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11 Old Airplanes That Were Reported to Be Worth Millions

A look at the 11 historic aircraft actually named in a 2023 article—and why its reported prices are not current valuations or directly comparable sale results.
Entry058 Date Time5 min MechanicCarCody Team
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Old airplanes can command extraordinary prices, but the figures attached to them are not all sale prices—and none of the figures below establishes what an aircraft is worth in 2026. A July 30, 2023, SlashGear article promised 11 aircraft but named only 10. Its list mixed a few reported auction results with historical asking prices, estimates and a rumor. Here are all 10 aircraft it actually identified, with those differences made clear.

How to read the prices

The dollar amounts below are figures reported by SlashGear in 2023, not independently verified current valuations. An asking price shows what a seller wanted, not what a buyer paid; an estimate is not a transaction; and a rumored price is not a confirmed sale. The article did not provide a consistent set of details about aircraft condition, airworthiness, provenance or currency geography, so these figures should not be used as a direct price ranking.

Only the Ford Trimotor and Taylor Aerocar figures were described as completed auction results. The rest were listings, generalized estimates, or—in the B-17’s case—a rumored amount. Even the reported sales are dated examples rather than current market benchmarks.

The 10 airplanes named in the article

1. 1954 Taylor Aerocar — $275,000 reported sale

SlashGear said an example sold at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in 2020 for $275,000. That is a reported historical auction result, not a current asking price or appraisal.

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2. 1943 Yakovlev Yak-9U-M — $569,000 headline figure, not reconciled

The article’s heading gives $569,000, but its supporting text describes post-Soviet replicas offered for around $600,000 and a true vintage Yak-3 around $400,000. It does not explain how those details support the Yak-9U-M headline figure. Treat the $569,000 as an unreconciled figure from the article, not a verified sale or a clearly documented listing.

3. 1944 Douglas DC-3 — $525,000 historical listing

The article described a later 1944 DC-3 listed for $525,000 at the time it was written. It also mentioned a C-47 nearing restoration at a $395,000 asking price. Both are historical listings reported in 2023, not completed-sale comparisons; the restoration condition also makes the C-47 a different proposition from a ready-to-fly aircraft.

4. 1929 Ford Trimotor — $1.2 million reported auction result

SlashGear reported that a Ford Trimotor sold at a Barrett-Jackson auction in 2009 for $1.2 million. This is one of the clearer transaction claims in the list, but it is nearly two decades old by 2026 and cannot establish today’s value.

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5. 1953 Hawker Sea Fury FB.MK 11 — $1.7 million reported availability

The article described a Sea Fury offered for $1.7 million when it was published. It did not identify a completed sale, so the figure is best understood as a reported historical asking price.

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6. 1944 North American P-51 Mustang — $3 million-or-more estimate

Rather than cite a particular sale, the article said a Mustang in flying condition would require $3 million or more. It also said an incomplete fuselage could exceed $500,000. These are generalized estimates from the 2023 article, not prices tied to identified aircraft and documented transactions.

7. 1979 British Aerospace Sea Harrier — $4.5 million package asking price

The reported $4.5 million was for a package of three Sea Harriers, one described as flight ready. It was not an individual-aircraft sale price. The package composition and condition matter: dividing the total by three would not produce a meaningful per-aircraft valuation.

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8. 1944 Supermarine Spitfire Mk XI — $4.9 million headline, $4.8 million listing in the text

The heading says $4.9 million, while the article text says a flying example was available for $4.8 million when the piece was published. That discrepancy is unresolved. Both figures refer to an old reported listing, not a verified sale.

9. 1945 Martin JRM Mars — $5 million reported asking price

The article said the retired Hawaii Mars remained listed for $5 million. This was an asking price reported in 2023, not evidence of a completed sale or a current value.

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10. 1939 Messerschmitt Bf 109 — $6 million headline, $6.5 million listing in the text

The headline figure is $6 million, but the body describes a particular aircraft listed at $6.5 million. The article recounts unusual service history, but the price remains a reported historical asking price; the difference between the heading and body is not explained.

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11th airplane? The article names a B-17, bringing its actual list to 11

Although the reviewed article was initially counted as having only 10 aircraft headings, its text also includes the 1942 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. The article’s headline gives $10.5 million. Its body says a B-17 sold in 2020 for an undisclosed amount rumored to be around $10.5 million, and separately reports a $9 million asking price for a different, disassembled B-17 in 2021. The rumored 2020 amount is not a confirmed sale price; the 2021 figure was an asking price for another aircraft.

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Why an old airplane can be valuable

Rarity and condition

A scarce aircraft and one that can actually fly are not interchangeable assets. Airworthiness, completeness and restoration needs affect what a buyer is considering, as the article’s contrast between flying P-51s and incomplete fuselages illustrates. Its examples do not provide enough consistent condition data to quantify that effect across the list.

Provenance and historical significance

A specific aircraft’s documented story can matter beyond its model name. The Museum of Aviation Foundation’s account of an F-100D describes the importance of a known pilot’s combat missions and the aircraft’s connection to a local base. The institution notes that historical value has no hard-and-fast formula; its discussion is about museum significance, not a market-price rule.

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The Cradle of Aviation Museum’s account of its Blériot Type XI illustrates the role of documented provenance: it identifies the aircraft as a 1909 example and describes its early-aviation significance and original purchase by Rodman Wanamaker. A compelling history may distinguish one airframe from another of the same type, but it does not by itself establish a dollar value.

Age alone is not a valuation method

SlashGear cautions that older aircraft do not necessarily appreciate like classic cars. Its article also observes that many small two- or four-seat airplanes in good flying condition can be relatively affordable, while military aircraft with prominent combat histories may attract exceptional attention. Those are broad observations, not the results of a standardized market survey.

Quick Recap

What these figures can—and cannot—tell you

  • They show historical examples, not today’s market. The article appeared on July 30, 2023; its old listings should not be read as still available or as current prices.
  • The transaction types differ. The reported Taylor Aerocar and Ford Trimotor amounts are auction results; many other figures are asking prices or estimates, and the B-17’s $10.5 million is explicitly a rumor about an undisclosed sale.
  • Aircraft are not directly comparable from price alone. Model, condition, airworthiness, restoration status, provenance and whether a figure covers one aircraft or a package all change what the number means.
  • The list is not a complete appraisal set. SlashGear does not provide a consistent record of sale documentation, aircraft condition and provenance for each example.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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