Nearly 20 vintage aircraft, some long grounded and weathered by decades of Wyoming skies, are now up for auction at South Big Horn County Airport. Among them are a 1948 Fairchild C-119G, a Boeing KC-97, and a Lockheed P2V-7—aircraft that once played vital roles in firefighting and military aviation history. These planes were part of Hawkins & Powers Aviation, a pioneering aerial firefighting company founded in 1969. Over decades, the company supplied aircraft for government firefighting contracts, helping combat wildfires across the West. After two tragic crashes in 2002, Hawkins & Powers ceased operations, and its fleet was dispersed, with many aircraft finding their way to Greybull for parts or storage.
The auction comes after more than a decade of legal entanglements. In 2011, aircraft salvager Harold Sheppard Jr. leased part of the airport property for scrapping and recycling. Several vintage planes ended up there, but unpaid rent accumulated over the years. Big Horn County sued in 2019, and a storage lien of $543,600 was filed in 2021. The dispute ultimately reached the Wyoming Supreme Court in March 2025, which upheld the county’s ownership and cleared the path for auction.
Discussions with the Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting explored the possibility of relocating the aircraft. Museum director Bob Hawkins noted that many planes would be difficult to move due to deteriorating tires. While the museum could accommodate some of the aircraft, space limitations prevented it from taking the entire fleet. County commissioners considered keeping a few aircraft as static displays, honoring the airport’s aviation heritage. However, officials determined that auctioning the planes and salvaging any remaining parts would best balance preservation with practicality.
The online auction opened September 19 and will continue through October 3 at Public Surplus, with starting bids as low as $25. Equipment stored alongside the aircraft is also available. Winning bidders have 90 days to remove their purchases, with temporary leases available if needed. Once the planes are gone, the airport property will remain largely undeveloped. The immediate goal is to clear decades of accumulated history and make space for whatever comes next. For aviation enthusiasts, the auction represents a rare opportunity to own a tangible piece of mid-20th-century flight, preserving the legacy of aircraft that once soared above battlefields and wildfires alike.
