Aviation History and Photos Blog | PlaneTags™

Some aircraft make headlines. Others make history behind the scenes.

The Northrop T-38 Talon is one of the most important jets most people never think about. Introduced in the early 1960s, it became the world’s first supersonic trainer and has shaped generations of high-performance pilots.

At NASA, the T-38 still plays a critical role today. Long before launch, astronauts are in the cockpit of a Talon, building the precision and discipline required for spaceflight.

This release features two NASA T-38 Talons. Each followed a different path. Together, they represent the full scope of NASA flight.

The newest Midway PlaneTags are made from authentic USS Midway watertight doors, including doors such as 2-75-6.

Located below deck, these doors connected the spaces where sailors lived and worked. Layers of paint and wear reflect years of daily use.

Open. Closed. Passed through thousands of times.

Through MotoArt’s partnership with the USS Midway Museum, this material has been preserved and given a second life. 

As American Airlines approaches its 100-year anniversary in 2026, it is a good time to look back at the aircraft that supported its growth over the decades.

One of the most recognizable of those aircraft was the McDonnell Douglas MD-80, often referred to as the “Super 80.” While it was not the newest aircraft by the end of its service life, it played a central role in domestic air travel in the United States.

MD-82 N470AA is one of those aircraft. Delivered in 1988 and flown for nearly 28 years, it represents a period when the MD-80 was a consistent and familiar part of the flying experience.

The Sikorsky H-5 Dragonfly, designated HO3S-1 in U.S. Navy service, was the helicopter that permanently changed naval aviation.

Introduced in the late 1940s, the H-5 became the first Navy helicopter to replace fixed-wing aircraft operating with the fleet. It established practical shipboard helicopter operations and laid the foundation for modern combat search and rescue doctrine.

Helicopters are now indispensable to naval operations worldwide. That integration began with the Dragonfly. 

The Yakovlev Yak-3 is widely regarded as one of the most effective Soviet fighters of World War II. Compact, lightweight, and optimized for low-altitude combat, it earned a strong reputation among pilots on the Eastern Front for its maneuverability and climb performance.

The Yakovlev Yak-3UA known as Full Noise carries that legacy into the modern era. Built in 1993 using original Soviet tooling and engineering drawings, later powered by an American Allison V-1710 engine, and campaigned in the Unlimited class at the Reno Air Races, this aircraft represents a rare intersection of wartime design, post Cold War reconstruction, and modern competition.

Working with a ship as historically significant as USS Midway carries a responsibility that goes beyond creation. Commissioned in 1945 and serving for nearly fifty years, Midway was not only a cornerstone of U.S. naval aviation, but a place shaped by daily work, movement, and life at sea.

This project, developed in partnership with the USS Midway Museum, is rooted in preservation first. The materials being used are not simply artifacts. They are elements that played essential roles in how the ship moved, operated, and sustained the people aboard her. Each piece tells a different part of Midway’s story, and together they offer a fuller picture of service aboard one of the most important aircraft carriers of the 20th century.

When the Airbus A320 entered service, it marked a turning point in commercial aviation. United Airlines’ A320 N404UA spent nearly three decades as part of that legacy, flying thousands of routes before its retirement and preservation through PlaneTags.

Few ships in U.S. naval history have carried the weight, responsibility, and longevity of USS Midway.

More than an aircraft carrier, Midway is a symbol of American innovation, adaptability, and service. For nearly half a century, she sailed through some of the most defining moments of modern history, carrying generations of sailors and aviators who called her home.

At MotoArt, we believe stories like Midway’s deserve to be preserved with care. We are honored to be working on a special preservation project connected to USS Midway, and we look forward to sharing more as this story unfolds.