Warplanes of the USA: California, San Diego, USS Midway

California Warplanes, San Diego

USS Midway Museum.

(Photographer’s Mate 1st Class David Levy, USN Photo, 5 Jan 2004)

The USS Midway was the United States' longest-serving aircraft carrier of the 20th century, from 1945 to 1992.  Approximately 200,000 sailors served aboard the carrier, known for several naval aviation breakthroughs as well as several humanitarian missions.  It was the only carrier to serve the entire length of the Cold War and beyond.  Sin 7 June 2004 it has served as a museum ship in San Diego, California.

(USN Photo)

San Diego, USS Midway Museum, 910 North Harbor Drive, 92101.  Located alongside the Navy Pier on the Embarcadero waterfront.

(Author Photo)

(Eddie Maloney Photo)

Bell UH-1B Iroquois Helicopter (Serial No. 60-03614), c/n 00260, Reg. No. N70264.

(Author Photo)

Boeing Vertol HH-46D Sea Knight Helicopter (BuNo. 150954), c/n 2040, VR-46.

(Author Photo)

(Curimedia Photo)

Cessna O-1A Bird Dog  (Serial No. 50-1741), c/n 21483, painted as (Serial No. 51-4882).

Douglas VT-6 TBDs on USS Enterprise, during the Battle of Midway.

(USN Photo)

Douglas TBD Devastator replica, as of 19 Sep 2019.   This replica was used in the Second World War movie Midway.  The aircraft was donated from Liosgate following the conclusion of filming and will become an exhibit in the USS Midway's hangar.

(Author Photo)

Douglas SBD-1 Dauntless (BuNo. 1612), c/n 565.

Douglas A-24B Banshee (Serial No. 42-54654), (BuNo. 17493).

(Author Photo)

(Chris Finney Photo)

Douglas AD-4W/AEW.1 Skyraider (BuNo. 127922), c/n 7937, WT987, NE-577, G-31-3, Reg. No. N5469Y.

(Author Photo)

Douglas A-4F Skyhawk (BuNo. 154977), on the flight deck of the USS Midway moored in San Diego Harbour, California.

(Author Photo)

(Aaronx Photo)

(Greg Goebel Photo)

Douglas EKA-3B/A3D-2/A-3B Skywarrior (BuNo. 142251), c/n 11577, NF-612.

Grumman G-36/F4F-3 Wildcat (BuNo. 12290), c/n 5957, restoration project, NAS North Island.

(Author Photo)

General Motors (Eastern) TBM-3E Avenger (BuNo. 85957), c/n 2776, SK-415, Reg. No. N9547Z.  On loan from Sidney Summers.

(Author Photo)

(Greg Goebel Photos)

Grumman F9F-5 Panther (BuNo. unknown) with F-9J Cougar nose cone (BuNo. 141136), on the flight deck.

(Author Photo)

Grumman F9F-8P Cougar BuNo. 141702), on the flight deck.

(Greg Goebel Photo)

(Author Photo)

(Jeff Kubina Photo)

(Eddie Maloney Photo)

Grumman A-6E Intruder (BuNo. 151782), on the flight deck of the USS Midway moored in San Diego Harbour, California.

(Author Photo)

(Greg Goebel Photos)

Grumman G-96/TF-1/C-1A Trader (BuNo. 146036),700, 066, "Easy Way Airlines".

(Author Photo)

(Greg Goebel Photo)

(Chris Finney Photo)

Grumman E-2C Hawkeye (BuNo. 161227), on the flight deck.

Grumman G-123/E-2C Hawkeye  (BuNo. 160701), cockpit only.

(Author Photo)

(Chris Finney Photo)

Grumman F-14A Tomcat (BuNo. 158978), c/n 039.  F-14A-70-GR.

Grumman F-14A Tomcat, front fuselage only.

(Author Photo)

Kaman SH-2F Seasprite Helicopter  (BuNo. 150157), TF-107.

(Author Photo)

(Jeff Kubina Photo)

(Curimedia Photo)

Lockheed S-3B Viking (BuNo. 159766), c/n 394A-3095, NJ-741.

Lockheed ES-3A Viking (BuNo. 157998), “Miss Piggy”.

(Author Photo)

(Curimedia Photo)

LTV A-7 Corsair II (BuNo. 154370), on the flight deck of the USS Midway moored in San Diego Harbour, California.

LTV A-7D Corsair II cockpit (Serial No. 67-14585), c/n D-004, 316.

(Author Photo)

McDonnell Douglas QF-4N Phantom II (BuNo. 153030), NE-101, on the flight deck of the USS Midway moored in San Diego Harbour, California.

(Author Photo)

McDonnell Douglas F-4S Phantom II (BuNo. 153880), c/n 2466, NK-201.

(Author Photo)

McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet (BuNo. 162901), c/n 0459/A377, 01.

(Author Photo)

(Curimedia Photo)

North American SNJ-5 Texan (Serial No. 91091), in the flight hangar of the USS Midway moored in San Diego Harbour, California.

(Greg Goebel Photo)

(Author Photo)

(Epinheiro Photo)

North American RA-5C Vigilante (BuNo. 156641), on the flight deck of the USS Midway moored in San Diego Harbour, California.

(Author Photo)

(Jeff Kubina Photo)

Rockwell T-2C Buckeye (BuNo. 156697), c/n 318-12, A-974.

(Curimedia Photo)

(Author Photo)

(Curimedia Photo)

Piasecki PV-18/HUP-2/UH-25B Retriever  (BuNo. 130059), Reg. No. 88949.

(Author Photo)

Sikorsky UH-34J Seabat Helicopter (BuNo. 143939) on the flight deck.

(Author Photo)

Sikorsky UH-3H Sea King (BuNo. 149711), on the flight deck.

(Author Photo)

Sikorsky SH-60S Seahawk Helicopter (BuNo. 164078), on the flight deck.

(Author Photo)

Vought F4U-4 Corsair (BuNo. 96885), c/n 9039, 618, WL-16, restored for static display. This aircraft was on loan to the USS Midway Museum from Lori Crown when the author took the photo. 96885 has been transferred to another museum (location TBD).

(kitmasterbloke Photo)

Vought F4U-4 Corsair (BuNo. 97349), c/n 9503, Reg. No. N4802X, WR-18, with parts from (BuNo. 97142), c/n 9296, on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum (NNAM) in Pensacola, Florida, since 16 Nov 2024. (Mark Blocksom). Both aircraft were stricken from U.S. Navy service and placed in storage at Naval Air Station Litchfield Park, Arizona (now Phoenix Goodyear Airport). These Corsairs were among several sold by surplus dealer Robert Bean, who famously provided aircraft to Honduras for use in the 1969 Football War against El Salvador. However, 97349 and 97142 were never shipped to Central America and remained in Arizona. (Adam Estes)

(USN Photo)

Chance Vought F7U-3 Cutlass in afterburner as it launched from a carrier.

Vought V-366/F7U-3 Cutlass (BuNo. 129565), restoration project, NAS North Island.

(Author Photo)

(Greg Goebel Photos)

Vought F-8U-2 (F8C) Crusader (BuNo. 147030), NE-461, on the flight deck.

Vought F-8J Crusader cockpit (BuNo. 149139), c/n F8-0939.

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