General Aviation: Vintage Fighter Aircraft — 2017 Photo Contest

Mad Max and Little Witch Formation

Alastair Robertson, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Two TF-51D Mustangs over Florida's East Lake Tohopekaliga head for their home base at Kissimmee, Florida.

Dutch Navy Texan

Ben Urlings, Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands

Texan PH-TXN in the livery of the Marine Luchtvaartdienst (Royal Netherlands Naval Aviation Service) portrayed against a background of threatening clouds off the Dutch coast.

Hawker Sea Fury

Alastair Robertson, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

A Hawker Sea Fury FB 11 flies near Vacaville, California. 

Impressive Avenger

Ben Urlings, Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands

An overhead view of a Swiss-registered Grumman Avenger TBM-3R flying over Lake Veluwe during a visit to the Netherlands.

1952 North American F-86

Douglas Matthews, Wellington, Florida

An F-86 Sabre Jet climbs over Florida.

Harvard and Castle

Ben Urlings, Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands

A Noorduyn Aircraft AT-16D Harvard, PH-LSK (B-64), of the Royal Netherlands Air Force Historical Flight pictured over De Haar castle in Haarzuilens, northwest of Utrecht, Netherlands.

Close-Up and Personal

Alastair Robertson, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Stallion 51's two TF-51D Mustangs in close formation.

MiG Master

John Gabor, Derby, Kansas

An F-86 Sabre Jet photographed with eight MiG kills marked on its fuselage is photographed at sunset at the 2016 Aviation Nation Air and Space Expo.

Merlin Pair

Ben Urlings, Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands

The Dutch-registered Spitfire Mk IX PH-OUQ of the Royal Netherlands Air Force Historical Flight and the P-51D Mustang PH-JAT of the Early Birds Foundationare portrayed prior to their first joint air show performance on Sept. 2, 2017.

Tigercat Sunrise

Luis Drummond, Greenwood Village, Colorado

A Grumman F7F Tigercat at sunrise before a rainstorm at the Pikes Peak Regional Airshow in Colorado Springs.

Historic Tiger

Ben Urlings, Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands

This de Havilland Tiger Moth of the Royal Netherlands Air Force is based at Gilze-Rijen Air Base. Nearby is the beautiful Biesbosch national park, the background for this picture taken shortly before sunset.

Crazy Horses

Alastair Robertson, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Stallion 51's two TF-51D Mustangs, Crazy Horse and Crazy Horse 2, heading for home base at Kissimmee, Florida.

Hunter Leaves Former Swiss Air Force Base

Peter Lewis, Brusten, Switzerland

An ex-Swiss Air Force Hawker Hunter from Sqdn. 15 in the colors of the Papyrus newspaper departs St. Stephan in the Swiss Alps. 

Rare Navy Legacy Formation Over Cleveland

Mike Killian, St. Cloud, Florida

Two U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets from fighter squadron VFA-106 with the Navy Tactical Demonstration Team join Thom Richard in the Commemorative Air Force's (CAF) FG-1D Dixie Wing Corsair for a rare legacy-formation photo and video shoot at the Cleveland National Air Show.

Evening Flight

Alastair Robertson, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Ryan PT-22 Recruit over Biscayne Bay, Florida.

Red Tail Nose

Scott Stephens, Meridian, Mississippi

A Commemorative Air Force Tuskegee Airmen P-51C during an extended stay in an almost 90-year-old hangar in Meridian, Mississippi.

"Little Friends" Show The Way

Steve Zimmermann, Broomfield, Colorado

The P-51D Gunfighter, P-51D Brat III and B-17G Texas Raiders fly in formation over North Texas at sunset.

Papyrus Hawker Hunter In Switzerland

Peter Lewis, Brüsten, Switzerland

This ex-Swiss Air Force Hawker Hunter flies privately with the Hunter Association near St. Stephan, Swiss Alps.

Vintage military aircraft are captured in flight around the world.

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 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.