Warbirds - older film scans

[bsmotril]

I've been playing around with an Epson V500 scanner I picked up at the Comp-USA going out of business sale. This one has holders for film or slides, and software to aid in their processing. Here's a few I came up with shot with an old Canon waterproof point and shoot film camera:

Navy Torpedo Bomber. Grumman Avenger, their first foray into Torpedo Bombers
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2113/2195197749_66defe2d46_o.jpg

The business end of Lefty Gardners P38 White Lighting. This plane raced in Reno at the unlimited races. It was severely damaged shortly after these shots were taken when Lefty's son put it down in a Mississipi cotton field after an engine fire. The Alison engines in this plane were massaged to turn around 2200 hp each, and it has a very sweet sound that I'll never forget when the superchargers spool up.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2171/2194653237_37bc1bbdac_o.jpg

Bell P-63 King Cobra. Pretty rare mid engined shaft drive fighter that never saw much success due to the lack of a supercharger and high altitude performance being poor.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2028/2195440718_74a739d32b_o.jpg

Lockheed P-38 Lightning
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2411/2195197877_818930197d_o.jpg

Grumman Hellcat (I think)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2337/2195986696_32776d71bc_o.jpg

Supermarine Spitfire
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2349/2195987734_89d0439711_o.jpg

I think this is a Grumman F7F Tigercat night fighter
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2260/2195199265_74a37bd2c3_o.jpg

I think this is a Douglas Dauntless navy bomber
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2381/2195197359_44fbf00b7e_o.jpg


Any suggestions to improve the quality of the scans are welcome. I used the Epson options to Reduce Grain, restore color, and Digital Ice to do the scans, then resizing and unsharp mask in CS3 for the end results.
Please correct me if I'm off on any of the types.

More here in the "Warbird" set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/smopho/sets/

[TooTall]

Nice shots. Some are a little washed out but you can play with that with software. Keep playing with the settings, you'll get the hang of it.

BTW, second from the bottom is a Douglas A-26 Invader. Bottom pic is a very rare Curtiss SB2C Helldiver. What you have listed as a Hellcat is actually its predecessor, a Grumman F4F Wildcat.

Cheers,
Kurt O.

[bsmotril]

Thanks for the corrections.

[PhotosGuy]

Some are a little washed out but you can play with that with software. Maybe reduce the contrast a touch, or blend 2 different exposures.
Nice shots, though.

[Over Actor]

Good call on the Wildcat.