Lakeland-Linder (United States of America)

Sun 'n Fun

27-31 March 2012

Update:24 November 2022 Jean-Michel Schweitzer

Spring Break is a great time of the year to travel to the USA and join university students and others during this

two week holiday. One of the most popular states to visit for Spring Break is Florida, not least because of its

sunny weather during that time of the year. Usually, some aviation events are organized in the state around this

holiday, like the Florida International Air Show at Punta Gorda and Sun’n Fun, as well as smaller events at Flagler

and New Smyrna. Without doubt, Sun ‘n Fun is the best-known of these, held annually at Lakeland-Linder airport since

1974. What started as a gathering of the local Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) chapter has evolved into one

of the largest annual aviation events in the USA, reaching far beyond the state of Florida. However, the concept has

not changed much over the years, with aircraft owners descending at Lakeland in numbers, bringing their personal aircraft,

ranging from well-polished warbirds to zealously constructed kitplanes. Add to that an exhibition centre where the latest

developments to the bizjet and bizprop community are shown, an interesting line-up of military aircraft and some great

performers in the show circuit warming up their performance for the upcoming US air show season.

The 2012 edition of Sun ‘n Fun was no exception to this well-proven concept. Blessed with great weather and stunning

performances, the well-organised event offered a lot for the well-travelled aviation enthusiast. The opportunity to

directly interact with owners, pilots and performers adds an extra dimension to Sun ‘n Fun. As most aircraft present

flew at least once during the six day event, opportunities occur over the course of the week to make that great shot

you are after. Aircraft are parked in various sections to the south side of this large airfield; during the air show

some sections are shut off to enable aircraft to taxi out and perform in front of the public, which can walk large

parts of the field south of the runway, allowing access to various great spots for photography.

Participating aircraft are listed in their respective sections as presented on the official air show map. As much flying

and towing took place during the event, aircraft may have moved during the six days the airfield was open to the public.

The situation below was noted on Saturday 31 March. For the South east exhibits and Vintage aircraft sections, only aircraft

with a military past, or wearing military markings, are listed. For Exhibits and Seaplanes our general rules apply, meaning

only larger singles and up are included. Homebuilt aircraft have been left out altogether, whereas all aircraft in the Museum

area, Warbirds, Heavy aircraft parking and Flight lines are listed. Markings have been listed between quotes, construction

numbers are only given when actually read of.

Museum area
2341	Lysander 3A	preserved	“V9545”

MiG-21bis

ex Germany cockpit

inside

LA607/HF-T

Tempest Mk2

preserved

N607LA

43-11117

RP-63A

preserved

“29004/100”

57-0598

T-33A

preserved

Thunderbirds c/s

135765

XF-2Y1

preserved

“135763”

138657

XFV-1

preserved

“138658”

N13177

Piper E-2

preserved

N360PJ

Piper Jet

preserved

N809RB

PT-17

preserved

inside

South east exhibits
159619/AJ-103	F-14D	preserved

68-17308

OH-6A

travelling exhibit

on trailer

Vintage aircraft
N1358M	N2S-2	ex Bu3452	“207”

N198DD

Chipmunk T10

ex UK WP872

N218BW

IAR823

ex YR-MEC

18

N3034F

Chipmunk T10

ex UK WD353

N4921N

N2S-5

ex Bu43170

“531”

N49726

PT-17

ex 42-16410

“603”

N5118N

N2S-3

ex Bu07591

“184”

N54087

N2S-3

ex Bu3371

“349”

N59040

Kaydet

ex Canada FJ746

N59293

PT-17

ex 41-25714

N59877

PT-18

ex 40-2024

“112”

N60058

Stinson V77

“FB607”

N60885

PT-17

ex 41-25268

“885”

N61322

PT-17

ex 41-8076

“220”

N63947

PT-17

ex 41-8615

“207”

N841NE

P3-05

ex Switzerland A-841

Heavy aircraft parking
98-5307	WC-130J	53rd WRS

60-0339

KC-135R

91st ARS

87-0339/SA

F-16C

182nd FS TX ANG

87-0384/SA

F-16D

182nd FS TX ANG

08-3926/VN

T-6A

33rd FTS

PT-485

65-10324/WM

T-38A

394th CTS

67-14920/WM

T-38A

394th CTS

166899/55

EA-18G

VAQ-129

163446/AD-326

F/A-18C

VFA-106

163465/AD-336

F/A-18C

VFA-106

166788/AJ-113

F/A-18E

VFA-31

761585/AF-115

F-5N

VFC-111

761578/AF-03

F-5N

VFC-13

165064/F-604

T-45C

VT-86

165092/A-113

T-45C

VT-7

163876/WH-17

AV-8B

VMA-542

164558/WH-12

AV-8B

VMA-542

N2072

L-12A

Joseph R Shepherd

N2262Z

A-4C

ex Bu145131

“9606/AE-402”

N500EJ

R5D-4

ex Bu90414

N514AC

R4D-6

ex Bu50788

“927/EN”

N529B

B-29A

ex 44-62070

N5548N

RB-25H

ex 43-4106

N74589

C-47A

ex 42-24062/N

N995X

L-39C

ex USSR

Warbirds
164172/5-TW-15	T-34C	TAW-5	Navy Centennial c/s

N10EB

CJ6A

ex China “15320/10”

1532010

N10VD

OV-1D

ex 68-15958

N10493

L-16A

ex 47-1117

“LH-117”

N1157H

Yak-9UM

(new built)

0470402

N134TD

T-34A

ex 140745/LL-20

N137LZ

PZL-101

ex Bulgaria LZ-137

N139RT

L-39C

ex USSR

332505

N18097

L-12A

N19TN

CJ6A

ex China “63 wh”

2532045

N21710

CJ6A

ex China 71810/10

2532059

N21790

CJ6A

ex China

“AK-86”

N22NA

T-6G

ex 49-3222

“TA-222”

N228NA

T-28B

ex Bu137657

N228TS

AT-28D

ex Philippines 138351 “TS-76”

N2995C

L-17B

ex 48-1021

N30U

U-4A

ex 55-4638

247

N3238G

SNJ-6

ex Bu112348

“TA-348”

N351DT

Mustang IV

ex Canada 9232

“413806”

N36406

L-2

ex US Army?

“128”

N370SD

O-2A

ex 69-7659

N39UA

L-39C

ex Ukraine 74 yw

N4167P

T-42A

ex 65-12701

N4168E

T-28C

ex Bu146239

“NJ-239”

N4313T

L-39C

ex USSR

“88”

N462NA

T-28C

ex Bu140570

“E-462”

N50454

L-2M

ex 43-26243

N5073Y

O-1A

ex 51-4829

“4829”

N51JC

P-51D

ex Dom Rep 1918

“472339”

N51LW

Mustang IV

ex Canada 9230

“474497/H-SX”

N51MX

P-51D

ex El Salvador 401

“413464”

N5192G

O-1G

ex 51-4798

N52XS

Yak-52W

ex Romania 203

9912203

N53CJ

CJ6A

ex China

2432062

N532SK

SNJ-5

ex Bu51828

“ME-N-7”

N551TC

FM-2

ex Bu47160

N5632V

T-6G

ex 52-8218

N59961

BT-13A

ex 41-23075

N6091C

L-16A

ex 47-1124

“LH-124”

N6097U

CJ6A

ex China “06”

2851276

N61429

P-51C

ex 42-10365

“4”

N6420D

SNJ-4

ex Bu27758

“94”

N6423D

SNJ-4

ex Bu27823

N645DS

SNJ-5

ex Bu90645

“DS-45”

N651SH

T-6G

ex Spain E.6-168

“421-59”

N68RW

F8F-2

ex Bu121776

“94996”

N7054X

AT-6C

ex Mexico 745

N711LC

L-39C

ex USSR 40 ol

N713JT

F4U-4

ex Bu97143

“JT-416”

N75004

BT-15

ex 42-1779

“B004”

N75708

L-4J

ex 45-4556

“A-45”

N7693Z

AT-6C

ex South Africa 7693

N7741C

AT-6F

ex 44-81833

N79VV

BT-13A

ex 42-89379

“EM-135”

N8124N

L-39C

ex USSR

“Czech c/s”

N82792

CJ6A

ex China

2932018

N828FE

Ce208B

FedEx

N828JC

T-28B

ex Bu140012

“JC-283”

N851D

P-51D

ex 44-84745

“DS”

N87H

AT-6D

ex 41-34571

“87/HL-A”

N888WV

T-6G

ex Spain E.16-115

N8994

AT-16ND

ex Netherlands B-174 “51-JS”

N9102Z

T-28A

ex 50-0201

“50449/TL-449”

N92796

T-6G

ex France 114827

“TA-827”

N95480

PA-18

as L-4B

“42-8403”

N9698B

T-28A

ex 50-0225

N9805C

SNJ-5B

ex Bu85036

“JC”

Names
N351DT Crazy Horse 2	N51JC The Brat III

N51LW Little Witch

N51MX Mad Max

N529B Fifi

N53CJ Miss Stress

N7054X Miss Susan

N7741C Peggo Jo

N851DS Crazy Horse

Exhibits
N.29D	Beech 350i	Hawker Beechcraft

N113KJ

Waco YMF-F5C

Centennial

N119KA

Beech 200GT

Triple Ace

N138MA

TBM700

Muncie Avn

N189LE

Beech G36

Berryhill Avn

N255EE

EMB500

Embraer

N264CA

Ce510

Cessna

N289HB

Premier I

Biozyme

N313NG

PC-12/47E

Epps Air Service

N343GC

Ce208B

Cessna

N565RB

PA-44-180

N60KQ

Kodiak 100

Quest

N65HA

Kodiak 100

Quest

N719MS

Kodiak 100

MAS Ventures

N8031M

Beech G58

Hawker Beechcraft

N805PA

DA-42

Bravo

N8139G

Beech C90GTi

Hawker Beechcraft

N839M

C-47A

Dodson

N850XX

TBM700

Transatlantic

N88667

Piper J3C-65

Gerel A Crosby

N896LS

EMB505

Leon Phenom

N925DW

LancairEvolution

Columbia Aicraft Midwest

VH-AQO

GA-8-TC320

Gipps Aero

Seaplanes
N40022	P136L-1	Aerolyn	“AMI c/s”

N404Q

G-44A

Weeks Air Museum

N52DN

Beech D18S

Douglas A. Nealy

N611DS

G-73

Don M. Simmonds

N6652K

RC-3

Mark Adema

N713ET

RC-3

Edgar Tello

N98BS

G-73

LAC Mngt

Flightlines south side
N3267G	SNJ-5	ex Bu51971

N3575

Bell 47D1

Roger A Buis

N4269Q

T-6G

ex Portugal ex 53-4558

N488B

F-28A

American Trans Air Training

N7462C

AT-6F

ex 44-82489

N911JP

OH-58A

ex 71-20419

N991GM

AT-6D

ex Mexico 781

Flightlines north side
N128DR	T-28A	ex Mexico 946 “17588/TL-588”

N135EM

L-39ZA

ex Romania 106

N136EM

L-39C

ex USSR 117 yw

N137EM

L-39C

ex USSR

N6953X

Lim-6R

ex Poland 511

N9143Z

Lim-5

ex Poland 1707

And the Thunderbirds F-16Cs code 1 till 8, of which one was an F-16D.

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