport. June 1965. Rotterdam, South Holland

Air Transport Command Douglas C-54 En Route To An Airbase Somewhere In China, 6 May 1945.

Air passengers from London arrive at Bromma Airfield with one of ABA's Douglasplan (DC-3).

US Army Aircraft at Schiphol, 1946 - 1947 documentary photographs At Schiphol are US Army aircraft used by KLM. Schiphol photographic support Amsterdam

Collection of the Dutch Heidematschappij. Recreation sites, airports E.D., Expansions, activities, aircraft, airport Rotterdam. September 1964. Rotterdam, South Holland

Vintage Photograph. Boeing 720 Jetliner in flight.

Vintage photograph. Douglas DC - 68 cargo transport

Anefo photo collection. Baptism Douglas DCGA by Mrs. Damme. July 21, 1953

Poll photo collection. Netherlands Antilles and Suriname at the time of the royal visit of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard in 1955. KLM Convair 340 at Piarco Airport from Port of Spain on Trinidad. October 1, 1955. Port of Spain, Trinidad

Ground staff direct Bristol Superfreighter plane G-AMWE, Silver City Airways airline air ferry, Ferryfield airport, Lydd airfield, Kent England, UK 1960.

Qantas Chief Inspects The New Bristol "Britannia" Aircraft -- The prototype Bristol "Britannia" at London Airport.Sir Willmott Hudson Fysh, Chairman of Qantas Empire Airways, visited London Airport, where he saw a special demonstration of the prototype Bristol "Britannia" aircraft. The "Britannia" is powered by four turbo-props and there is the possibility that Qantas may order some of these new aircraft for use on their services. September 28, 1953. (Photo by Sport & General Press Agency Limited).

Vintage Photograph. Jet airliner taking off at Kennedy Airport.

Anefo photo collection. Avio Bridge at KLM in use. August 7, 1961

X-1 Loading into Superfortress

A Boeing B-47 Stratojet bomber with a noise-reducing ejector on its engine at the 1957 Inspection of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory. Representatives from the military, aeronautical industry, universities, and the press were invited to the laboratory to be briefed on the NACAs latest research efforts and tour the state- of- the- art test facilities. Over 1700 people visited the NACA Lewis in Cleveland, Ohio during October 7 - 10, 1957. By the mid-1950s, the aircraft industry was close to introducing jet airliners to the nations airways. The noise produced by the large jet engines, however, would pose a considerable problem for communities near airports. This problem was demonstrated at the 1957 Inspection by an NACA Lewis researcher who played longplay (LP) audio records of military jet engines for an audience. Tests showed that the source of the loudest noise was not the engine itself, but the mixing of the engines exhaust w

Aviation 817B - DC6A "Lift Master" - K.L.M. Royal Dutch Airlines - DC9. October 30, 1953. (Photo by K.L.M).

Vintage Photograph. National Airport with planes on tarmac and view of control tower, Washington, DC

DN-SN-89-06981. Country: Unknown

Navy USS Macon moored at south circle prior to flight NAS Sunnyvale, CA

Aerial view of an airplane flying over a landscape

A model of the Boeing Jet, transport.Mr. John T. Trippe, President of Pan American World Airways announced to-day (Thursday) that the company has ordered 45 American-built jet transports. It is the first purchase of U.S. made jetliners and represents an Investment of £96, 000, 000.Contracts have been placed with the Boeing Airplane Company of Seattle, Douglas Airplane Company of Santa Monica, and the Pratt and ***** division of United Aircraft Corporation of East hartford, Connecticut, makers of the Jet turbine engines to be used. October 1, 1955. (Photo by Reuterphoto).

Photo collection Service for army contacts Indonesia. DLC Aviation day military aviation at Kemajoran airport. Interested parties with a Douglas C-54A from Netherlands Government Air Transport. March 9, 1947. Batavia, Indonesia, Jakarta, Kemajoran, Dutch East Indies

Britain's First Swept Wing Jet Bomber -- Two feet to go and the first ***** will be safely accomplished. December 1, 1953.;Britain's First Swept Wing Jet Bomber -- Two feet to go and the first ***** will be safely accomplished.

The Presidential Douglas C-54 "Sacred Cow". The Presidential Douglas C-54 "Sacred Cow".

Photo collection prints Anefo Rousel. Series Print Anefo RVD Own Without Caption. Collection of photo collection prints Anefo Rousel, photo number 157-0859. 1956

Eastern Airlines Golden Falcon Jet circa 1961.

Vintage Photograph. Planes on tarmac in LaGuardia Airport.

The Avro Jetliner and the Avro CF-100 fighters are seen in the first photograph taken together at Avro Canada near Toronto being readied for demonstration flights around the world, The Jetliner, America's first jet transport, makes its international debut when it flies to New York April 18, slashing the present airline time on the same route by half, It will be the first appearance in the United States of a jet transport. Both the Jetliner and the CF-100 are going to fly the North Atlantic this

Photo collection Service for army contacts Indonesia. DLC Landing in Djambi; Before the departure of Palembang. North American P-51 Mustang hunting bomber with six bombs under the wings on an airport. Behind it other taxiing Mustangs. Dakotas are drawn up on the side of the taxibane. A group of soldiers stands at a Dakota. December 30, 1948. Indonesia, Dutch East Indies, Sumatra

1950S Tail End Of Airplane With Philadelphia Airport And Other Planes In Background

Poll photo collection. Netherlands Antilles and Suriname at the time of the royal visit of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard in 1955. Piarco airport from Port of Spain on Trinidad. On the platform a convention 340 of the KLM. October 1, 1955. Port of Spain, Trinidad

Abandoned The Ministry of Supply have announced today that orders for the production of the new Vickers-Armstrong long-range jet transport aircraft, the V.1000, have been cancelled. They say the question of re-equipping Transport Command of the R.A.F. has been under review and as a result, the orders given for the V.1000 have been cancelled. The Bristol Britainnia is to equip the Command. This picture shows the Vickers V.1000 as it would have appeared in flight. November 11, 1955.

U.S. Air Force Globemaster. May 25, 1955.

Moscow airport, Soviet Union, 1959

New York, NY, May 5, 2022 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations (NOAA) Hurricane Hunters landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport as part of the Hurricane Awareness Tour. Federal, state and local officials -- along with the press -- toured the planes, meeting the pilots who fly into hurricanes collecting data that helps emergency managers make decisions about preparedness efforts. The event was part of Hurricane Preparedness Week. K.C. Wilsey/FEMA

Anefo photo collection. New aircraft for the KLM, Lockheed Electra. February 28, 1958

Anefo photo collection. Expansion Station and Pierencopmlex Schiphol; New model Avio bridges to D-Pier. April 8, 1975

Douglas C-47 Skytrain 'Arkansas Traveller'. Nielson Field, Philippine Islands. June 1945.

DN-SN-86-00843. Country: Unknown

Two airplanes in flight

Vintage photograph. American Airlines planes at La Guardia Airport

Anefo photo collection. Mission air freight email, plane of British Caledonia. May 14, 1973

D558-2 #143 LOX jettison with P2BS in background

Front View of F-86 Sabre

Edwards, California October 25, 1965 The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has scheduled the first flight of X-15 No. 2 with its external propellant tanks Friday, Oct. 29. This will be the first of two flight tests of the tank ejection procedure and recovery systems. The tanks have been added to increase the X-15 speed to more than 5,000 mph. This will be the initial flight of the X-15 with the two 25-foot long tanks attached to the underside of its fuselage. For this flight, the 1,800-1b. tanks will be empty. On later research flights the tanks will carry some 13.500 lbs. of propellant (anhydrous ammonia and liquid oxygen). The X-15, with Air Force Lt. Col. Robert A. Rushworth as pilot, will be air-launched from a B-52 near Cuddeback dry lake 50 miles north of Edv

The Grumman TBM-3S2 Avenger Submarine Boat Boat Arts with Registration 28 (1955-1960) of the Marine Aviation Service (MLD) lands at the flight deck of the aircraft camp Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman (R 81, EX-VENERABLE), 1958. The brake hook on the tail of the device is out and the brake cables on the flight deck have been slightly lit.

Vintage Photograph. Douglas DC-8 transport aircraft in flight.

Poll photo collection. airports, hangars, large, interior, aircraft. May 1954. Amsterdam, Noord-Holland

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