Bruce McAllister's book (DC-3, a 75th Anniversary Photographic Tribute) finally brought a photo showing the full aircraft remains of the wreckage near Snag airstrip (Yukon)! The photo is by Doug Cote.
The caption reads (slightly abbreviated):
'In WW 2 this USAAF C-47 ditched in a lake near the Snag airstrip, in the Yukon Territory.
By 2005, when this photo was taken, the aircraft was exposed as water levels dropped.
It is rumored that the nose of this aircraft was destroyed so that the Russian lend-lease personnel based in nearby Fairbanks (Alaska) could not examine its radio and navigation equipment.

More about this and other Abandoned Plane Wrecks of the North, read HERE...

'Skyhopper' published this on his Flickr.com account:

'Skyhopper' is Andrew R. Dilworth and he took this photo flying over the airport of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) 13Jun09.

This led to a thread on the Classic-Propliners forum, how many and which aircraft were still stored there.
These should be-
DC-3 HH-CNE
707 - HI-442CT
727 - HI-212CT
DC-6 - HI-92
C-121 - HI-393 (see it discussed on Photos by Friend & Guest - page 43)
CV-440 - N94CF

Aad van der Voet (www.oldwings.nl) rounded up those which have recently been scrapped (or at least appear to be):
Cv440 HI-594CT c/n 118, last reported Aug03, broken up late 2003.
Cv440 HI-620CT c/n 351, last reported Nov06, broken up by Mar08?
C-46 HI-209CA c/n 30563, last reported Dec07, broken up by Mar08?
DC-6 HI-558 c/n 43845, last reported Dec06, broken up by Mar08?
DC-6 N874TA c/n 44641, last reported Jun03, broken up by Nov06.
DC-6 HI-592CT c/n 45110, last reported Aug03, broken up by Nov06.
DC-7 HI-524CT c/n 45210, last reported Mar08, broken up by Jun09?

"Which makes me wonder how much longer the remaining aircraft will last... Many other props were of course scrapped there during the 1990s. I have no info on old jets that may have been there.
Finally, DC-6 HI-292CT c/n 44594 should also still be at Santo Domingo. This had been moved inside a hangar for restoration work by Aug03 (PHOTO), and I'd like to think that it is still in there. But the status of the restoration is very much in doubt. I have it last reported in the hangar Nov06. Anyone know more about this?" EMAIL

Besides my Photos by Friend & Guest - page 43 I have also a Facebook update dating March 2019 on my Photos by Friend & Guest - page 57. The C-121 and DC-3 are still there!

Richard Vandervord wrote me in Feb.2010:
"I was very interested to see your piece about the Moroccan C-119s at your C-119 Info Page (2).
Before going to Marrakech, for the Aeroexpo show last month, I'd already seen from the most excellent 'Survivors'-book that CNA-MH was there and I was quickly able to locate it on Google Earth.
I'd been told by people that had been to the first show there in 2008 that it was off-limits and that the Moroccans were keen only to show off their latest equipment and sure enough on arrival at the exhibition area, I found that it was tantalisingly in view, not far away, but partially obscured behind trees and along a road which was well guarded...
For me it was probably the most interesting thing there and I just had to reach it!
Enquiries with the Air Force historical people, that had a very good display in the one of the show halls, were inconclusive; so initiative was needed and eventually I was able to sneak across via a different route. Fortunately the camera shutter clicking didn't alert the commando just the other side of the trees and I was extremely pleased to get a successful result.
See the two views attached.
As you'll see, the paintwork is a bit suspect (compare with the typical USAF-style operational colour scheme on the historical association model) - note the white-wall tyres! At least the '862' is correct for this aircraft which was originally 53-7862."

Roy Blewitt wrote in response to Richard:
"The Kenitra C-119 is at the main gate to the airfield (you may have been looking around the campus of the military college, which is on the same site, but accessed from a different gate). Co-ordinates are 34-16'39.86"N 6-35'28.54"W; or, if you prefer: by the river at the south-east corner of the base.
Incidentally, the 707-138 is clearly visible in the Google Earth image."

You'll find the histories of N67066, N67024 and N64767 sufficiently described on my webpage dedicated to some travelling in the Deep South (2001).

Photos 2025 of N67024 (For sale @Houma,LA) on Guestphotos_67

Sean Keating made me aware of the images of a Pacific Western Airlines Avro York C.1 on Henry Tenby's 'Photo & Video Mega Port' www.AirlineFan.com:

"CF-HFP.
Syd Burrows was an F/L with the RCAF at Cape Perry (PIN Main) overseeing the contruction of the DEW Line in 1956/1957.
During his time in the North he took a number of slides. Syd was fortunate enough to be on hand when PWA York CF-HFP overshot the runway while landing at Cape Perry, NWT on April 13, 1956. The colour slide was one of several he took within a few hours of the incident."


Prints of these images can be obtained through the link above.

For more Avro Yorks see my page Abandoned Plane Wrecks of the North

The Douglas DC-3 as current as it ever was: April 2010 spreading oil spill dispersant

[Photo: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/8650069.stm]
The continuous stream of updates on the Deepwater oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico suggests this story is moving from bad to worse.
Early estimates from BP were that 1,000 barrels of oil a day week leaking from the ruptured wellhead a mile below the ocean surface. On Wednesday, officials revised that estimate to 5,000 barrels a day.
You would have to open 14.5 gas pumps on full all day to fill 5,000 barrels!
[blog.cleanenergy.org/2010/04/30/the-gulf-oil-disaster-by-the-numbers]

So this venerable DC-3 is up against tremendous odds...
But which DC-3 is this?
In 2001 I visited The Deep South and Airborne Support Inc (headquartered on the Gulf of Mexico at Houma-Terrebonne Airport in Houma, Louisiana) and I don't recognize the paintscheme.. Another outfit or a new DC-3 for them...
It was reported to be N64766, obviously repainted, as following LINK seems to support.

Simon Paul sent me a photo of N64766 at Basler's Turbo Conversions plant at Oshkosh,WI on 25Jul19.
See my Photos by Friends & Guests #58.

When Jacques Hémet sent me this photo he wrote:
"A modified B-25 for inflight movies - picture taken in the 1970s at Oakland airport."

Albert Paul Mantz (August 2, 1903 – July 8, 1965) was a noted air racing pilot, movie stunt pilot and consultant from the late 1930s until his death in the mid-1960s. He gained fame on two stages: Hollywood and in air races.

Mantz took his first flying lesson at age 16 using money that he made from driving a hearse during the influenza epidemic of 1919. Although he had accumulated hours towards his private pilot's licence, Mantz quit flying altogether when he witnessed the death of his instructor.

On September 24, 1924, Mantz became a part of a famous aviation event when he lent his car battery to the Douglas World Cruiser that had "dead-sticked" into a field on its way to San Francisco for a celebration of the world flight. He was invited to join the festivities at Crissy Field where many noted military aviators tried to persuade him to pursue a career in military flying.

After working briefly in commercial aviation, Mantz went to Hollywood, attracted by the large sums of money movie stunt pilots were making at the time.
Howard Hughes was among his first clients. After much difficulty finding steady stunt work, he accepted a particularly risky assignment, flying a Stearman biplane through a hangar with less than five feet of clearance off each wingtip for the 1932 film Air Mail. Mantz reportedly treated the challenge as an issue of thorough planning, which set him apart from most of the pilots then flying stunts for the movies.

Air racing also became a passion for Mantz in the late-1930s.

Mantz purchased a fleet of 475 wartime surplus bombers and fighters (including P-51 Mustangs) for $55,000 to use in film work. Mantz joked that he had the sixth-largest air force in the world, and sold the fleet's onboard fuel for a profit on his initial investment!

In 1945, Mantz flew a P-40 and directed aerial sequences in God is My Co-Pilot. Mantz piloted a Boeing B-17 for the belly-landing scenes in Twelve O'Clock High and the footage was reused in several other movies. His longest single flying assignment was in the late 1950s, for the TV series Sky King.
Mantz piloted a converted B-25 bomber to film footage for Cinerama travelogues.
Mantz died on July 8, 1965 while working on the movie The Flight of the Phoenix, produced and directed by Robert Aldrich. Flying a very unusual aircraft, the Tallmantz Phoenix P-1 built especially for the film, Mantz struck a small hillock while skimming over a desert site in Arizona for a second take. As Mantz attempted to recover by opening the throttle to its maximum the over-stressed aircraft broke in two and nosed over into the ground, killing Mantz instantly...
[Source: Wikipedia]
The book Hollywood Pilot is fascinating reading!

Matthew Anderson sent this photo, made by his friend Janet:

Matthew wrote:
"I saw this aircraft on the side of the road, when I got off the 'Carnival Miracle' cruise ship in St Maarten. It was a cloudy day, and I was touring St. Maarten with some friends of mine, on our way to Princess Juliana Int'l Airport in attempt to see some low flying aircraft.
We came across this plane in Heineken colors. On the way back my friend, Janet, managed to snap a good photograph in the rain (!) of it.
I never thought I would see an old turboprop with my own eyes!
I could just imagine what it would look like with the wings still attached, and the Rolls Royce Dart engines hanging off the wings. I wondered about the aircraft until I came across your website.
In the photograph on your website, I noticed the circular Heineken logo on the rudder. When we came across it, it was gone!" (That may be in the eye of the beholder, as I see plenty of 'Heineken'! - webmaster)

More on Restaurant 'Air Lekkerbek' on my gallery Off-Airport Latin America, including a 2016 update!

Peter Layne wrote me on 14Feb2010:
"ZK-APK c/n 34227 which wore the well known Cookie Time colour scheme for several years has had a repaint recently.
I photographed the old girl on 3 February 2010.
She is in surprisingly good condition, being a former topdressing aircraft and having not been hangared for at least 26 years. I understand one or two engineers who used to service it call in from time to time checking for and removing signs of corrosion."
Peter Layne
www.nzairlineresearch.co.nz
co-author:
SPANZ South Pacific Airlines of New Zealand & their DC-3 Viewmasters
Taking Off - Pioneering Small Airlines of New Zealand 1945-1970
The Illustrated History of NZNAC 1947-1978

ZK-APK has also been described on my Off-Airport - Asia & Pacific page

Andy Martin found out about he relocation of DC-3 N96H..

Andy wrote me on 05Feb2010:
"I caught up with DC-3 N96H round the back of the old and long closed Denver-Stapleton airport (not much of the airport left these days) just over a year ago - seems like OldProps has it still in New Mexico. Sadly was in the yard of a trucking company that was locked up, so this is the best pic possible."

Webmaster- DC-3C N96H c/n 19224 has been registered since 11Mar1992 to J.W. Duff of Denver,CO (and who runs a salvage yard) and I think Mr Duff finally found the time to have it brought up to Denver!
Btw, look into this DC-3 mystery at Duff's Yard..

Damon Edwards sent me this photo of VH-SBT of the New Zealand Warbirds Association, he wrote:
VH-SBT is seen here not long after its arrival in New Zealand. It was taken at RNZAF Whenuapai Air Base, at the 50th anniversary airshow in 1987.

This DC-3 has quite a history; I quote something current as per 2001, from www.kiwibeavers.com:
ZK-DAK (c/n 15035/26480 ex 43-49219 PI-C486 VH-PNM VH-SBT) C-47B
The aircraft was built in 1943 (c/n 26480) and was operated by the USAAF as 43-49219. It has accumulated over 43,000 hours with the military and as an airliner in the Philippines (PI-C486), New Guinea (VH-PNM), and Australia (VH-SBT).
This DC-3 was acquired from Mackay Air Museum in Queensland, by a Warbirds Syndicate, and registered on April 4, 1990.
Presently, the aircraft wears the colours of the 48th Squadron aircraft flown by Rex Daniell (SPANZ co-founder) in the attack on the Orne bridges. The large yellow WB and D-day stripes being useful in the interests of visibility. The aircraft is based at Ardmore and operated by Pionair." /end quote

Charlie Pyles shed a different light on DC-3 preserved at Pernambuco, Brasil once being NC15592:
"Although possible, I doubt NC15592 on your website is the original.
These pPhotos were donated to our museum by Cyril Ketterer after he died."



Note the passengerdoor on this side, the righthand side.

Charlie Pyles
Cincinnati Aviation Heritage Society & Museum
www.cahslunken.org

The following exchange went on at ABIX (Air-Britain) forum:
Hello Ruud,
Googling NC 15592 I found this on

http://www.archive.org/stream/monthlycatalogof471941unit2/monthlycatalogof471941\
unit2_djvu.txt
August 1941 1121

Aircraft accidents. Report of Civil Aeronautics Board of investigation of acci-
dent involving civil aircraft of United States NC 15592, which occurred near
Cincinnati, Ohio, Mar. 10, 1941; docket no. SA-34, adopted July 16, 1941.
[1941.] [1] +27+ [3] p. 1 pi. 4° [Processed.] t C 31.213:049

Also according to the 1984 A-B DC-3 bible this aircraft was with American until
1949!

with best regards,
Pétur P. Johnson

---------

According to the CAB accident report, the wreck was indeed moved to American's
hangar. It also says "At the termination of the hearing on March 20, 1941, the
aircraft was released to American".

I can email the full report to you if you want it.

Regards,

Aad van der Voet (AB #19394)
http://www.oldwings.nl

----------

"When I saw N62936 looking so pretty in the California sun I couldn't help but think I knew that aircraft from somewhere long ago. The extended nose was my clue...
After searching the Transport Canada database I discovered that it used to be CF-BCE. I knew that airplane! It was one of two Expeditors the British Columbia government had in its fleet and it along with CF-BCD was used to conduct photographic surveys throughout British Columbia."

"I thought you might be interested in this little bit of history and also in this old B&W photo of CF-BCE, taken in Central BC when it worked for the BC Government.
The British Columbia Forest Service was my employer for 32 years. 
It still amazes me to think that I would find that aircraft in a place I would never have expected after all
these years. I guess we could say that the Expeditor, like the Beaver is an enduring aircraft!"

Date of this photo was June 1965 ( BCFS photo).

For sale SOLD!:

This advertisement was current on Barnstormers.com during april 2010.
David Legg replied and added: "Given that it is in his museum at Campbellford, does this mean that he is disposing of various assets?  This Canso A (s/n 9825) was once at the Ventress farm in Ontario, along with three others, one of which was turned into a motor boat."
David is the Editor of the Catalina News, The Catalina Society. On one of his News items I found the owner of PBY-6A N9825Z quoted "I also found a complete interior from a hull that had been in a fellow’s back yard for years (Canso A serial 9825 - Ed.). His intention was to use the hull as a yacht conversion although this did not happen. In fact, the radios had gone but all the racks, desks, navigators table, seats etc were all there and intact and are now in my possession."

The Memorial Military Museum at Campbellford is Harold Carlaw's personal museum located at 226 Albert Street, in Campbellford, Ontario; website: www.avroland.ca/al-places-campbellford.html
Jeff Rankin-Lowe, who published the link on CV-Canso (Yahoo) forum, added: "I'm told that the owner, Harold Carlaw, is not well and that his son is selling off at least some of the collection; the asking price for the Canso fuselage is $18,000."

Besides Barnstormers.com there are several other websites which offer aeroplanes, of all sizes and vintage, for sale - see my LINKS page.

"We are pleased to announce that the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum has acquired the Canso fuselage, RCAF 9825, from the Harold Carlaw Memorial Military Museum. The turret will be installed in our flying PBY, C-FPQL.
Work on installing the turret will not begin until the PBY finishes its flying season in September. The blisters are available to those interested."
http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=35490

"The hull of Canso A RCAF serial 9825, for many years an outdoors exhibit at Harold Carlaw's Memorial Military Museum at Cambellford, Ontario, has arrived at its new home with Canadian Warplane Heritage, Hamilton, Ontario.  It was delivered by road on Wednesday, August 25th 2010."
-Catalina World News /Nov.2010

Ben Cogger sent me these images in February 2010; I made a compilation of them.

Clockwise-
»Cessna U206F N8364Q (Iliaska Lodge); 16APR1980 accident report)
»Ben Cogger coming out of the hatch of the Beech 18 on floats, taken at the Alaska Air Guides dock, in 1985 probably.

»DHC-2 N37756 (c/n 1456), which I came across in 2006 in Ketchikan!
»DHC-2 N111EB (c/n 1173), which you find photo & details on the Martin Prince Jr page on my website

Check out my INDEX PAGE for more photos by Ben Cogger and history on Alaska Air Guides, pages 21 + 22

Arnold Begeman sent me this photo on 01Apr2010, of Douglas C-54E C-GCTF (c/n 27281). He'd take the photo the week before, reporting C-GCTF had been parked here at Red Deer for months.

More on C-GCTF and Buffalo Airways, see my YELLOWKNIFE 2006 REPORT
And I've been to RED DEER too: 2006 and 2007

Darrell Knight sent me this photo.

Darrell wrote: "When I flew with Buffalo Joe, I had the opportunity to log many hours in the right seat of 'ROD. She was a nice clean ship and a sad loss, due to 'Captain stupidity.'
I have written of C-FROD in the new publication from Alberta Publishing.com:
'Buffalo Airways - Diamonds, DC-3s and 'Buffalo Joe' McBryan.'

Darrell wrote about his book: "Buffalo Airways - Diamonds, DC-3s and 'Buffalo Joe' McBryan," available on Amazon Kindle.
The book is a personal memoir, detailing what motivated me to become a pilot and culminating with admission to the brotherhood of Arctic aviators as a flight crew member with Buffalo Airways...
The reader is introduced to a whole cast of amazing characters, including the enigmatic 'Buffalo Joe' McBryan.
The book includes many photographic images of vintage aircraft, and is also available on Apple iPhone.

More on Buffalo Airways, see my YELLOWKNIFE 2006 REPORT

Ralph Pettersen has visited Opa Locka & The Historical Flight Foundation and described the progress of restoration HERE...
March 23, 2010 saw the FAA granting flight approval to the Historical Flight Foundation (website), stating "The FAA finds that a grant of exemption would be in the public interest and would provide an equivalent level of safety to that provided by current regulation."
The HFF is unique in that its Douglas Aircraft Co. DC-7B aircraft represents the only U.S. based, four engine, passenger prop-liner in operation today. With the advent of jet aircraft, most of the DC-7 aircraft disappeared from commercial airline service by the early 1970s. The majority of the DC-7 were simply scrapped as they were seen as being un-economical to operate. In this unique case, the aircraft being operated by the HFF was still in its original passenger configuration as delivered to Eastern Air Lines in January 1958. Of the 112 DC-7 aircraft produced, this is the only surviving passenger configuration aircraft."

Congratulations to all who pulled this off, darn good job, it should be a wonderful sight to see this 'Big Doug' vintage airliner participate in the air show circuit for many years to come! Air Transport Heritage in splendid form!

Fine results from a special photo opportunity, to shoot the restored Eastern DC-7B N836D at Opa Locka airport, in south Florida.
The Historical Flight Foundation is getting very near to flying this unique aircraft for the first time since its complete overhaul.
Please keep checking the url listed below for further details as this project takes to the skies.
www.HistoricalFlightFoundation.com

Historical Flight Foundation MEMBERSHIP
HFF'S membership drive has started!
This membership allows you to ride the airplane on the Part 91.501 segments for repositioning flights. Other great benefits are listed at the link as well.
Annual dues are us$250.00. The membership can be purchased online.
The membership numbering system has been started at #0001, not unlike the airline seniority lists. The list will come into play in the future for lots of fun.
HFF is going to Oshkosh, for Air Venture 2010. The show runs from July 26th-August 1st.
[April 2010]

Photos show, clockwise-
1. N99AS, gutted...
2. N67019
3. N99AS, seen from behind
4. N438NA
--> Douglas C-54B N67017 (c/n 10438/169) is missing from this report. It moved to Greybull,WY->HERE

N99AS, and the others, seen in slightly better days, my 2008 visit to Mesa's Falcon Field, Arizona, USA.

Peter Starr, the owner of these aircraft, was affilliated to the Australian Aviation Museum at Bankstown and was able to store his DC3's there for a small fee and help with restoration of MMD which belongs to the Museum. At the time of my visit, the grounds of the museum were greedily looked upon by the city council to expand roadwork.

The Museum committee at some point apparently asked Mr Starr to remove his aircraft; there was discussion about paying the Museum outstanding fees owed for storage. An agreement was reached where he would donate VH-UPQ to the Museum as payment.

The Museum now have 2 DC-3's under restoration for a static display, with consecutive serial numbers.
Mr Starr no longer has any affilliation with the Museum. The entire museum is to move and open a new facility at Camden Airport.

Peter Starr organised his remaining DC3's to be transported out to Molong by Crystall Transport, who owns a property there large enough to place the aircraft on.
A again deal was struck with the transport company, by which Mr Starr would hand over ownership of one DC-3 to the owners of the property in return for transporting the others...
While Mr Starr still owns 4 of them, VH-BPN was given to the owner, Ralph Crystall, and Peter Starr has retained VH-MIN, VH-DNA, VH-PWN and VH-DNF.
I'm unsure about the status of VH-SBL, the CASA Register Database was down on recent visits for inquiries. It may still be flying from Essendon(-Melbourne).

In Oct.2012 my attention was drawn to www.adastron.com/dc-3/ozcensus.htm#Note25:
Discovery Air Tours (formerly Dakota National Air) went into administration on 16FEB04 but as of 25JUN04 are still operating with VH-DNA, VH-MIN and VH-SBL. DC-3s VH-BPN, VH-PWN and VH-UPQ are stored at the Australian Aviation Museum at Bankstown. DC-3 P2-001, which was to become VH-DNF, is still stored at Warnervale, NSW where it diverted with engine problems on its delivery flight from Papua New Guinea.
Ownership of VH-UPQ (c/n 16552/33300) was transferred to the Australian Aviation Museum at Bankstown on 16FEB09. Given that the AAM already have VH-MMD (c/n 16553/33301) they now have two DC-3s with consecutive constructor's numbers.
Six Discovery Air Tours DC-3s are to be sold at auction on 25MAR09. Aircraft listed are: VH-BPN, VH-DNA, VH-DNF, VH-MIN, VH-PWN#2 and VH-SBL. All aircraft were passed in and no sales eventuated.
VH-SBL was noted at Essendon with an engine running on 15JUN09. The aircraft had arrived at Essendon on 24MAR08 for maintenance.
The 4 Discovery Air Tours DC-3s which were located at Bankstown have been transported by road to a property at Larras Lee near Molong, NSW.
Dates of arrival at Larras Lee are:
VH-BPN 25NOV09 (approx)
VH-MIN 10DEC09
VH-DNA 17DEC09
VH-PWN 21JAN10 (Departed Bankstown same day)
VH-DNF 24FEB10
/end quote.
Exact location would ve Larras Lee Detention Center.

She will join 4 other DC-3's already up there on Ralph's property, where the air is dry which will help slow down corrosion.
There is one more DC-3 down at Melbourne that may join these 5 at Molong, VH-SBL.

A nice warm day at 34 degrees and I spent most of the time removing a fair portion of the 730 wing bolts! Ralph removed both props and today the rudder and fin will be removed along with both wings. That will only leave the undercarriage for Monday, when the wheels come off and the legs will be placed in the up postion."
[Sa.20FEB2010]

VH-DNF at Warnerdale 20Feb2010

ZK-AMY (c/n 13506 ex 42-93579 VH-ASD, VH-CAN) C-47A

Was imported by Vincent Aviation in 1994.
Built as a C-47A 42-93579 for the USAAF, after its military service the aircraft was sold to Australia where it became VH-ASD with the Dept. of Civil Aviation.
The registration was changed to VH-CAN in August 1950.
Between 1978 and 1992 the aircraft passed through five owners. Registered as ZK-AMY in August 1994, the aircraft operated from Wellington with Vincent Aviation.
In mid-1998 the aircraft was put in storage with Fieldair at Palmerston North.
In October 1998 the aircraft was registered to GYM Properties, Nelson.
In 2001 it was great to see the aircraft returned to work, this time with Pionair.

I have an associate who is currently doing a CofA on his DC3 (A3-AWP) up in Tonga and he is in desperate need of parts, 2 propellers for a start and engines and tools. Is there anywhere on the planet that you know of where he could source anything?? Any help would be very much appreciated.

I have some Aussie DC3 stuff on my site here: www.kiwibeavers.com/Australia.html "
Graeme Mills

Update: ZK-AMY was retired from flight operations in 2014 and officially handed over in April 2015 to the Ashburton Aviation Museum for preservation.
See a photo update from 19Mar2016 on my Photos by Friends & Guests (45)

"Since December 2003 I visited the Beijing aviation museum at 'Datangshan' again - in July 2008 and November 2009.
This enabled me to update the information in the original log to make it more complete, and to correct errors. In particular I have paid attention to getting the various MiG-19/J6 variants sorted out. The first two visits were about 5-hours each, but the most recent visit was only 90-minutes - so on that last occasion I was not able to 'do' the exhibits inside the tunnel and new exhibition hall. That is why there are several '?' locations...
The changes in just 16-months are incredible - the place was hardly recognisable with new monuments, buildings and aircraft. There is no doubt that in future Datangshan will be much more accessible from Beijing with the metro extension and as it becomes a 'major' tourist attraction. Gone are the days of wandering around the place on your own - as I did in 2003 and 2008!
Please replace my December 2003 log with the 2009 PDF update."

MY 'DATANGSHAN' PAGES

Photo from San Juan, PR: Jan 24/10:
Seven (former?) Four Star DC-3s lined up -
N131FS; N135FS; N136FS; N138FS and N783T.
Four Star apparently ceased operations..?
FOR MORE PHOTOS BY DIRK SEPTER CLICK HERE...

UPDATE: Since the demise of Four Star in 2009 their DC-3s had been stored and anno 2016 most have been scrapped. Only 2 survived, N131FS was one of these. N138FS was the other (went to Florida Air Cargo).
N131FS was flown out (2015?) and is parked at Flabob Airport in California and is to be used for spares supply to support resident N103NA. Afterwards it will get two timed-out engines and put up for static display at a local park (AirClassics 'Propliner Round-up', april 2016).

See Photos by Friends & Guests #54 for a photo update by Gerben Groothuis of N138FS operating with/for
Alen Enterprises Inc. @Opa Locka (Jan.2018).

N233H is a Beech G18S c/n BA-481, registered for Michael W. Renfro of Bethel,Alaska on 12Feb2010.

From www.renfrosalaskanadventures.com
"If you’re thinking of planning a dream wilderness adventure, forget about the rest of Alaska, plan a trip with Renfro’s Alaskan Adventures and you WILL experience what a true wilderness hunting and fishing trip really is."
 
"With access only by plane, we offer a variety of guided and unguided hunting packages, including brown bear, sheep, trophy caribou, Alaskan moose or black bear and we strive to tailor each hunt to our client’s individual needs. We also offer exceptional remote fishing adventures for Rainbow Trout, Arctic Char, Lake Trout, Dolly Varden, Arctic Grayling and 5 species of salmon on the world famous Wood Tik Chik Lake and the numerous drainages of the Kilbuck Mountains."
 
"If you are planning a dream hunting or fishing adventure – think Alaska; and before you book your trip do your research. We are confident that you will find our pricing, trip packages and overall experience far exceeds everything else you’ve looked at or experienced in the past."

MORE PHOTOS FROM BETHEL,AK-BASED MARTIN PRINCE JR