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 probably wouldn't find their way to Online use or publication. To prevent them from getting lost, subject permission of the sender, I like to publish them on this page. |
![]() Eric Birkeland sent me this photo in April 2006. He wrote: "Here's a shot of the triple tail DC-4, probably taken by my grandfather while visiting California in the 1930's. Most of my family were professional photographers, but one of his daughters was a stewardess on American Airlines DC-3's. It was probably taken on a trip to see her in California." Note the the second, upper row of windows; these must be because of the sleeping berths (lost in further development of the DC-4).
The name on the hangar reads 'Northrop', a visit to the competition?
One can read more about this Douglas DC-4E and the DC-4/C-54 in general here. |
Bill Reid sent me these photos in April 2006: "I took these pictures in Geneseo,NY on 10Aug05: 42 years after my last flight in that airplane! I was a flight engineer and actully flew on that airplane 22103 a few times while it was on loan to us; 07May1963 was my last flight on it. It's going to take a lot to fix it up... That is me in the striped shirt." ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
This is Fairchild's C-119G Flying Boxcar, manufacturers serial number (msn, a.k.a construction number = c/n) 10678. Bill Reid also sent these:
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"I took the attached photo of this Woods Fuel aircraft as it departed Salmon-Trout airstrip, about 150 miles NE of Fort Yukon, AK at around 1AM in late June, 1994. I sell this photo in my photography business, so please make sure proper credit is given if you use it for any reason." Michael Balen, -Wildside Photography- Andre van Loon suggested: "The airplane in question is likely to be N898AL, which was the main Brooks Fuel workhorse at that time. I visited Brooks Fuel during the summer of 1994 and it was the only active dc-4. N898AL was later written off during a landing incident on a snow covered dirt/ice strip with a full load of Diesel onboard...." (C-54G N898AL c/n 35986/380 was written off during landing at Kivalina on 17Apr95 - RL) Following photos were found on the Internet (Nov.2009), to illustrate N898AL's demise by nose-gear collapse. What actually happened to N898AL can be read on Page 21, Photos by Friends & Guests... |
Brian McDonough sent me this photo of Convair CV580 (c/n 480), taken at Washington-IAD 13Sep04. This aircraft was built as a CV440/ C-131E for the USAF (57-2551) and delivered on 06Jan58; it was transferred to the CAA (N104) on 06Jan58 and converted to CV580 for re-delivery 16Jun61; it was reregistered N30 for the FAA on 30Jan75; this changed again to N74 on 11Oct76 and to the present N39 in May87. N39 was offered for sale on an auction in July 2019 (with N49), but FAA's N-inquiry in Jan.2020 did not show a new owner. |
![]() "I thought, as a prop fan, you might like the attached photos, even if they are not of airliners. These were taken by Doug Fairbanks, a former USAF SA-16 mechanic, at an annual reunion of still-flying Albatrosses, held at Boulder City on Lake Mead,NV. As an old USAF SA-16 pilot I think they are wonderful, considering that the aircraft are over 60 years old, expensive to recondition and maintain.... not to mention they burn costly 140 octane fuel at a pretty good clip! There were eleven of the old birds at the last meeting. Please use the photos as you see fit.....I'm sure Doug would be pleased if they were posted and enjoyed."
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![]() Dennis Delk sent me these photos and added: Fred wrote: "Here are some pics of C-124 Globemasters at the Will Rogers Int'l Airport, sent to my Dad (Duane Delk); these are photos taken by one of his friends in the mid 1960's and digitalized. Duane Delk was an Air National Guard Advisor as a C-124 Flight Engineer, during this time in Oklahoma City, OK. (From 1965 to 1969). As a boy, I remember watching these aircraft flying over our neighborhoods from Tinker Air Force Base, Midwest City, Oklahoma." Duane added: " I don't know who took the C-124 pictures at Will Rodgers AP. It might have been done after I left there in 1969. The 124's remained there until about 1971 and they got C-130's." Read more on Duane's career on vintage propliners. Sadly, Duane passed away on 11Jan2010.
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![]() Wayne Grant of New Zealand sent me this photo of ZK-CIE, photographed by him on 19Feb06 at Wellington, New Zealand. Convair CV580 ZK-CIE (c/n 399) had returned to Wellington the day before, returning from a lease to Peau Vava'u Air (of Tonga). CV580 ZK-CIF flew Wellington-Auckland-Tonga on 20Feb06, continueing Air Chathams lease contract to Peau Vava'u Air. UPDATE: ZK-CIF was declared surplus by Air Chathams per 01Oct2019 and its registry was cancelled a few days later. In january 2020 I read on Facebook "ZK-CIF is in the process of being turned into accommodation in Whanganui, NZ". ZK-CIE is reportedly still in use at this time. |
You'll find a 2021 update for its new future! |
Anthony Perry wrote me in Feb.2006 and sent me these photos.
Anthony: "I had come across my old photos in the loft of my house and wondered if there was any info on any of them."
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![]() The photo was again forwarded to him; I was unable to trace the photographer for due credit; if he makes himself known I would be more than happy to credit this person hence forth. VH-BPL is a Douglas DC-3/C-47 with c/n 12873 and is shown on transport from Sydney's Hoxton Park airfield to the Longreach Qantas Museum, QLD. Late 2005 this must have been. this C-47 started out with a USAAC serial and in about three weeks, it was reregistered as A65-44 for the RAAF (1944). VH-BPL was cancelled from the register 17Aug06, registry in name of Mr John Darcy Williams. Gil White R.I.P.) offers the following history on VH-BPL Here is how VH-BPL turned out after restoration, as VH-EAP, on JetPhotos.net. |
Roderick Smith sent me this photo in Aug.2006. The scene depicts Cairns airport (Qld, Australia): Three Air Queensland / Bush Pilots Airways DC-3s plus a Trislander and something small. Date Tuesday 17May83 by Roderick Smith. ![]() Rod wrote: "I wasn't able to read any of the registrations from this distance and they don't show in the photo. I did see an Air Queensland DC3 take off. It may have been a fourth, or may have been the one hidden behind the Trislander. I am guessing from my notes and the recent thread that BPA had become AQ at some time between 1974 (when I flew with BPA) and 1983 (this photo)." VH-BPL was bought by Laurie McIver of McIver aviation, but though it flew into Hoxton Park, from Cairns, it required some work to keep it airworthy. Laurie was working on doing it up and had borrowed some aircraft jacks from Richmond. |
![]() J.Halterman forwarded me this photo in Feb.2006. It shows N92578, which is a DC-3C c/n 9028 and has previously been flown as CP-1020 with Instituto Linguistico de Verano. It now flies in a sophisticated role for Airborne Imaging, a company located just outside Dallas,TX. The pod under the fuselage has a lot to do with that. This company works on aerial surveillance, chemical detection, research and aerial photography. The actual photographer could not be traced (forwarded by others), nor the exact loaction or date of this photograph. But I decided to publish this photo as there are not many photos around of this bird; have a look at a small selection on Airliners.net And here is a photo on www.Jetphotos.net, dated 01Apr06. |
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![]() Destined to be ferried to Alaska, Douglas C-54G N708Z departed Florida after major overhaul. It landed at Douglas,GA for further maintenance (and to get it out of the way of hurricanes and the salt water climate) and as a bonus found no.2 engine giving problems... If you look closely you'll see oil on 2 of the prop blades. This will have to be fixed before it can continue to Alaska. Nigel Aylmer took this photo at Douglas,GA on 16Oct05. He flew down to take the pictures in a friends PA-28, after hearing it mentioned on unicom while flying at Metter,GA.
The individuals who restored 708Z were:
Many years ago Ian MacFarlane came across N708Z in Florida and it looked quite different then. One even can say N708Z improved with age ! Sadly, N708Z never made it out of storage here at Douglas,GA. The owner, Roger Brooks, closed the doors of his company Brooks Fuel (in Alaska) many years ago and this C-54 (DC-4) is probably for sale without takers. |
![]() Peter Layne pointed out to me I had missed Pionair's ZK-AMS during my 2005 travels in Australia and remedied that by sending this photo of "Dulcie" to me. I had missed it at Bankstown but that was probably because I only visited the part of where the museum was located; I did not go to the terminal in my haste to proceed to the Blue Mountains. ![]() Peter added the following: "I had written an article about Pionair Adventures and as a consequence me and my wife were invited on a complimentary wine tour on this aircraft. We flew on 17Sep05 in ZK-AMS to Mudgee Valley, about an hour north west of Bankstown. Great wine, great flight, great wine...!" All photos courtesy Peter Layne, except the aerial view, which was taken by his wife Stephanie - at which time Peter was guzzling wine probably ![]()
Peter Layne is co-author (with Richard Waugh) of the book SPANZ - South Pacific Airlines of New Zealand and their DC-3 Viewmasters.
These gents can be contacted via email:
Richard Waugh (Project Leader) | Peter Layne | Graeme and Pam McConnell
Gil White wrote a history on ZK-AMS. More on ZK-AMS at my page Photos by Friends & Guests (20) Update Feb.2016: |
![]() This fine looking ConvairLiner (CV580 c/n 507) wass found to be earning its keep Down Under... The photo of ZK-KSA was made by © Mike Condon at Auckland,NZ on 04Feb06. The titles on the front fuselage read Tauck World Discovery, which is a big US based travel company. ZK-KSA was delivered Christchurch-Sydney-Sydney/Bankstown on 10Feb06 then flew Bankstown-Coober Pedy-Essendon-Bankstown on 12Feb06. Pionair is expected to reregister it soon to VH-PDV. [Thanks Gordon!] UPDATE Sep.2009: Pionair's ZK-PAL & VH-PDV were sold to Conair of Abbotsford,B.C. and are expected to be converted into airtankers in due course.
Mike Condon clarified for me the recent moves of Pionair's Convairs: Amidst the Global Economic crisis, in 2009, Pionair sold ZK-PAL to the Conair Group of Abbotsford,B.C. and is expected to be converted into an aerial firefighter. The same happended to another Pionair ConvairLiner: VH-PDV. |
Wayne Grant kindly sent me this photo of this enlarged Convair, now type CV5800 (ex/C-131F):![]() It was ferried from Canada to New Zealand in Oct.2004 and seen on a lease by Airfreight NZ from Kelowna Flightcraft. On 07Jun16 ZK-KFS was seen at Kelowna in B.C., Canada obviously returned to KF. Air Freight NZ ceased operations in 2016. |
![]() The photo on the right sees VQ-ZEF on top left. The photo was taken at Bulawayo airport, Zimbabwe. Dan estimated this to be around 1967. The registration prefix VQ- probably changed to A2- around 1966-67. The DC-3 on the left is VQ-ZEB, on the right is VQ-ZEA, the C-54 on the right is VQ-ZEG. Dan added: "I tracked down the other two C-54s (VQ-ZEC and VQ-ZEG). VQ-ZEC was sold to Air Trans Africa and became VP-YTY. It crashed in Nigeria in 1968 during the Biafran airlift (as can be read in "Shadows" by Michael Draper) whilst registered TR-LNV (18Sep68) to Jack Malloch's Affretair and was written off at Uli (Biafra) on 28Jun69 when the crew attempted to take off the wrong way). VQ-ZEG ended its days with Swazi Air and was scrapped. Of the two Dakotas, VQ-ZEA was converted to a turboprop and is now involved in aerial mapping/surveying (just goes to show what a remarkable plane the DC3 was). VQ-ZEB is now in the Zimbabwe Air Force." |
![]() This photo was taken by Dan's brother Bruce, with a Kodak Instamatic !. A2-ZEL, a Viscount 756D (c/n 374, ex-Trans-Australia Airlines as VH-TVN), was the pride of the BNA fleet. Seen here at Francistown (probably 1968-69) the plane sports the final livery, the colours of the Botswana flag continued up the tail and just the word 'Botswana' appearing on the fuselage. After BNA was nationalised in 1970, A2-ZEL found its way to Air Rhodesia as VP-YNI and thence to Air Zimbabwe as Z-YNI. It was involved in an accident at Harare airport in July 1984, withdrawn from service and used for fire practice. Sad end for a lovely aircraft that had given such distinguished service far and wide. (Text supplied bij Dan). Gil White offers the following history on Viscount c/n 374.
C/n 374 - Viscount V.756D |
![]() John Adams made this photo of Bristol Freighter (originally designated Mk.IIA) G-AIFV (c/n 12781), while it was taxying out at the old Newcastle Airport in 1960. It is seen here in the colours of Silver City Airways. This aircraft was registered as G-AIFV on 11Oct46 and leased as VT-CID to Dalma Jain in 1946, while transferred to Indian National Aws in May47; it was returned to the Bristol Aeroplane Company on 02May49 (G-AIFV); it was then converted to a Mk.21; Silver City Airways leased it from 28Mar50 and had it listed as XF661 for trooping flights; Silver City Aws made an official purchase on 19Jun53 and named it "City of Manchester" in Nov58; it reached the end of its career in Oct61, when it was stored, and it was broken up at Lydd in Kent,UK during May62 (from: "Piston Engine Airliner Production List" by TAHS'A.B.Eastwood & J.Roach, 2002) |
Truus Kloosterboer allowed me to have this photo here: it shows a school outing ("School with the Bible", Eefde - 1961) to Amsterdam IAP, in front of a Lockheed Constellation of the KLM; I can read part of the name "Negato.." and part of the registration "KC" on the wheeldoor. This would be PH-LKC "Negaton" (the name meaning 'electron'), a Lockheed L.1049G Constellation with c/n 4559. |
The above photograph reminded me of a schoolouting (1965, 10 years old) I enjoyed myself: frontrow, 3rd from the right. The aircraft is a Douglas DC-7C 'Seven Seas' of Schreiner Airways. The actual registration cannot be learned from this photo. |
Paul Schaack sent me these 2 photos of Lockheed VC-121B Constellation N494TW, while staging through Cold Bay,AK in April 2005 on its delivery flight from Arizona to S.Korea (bought by Korean Airlines for ground display at its Flight Academy).
N494TW can be admired on a few of my webpages: My trip US 1993 Surviving Connies Air-to-Air by Graham Robson |
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See my updates on my CANADA 2010 report and CANADA 2019 report. |
C/n 224
Viscount V.757 First flight 19Mar57 - delivered to TCA 28Mar57 as CF-THG. TCA became Air Canada on 01Jun64. CF-THG was stored on 16Feb64 (ttl 35.405 hrs, 37.561 cycles). Sold to United AIrcraft Services Ltd on 27Apr74. Sold to Beaver Enterprises 10Jun75. Sold to Harrison Airways 21Jan77. Sold to the Pacific Vocational Institute on 10Jun80, withdrawn from use and used as a ground trainer at Vancouver, B.C. Transferred to the British Colombia Institute of Technology in Oct83. Late 1995 moved outside the hangar. In June 2003 noted discarded on south side of Vancouver IAP. Moved May 2005 by barge to the BC Aviation Museum at Pat Bay, Vancouver Island. "The Vickers Viscount" (- by Rayner G C Kittle; Air-Britain Historians Ltd, 2008) |
![]() C-119F N1394N during summer 2002, standing on the shoreline airstrip of Port Lions, Kodiak Island, Alaska. It was stuck there with a failed engine and vandalism problems for 13years and 5 months, until rescued in autumn 2002. Photo credit: www.flyingboxcar.com ![]() Fairchild Boxcar C-119F N8501W (c/n 10880) is seen here inbound Palmer,AK on its ferry flight (after years of storage) from Anchorage,AK in 2001. Box N1394N and Box N8501W are the only flyable 'F models (former US Marines R4Q-2's) left in the world! Photo credit: www.flyingboxcar.com More on these C-119s at my webpage Propliners in Alaska: the Road North.. |
![]() Phil Boots sent me this photo of DC-3 PH-SCC of Fairways Rotterdam. He wrote: "I still love the propliners which I saw when I was a kid. I am putting a CD together of all the old photos I have managed to save over the years. Here is one I thought you might like: PH-SCC at Jersey on "Battle of Flowers-day", that would be the first week of August,1965. We used to get at least three Dakotas visiting from Holland every year for our Battle of Flowers (usually Martin's Air Charter, Fairways and Schreiner)". This Douglas C-47A-75-DL with construction number 19458 has held the previous identities: 42-100995, 100995, LN-IAS, PH-SCC, OO-AVG, N3433E. It seems that this DC-3 has been confused as ending up as 0-35732, preserved at the Rescue Heritage Hall, Kirtland AFB,NM.
![]() Another photo by Phil Boots, this one is PH-MAA (cn16465/33213). It was delivered tothe USAAF on 03may45 44-76881 and transferred to RAF 07may45 as KN582. After WW2 it went to Field Aircraft Services (Jan.1950) as G-ALXM. British European Airways bought it on 28feb50. It moved to the Continent when Martin's Air Charter (of Amsterdam,Netherlands) bought it and it was delivered on 04jul60 as PH-MAA. Phil photographed PH-MAA at Jersey in those days. MAC leased it to Lufthansa 01apr-06jun63 (operated in DLH c/s). The next owner became Balair of Switzerland, buying it on 26oct67 and registering it as HB-ITD. This C-47B-35-DK moved back across the Atlantic, upon its purchase by Air Transport Inc (registering it as N37737) on 27may74. It was reported at Mexico City in Jan79 in bad condition. And it was scrapped some time later. |
Bill Fraser sent me these 2 fine shots of C-46s in Canada; on the left is C-46F C-GTPO (c/n 22556, in the colours of Buffalo Airways, but these days -2005- operated by First Nations Transportations Inc) and on the right is Curtiss C-46F Commando C-GIBX (c/n 22472) also of First Nations Transportations Inc See my Gimli 2007 report, which includes C-GIBX. |
Dennis Fisher sent me this photo of DC-3 (C-47A) of Points North Air:![]() This is C-FNTF, named "Empress of Black Lake", it was destroyed on March 17th, 2000 in Nunavut. Points North Air Services was founded in 1988 and operated 4 of these DC-3s: C-FCQT (cn9813), C-FNTF (cn12344), C-FNWS (cn12419) and CF-QHY (c/n 26005). Airliners.net has a photo of C-FCQT, while lying derelict at Points North Landing.A very nice Oct.2015 update on C-FCQT can be read on Photos by Friends & Guests (43) My Photos by Friends & Guests #58 has CF-QHY at Basler Turbo Conversions plant at Oshkosh,WI.
Here is another photo (credit: Dennis Fisher) of C-FNTF:
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![]() VR-AAF was a C-47B and had c/n 15274, which was redesignated to 26719. It was delivered to the military as 43-49458 upon its delivery 26Nov44, transferred to the RAF as KK137 and was again transferred in 1944 to BOAC while assigned a civil registration G-AGNB in 1945). It was leased to Iraqi Airways during July to November 1947. VR-AAF was assigned for Aden Airways on 01Feb50 and it was named "Mukalla". The trails gets dimmer after that: Jordan Airways leased it in 1953 and it was reportedly reregistered as F-OCKV for Air Djibouti in Aug.1967 but the registration was suspended in Sep.1971 and that's where it stops... Colin Williamson (Scotland) wrote me in August 2005: "I remember Victor Roger Able Able Fox and her sister aircraft. I was an RAF National Serviceman, assistant air traffic control - Corporal - at Khormaksar (Aden) 1952 - 1954. I often spoke to VR-AAF on the tower radio, giving barometric pressure and other information. The airfield was used by both RAF and civil aircraft. One of the most attractive civil aircraft that flew in weekly, was an Air India Constellation that flew between India and Kenya. I noticed 2 interesting links you may want to have a look at: www.adenairways.com and www.servicepals.com, search for pictures of Khormaksar." Thanks Colin! |
![]() Take off had been from Manassas Regional Airport,VA. Here is another photo. Here is more on The Liberty Belle & the Liberty Foundation |
![]() Bill Fitzgerald wrote me in Jan.2006 and sent me this photo: "I took this picture on December 26, 2005. We stopped at the Windhoek airport to refuel on our way to Ongava on safari. The Pilot of our plane indicated it is a flyable plane that gets out occasionally. He did not know the owner. As you can see from the picture it is immaculate. It is parked just to the side of the terminal. This is the city airport, not the newer one outside of town. You have my permission to publish the picture." Bill Fitzgerald Fort Worth, Texas V5-NCG is a Douglas D-6B with construction number 45564; it is owned and operated by Namibia Commercial Airways (NCA). This DC-6B is the last (of 704 including prototype XC-112A) of the DC-6s produced. More on my page DC-6 info
Keith Gaskell wrote this update in Nov.2005: At one time with NCA, this DC-6 had a sistership: V5-NCF. This Six now flies with the Flying Bulls of Salzburg,Austria. Read more here: Red Bulls' DC-6 visits Amsterdam - April 2006. |
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Jan Spanjaard told me he has this photo in his collection because his father flew on it as a Radio Operator (which meant he worked the morse code key, there was no two-way radio in those early days) and found it among his belongings. The photo was taken at Hato,Curacao and shows PJ-AIW Wakago. Gil White offers the following history on PJ-AIW.
Mick West wrote me in Apr.2006 with the following additional comments: |
![]() A picture of HS.748-378 Series 2B (c/n 1784) ZS-TPW in Comores Aviation Livery in a place called Anjouan (2004) -- (©) Photo by AJ Burger. ZS-TPW was ferried to Comores Aviation at Moroni on 25Jun04 for a lease by Executive Aerospace of S.Africa. |
This immaculate plane is a C-54G (N51802 c/n35930) , then owned and flown by Jim Blumenthal. The event was the August 2000 World Free fall Convention held in Quincy Illinois. Mark Meltzer (me) is the jumper in blue. Photo by Steve Crane who has given permission for its non profit use as long as he is given credit as the photographer. |
I was on your website and saw the picture of NC8403. I believe I have a photo of this plane, taken at Felts Field, Spokane, Washington in 1929. However, the name on the plane is "West Wind" and the lettering that can be read on the fuselage says "....ER-AIR TRANSPORT". On your website it shows this plane to be purchased by Ptarmigan Airlines and that it crashed. It would be nice to have more of the history of the plane. I talked to one of the people in the picture, my aunt, who is now 87, and she recalls that there was a special reason they had gone to Felts Field that day. My grandfather, Legrand Woolliscroft, took the picture with a box camera. After researching some more, I believe that this was the West Wind owned by Nicolas Mamer from Spokane and the reason that my family was there was his historic transcontinental endurance flight from Spokane to New York and back. (In the Buhl Sesquiplane) He returned on August 20, 1929 and this would correspond to the date on the picture and the dresses (not coats) of my family members. There is a web site on Nick Mamer and it shows many photos of Felts Field, VIP's, etc. Another picture, taken by Charlie Libby, a famous Spokane photographer, shows the "West Wind II" in 1932. My interest in this is a result of my husband comparing the Ford Tri-motor to a Junkers Tri-motor at Shell Mara, Ecuador for a friend he was writing to about a rescue mission he was on when he was stationed in the Canal Zone, for 5 missionaries in 1956 (Missionaries Aviation Fellowship). Thank you for your interest and we look forward to hearing from you. Ed and Kathleen Praxel (Wash,USA). Nick Mamer Tribute Photo Gallery Brief History of Nick Mamer to Jack Knight Air Log Felts Field Historic District
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Don Shenbarger wrote me (Feb05): From Art Wiggins listing page: 4-AT-E c/n 65 [NC8403]. 1929; Mamer Flying Service, Spokane WA. LOCATION: Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum. Possible restoration. Not on FAA records. See also www.aerofiles.com/ford-locator.htm From Bill Larkins' book: First flight 5-1-29. Delivered 7-10-29 to Mamer Flying Service, Spokane, WA. 5-5-34 Tom Marshall Kester and Edward H. Groenendyke, Pasedena, CA. "While operating as Ptarmigan Airlines the plane was washed out in an accident at Flat, Alaska on 10-26-34. Remains recovered by the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum at Anchorage in the summer of 1989." Will Auen added: The West Wind in your picture is the same airplane now called Ptarmigan II that just moved from Anchorage to Minneapolis. Full name is MAMER-AIR TRANSPORT. Mr. Mamer took possession of 4-AT-E-55 (NC-9612) on 30Mar1929 and 4-AT-E-65 (NC-8403) on 10Jul1929. Pictures show both airplanes with the name, "West Wind". NC-9612 had the number 1 on the rudder and NC-8403 had the number 2 on the rudder. NC-9612 first carried the name in large letters on the side of the fuselage behind the door. Later the name was in small letters in quotes under the cockpit window. I have seen pictures of NC-8403 with West Wind not in quotes and West Wind II. I don't know which marking was first. Continuing with the history of NC-8403 it was sold on 05May1934. Operating for Ptarmigan Airlines, it crashed in Flat Alaska on 26Oct1934. The remains of this Ford Tri-motor moved to the Lower 48s, for restoration by Greg Herrick; NC8403 arrived in Minneapolis Thursday, February 10th, 2005. |
![]() The photo was sent by (©) John Adams in Feb.2005 and illustrates a Douglas DC-4 (actually a C-54 military version) at Newcastle,UK; the date as well as the identity of the DC-4 (and the company) is not known. Ian MacFarlane sent me the full details: "The aircraft illustrated is D-ABEB C-54B-1-DC (10530) of Continentale - at Newcastle 29 June 1960. Most likely a ships crew charter, we got a lot of them in those days due to the lack of scheduled services, used to get a lot of flights from/to Hong Kong.
Ian's photo work has been published in magazines and books for many years; thanks Ian !
Here are Ian's photos of the same aircraft: D-ABEB C-54B-1-DC (10530) Continentale - NCL 29 Jul 1960 - (©) Ian MacFarlane |
Henk Wadman drew my attention to the circular windows made rectangular using black paint... making them seem larger, like on a DC-6 (an attempt to appear more modern perhaps?) It seems this airframe met its destiny on 17Jun61: "The C-54 plane was chartered to fly from Hamburg to Leopoldville with intermediate stops at Luxembourg (where the 2 passengers boarded the plane and some cargo was taken on), Tripoli, and Kano. During a night time approach to Kano runway 07 the plane crashed 2nm short of the threshold and caught fire. PROBABLE CAUSE: "The accident was the result of an error of judgement on the part of the captain, who, after sighting the runway lights, concentrated on keeping them in sight and failed to make adequate reference to his flight instruments. As a result, he allowed the aircraft to descend below the obstacle clearance limit of 360ft. In the darkness with no ground reference, the distant runway lights gave him insufficient guidance as to his height and angle of approach, and he was unaware that the aircraft had descended to ground level. The fatigue of the captain and the failure to illuminate the aircraft's landing lights were conributing factors." Departure airport: Tripoli International Airport (TIP) Destination airport: Kano" Thanks to investigative work by John Adams, who found this on www.kanoonline.com/aircrafts_accidents.html Read here the report on Aviation Safety Network; meanwhile the aircraft has been confirmed to be written off as reulst of this accident. |
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