Curtiss C-46F N67982 (c/n 22584; ex/ USAF 44-78761) lost in 'No Luck Lake', Alaska.
Before it went to Interior Airways it was acquired by Flying Tigers (and reg'd N67982) from the military.

Francis wrote me: "Saw the blurb on the C-46 N67982 in No Luck Lake (way down in the website, with a request for photos).
I have this close aerial photo of it sitting in the water, as described!
I took it in July 1972 while I was part of a geological field crew. We were tent camped at nearby Driftwood; our field transportation was a Bell Jet Ranger. Our cargo carriers were ex-C-46's and ex-C-47's."
Francis continued: "This particular C-46 (an F model, #22584, 44-78761) stayed in the lake for decades. It landed on ice in June 1968 and broke through.
Interior Airways intended to rescue it, but never did.
1990's satellite photos showed it broken into two major sections and had moved to a different part of the lake from where I saw it. Winter storms?
But current sat pics do not show it so guess it has been removed and scrapped."

More photos by Francis Blake, taken during his brief 1972 stint on 'The Last Frontier', can be seen on Classic Propliners by Francis Blake.

JoeJoe Prince on the prowl again around Lake Hood (May 2017)!

Norseman N78691 is regularly featured in JoeJoe's pictures (see his gallery hosted on my website), but this one is also meant to shed some light on his Facebook page 'Bush Planes Alaska'!

Everts' C-46 N1837M 'Hot Stuff' with wing from CF-NAU. Photo credit: Tom Singfield.

Tom wrote: "Can you tell me why this Everts C-46 is called 'Hot Stuff', please?
And note the port wing has been replaced with a Canadian one: CF-NAU?"

It so happened that I have on my Fairbanks 2003 report a photo taken myself of former CF-NAU with the left wing removed, which must have been for the purpose of immediate use as the right wing was still on.
But I put out some inquiries.

Marty: "Hot Stuff came from the fire while still in Canadian registry. Cliff (Everts -Webmaster, RL) bought the plane and a 'spare' wing, sent a crew to repair her, then flew her here. Mike lead the crew and named her."
So I looked things up and found Curtiss C-46F 'Hot Stuff' N1837M (c/n 22388) is ex CF-FNC Air Manitoba reg'd Everts 1990s. So the fire thing must prior to 1990? But couldn't find any details (pre-internet days).

Marty again: 'As I understand it, it was an incident on the ground.
Most of the damage was in the nacelle and the outer wing attach points. Damage to the wing was relatively minor, but enough and the quickest thing was replace to replace the entire wing.
Jerri Sorm went up from Seattle and performed his magic. Good man, that. He'll be missed when he finally retires.
As for when.... maybe about 6 months prior to us buying it."

Karen wrote me: "Everts Air Fuel picked up '37M from Air Manitoba quite a few years ago; they had an incident involving the aircraft and a fire which involved the wing. Everts trucked a wing over and got the plane airworthy and brought it back to Alaska, without jumping in archives I couldn’t give you exact dates.
Hence the 'Hot Stuff' nose art!
Btw, 'Salmonella', nose art done by Captain Ron Klemm, is reminiscent of our fish hauls off the beach at Egegik, a long time ago, but the plane is a true work horse."

So a bit of digging by myself found Air Manitoba (a.k.a. Northland Air Manitoba) 'Stake taken by Air Ontario. Shut down own operations in Jan.'94 after their AOC was revoked over safety concerns, became a leasing-only company only in 1997.' (-ATDB.aero)

And on N1837M reg'd to Everts Air Fuel 13Sep1990 (-FAA N-inquiry) plus '9/90, Canadian registration cancelled; Everts Air Fuel, Fairbanks, purchases C-FFNC from Northland Air Manitoba. 6/92: application for Airworthiness shows 28,745-TT; 9/92 337, aircraft modified for Everts' removable bulk fuel system; 10/93 337 for repairs to left wing and landing gear, from hard landing [-www.flyinghigher.net] while www.aerialvisuals.ca has '13Sep1990 to Everts Air Fuel Inc, Fairbanks, AK with c/r N1837M, stored at Fairbanks; markings applied 'Hot Stuff', moved to Everts Scrapyard' and '17Jun1992 - CofA issued for C-46F N1837M cn22388 issued.

www.joebaugher.com has for former CF-NAU: '44-78777 (msn 22600) to US Justice Dept as N1874C. To Nordair as CF-NAU in 1966. To FW Rhea as N1874C April 1970. Converted to Super 46C. To N12500 in 1970. Leased to Nordair as CF-NAU 23Jun1972. To Fairbanks Air Service as N801FA 31May1974. To Everts Air Fuel 30Dec2008. C of R expired 30Jun2013

Well, there you have it!
It may well be that another wing got 'Hot Stuff' certified in early-1990s while CF-NAU donated the wing after the purchase in 2008 (as depicted above), but I doubt the date 2008 for 2nd wing replacement as my photo in 2003 (Fairbanks 2003) and another one on Airliners.net in 2002 shows c/n 22600 already in Everts' yard without the port wing.

Tom Singfield also sent the following photos along:

Photo by Tom Singfield (june 2016). It instills a craving in me to revisit Alaska, but that will have to wait.

Karen wrote: "We are working hard to keep these vintage planes rolling.
It’s hard to think there may be a day where the C-46 is not flying!"

Everts' C-46R N7848B (c/n 273). Photo credit: Tom Singfield.
Tom wrote here: "I guess 'Dumbo' is an obvious name for the big 'Charlie'? I like this shot..." I agree!!!

See also my 1st visit including C-46s on my Alaska 1995 and N7848B also on my Anchorage report 2006.

On my Photos by Friends & Guests (43) I documented the trans-atlantic flight of Beech D18S C-FGNR (ex/ Vancouver Air) to Belgium. A pity that in spite of the perfect ferry from West Canada to Europe it has found a last static resting place in a wildlife park not very far from Brussels, since 2015: see my Off-airport Europe for more.

In 2015 Frans and Theo Barten, professional Dutch photographers, published two photobooks on a wonderful project: dealing with their visits to 52 control towers in the UK, their 'All Along the Control Tower' Volume I provides 218 pages of hi-quality photos and stories how Frans & Theo found them.

The book depicts its history (e.g. open: 1942 - closed: 1946), aircraft based and possible present use.
The structure is most often depicted in two photos plus a satellite image (with coördinates) and, something I really like, crosshairs to find the location on the sat image.

The book contains excellent photographs of 52 remaining control towers at RAF airfields in the UK (and one Luftwaffe tower in the Netherlands), left over after WW2.
Numerous airfields were built from where the RAF and USAAF bombers departed to bomb Germany, strewn all over the British Isles.
The objective of the Barten Bros. is only to show them in the state as they are today in the surrounding landscape, with no military purposes.

Almost all airfields themselves have gone (mostly agricultural today) but many towers (sturdy, austere) still remain. It is wonderful to see vague traces of runways on the sat. images or see hardstands remaining.
Some of the Control Towers are still in use as such (quite rarely, I must add!), often they are in a derelict state, left to its dismal fate or in some use at a farm, some are turned in a museum and some are (oh joy!) renovated to a house people live in! One was turned in a B&B!
Frans & Theo Barten often found their way blocked by barricades of industrial estates and had to proceed on foot along pathways and fences, some people were quite unwelcoming while others invited them in and many a muddy trek had to be made to document the Contol Tower...
The Goshill Tower was even exported and reassembled for Virgina for the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia, USA! The project is documented on the last pages of Volume II.

When I got hold of a Dec.2016 of the (Dutch) photography magazine 'Focus' I found Volume II in a review and immediately set out to order both volumes of 'All along the Control Tower'.
And I am glad to share Theo's news that they will venture out again this year and a Volume III is in the making!

Volume II has 220 pages in full colour, hardcover (ISBN 978-90-817110-4-3) and its dimensions (much the same as Vol.I): 22 x 25 cm.
And again in English, because on the British Isles is where by far the most Control Towers survive.
I applaud their effort!

www.narwal.eu
www.warhistoryonline.com/reviews/all-along-the-control-tower-review-by-mark-barnes.html
www.airfieldresearchgroup.org.uk

Chad wrote: "Out of the weeds and onto the ramp. I think they are going to disassemble and haul off .
Not sure where to . Here at Vicksburg's Tallulah Reg'l Airport, Louisiana (KTVR)."
(w/ Martin Aviation?)
Here's an image on Airliners.net in (slightly) better days: www.airliners.net/photo/1796766/L (André Wadman, 2010)
Bob Parmerter provided the history:
Hope this isn't her obituary: A-891 / CA-241 - Beech 3NM
RCAF 2362 Taken on strength 6 December 1952. Delivered to storage at No. 25 Air Material Base 06Dec52.
To inactive reserve at RCAF Station Lincoln Park, Alberta 11Jan57.
Workshop reserve at Lincoln Park 06Feb58, to Tactical Air Command same day for use at No. 406 Squadron (Auxiliary) at Saskatoon, Sask. Coded 'XK362' with this unit by 24Oct1958.
Training Command 09Oct58, and then to Air Transport Command 07Apr61.
Converted to Mk. 3NMT by 09Jun59.
No. 401 Squadron (Auxiliary) Montreal, PQ 04Mar64. Training Command 30Jun64, for use by No. 1 Advanced Flying School at CJATC, Rivers Camp, Manitoba.
No. 3 Flying Training School at RCAF Station Portage la Prairie 31Jul64.
No. 6 Repair Depot for inspection on 21Apr1966, back to Portage on 17May66.
Bristol Aerospace, Winnipeg for magnetic particle inspection & spar reinforcement, back to No. 3 FTS on 18May67.
To storage at No. 402 Canadian Forces Technical Storage Detachment at Saskatoon, Sask 01Apr70.
Pending disposal there from 27Aug70.
Crown Assets Disposal Corporation for sale 15Oct70.
Sold to Chris D. Stoltzfus, Coatesville, PA BS 15Oct70 for $6,500 (U.S.). Reg’d 12May72 as D18S N9539.
Special Flight Permit for maintenance 04May73 to 19May73.
CofA 23May73 as 3NM with 4,812 hrs TT. Executive Air Sales Inc, North Jackson, OH BS 09Aug73.
Right ice shield panel & right hand nose skin removed from N7598 A-775 by Executive Air Sales mechanic 02Dec73 & installed to repair ground damage.
Morgan Air Transport Inc/Rayburn D. Morgan, Pensacola, FL reg’d 18May76.
Cargo floor & gross weight increase to 9,360 lbs installed 22Oct76.
Jared K. Reynolds, Ft. Lauderdale, FL (CAR Aug80). Tampa Air Center, Tampa, FL reg’d 20Apr81.
Accident 31Aug81 at Jacksonville, FL: fuel leak inflight cabin fire on final approach... 1 uninjured.
Air taxi cargo flt. Seen with USAF finish with '111897' marks Oct82.
Leon Canady, Starke, FL BS 26Dec84.
Lance Toland, Milner, GA BS 24Jun86. James M. Jones Jr, Epps, LA BS 28Jul86 & still valid Dec09.
Stored Vicksburg, Tullulah Regional Arpt, MS (Sep ’10 - current).

The text on the advert was:
"1942 Noorduyn Norseman
Date Listed: 18-Apr-17
Price : $100,000.00
Address: 2321 Richmond Rd SW, Calgary, AB T2T 5E3, Canada
For sale S/N 42 built in 1942
This aircraft is all there ready for the right enthusiast to bring it back to its former glory. The aircraft is all here but in several pieces. Lots of spare parts found over time. And more to come. Please phone for details.
No reasonable offer refused. lets talk."

This link www.thunderbaybusiness.ca/article/north-star-air-provides-valuable-service-to-the-north-1645.asp provided the following (abbreviated) information:
'North Star Air Provides Valuable Service To The North - by Scott A. Sumner (no date)'
"There is a very successful new airline in Northwestern Ontario- North Star Air. The three year old company has grown rapidly to now fly 10 aircraft from three bases with a staff of around 60 people!
North Star Air is owned by Frank Kelner and began in 2012. The company is currently merging Cargo North, a freight service into North Star Air.
Currently North Star Air operate 5 Pilatus PC 12’s, 3 Baslers ( DC-3T) and 2 Cessna Caravans. For their charter business the focus is on the Pilatus PC 12 but if they have large groups bring in the Basler. The PC 12 and Caravans can hold 9 passengers and the Basler 18 passengers plus cargo. The PC 12 is best for longer distance and the Caravan shorter trips. North Star Air can service Northern Ontario and beyond.
Clarence Heyer, line pilot on the DC-3T (and also does some pilot testing for Transport Canada): "The DC-3T is a great machine for the north. It has the big cargo door and we can even haul generators if needed. We have a winch to move the cargo around in the aircraft.
Our maintenance and offices are here in Thunder Bay but the aircraft is usually not here but based in Pickle Lake and Red lake. Most of our travel is in NW Ontario."
Both Pickle Lake and Red Lake are the end of the road system so the freight goes there and then has to be flown north to the northern communities. The freight can include fuel for generators, groceries and building supplies. There are some ice roads available but it depends on the year. Groceries must be flown in. It is a very vital service for the north.
"Frank Kelner has a great reputation with 35 years working with these communities. There is a element of trust. We have two days a week flying in perishable supplies and the rest of the time fuel and freight."

I wonder if Frank Kelner had something to do with FNT at Gimli, Manitoba; it served the same markets I think.
See my Gimli report!

Ralph Lacomba published this photo on Facebook's Beech 18 Group in april 2017; he wrote: "Saw this caged Beech 18 in downtown Wichita.
Bob Parmerter was quick to provide its history:
"It’s the first USAF post-war remanufactured Model 18, C-45G, 51-11444 c/n AF-1.
Beech took the 1944 T-7C 43-33420 c/n 5753 and replaced everything except the outer wings and tail components (if they were serviceable after reconditioning).
From the D18S civil line they took new fuselage, center section, landinggear, cowls, nacelles, interior and cockpit. Added surplus reconditioned R-985 engines & new Aeroproducts feathering props.
Completed 30Apr51 and formally accepted the first week of May51, but subsequent C-45G production did not continue until Apr52.
Surplus USAF auction sale on 17Sep57 for US$6,733.33; to a series of at least 19 (!) civil owners reg’d as N7205C & rereg'd 04Mar58 as N80323(2nd time this registration was issued).
Put on display at the Yard Store (owned by Bachus & Son) between Third- & Central Street in Wichita, KS July 2009."

Then Rick Harris replied: "SEMO owned it when it was N80323 early-1970s."
Bob again: " You’re right Rick, Semo Avn Inc, Malden, MO bought it 25Jun71.
Accident 17Sep71 Nashville Metro,TN: emergency landing after in-flight fire (aluminum fuel line failed) in wheel well on air taxi cargo flt; 1 uninjured.
Sold it to Southeastern Airways Corp, Double Springs,AL (29Nov74)."

The sighting of this IL-18 and below Beech 18 made me stop and think: how many vintage 'propliners' and bushplanes have found a place of honour at a restaurant and hotel??? You'll find many listed on my website.
And I started compiling a list, inviting comments and additions!

Europe
C-97s (2x) at San Cugat nr Barcelona,Spain @discotheque/restaurant - broken up
Breguet 763 'F-BACC' restaurant at Fontenay-Tresigny, France - location current, Off-airport Europe
Vickers Viscount D-ANAB @the Silbervogel Restaurant in Hannover, Germany –current (website)
IL-14 Restaurant 'Runway 34' Zurich - current as per 2011: www.airliners.net/photo/2039719/L
IL-18 SP-LSD converted as a restaurant, near Koscielec as restaurant 'odLOT' – location seems current
IL-18 HA-MOI restaurant near Abda, Hungary - repositioned in 2011, Off-airport Europe
IL-18 OK-WAJ, converted to restaurant at R10 motorway,near Bakov nad Jizerou - Airliners.net june 2014
IL-18 OK-PAG restaurant 'PEGAS' but no photos on Airliners.net later than 1991 - expect not current
Vickers Viking G-AGRW @McDonalds in Schwechat, Vienna, Austria – relocated to Flugplatz Bad Vöslau & current
An-2’s HA-MDR & HA-MDK & HA-MHU at different McDonald's restaurant in Budapest (Hungary) – status?
Il-18 DDR-STD in use as a hotel @Teuge, the Netherlands – moved 2017 (Photos by Friends & Guests 50)
DC-3 Norrtälje Hotel Roslagen ‘224049’ – status: current, as per dedicated Facebook page
ex RAF & Italian Air Force C-45 (c/n 8118), on poles outside the restaurant 'Zi Pieti' in Rome, Italy (suburb Vermicino); USAF markings 'VN-01' - no such restaurant on Google & no plane on poles @Vermicino thru Google Earth
Convair CV440 mm61833 31-1 - ex/ ItalianAF CV440 as a pizza restaurant @Fiumicino,Rome -Ristoaereo, current

USA
Convair N314H in Sheffield,OH - current - see Off-airport N.America
Beech 18 (Super 18 fuselage) at hangar One Steakhouse, Wichita,KS – recent sighting, see below
C-97 53-0283 in Colorado Springs,CO ex/ Solo’Restaurant, now‘The Airplane Restaurant’ - current, my webpage
C-97 N227AR at Don Q Cafe and Inn @Dodgeville,WI - still there by recent account; Off-airport N.America
L. Constellation N9412H at a restaurant in West Milford, NJ (airport)
The C-45 & C-47 at Proud Bird Restaurant at LAX airport - resp www.airliners.net DC-3 N19915 (2015), Beech C18S N81GB (2013). And the Proud Bird Restaurant aerial in 2014 www.airliners.net - the restaurant is located underneath the final approach path to LAX runway 25L.
Convair T-29 near a hot dog stand in Tulare, Calfornia - status?
In 2003 a photo showed D18S XB-POB on pedestal in San Antonio near Buck’s BBQ - no longer visible on GE (2016)
N68619 UC-45J ( 1997-2000) @Congo Jack’s Restaurant at the Reserve Hotel (renamed the Baja Beach Cafe and the Fiesta Hotel in 2001), Henderson, NV - Not visible on GE, adress thru Facebook, 777 W Lake Mead Pkwy,Henderson

Canada
RC-3 SeaBee CF-HPK at Dick’s & Durty Nellie’s Bar & Grill, Sioux Lookout,Ontario

Latin America
CL-44 HC-AZH 'Club Mayday' in Cuenca, Ecuador - current (Off-airport Latin-America)
C-123 El Avion 54-0663 at/near Costa Verde Resort, Costa Rica – probably current
YS-11 P4-YSA on Curacao, been a bar/restaurant – closed/ derelict
YS-11 PJ-WIK on Curacao, Restaurant Air Lekkerbek – late-2019 reported to become dive object
YS-11 PP-CTI c/n 2080. Restaurant 'Pizzaria Aviao', Brazil – 2011 sighting: www.airliners.net 'Churrascaria Aviao'
I seem to recall a restaurant with a DC-3 & Convair on San Juan, near Borinquen..?

Asia & Far East
C-45 (c/n A-72), currently (2016) at the Mayfair Hotel & Restaurant, Bhubaneswar, India - Off-airport Asia
C-47 AP-AAF at Shangri-La Resort, Skardu, Pakistan – status?
An-24 XU-335 at a guesthouse in Sihanoukville, Cambodia – status?
Argosy ZK-SAE preserved at a bar/restaurant at Blenheim-Woodbourne,New Zealand – status?
Bristol 170 Freighter NZ5906 been converted into a 2-room accommodation @Woodlyn Park, Otorohanga, NZ – status?
McDonalds DC-3, ZK-CAW, location near the lakeside at Taupo, New Zealand
DC-3 ZK-APK at a coffee stop somewhere New Zealand I believe

The DC-6 Diner & Cafe at Coventry airport is still open and fully functioning if I check their website and Facebook:

www.dc6diner.com and Facebook

Ralph wrote:
"Last Tuesday (March 21st), while on a short visit to NYC, I made a spur of the moment visit to Floyd Bennett Field where I hoped to be able to photograph BAHF C-97G N117GA.
I wasn’t sure that I would even be able to get close enough to the airplane for a photo but, as luck would have it, BAHF president Tim Chopp and three BAHF volunteers were working on the aircraft!
I first met Tim during a visit to Floyd Bennett back in March 2008, when I was gathering material for an article on the organization.
Tim opened up the airplane and allowed me to photograph it inside and out: she's absolutely gorgeous!!
The aircraft is airworthy and has a valid airworthiness certificate.
The only thing holding up the flight to nearby Miller Field in Toms River, New Jersey is resolution of some crew certification/currency issues with the FAA.
Once this issue is resolved, the C-97G will take to the air for the first time since May 2002, when it arrived at Floyd Bennett Field.
Many thanks to Tim, Glen, Frank and Berge for their hospitality."

My page Photos by Friends & Guests #52 has a June 2017 photo of N117GA, grounded due faulty no.3 engine. On that same page you'll find it going airborne in November for Reading,PA!

C-FKGL (c/n / msn: 19066)
(ASN) Date: 17-MAR-2017 Time: ca 12:20 Type: Basler BT-67 Turbo 67 (DC-3T) Owner/operator: North Star Air

"A North Star Air DC-3C Turbine aircraft, registration C-FKGL operated by Private Air as Flight BF-102 to Big Trout Lake Airport (CYTL) in Ontario, suffered a mishap during takeoff on Pickle Lake near Pickle Lake Airport, Ontario, Canada.
The aircraft came to rest on it's fuselage in snow, sustaining substantial damage, and the three crew onboard were not injured.
North Star is known to operate BT-67's C-FKAL, C-FKGL, and C-FKKB."

Further up 'north' on this page is an update on Cargo North !

Article from the Cairns Post, by Grace Mason (20Sep2016)
I found no reference of 'Flying Tiger Oversize Cargo' actually having operated as a business..?

The current (Sep.2016) situation of this Shorts SC.5 Belfast (a.k.a. 'Belslow') is described in the article as "It is unregistered, uncertified and unairworthy, according to CASA spokesman Peter Gibson."
Then I read "The Short SC-5 Belfast C1, XR365, [ G-HLFT, RP-C8020 ] at Cairns, Australia, is to be scrapped starting Tuesday 28Feb2017." But then "Apparently 'Hector' was still very much in one piece at Cairns on Friday the 3th of March 2017."

This is from an older post (2013) on PPRuNe.org forum
"After being retired from TAC HeavyLift service, several were parked at Southend Airport for a number of years, until one aircraft was refurbished and flown to Australia in 2003.
This aircraft is no longer flying; it was often visible parked on the General Aviation side of Cairns International Airport in Queensland, in company with one or two of the company's Boeing 727s.
Now registered RP-C8020, it was moved back over to the general aviation (western) side of the Cairns airport on 19Aug2011, after spending the best part of a year sitting on the Cairns Int'l apron where it had been moved prior to the scrapping of the remaining company Boeing 727 (RP-C8016) at the end of September 2010."

This is a telling memory of 'Hector': "She would often depart YBBN (2003-2006 roughly) at around 6-7am; and I lived in Bridgeman Downs at the time, just inside SFC-FLXXX airspace, and at times I wondered if this beast departed in CTA.
I have seen overloaded tiger moths, well furl and two fat fokkers, climb at better rates!
Noisy too.
But in a way I miss it" (posted by Jaberwocky on PPRuNe)

From ATDB.aero (online database) I got (dated 17Apr2017)-
'HeavyLift Cargo Airlines alias TransPacific Heavylift, IATA: HN / ICAO: HVY, Formed 2003 as Heavy-Lift Cargo by Paddy McKay using aircraft leased from HeavyLift Cargo Sierra Leone; listed on EU ban list 22Mar06, 05Mar07, 11Apr08). Formed UAE-based Heavylift International by mid-2004."
The latter is still current according the same source, based in Bahrain, AOC was received January 2005, having operating a mixed fleet of 747-200F (1), 737-300F (2), Airbus A300B(F) (1), DC-8-60 (3) and two CRJ 900s - but it seems that this Bahrain-based Heavylift Int'l no longer operates its own aircraft.

Photos shared on Facebook early Nov.2019 shows it is still in one piece, all white and going nowhere!

STATUS: UNSOLVED

In april 2017 Axel 'flyingaxel' Klegien posted this photo on Facebook's Beech 18/C45/AT11/SNB group. Since his posting on Flickr in 2014 it had defied identification. So I have reposted it here with hopes someone will at some point deliver the truth!

Bob Parmerter could not identify it, but responded on that Facebook request a reply with some helpful data:
"Both the location and the Braniff sticker on the right side sounded familiar but checking my files - no trace.
All I can do is narrow down the model a little: it is a WWII production aircraft (as seen by the landing gear & short over wing nacelle).
Ex USAAF C-45A, C-45B, C-45F or AT-7, and after civil certification = C18S."

Early april 2017 Ken wrote me: "I photographed the CV580 at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum on the weekend."

Convair CV580 C-GRSC c/n 72 at Canada Aviation and Space Museum (01-02Apr2017)
More on C-GRSC on Ken Swartz's gallery on my website HERE...

Gordon wrote while sending me these photo: "This is a launch from the airplanes I worked on at Korat Thailand during 1969-1970.
The Lockheed EC-121R Constellation would fly orbits over Laos, Cambodia, and North and South Vietnam.
They had about 8 sensor operators (flight crew) who would listen to transmitters dropped into the jungle; when they picked up an indication of troop movements (Ho Chi Minh Trail) they would vector in F-4 Phantom jets and blow the area up! And then we would drop more transmitters and on it went."

Operation Igloo White was a covert United States joint military electronic warfare operation conducted from late January 1968 until February 1973, during the Vietnam War.
These missions were carried out by the 553d Reconnaissance Wing, a U.S. Air Force unit flying modified EC-121R Warning Star aircraft, and VO-67, a specialized U.S. Navy unit flying highly modified OP-2E Neptune aircraft.
This state-of-the-art operation utilized electronic sensors, computers, and communications relay aircraft in an attempt to automate intelligence collection.
The system would then assist in the direction of strike aircraft to their targets. The objective of those attacks was the logistical system of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) that snaked through southeastern Laos and was known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail (the Truong Son Road to the North Vietnamese). [Wikipedia]

The Ho Chí Minh trail was a logistical system that ran from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) to the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) through the neighboring kingdoms of Laos and Cambodia.
The system provided support, in the form of manpower and materiel, to the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (called the Vietcong or 'VC' by its opponents) and the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), or North Vietnamese Army, during the Vietnam War. [Wikipedia]

Late-1990s I started tracking L.188CF c/n 2014 (Mfd 1960). Here are some of my notes: 'EI-CHY. tored at East Midlands 25Jul98, ex/Hunting Cargo (defunct). Bought (G-FIZU) Atlantic Airlines, ferried Coventry 15sep98; rr G-FIZU 23dec98, operational 07Jan1999.
Leased by Channel Express 22mar99 from Atlantic Airlines for 6 months. At Coventry-CVT in C-check 04May02. Pic'd 09Oct06 at Cork, operational.
Oper'l & with Channel Express mid-Feb08. Current May 2010: one of two remaining active.
Left CVT for Canada 01Feb11 (cannot become C-FIZU as is CL415), probably for Conair (most likely spares only).
Reported @ Abbotsford 20Mar11.
Ln 16Jul12 still std @Abbotsford, G- not yet canx, not rr C- either. Owned by local tec college iso Conair?
Ln 07aug15 @Abbotsford.
R01Sep16 C-GIZU for Buffalo A/w.
GIZU was ferried Abbotsford to Red Deer in the fall of 2016.'
I have the previous identities for C/n 2014: PH-LLG N857U SE-IZU G-FIZU EI-CHY G-FIZU
PH-LLG would be KLM, from that time stems the different prop blades I believe; it is supposedly the only L.188 left with the rounded Hamilton Standard props!

From: http://avia-dejavu.net/photo PH-LLG.htm

Douglas C-74 Globemaster I HP385 (c/n 13915; ex/ USAF 42-65404), untitled but probably reg'd to Aeronaves de Panama. Named 'Heracles', a name which was later also used on another C-74 (HP-367).
In 1963 this very rare aircraft crashed shortly after take-off from Marseilles, France. More details on the link above.

For the limited civilian use of these humongous aircraft, I can recommend reading Flying Cowboys by Tad Houlihan!

Photo by Mark Buchner, taken at Sun 'n Fun nrar Lakeland,FL 05Apr2017

Its history:BA-394 E18S N5660D Beech Aircraft Corp, Wichita KS: CofA issued 16.12.58
N16U (2 Pure Oil Co, Chicago IL 63/64
Union Oil Co of California, Palatine IL 66/70
Don J. Wangalin, Palatine IL 71/72
SMB Stage Line Inc, Des Moines IA 74/81
Universal Aircraft Sales & Leasing Inc, Detroit MI .81
Gussic Ventures Inc, Unalakleet AK 7.89/94
Hageland Aviation Services, Anchorage AK 12.7.94/99
Beech Transportation, Eden Prairie MN 11.10.99/00
Navair Inc, Eden Prairie MN 7.2.00/06
Chart Air Inc, Fort Lauderdale FL 7.6.10/15 ....!!!!

It had 2 different data plates,
N16U noted Flying Cloud 29.7.06 under maintenance: plate BA-394 built 12.58,
another plate: converted to 9799AUW 26.3.59; [both posts by Joe Fraley]
Second plate means modified to an All Up Weight of 9700 lbs (not 9799), which usually goes with 3-blade props.
[Jean-Louis Bleneau]

I noticed that on FlightAware a CoA was recently, 20Mar2017, issued on N16U for Southern Cross Aviation (probably based in Georgia? Or is it still for sale? EMAIL)

Bob Cameron wrote in Feb.2017:
"Writing you while on a break from my daily work on the restoration of our 1928 Fairchild FC-2W2 (CF-BXF) and 1937 Custom Waco (CF-BDZ); some images included.
A note about these photos.
The first 8 years or so (working simultaneously on both) were done in my shop here at home, in Whitehorse.
However, the last 5 years have been done in the shop at the Yukon Transportation Museum, so my wife can park her car in the garage again during the winter months!
I am on my own, as far as spear heading these two restorations is concerned, but I have managed to draft a couple of non-aviation volunteers who wanted to do the woodwork (wing construction) under my supervision, so that was a big leg-up for me.
And Martin Mars pilot Peter Killin has been doing the fabric work, leaving the painting to me. I have done all of the wood and metal work on both fuselages myself."

Bob Cameron in the news, in 2015:

Meanwhile, Bob has found another project to sink his teeth in! He wrote me in April 2017:
"As mentioned earlier in our conversation on your Abandoned Wrecks of the North, here is one that shared that fate (for 62 years), but abandoned no more after our 2014 retrieval!
It was abandoned on a barren mountain side 400 miles north of Whitehorse and had been lying there since 1952 - definitely the oldest helicopter in the Yukon.
I am going to restore it to static display condition, to sit in our Yukon Transportation Museum along with our Waco and Fairchild.
I am on my way to Texas in a few days to gather up some unserviceable parts (including blades, tailboom and the rubber floats) to make it more complete."

I came across this smart looking DC-3 during my Texas trip, in particular to the Lone Star Museum (at Galveston then).

Douglas C-47A-30-DK 43-48073 (c/n 25334/13889)

Gordon wrote with this photo: "This picture is of C-47 0-48073 (I am pretty sure anyway!).
I could read on the data under the pilots window '073' in those rather blurry letters and numbers.
My photo album has '073' written in it next to where this picture came from. Next to it (in the album) is another C-47 #908 and it states "TDY from Rhien Main to Ramstein". There is no date, unfortunately; so I do not know for sure where this attached pic was taken nor do I know the date. But 1971 or '72 is a good and fair guess."

On Photos by Friends & Guests (48) are more photos of C-47A 0-48073 as well as personal memories by Gordon a.o.
on his career in the U.S. Airforce, working on C-47s.

Zac Smith posted with these photos: "Headed home all loaded."
Whem prompted for more information, he replied: "Moving from Cali, California to Fergus Falls, Minnesota
to be restored, so it may fly again." "It's Bjørn Ringdahl's plane."

Bob Parmerter provided the full history from his files-
"Beech c/n 8281-
F-2B 44-87022 USAAF delivered Brownsville 02Apr45.
Departed US 16Apr45 for Caribbean Air Command, Air Base Sqdn, Albrook Fld, Canal Zone & still there 30Apr47.
To San Jose, CA 1Jul48.
Stored for reclamation at Hill AFB Oct54.
Sold by Disposal Agent Hill AFB BS 12Oct56 for $7,111 as C-45F N8031H to Ball-Ralson Flying Svc, Hillsboro, OR.
M J M Inc, Seattle, WA BS 26Apr57.
Hamer Corp, Roseburg, OR BS 18Mar59.

Modified to civil C18S (retained the camera belly hatch & 2 oblique rear side camera windows) 23Apr59.
CofA 29Sep59 & first logbook entry that date.
Rereg’d N218HC 21Oct59.
D18S type landinggear installed at some point.
Byerly Avn Inc, Peoria, IL BS 17Jan65. Door off approved for skydiving.
Jack Wilson dba Wilson Air Svc, Glenallen, AK BS 7Apr66. Ferry permit to AK 06Apr67.
Pete W. Knudsen & Robert A. Paulson, Anchorage, AK BS 18Jun69.
Canadian Aerocon spar strap installed.
De-reg'd 28Sep71, failure to submit annual report.
Ferry permit Alaska to Hayward, CA 14Dec75.
James Teegarden, BS 15Nov76.
Rolland R. LaPelle, Walnut Creek, CA BS 15Nov76.
CofR 17Feb77.

Under restoration at Livermore, CA Aug04 with 5,500 hrs TT.
CofR reissued 28Jan09.
For sale on Ebay 06Aug12 by LaPelle at Livermore, CA. Has a little over 6,000 hrs TT.
Bjorn K. Ringdahl, Fergus Falls, MN reg’d 27Dec12 & expired 31Dec15.
Photographed on trailer at Van Nuys, CA for transport to Minnesota 10Mar17."

"Early photo as N8031H via Collect Air Photos:"

"Quite rare as it’s a 1945, ex USAAF F-2B (photo recon ship - note the rear fuselage camera port),
44-87022 (c/n 8281) that served in the Panama Canal Zone during the war."

George Macadie contributed this excellent photograph (sent 20Mar17) of KLM ConvairLiner PH-CGD, c/n 104

Convair CV340 PH-CGD (c/n 99) with KLM - Royal Dutch Airlines.
Beautiful times when one could get so close to travelling family or friends and to get a picture in!
George sent me this fine image in relation to a Rolf Larsson image shared on Photos by Friends & Guests (48) and shared again below (with abbreviated text). I found George Macadie's photograph worthy of opening a new page
for Photos by Friends & Guests ... number 49! Onwards and upwards!

Martin's Air Charter (MAC) Convair CV440 PH-CGD, leased to Linjeflyg.
The name 'Pieter Brueghel' stems from KLM use, as one can see on the photo above.
Rolf wrote on this occasion: "In 1965 Linjeflyg leased CV340/440 PH-CGD, which was delivered on 31Dec1964
and leased until April 1965. It was a replacement for SE-CCK, which was tragically lost on 20Nov1964 (ASN report).
We flew it in basic Martin's Air Charter (MAC) colours, but with LIN on the tail!"