General Aviation: Vintage Aircraft — 2017 Photo Contest

The Last Survivor

Andras Mihalik, Budapest, Hungary

The last airworthy Lisunov Li-2 (operated by the Goldtimer Foundation) was pictured during a sightseeing run out of its base at Budaors Airfield, Hungary. The lucky passengers could enjoy a bird's-eye view of downtown Budapest, the Parliament building and Danube River.

Mirror Image

Andre Luiz Strauss Bosse, Brasilia, Brazil

A P-51 Mustang is one of several of the type seen at 2017's Sun & Fun International Fly-In and Exposition in Lakeland, Florida.

Cloudy Fouga

Ben Ullings, Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands

A Dutch-based Fouga Magister F-GLHF is captured by camera amid the clouds over the Flevopolder region near its home base in Lelystad, Netherlands.

Cubs On Parade

Andrew Zaback, Egg Harbor City, New Jersey

Cubs taxi into their assigned parking area after their mass arrival at the EAA Oshkosh AirVenture 2017, held every year in Wisconsin.

Bird Of Prey

Andras Mihalik, Budapest, Hungary

HA-LIX, the only surviving Lisunov Li-2, was pictured on its short final approach to Budaors Airfield's Runway 27R, startling some unsuspecting motorists in the process.

Fouga Break

Ben Ullings, Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands

A Dutch-based Fouga Magister F-GLHF breaks away just behind the camera-carrying Cessna over the edge of Zwartewater Lake close to its home base near Lelystad, Netherlands.

Stormy Sunset

David Smith, Florence, Montana

This Lockheed P2V was on the ramp at the Missoula International Airport, Montana, as the sun was setting and a storm approaching. The combination of a dramatic sunset and aircraft created an excellent black-and-white photo opportunity. The vintage fuel truck adds to the evocative mood.

Your Six Is Clear

H.J. Bentley 3rd, Charlotte, North Carolina

This shot of a Boeing B-17 Madras Maiden was taken over the North Carolina countryside on Sept. 17, 2017.

Memorial Dragon Rapide

Ben Urlings, Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands

This de Havilland Dragon Rapide is part of the impressive fleet of historic aircraft at the Spanish Fundacion Infante de Orleans air museum. Its livery commemorates the 90th anniversary of Spain's Iberian Airlines. It is seen flying over central Spain. The Basilica of the Holy Cross of the Valley of the Fallen is in the background.

TBM Avenger Wing Swing Light Trails

Jessica Voruda, Oshkosh, Wisconsin

Tim Savage's Classic Grumman/General Motors TBM-3E Avenger unfolds its wings under the night sky of Northeast Indiana.

Forward View

Jim Wise, Guyton, Georgia

View from the nose turret of a North American B-25 Mitchell bomber flying over the Savannah River in Georgia during a flight on April 29, 2017.

Stearmans In The Smoke

Mark Perry, Kennesaw, Georgia

Two Stearman biplanes are seen after "smoking" Stearman Field, Benton, Kansas.

1930 Standard Over Ohio

Marty Barman, Normal, Illinois

On April 25, 2017, I was able to shoot a 1930 Standard in Ohio. It is one of eight Standards currently flying. The owner and pilot, Dewey Davenport, was flying over his private airstrip in Xenia, Ohio. 

Dissimilar Formation

Steve Zimmermann, Broomfield, Colorado

The world's only flying Boeing P-26A Peashooter and the world's only flying Northrop N9M Flying Wing are photographed in flight together for the first time. Remarkably, these two aircraft were designed only about 10 years apart. Both aircraft belong to the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, California. 

Dragon Break

Ben Urlings, Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands

Painted in the original Iberian Airlines livery to commemorate the Spanish airline's 90th anniversary, Spain's Fundacion Infante de Orleans air museum's de Havilland Dragon Rapide EC-AAY displays its beauty during a break at the end of a photo session.

Boeing B-50

Mary Foland, Fort Worth, Texas

This shot of a 1947 Boeing B-50 was taken at the National Museum of the Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, the day before I ran the U.S. Air Force Half Marathon.

Warbird No. 8

Robert Holmes, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

A closeup of a vintage fuselage.

Two Generations

Ruxandra Maria Pais, Prague, Czech Republic

A Douglas DC-3 with an Ariane 5 rocket in the background at the Paris Air Show illustrate more than six decades of technological progress and human endeavor—ranging from 1936-96.

B-29 Over Wichita

Steve Zimmermann, Broomfield, Colorado

This was the fourth flight of the Boeing B-29 "Doc" after restoration was completed by the group Doc's Friends in the summer of 2016. The saga of Doc's rescue from a desert bombing range and subsequent return to flight status spans three decades.

This mix of warbirds and vintage civil aircraft spans decades and includes the last flying Lisunov Li-2, Boeing P-26A Peashooter and Northrop N9M Flying Wing.

See Also

Winners of Aviation Week's 2017 Photo Contest

2017 Photo Contest Editor's Picks

Meet the Winning Photographers

Aviation Week's 2017 Photo Contest Judges

Commercial Aviation — 2017 Photo Contest Entries

Commercial: Widebody Aircraft — 2017 Photo Contest Submissions

Space: Launch Phase — 2017 Photo Contest

Defense: Rotary-Wing Aircraft — 2017 Photo Contest

Defense: Military Aerial Display Teams — 2017 Photo Contest

Defense: Combat-Ready Aircraft — 2017 Photo Contest

General: Aviation — 2017 Photo Contest

General Aviation: Vintage Fighter Aircraft — 2017 Photo Contest

General Aviation: Aerobatics — 2017 Photo Contest Submissions

Descriptions of photos are provided by the photographers. Although we make corrections when possible, we are unable to verify every detail provided with the photos or to research photo subjects.