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On a regular basis people sent me photos, to share their enthusiasm for vintage airliners or to illustrate a question. These photos have been lingering in a scrapbook or a discarded box somewhere and/or probably wouldn't find their way to Online-use or publication. To prevent them from getting lost, with permission of the sender, I would like to share them on this page. Photos already online (personal websites, airliners.net, jetphotos.net, etc) are not meant to be included here. |
DC3 CF-QBI "The Spirit of Harbour Grace"This aircraft (c/n 6179) was manufactured as a C-47 in 1943 by Douglas Aircraft Company in Santa Monica and served with the USAF in North Africa. At the end of the war the C47 was used as a cargo aircraft by Resort Airlines, then later by Leeward Aeronautical Service and Lake Central Airlines. In 1951 the aircraft was bought by a Canadian company and modified to DC3 standard by Douglas. Photos and text by Neville Webb © 2007. For more on this aircraft and other aviation subjects see Neville Webb's webpage on this website. |
See Aviation Photos & History from Neville Webb for photos of the initial repairs. Photos by Colin Carswell of Wasaya, Richard Church Collection. |
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| Bob Livingstone sent me these photos of 'VH-DAK', a rather mutilated DC-3...
But what a wonderful idea, eh? 'It' tours the air shows and it does attract a crowd. Bob came across VH-DAK at Oakey,QLD on 16Jun2007. |
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It is, or was, a Douglas C-47A-25-DK, c/n 13210, which Mr Werner Kroll converted into a campervan with his own hands! This 'VH-DAK' motorhome was also adressed about 10 years later on my Photos by Friends & Guests #56 |
| Douglas C-54A C-GPSH (c/n 7458) of Buffalo Airways, which operates out of Yellowknife,NWT had an unfortunate incident at Carat Lake in Dec.2006. More about this aircraft and the incident can be read on my webpage Yellowknife 2006.
Below photos were posted by "Merlin' and "Lucky37" on the AvCanada Forum. The nose was taken from Douglas C-54G C-GXKN (former Airtanker 17) and trucked to Carat Lake in March 2007, according to postings on this Forum. GXKN itself had crashlanded at Norman Wells on 05Jan06 and was transported back to Ray River, by river barge, in Oct06. See Photos by Friends & Guests (32) for a detailed account on GXKN's 2006 misfortune by Anson Chappell. |
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| Repairs were completed during August and C-GPSH left its temporary home at Carat Lake for homeplate Yellowknife on 30Aug07: back in business! Dirk Septer noticed C-GXKN, without its nose, at Hay River, see HERE.. |
Antti Hyvärinen sent me this photo in July 2007, he wrote:"Just looked at your site again and remembered you had some stuff about the Greatland Caribou (N2225C) crash in Alaska 2001. I sent you an update about seeing the plane in Port Alsworth 31jun02. Went through my pics and found this..." Antty refers to may pages Propliners in Alaska, 1995 and Propliners in Alaska, 2003 |
David Layne sent me this photo in June 2007, he wrote:"K107 was the prototype Vickers Vimy Commercial, first flight 13 April 1919, then became G-EAAV. This aircraft was used on an attempt on the Cairo to Cape Town record with a prize of £10,000 from the Daily Mail. Flown by Vickers pilots S,Cockerell and F.C.G Broome it crashed at Tabora, Tanganyika on 27Feb1920."
The Vickers Vimy was a British heavy bomber aircraft of the First World War and post-First World War era. It achieved success as both a military and civil aircraft, blazing new trails in long-distance flights in the interwar period. |
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| Cameron Baird, of Southwestern Aircraft Archaeology (www.arizonawrecks.com) wrote me in June 2007: "We came across these three DC-6 pictures completely by accident, they literally dropped out of a dusty attic from a friend-of-a-friend!" Thanks Cameron! I found some more images of Clipper Liberty Bell (N6519C) on Airliners.net. One of the photos provided the following information: "N6519C was delivered new to Pan Am in Feb52, and leased out as LV-PFD and LV-HHR. It was converted to DC-6A/B in 1963, and as a freighter it became HC-ATH, N6385 and HK-1389. It crashed after departing Santa Maria 04Feb76." |
Dirk Septer was in Aruba during Jan.2007 and photographed this abandoned DC-3.Research shows that this is Douglas C-47A-80-DL c/n 19778. It wore previous identifications: 43-15312 (USAF, NC54099 (various owners), PP-SQO (VASP) and PT-KUD for RICO Transportes de Servicos (03Jan80-), Panama Int'l Ronte SA (dates ?), was registered to Air America Inc of Mclean,VA on 07Mar83, at some date became PT-KUD but was abandoned at Aruba probably after a drugs flight, 05Oct82,. It was registered N301AK for Air America again on 19Jun83 but never taken up. The fact that it was again sold to a new owner, Jet Engine Industries on 03dec91, did not alter its fate: it remained firmly on the ground in Aruba at a spot near the airport, in a derelict state. Perhaps it will one day share the fate of N99435, which was sunk in the sea near Padernales as a diving object? There is no end to the use of these vintage airliners... The above history details are from the Air-Britain DC-3 book, published in 2006. PT-KUD on Airliners.net and 16Oct04 on MyAviation.net During Oct.2007 it still showed on Google Maps, so it wasn't the DC-3 that was recently lowered into the sea to act as another diving wreck in Aruba, as seems to be the fate nowadays of many classic aircraft in the Caribbean! see also the caption Dirk wrote to this photo, added to his portfolio here, in Feb,2010.
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Dirk also visited San Juan,PR in Jan. 2007 and photographed this fine line up of Four Star Aviation DC-3s
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Dirk revisited this area in Feb.2008; check HERE... |
Whilst on the subject of Beech 18's... Dirk also send me this fine image of the Beech 18 "Sea Wind" This photo was taken on 18Mar06 and Dirk provided the following information: Here short piece on the demise of the one and only Beech 18 Sea Wind which crashed and sank north of Campbell River, British Columbia in 20Apr07. More on this unique aircraft can be read here. |
Graeme Mills sent me these photo in May 2007, he wrote:"Here 2 photos of ex/ ZK-BYF still sitting at Gisborne Airport,NZ last month. It is undergoing restoration, but it seems little has been accomplished since I was there a year ago..." This C-47A was delivered to the USAAF as 43-15585 in 1944, performed its duty with Air Transport Command (ATC Baer 18Apr44, Bowman 06Aug44, Malden 10Aug44, Davis-Monthan 21Mar46, the rest is unknown), was briefly registered NC65393 and went to New Zealand to become ZK-BYF in 1961.  ZK-BYF became one of 21 twin engine aircraft used on aerial topdressing in New Zealand during the period 1951-86. A good page to read up on its history is here. |
Graeme sent an update in April 2009 |
Graeme wrote: Fieldair became owner in 1970. |
 Since the late-1990s ZK-BKD has been in use as a decoration if a Wine Bar, the Smash Palace... |
| Fred Barnes needs no introduction to the readers of Propliner magazine, for which he wrote numerous articles.
He sent me these photos in June 2007. About the S-2T Fred wrote: "S-2T Tracker of CDF, taken at Hemet Valley on 23May07. This is N438DF Tanker '85', conversion number 173C." Note that Tanker '85' was previously allocated to the PBY. And about the DC-4 Fred wrote: "DC-4 N3054V c/n 10547, at Kingman AZ on 29May07. The guy who escorted me on to the ramp from Aero Flite said that N3054V had been sold to Brooks Fuel (registered 28Jun07) in Alaska and was awaiting collection/ferry flight. Now that the Carvair has been written off the DC-4 may move to Alaska soon." A cynic would fear for its future, but those are my words, not Fred's. |
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'Ben' sent me these photos in May 2007, he wrote:"This weekend I took a few photos at the CDF McClellan service center; here are some of the results, some photos of the new CDF tanker 94 N442DF, and AT240 & AT340." Upon this message, I checked my records and found: The new T94 (N442DF) is the S-2 which landed with gear retracted on 11Feb05. The old T94 (N442DF) crashed 27Aug01 after midair collision, fighting a fire at Mendicino County. What puzzled me was while I had N442DF as a S-2T (G-89) c/n 259C, while I found Airliners.net had designation "S-2G (G-121) c/n 255" And also N-inquiry hads: S-2F3AT (with serial 152826, but this is its former US Navy tailnumber). I wondered what the significance of the G-... number was. 
Bill Bailey provided the following answer:Some relevant links to Airliners.net: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1082308/M/ http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0789386/M/ http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0765569/M/ Grumman S-2 Tracker on Wikipedia |
Long, long time ago, when I was interested in military aviation, I had a special fondness for the North American OV-10 Bronco. Dare to be different... and it certainly is different!During the Vietnam War this type of aircraft flew over the jungle canopies of S E Asia, in search for VC movements, often drawing enemy fire. These days they fly in search of different fires... This is N421DF and this OV-10A (c/n 305206M107, according to FAA's N-inquiry) was registered on 05Feb99 to the USDA Forest Service FEPP (Forestry and Fire Protection). |
| Don MacDonald sent me a photo of Canso CF-DIL at Rivers Inlet. Docking a Canso is a tricky affair, let alone on a bush mooring like this... Don wrote: "CF-DIL at Rivers Inlet, 02Sep80, logbook comment: "rough takeoff" --- the usual laconic understatement: we broke one of the wingtip floats trying to get off the water !!" More on c/n 427 can be read on my page C-FDIL in the 1980s. 
Through Don I met Allan MacNutt, in 2006. Allan retired in the 1990s from professional flying and looks back on his career in one of the books he wrote, Altimeter Rising, on his aviation career which started in WW2. He flew many, many types of aircraft, on many continents, and ended his career in Canada with Airspray, flying the A-26 Invader (Tanker 31) on firebombing missions. About the Canso (a.k.a. Catalina) he wrote: "the Canso was a favourite aircraft. It served on survey flights in South America and Africa, but also in West Canada in an unprofitable enterprise transporting sports fishermen up the Pacific Coast. This high-wing monoplane is powered by two 18-cylinder, twin-row Pratt and Whitney R1830-92 piston radial engines, driving Hamilton standard 3-blade, full feathering hydromatic propellors. The power, the propellors, and the carrying capabilty, are similar to a Douglas DC-3, but there the similarities end. The Canso's propellor tips pass very close to the pilot's head, the engines are close to the fuselage and soundproofing is not something anyone worried too much about in wartime. The noiselevel in the cockpit is horrendous and it is little better in the cabin. The wing and engines are located high above the landing surfaces, as in all amphibians, to prevent water damage. huge ship-style girders are built into the cabin to give structural integrity necessary for landing and taking off in rough water. Originally designated as a PBY, the 'Catalina' had no wheels and was strictly a flying boat. And boat is the operative word. It was designed to withstand rough usage and has proved very forgiving in many ways. Younger pilots, spoiled by modern jets and turbo props, might point out that the old Canso has no flaps, no secondary hydraulic system to take over when a pump fails or a line ruptures, the nose wheel does not always come down, it is a fuel hog, parts are hard to find and it is ugly, slow, cold and vulnerable to icing. Lacking experience on the type, they might overlook the noise. Unfortunately, all this is true , but we Canso addicts insist it will do specialized jobs (e.g. submarine patrol, water bomber, rich man's yacht, glider towing, executive transport, ice patrol, fisheries patrol, search & rescue, photo survey and many more) which no other aircraft in the world is capable of doing so well. Some 3.000 Catalinas were built, but only 615 were wheel-equipped as Cansos." |
Update Feb.2021: 'Air North retired its last 2 HS748s, C-FAGI & C-FCSE, as too expensive to maintain its RR Dart engines; both sold to Wasaya Aws (HS748s in Canada now only operated by Wasaya Aws, Air Creebec, Air Inuit). Update Feb.2022: An update of C-FCSE derelict at Thunder Bay 31Oct21 by David Perston on my Photos by Friends & Guests #64. |
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This photo was sent to me in June 2007, by Dennis Parks, curator for Seattle's Museum of Flight. He wrote: "Our DC-2 re-work and new paint scheme has been completed and the aircraft arrived from California last Thursday, June 7th." Photo: Dennis Parks/Museum of Flight  Bob Bogash wrote on Classic Propliner forum: on this occasion: "After a prolonged and immaculate restoration at Clay Lacy's facility in Santa Rosa, CA, the DC-2 N1934D was successfully flown 07Jun07 from Van Nuys, CA to Boeing Field in Seattle with stops in Sacramento and Eugene. The pilots were Clay Lacy and Buzz Nelson." |
In Sep.2007 I had myself the opportunity to photograph CF-MPH. |
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Nigel Aylmer sent me this photo in May 2007, and wrote:"Just wondered if you had any info on this Beech 18. I believe it had been in use as an instructional airframe with the Wayne Community College (Goldsboro,NC), who are still based on the airport. With more modern airframes. This is the best picture I could get with out access as it is parked back with trees all around." |
Ralph Pettersen wrote me on 19May07:"Ted Quackenbush forwarded these photos of DC-6 N90739 and DC-7 N6318C. Both were scrapped at Redmond, OR this week. The one on the right and the one on the left,below were taken 18may06 by Ted, showing what was left of DC-7 N6318C and DC-6 N90739 at Redmond. Very sad indeed! More on T67 N6318C can be read here. |
 Early May 2007 saw a Boeing 767 in need of repairs on its left maingear, location: Varadero,Cuba. Spareparts needed to be flown in, but also large jacks, to lift the aircraft in order to complete repairs. The size of these jacks made them difficult to transport, but the Antonov An-12 of Avialeasing (a.k.a.SRX) UK12002 proved suitable for the job! |
There is very little equipment in Varadero to facilitate repairs such as these, but after suitable equipment and tools had arrived everybody worked enthusiastically and professionally; soon the 767 was fit to fly again.Repairs in the field are quite a challenge, but the outcome is very rewarding. |
 The jacks just fitted in the cavernous hold of the Antonov An-12. |
UK-12002 (c/n 402002) is an Antonov An-12BP operated by SRX / Avialeasing, which is based in Miami,FL (They were acquired by Amerijet International, in 2009).I had seen this aircraft a year before, flying one sortie after another, at Yellowknife, in the Northwest Territories of Canada and it was nice to be instrumental in chartering this aircraft to participate solving a time-consuming problem. More photos of UK-12002 on Airliners.net AmeriJet International (Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood and Miami) announced in 2009 its acquisition of SRX Transcontinental (Opa-locka), a Florida based company specializing in ground handling operations throughout Central Asia, and owner of Avialeasing Aviation Company (Tashkent), an Uzbekistan certificated airline with US DOT Part 129 authority. |
 Fred Wallis sent me these photos, and he wrote: "A friend of mine, Jim Graham, took these in 2005.. a very nice ship!" N3006 is c/n 42961, owned and operated by DC3 Entertainment LLLP, based in Long Beach,CA. Here are more N3006 photos on Airliners.net |
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I came to visit this place in June 2012, see my report HERE.. |
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Ed Berlage sent me this photo in May 2007.
The photo depicts an important moment in his life: Lockheed Constellation PH-TET (c/n 2553) brought him, 20 years old, in 1951 to a new life in Australia.
Five days of airtravel, only flying by daylight, brought him to Australia; 45 hours and 29 minutes! The routing was: Cairo, Karachi, Calcutta, Singapore, Darwin and Sydney. PH-TET was delivered by Lockheed to KLM in 1947, initially built as L.649 (as meant for Eastern Air Lines), designated L.749A for KLM. On 07Apr54 is was reregistered PH-LDT and flown by KLM, named "Tilburg", until 1960. During 1962 it was flown, after years of storage at Amsterdam, to Costa Rica for SALA and from there it went to Wien Air Alaska in 1964; prior to being registered N7777G it was registered as TI-1045P. Wien Air Alaska named it "Arctic Liner Arlis", but stored it as early as end-of-summer 1966, at Fairbanks... Ownership was transferred to Northern Consolidated Airlines on 28Mar68, but it remained stored until the sale to Tex-Hou Inc 24Sep68 and it was ferried the next month to Houston,TX. On 27Sep68 it had already been sold to Sky Leasing Inc, but it was sold back to Tex-Hou Inc in 1969 after having carried markings for a lingerie firm, Pennyrich. On 05Dec69 it was sold to CHS Leasing, bought by CJS Air Cargo on 29Dec70, to Unum Inc 07Mar72. Tailnumber N173X was applied 12Dec72 but never taken up. Air Cargo Intl bought N7777G and leased it to the Rolling Stones for their Far East Tour in 1973. The FAA grounded it due violatons but Lanzair (Channel Islands) leased it and N7777G departed Miami for Europe on 24Nov73, where it was grounded at Amsterdam in Jan74 due to engine problems; when this was overcome, it continued to Coventry,UK on 17Jan74 where it stayed until 07Mar74. It flew a cattle charter out of Dublin to Tripoli,Libya for Livestock Int'l 07-10Mar74 but N7777G was grounded by the FAA again pending inspection and a engine no.3 engine change. N7777G never flew again, though ownership transferred a few times again. It found its way to the Science Museum at Wroughton,UK; unfortunately this museum has limited visiting possibilities. [Source: The Lockheed Constellation Series, by Peter J.Marson, Air-Britain 1982] |
 Gerben Groothuis had a look on 20Apr07 at Detroit's Willow Run Airport (IATA code YIP) and sent me these photos.These Lockheed L.188 Electra's were once part of the extensive fleet of Zantop, but Detroit's car industry cannot keep them in the air any longer. Gerben noticed the following L.188's: On 22Apr2018 N340HA, N346HA, N282F and N286F were seen at Keystone Heights Airpark in Florida by Tim Chaloner (photos: Photos by Friends & Guests #54) |
 N340HA silent forever? |
 N346HA without props |
Gerben also noticed the presence of De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou N6080 (old: c/n 002 !!). Its presence here could be found in Aad van der Voet's (Oldwings.nl) background info: "N6080 is a former ERIM aircraft (Environmental Research Institute of Michigan). They always operated out of Willow Run and N6080 has been based there ever since it was acquired by them in August 1977. I saw it there in June 1990, together with two ERIM Convair 580s, N51211 and N51255. N6080 was withdrawn from use in the mid 1990s, and registered to H.A.T. Aviation. I doubt if it has flown since. I don't know if it is with the Yankee Air Museum now, although this is certainly not impossible: the museum's C-47 N8704 is also a former ERIM aircraft, so who knows...? Btw, N6080 is one of the few Caribous which never saw any military service." An inquiry with the museum, provided the following reply: "The aircraft DHC-4 N6080 is not part of the Yankee Air Museum Collection. Although it is parked on the East Ramp at Willow Run Airport, near the site where our museum was located prior to the October 2004 fire (which destroyed the hangar and all of museum collections, with the exception of our four flyable aircraft). As for the future plans of the DHC-4, I am unaware of them. Sincerely, Gayle Roberts, Curator Yankee Air Museum |
At Willow Run Airport one can also find the Yankee Air Museum.This Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer N6813D (c/n 59876) is part of that collection. Gerben also noticed the following aircraft present: OUTSIDE: 55-0677 B-52D, 52-1426 RB-57A, 63-7555 F-4C, 51-9501 F-84F, 53-1060/FU-060 F-86L, 56-0235 NF-101B, 52-7421 RF-84F, 51-8786 T-33A, 66-16006 UH-1H, 152933 A-6E, N896U AW.650 Argosy and N4913R DC-6B. INSIDE: N3193G/44-85829/GD-L-Y PB-1G, N8704/44-76716 C-47D and NX3774/43-3634/9C-148 B-25D Mitchell II. |
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