The C-52 is still around-started as a DC-3A-197E for UNITED AIR LINES as NC33648, l/n 4127 impressed on the production line as C-52B-DO 417706 on 7/14/41.Released to civil registry as NC 33326 Fleet # 326, DC-3A with NORTHWEST AIRLINES (no Orient yet) on 7/8/44.
Then to MID CONTINENT 6/16/48. then BRANIFF on 8/15/52, LAKE CENTRAL 4/16/61 to 11/30/66. Then to W.F. Long 10/5/69 registration is current & listed as with AIR NOD ENT. San Marcos, CA since 6/13/80.
Impressed Douglas airliners were responsible for lots of oddball designators dependant on cabin door location, engine options, avionics.
I assume the ERCOUPE looking airplane in formation with the CHAMPS was an AERONCA protype.
Mark, thanks for the color picture of the SR8's now I've drooled all over my keyboard and the keys are slippery and it's hard to type

The KC-135E came about from the Air Force replacing the J-57's with JT3D's from parked AMERICAN AIRLINES 707's. The last commercial 707 built (and I helped build it) was converted on the production line in Renton, (hey, the E-3/707 line was on a 90 day cycle) to CFM-56's as a test program that was an attempt to get more life out of the 707. The test flight program went well and miles of useful informaton was gathered, but carriers weren't interested in more 707's so it was converted back to JT-4s @ Flight Test on KBFI ands delivered to its original customer KENYA AIRLINES. But the basic info was used on the KC-135R program