STATUS: SOLVED

C-47 'PRAIRIE DOG'
K. N. Myers: "We have original USAAF paperwork that shows he was in the 12th TCS in April of 1945.
The squadron emblem behind the pilot's window in the photo also confirms it."
Research (2017) on www.paluba.info suggests: Yugoslav Air Force / Jugoslovensko Ratno Vazduhoplovstvo (JRV) 7301.
See Kristi Myers' email at the bottom of this issue, problem solved (2024)!

Phil Brooks forwarded me a photo sent by Mike Myers, who'd written him: "..know anyone who is sharp with WW2 stuff? This photo is a picture of my grandfather in Italy next to his C-47; he just crashed landed there after loosing an engine over the mountains.
My brother is building a C-47 model and wants to paint it up like 'Praire Dog', Grandpa's plane.
He's trying to figure out what the emblem is that is circled in yellow.
Do you know, or know if anyone that might have an idea? "

I notice there are no large numbers or lettering near the cockpit. This is what I read in Air-Britain's 'DC-1, DC-2, DC-3 - The First Seventy Years' (Vol.1):
"USAAF/USAF Unit Identification Codes"
"The system used by the USAAF, which started in 1942 and evolved from that used by the US Army Air Corps, was fairly simple.
Any units attached to a particular field or basewas part of the Base Unit, coded variously as AAFBU or BAS, but here given as BU. Units which were on active duty and liable to move base had their own system, for example TS or Transport Squadrom under the USAAC became Troop Carrier Squadron in the USAAF.
Not all bases had a BU number, those in Europe had a prefix indicating the country (F for France, G for Germany, etc.) as did those in Japan. Those in Britain had no prefix, but Australian bases had nu number. Those in India and China had BU numbers.
There is no record of any in Africa or Italy."

The (Troop Carrier Squadron or Troop Carrier Group?) badge instead of the BU seems to be used here.

That large navigator radome could tell us something of the C-47 variant: C-47, -A, -B?

I am not enough 'DC-3 educated' to make sense of the above clues. And there is just the name 'Pairie Dog', no nose art, so that makes it a bit more unlikely to find reference online...
I browsed a number of books and googled on DC-3, C-47, Troop Carrier Squadron, TCG, badges, Italy, WW2, Prarie Dog - but found no website which lists WW2 Transport badges that could help identify the unit or Command here.

Clive Turner wrote me 02Feb23, he'd found useful information online!
"Take a look at: www.paluba.info/smf/index.php?topic=16495.195!"

Posted by 'knmyers' on August 17, 2017. "I am currently researching the C-47 that my husband's grandfather flew for the USAAF in 1945. His story was that he lost an engine and was forced to land the aircraft in a rivr in Yugoslavia. I am trying to find the original serial number for the plane and found this thread on this forum. I am wondering if his plane may have become JRV 7301 as it would not have been retrievable by the USAAF. Any information would be appreciated. I will attach a photo of my husband's grandfather with his downed plane and the Partisans that helped them. Thank you!" 'Motorista' replied: "As of your question about grand dad Dakota this is info that we have: 7301 - C-47A-20-DL - c/n 9327 - Ex-USAAF 42-23465. On Joe Baugher page I've found this: 23465 (MSN 9327) Delivered to USAAF 2Apr43; Oran, Algeria 15May43; 12th Air Force; 12th Troop Carrier Squadron, 60th Troop Carrier Group, Brindisi, Italy; damaged taxying at Brindisi 16Sep44; condemned 27Apr45; Yugoslav Air Force / Jugoslovensko Ratno Vazduhoplovstvo (JRV) Aug 45 as 7301; crashed near Ljubovija; repaired. It would be helpful if someone remembers the date of crash, and if you have more photos, especially of tail, of the plane. 'Knmyers' replied: "I have a cropped image of the tail section of the plane that my husband has enhanced in an effort to make out the tail number. We are fairly certain the first two digits are 2-2, and the third digit appears to be a 3. We can not decipher any more of the numbers after that. Since the first 4 was always left off USAAF tails, this plane's number appears to be 42-23###, which matches the information we have from Joe Baugher's site. My husband recalls his grandfather saying the belly landing happened in 1945, which also matches the record for 42-23465/7301. We do not know the month but think the condition of the cornfield in the picture could be a clue. I forgot to mention that we know that my husband's grandfather was a member of the 12th Troop Carrier Squadron. This also matches the description for 42-23465. We have original USAAF paperwork that shows he was in the 12th TCS in April of 1945. The squadron emblem behind the pilot's window in the photo also confirms it. 'Vathra': "Based on propeller damage, it seems that left engine was feathered, and right was still spinning when landing - like your husband's grandfather told. Although it is strange that he landed on belly, C-47 could land on difficult terrain - maybe the field was short? Based on details on photo, it seems that this happened after the war?" 'Knmyers': "Yes, the left engine was lost. He was getting the crew ready to bail out. He considered landing in a river but then a cornfield appeared through the cloud cover and he thought it the better option. We do not know if the photo is from after the war or not. We only know that it was taken in 1945. If the incident did not take place after the war had ended, it was really close to the end. He was stationed in Pomigliano, Italy at the time and flying supplies to the partisans in Yugoslavia. We also do not know why he chose to belly land the plane. We just assumed it was due to uneven terrain. You mentioned that details from the photo make it appear that it was after the war. Can you tell me what photo details lead you to think this?" 'Vathra': "Two things: you wrote it was 1945, It doesn't look like spring, land is hard and not muddy, corns are cut. Also partisan uniforms look very tidy, which would be unusual for war. That is a feeling of course, I wouldn't bet a money on it." 'Knmyers': "Interesting points about the ground, uniform, and corn. His squadron (12th Troop Carrier Squadron) was moved to Trinidad in early June of 1945, so I think it had to be before that. My best guess is April of 1945 based on a description of an aircraft with serial number 42-23465 on Joseph Baugher's USAAF serial number website that appears to have been lost in similar circumstances and around the same time as what my husband's grandfather had described when he was alive. That plane became Yugoslav Air Force's 7301. Would love to find more information on 7301 to try to confirm a match, but doubt the information is out there." EMAIL Webmaster: pls add url of this page in a message to me. After all these years, in Nov.2024 we seem to have conclusion ('solved') on this case! "My name is Kristi Myers and I am writing in regards to one of the mysteries on one of your pages. I am the K.N. Myers that is quoted from 2017 in the post (above). My husband and I discovered a few years back that the squadron emblem on the C47 is this one": "The Mike Myers that originally asked the question is my husband’s brother. Hopefully this helps you classify the mystery as 'solved' now!" YES!! THANKS KRISTI!

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."

Braniff never had Beech 18s in theit fleetlist, none of the companies that flew the Braniff name. Perhaps a former Braniff employee put it on his Twin Beech as a tribute?

This photo was provide by Rob 'Cmraseye' Olewinski, it shows the other side of this Twin
Beech, with the Braniff sticker:

STATUS: SOLVED

Rolf Larsson sent me a 'mystery candidate' (MAR.2017), in the category what happened to it..?

This thread started by Rolf Larsson prompted Ron Mak (his Vintage Propliners here on my ONE - TWO - THREE) to contribute several fine photos in support of msn 99's history and fate.

Fred Olsen LN-FOF seen at Amsterdam's Schiphol on 27Feb1970

Sightings at Fort Lauderdale by Ron Mak of CV340 N14CD:

These dates 1980 and 1981 may well have been the last sightings; scrapped at some point after that, alas..
Cline Newland reported: "Didn't log it on 25th September 1982. Did log it 13th October 1980."
So scrapped between 27Nov81 (below) and 25Sep82 ! Or was it really scrapped...

STATUS: UNSOLVED

In a recent posting (march 2017) on Facebook I came across a location I did not know offered vintage planes:
Lobo Wing of Commemmorative Air Force (CAF) at Moriarty, New Mexico

Screen dump of their website www.lobowing.org/projects/moriarty-hangar/

While the identity of this Twin Beech 'future project' as yet remains a mystery [EMAIL], Bob Parmerter provided the history of the Beech AT-11 with the Lobo Wing (see website screendump, top):
'This is a WWII veteran, AT-11 41-9451 (c/n 877).
It is being restored by the CAF Lobo Wing at Moriarty.
Delivered 21Jan42 to the Bombardier Training School, Albuquerque, NM. It was sold as surplus in Jan46 for $3,178 as NC52845.
Fifteen civil owners later it has been under restoration here since 2004.
Undated photo of it as N320A via MAP here below.'

STATUS: UNSOLVED

David Lehman reached out to the 'Beech 18' forum (Yahoo) for help and Bob Parmerter offered some; perhaps more information will be forthcoming this publication (EMAIL)

Bob wrote in reply to David's email (below): "I don’t have a definitive answer as to the fate of N8042H but
some history is added (further below) and a nice color scan of it from a Larry Smalley slide.
Larry and Billl Larkins often traded images (Bill shot B&W) and Larry color slides."

David Lehman wrote: "Does anyone know where the final resting place of N8042H, c/n 6572 is/was?
There's a picture of it on twinbeech.com. The picture was taken by Bill Larkins in front of my Dad's shop in Concord,CA.

My Dad bought some surplus C-45s from Lackland AFB and I think this was one of them...
If it's the one I think it is, Dad converted it and sold it to Vern Johnson.
I think it's the only one Dad converted as the market for 18s turned out to be soft and I remember the remaining C-45s going for scrap!
N8042H was last registered to Donn Harling in Sherman Oaks, CA and the NTSB accident page shows it damaged at Van Nuys in 1967.
I'd like to think it is a survivor, but it's not very likely..?"

Bob Parmerter offered the following:
"There was a mix-up with the c/n on CAA/FAA paperwork, the correct number (ties in with the military serial on the paperwork and in Beech files) is c/n 8523.
C/n 6572 was actually 43-35834, a C-45F that suffered an accident on 11Mar49 at Bolling Field and reclamation (disposal) was completed on 06Jun49. There is no record of it ever becoming civil registered."

From Bob's files-
History of 8523
C-45F 44-87264 USAAF Delivered to 610 Base Unit, Eglin Fld 19Jun45.
Then to Air Proving Ground, Eglin. Reclamation approved at Hill AFB Oct54.
USAF Hill AFB sold to Gene Hughes Drug Co, Sacramento, CA BS 12Oct56 for $5,919.19 as C18S N8042H [with correct USAF serial but erroneous c/n 6572].
E.P. Hughes, Sacramento, CA BS 12Oct56.
Vern R. Johnson Inc, Danville, CA BS 18Oct56. CofA 23Jan57 (2,953 hrs TT).
Photographed by Bill Larkins at Buchanan Field, Concord, CA in Jun57 along with a batch of other surplus 18s.
Baker Aircraft Sales Inc, Long Beach, CA BS 4Apr58.
John W. & Mary W. Dorr, Orinda, CA BS 10Jun58.
Publishers Art Inc (Pres Edwin A. Schnepf), North Hollywood, CA BS 10Jul65.
Donn Harling & John Grimes, Sherman Oaks, CA BS 30Sep66.
Damaged when the main gear retracted on landing at Van Nuys, CA on 16Jan67. No injuries.
Repossessed by Publishers Art Inc in Feb67. Registration revoked 19Jun71.
--Bob Parmerter (Historian), Beechcraft Heritage Museum, Tullahoma,TN

STATUS: SOLVED

David Bernshouse published this photo on Facebook group 'Beech18/C45' and it seems that this Beech 18 was a bit of a mystery!

David published this image in Oct.2015 with the following comment: 'June 2013, Lake City, SC. sad sight.'

I tried to find the identity of this Beech 18 (C-45?), but could not find any thing on -what I think the tailnumber could be- N5606NA. In the comments someone suggested it was a bogus registration, the aircraft may have been used for illegal activities, such as drugs trafficking; and left behind. David also wrote that on a revisit in August 2015 the aircraft seemed no longer present. It still showed at Google Maps though, Google Earth too (parked near two buildings).

John Meneely posted on Facebook's Beech 18/C45 Group (14Mar2016): The number '392' is clearly visible at the top of the fin (on the photograph of mine)". On below photograph I had noticed a number, but could not read it. A new lead!

Here's a photo dating back to Dec.2012; it seems to have lost parts rapidly. The text does not help in establishing its identity, the author/photographer also noted that N5606NA was a fake identity, but suggested it could be UC-45J N5606 (BuNo.89481). I could find no images online of Beech 18 N5606. Anyone? Marion is not that far from Lake City; so any seizure because of illegal activity must be of relative recent date. Why can't I find anything about it online?

Bob Parmerter wrote: "it was speculated that it might be UC-45J N5606 (BuNo 89481), but as we can see, this is definitely an E18S model (distinctive eyebrow window & high cabin).
The paint scheme is out of the ordinary, so I’ve looked at hundreds of my E18S scans & slides without finding any matches...
Also looked at E18S models that have been confiscated but no luck there either. There are no E18S models currently registered in South Carolina or any likely ones registered in nearby states. To be continued."

Solved!
Robert Parmerter published the following on Yahoo's 'Beech18' Group in March 2016:
"It has finally been identified as 1957 E18S BA-294...
Fittingly enough, just as the registrations 'N70B' & 'N5606NA' were false, there seems to be no relevance for the number '392' on top of the fin!
History as follows and thanks to long-time Beech 18 Facebook page contributor, Trevor Kildow, who managed to crack the case!
BA-294 E18S N54S CofA 15Jul57.
Currey Sanders Aircraft Co, Shreveport, LA BS 19Jul57.
Wheless Drilling Co, Shreveport, LA BS 6Nov57.
Registration N24S reserved 02May77 but no taken up.
John R. Webster, Shreveport, LA BS 6Jul77.
Richard L. Burger BS 20Sep78 for $20,000.
Found abandoned 08Mar81 with left wheel in a ditch at Cox's Air Strip, SC by officer of the Horry County Police Dept with 1,840 lbs of marijuana on board (worth $800,000) & false regis 'N70B' applied to aircraft.
It had an extra fuel tank just aft of the cockpit.
Transferred to South Carolina Aeronautics Commission whose registration application 27Apr81 was not completed, as no court forfeiture order was submitted.
Photographed at Marion Co Arpt, SC 9Oct95 with bogus registration 'N5606NA'.
Donated to the North American Aviation Institute (NAAI), for training.
Registration N54S canx 30Jun11.
NAAI suspended operations & it was bought & taken to Lake City, SC; photograph of it there taken June 2013. Photographed near Myrtle Beach, SC in Feb16.

Update (Nov.2017) found on Facebook ('General Aviation Junkyard') by Ryan Montague: "This used to be at the North American Institute of Aviation, in Conway SC.
It was one of our maintenance airframes.
I think the DEA held the airworthiness on it. We had a picture of it when it was caught and it was green and white with 'Grasshopper' painted in foot tall lettering on the side."

STATUS: SOLVED

Here are two Beech 18 / C-45 Gerben Groothuis found on a 2015 tour along aviation museums and other preserved vintage aircraft on the US Eastcoast; sofar they also defied identification.
Unidentified Be18 (C-45): Beech D18S N51021 (ex/ N4DH, c/n A-260).
18JUL15, at Baltimore-Glenn L. Martin State Airport,MD

and:
Unidentified Beech 18 (C-45?)
22JUL15 at Virginia Beach Airport,VA

Bob Parmerter, authority on the Beech18, wrote (nov.2015): "The mystery Beech 18 shown disassembled at Virginia Beach Airport,VA could be 1953 UC-45J N67252 c/n 5494 (FAA has bogus c/n listed); reg’d to John M. Willliams, Virginia Beach. On 08Sep2012 it went into a ditch (left gear in ditch) while taxiing at Suffolk,VA. Photo of that accident shows it in white overall finish with a thin red mid-fuselage cheat line. Right l/g undamaged." Please read on, as with Nigel Aylmer's information & photos it does seem we have another candidate! And the theory that we need to look at a different airframe than Bob suggests is enforced by an email from Nigel Hitchman (submitted in Feb.2017): "I've also found a picture of the aircraft that Bob Parmerter mentions as has 'crashed' into a ditch at Suffolk, VA; this is here- wtkr.com/2012/09/08/plane-crashes-into-ditch-during-ground-maneuvers-at-suffolk-landing-strip/ I think from the picture this is clearly not the aircraft at Virginia Beach, there is no sign of any red cheatline and the painted out registraion on the Beech 18 at Virginia Beach is in a different place to where its painted on N67252... See also Airliners.net So I think this further suggests the disassembled 'mystery' Beech 18 is N6712M, painted as N67123, although it doesn't really confirm it a 100%."

Nigel Aylmer sent me the following on this unidentified Beech 18 / C-45:
"I visited Virginia Beach 24Nov15 . The Beech 18 was still on a pallet outside. Hope somebody can confirm its
identity from these pictures of L/H side. It does not seem to be the one Bob suggests. Under the paint, and
from the 3 numbers on the nose, it appears to be N67123 but can't find a Beech 18 for this N-number!
Hope this helps".
Scroll further down for further info on its identity...

About N6712(.) seems little doubt; that last one looks like a '3' and this seems confirmed by the figures on the nose..?
I stumbled on a UC-45J N6712M (US Navy BuNo.67123) on www.aerialvisuals.ca which offers on information:
BEECH UC-45J 67123 Constructed as an UC-45J. 05Dec1968 - To Mississippi State University, State College, MS
as N6712M (UC-45J, 67123). And on 25 May 1976 - Civil registration N6712M cancelled.
On Joe Baugher's website I found: "Beech SNB-2 Navigator 67123 (MSN 4301) ex AT-7 42-43498,
transferred to US Navy. Remanufactured by Beech as SNB-5 ca.1954. Redesignated UC-45J. To N6712M."
>>In spite of its registry as N6712M it seems 'N67123' was actually painted on it!

STATUS: SOLVED

Mike Bursell sent me this image (taken 28Sept2014) as an update to my Coolidge,Az 2008 report. This cockpit of an unidentified Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a recent (2010?) addition at Coolidge.

UNSOLVED

Ron Mak sent me these 2 images taken at Managua IAP, Nicaragua in 1980; he wrote: "I've sent you 2 images of
DC-6s which I photographed on 04Nov1980.
I am unable to find anything on these Sixes. Quite possibly the tailnumber AN-MEG was fake, but I think YN-BWZ could have been the real thing - yet I cannot find anything on it.
Perhaps one of your readers is able to shed any light on the identities, the operator, their fate..?!"

DC-6 YN-BWZ, @Managua (1980). That round badge which has been removed may hold a clue?
A good theory of that scrubbed logo can be read below, made by Alexandre Avrane.

EMAIL

DC-6 AN-MEG, Nicaragua (1980)

The online database ATDB.aero has a listing of both YN-BWZ & AN-MEG, but with few details.
Aeronica (=Aerolineas Nicaraguenses, based Managua and operated 1981-1992) was listed to have operated 1 Douglas DC-6A (YN-BWN c/n ?*) and 3 DC-6B/F's (YN-BFO c/n 45324 - YN-CBE c/n ? - YN-BWZ c/n ? 'to Trans Dominican Airways TRADO and fate as disposed').
*) YN-BWN allegedly is c/n (msn) 45175/832 per www.airhistory.net/marks-all/YNBWN Disposed of at Santo Domingo (SDQ), per ATDB.aero (01-2025). Opb Aeronica 1982/3 and thru above link learned "Ex Western N93120. Believed crashed enroute Panama to Managua on May 24, 1988."

I put YN-BWN tied to c/n 45175 to Alexandre Avrane of ATDB (Jan.2025): "This was researched earlier and the obvious connection AN-BFM -> YN-BWN seems incorrect. Windows, aerials, radomes, etc differ.
YN-BWN was apparently a C-118A!
Compare: www.airhistory.net/photo/265417/YN-BWN to An-BFM @abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1012632

And AN-MEG does have a listing at ATDB.aero, but "c/n ?" and operator 'private users in Nicaragua'; which raises suspicious thoughts about its use in my cynical mind! No 'fate' except 'disposed'; could have been ditched during an illegal transport, rotting at the bottom of the sea or at some hidden airstrip in the jungle...

Eduard Sorokin was first to reply: 1) I consider, both planes - YN-BWZ and AN-MEG - to have valid registrations. 2) Their owner is not AERONICA (which was only established in 1981), but LANICA CARGO (Líneas Aéreas de Nicaragua) airline (both DC-6s are cargo versions, almost without passenger windows). And YN-BWZ has the 'Cargo' title on fuselage. My conclusion is confirmed by this plane list: www.avionvideo.com/dynamic/factsheets/1102009175337.pdf Note the upper part of far left column, it mentions both these aircraft I consider, this is the list of planes, shown in videos from this DVD: www.avionvideo.com/programDetails.asp?pid=25 Possibly, there are more details on those planes in this videos. (Note: the video was compiled from work both by Ron and his brother Chris Mak and the footage may well depict these images we have as subject-Webmaster) Evidently these DC-6s belonged to LANICA CARGO. Here is some more infirmation: - By March 1975, LANICA's fleet consisted of two Convair 880s, three C-46s and four DC-6s that served a route network including domestic services, as well as international passenger and cargo services to Mexico City, Miami and San Salvador. See also the Wikileaks document of 19Aug1976, below. - At May 1981, the airline had a fleet of two Boeing 727-100s, three C-46s and one DC-6 (other DC-6 was probably crashed, or written off, or sold somewhere). https://www.wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1976MANAGU03921_b.html This document mentions "TWO CARGO DC-6'S"; these could well be YN-BWZ and AN-MEG. I also found 2 Ebay auctions with LANICA DC-6 aircraft (sadly, not titled 'CARGO') images today: - DC-6B AN-BFM, February 1975 www.ebay.com/itm/Lanica-Airlines-Douglas-DC-6BF-AN-BFM-Managua-February-1975-Aviation-Aircraft-/351145180467?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item51c1e23d33 - DC-6B AN-BFO www.ebay.com/itm/POSTCARD-Lanica-Nicaragua-Douglas-DC-6B-AN-BFO-Miami-/291421044713?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item43da0c3fe9

Based on the above reaction I checked www.atdb.aero and found for Lanica Cargo:
DC-6 N74841 (c/n 43056, leased from private users in USA - fate: destroyed)
DC-6/F AN-AMI (c/n 43058, ex/ N90894, to Hemisphere Aircraft Lsng, fate: scrapped)
DC-6B/F YN-BVI (c/n 44117, ex/ CC-CDH - fate scrapped in Panama, 1983)
DC-6B AN-BFM (c/n 45175, ex/ N93120 - rereg to N9920A, fate obscure)
DC-6B/F AN-BHB (c/n 45216, ex/N6580C - to Altas Modas, scrapped)
DC-6B/F AN-BFN (c/n 45322, ex/N93126 - to Altas Modas, destroyed)
DC-6B/F AN-BFO (c/n 45324, ex/N93127 - to Altas Modas, destroyed)

With AN-BFM and AN-BFO accounted for and in above images not resembling Ron Mak's Sixes, we have remaining as candidates:

Alexandre Avrane (www.aerotransport.org) offered the following:
"Ref DC-6 YN-BWZ, I would hazard that the scrubbed logo on tail is from Exaco, e.g.:

[Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Exaco_Cargo_Douglas_DC-6B_Volpati-1.jpg or
www.airlinefan.com/airline-photos/4816724/Exaco-Cargo/Douglas/DC-6/TI-ALW/ ]

"Exaco used TI-ALS (45059) and TI-ALW (43530), but could have operated more: TI-AOQ (44259/475), TI-AQQ (45059/704) and TI-ARM (44652/610) are unconfirmed candidates.
Ref DC-6 AN-MEG, can someone with better knowledge than me tell if this is a DC-6A or a C-118?"

Clive Turner supports the YN-BWN versus N653PB (c/n 43530) theory, as seen on AirHistory.net. It shows only one image (1987) and includes the text: "Ex TI-ALW of Saisa it was registered to an individual in Feb 87. The
same year (but no exact date) it was impounded in Merida, Mexico, and remained there."

Some fleet information I found among my books:

Ron Mak sent me two images of DC-6 AN-BHB (c/n 45216), to be discounted too as candidates for above 'mysteries':

DC-6 AN-BHB at Antigua Int'l Airport 04Jun1980

Douglas DC-6 AN-BHB at Antigua Int'l Airport, 12Nov1981; by this time AN-BHB had been seized.

YN-BVI is another Six we can cancel from the candidates, as Ron noticed it a short while later
at Panama Tocuman Airport, 13Nov1980, showing the result of some misfortune.

So we should now consider this shortlist:

• DC-6 N74841 - this DC-6 was damaged beyond repair on dinsdag 24Jan1967, Oakland,CA (ASN report)

• DC-6/F AN-AMI - image but is date unknown (@Managua airport). C/n 43058 career: N90894 - VH-INW - AN-AMI - N90894 - YS-03C (and reportedy scrapped as such in 1975 [source]). YS-03C AESA 1974 image. This image seems to lack the number of windows for c/n 43058 to be a candidate for AN-MEG.

• DC-6B/F AN-BFN - image 1976. In 1979 c/n 45322 overran runway the runway at Charleston,WV while the aircraft was carrying about 20000lb of marijuana on board. No doubt it was seized, then what ? Two images of AN-BFN does show the (Lanica) cheatline changed from red to blue: 1976 (blue) & red (1970). Bob Garrard has an image on Flickr and wrote the following: "Douglas DC-6B(F) (cn 45322/939) Returning from an engine run up, this aircraft was destroyed in a crash in West Virginia on 6/6/79 with a later operator. Taken 5/76." So it can also be discounted as a candidate for Ron's images.


In short we have exhausted our candidates which are commonly known as Lanica's aircraft!

---

Help if you can! EMAIL but please mention which webpage you are referring to.

UNSOLVED

Phil Brooks went to South Bend and reported this nice setting!

Phil wrote (27Mar15):
"Thanks to Dave Powell’s heads-up email recently, I was prepared when I landed at SBN on Tuesday morning from Chicago O'Hare.  'Bar Fly' has two locations, one in the gate area, and one outside Security. 
Here are some photos.

South Bend International Airport (IATA: SBN, ICAO: KSBN) is 3 miles northwest of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Formerly South Bend Airport and South Bend Regional Airport, it is the state's second busiest airport in terms of commercial traffic after Indianapolis International Airport. [Wikipedia]

Anyone with a suggestion to its former identity? EMAIL It seems the DC-3 / C-47 cockpit was 'found' in a desert north of Los Angeles, where it spent many years of outdoor storage.
Perhaps it originates from the El Mirage 'Aviation Warehouse'?

STATUS: UNSOLVED

Christopher Hoage shared this image in Dec.2014 of a Curtiss C-46 Commando, apparently in use as a house (at one
time) or a shed in Riverside,CA.

STATUS: SOLVED (BUT FURTHER INFORMATION WELCOMED)

Fred Wallis returned from travelling in Alaska, july 2014. He sent me this unidentified wreck.


Taigh Ramey (of Vintage Aircraft Inc, in Stockton,CA) wrote: "It’s a B-25J or H center section. Cool!"

Fred added later: "It was out on the Tundra for years and they recently hauled it into a museum area."

Paul van der Horst posted this request on Yahoo's DC-3 group and the request for identification is repeated here:

DC-3 XB-HEW Brownsville october 1982 - anybody knows which DC-3 airframe this is?
Paul wrote: " Back in October 1982 I visited Brownsville, Texas. One of several DC-3's present carried registration XB-HEW. I cannot find any reference of this aircraft!
Does anybody has a lead on the construction number of this DC-3? It might of course be fake, having been used for illegal flights...".

Martin Best wrote: "Just for the record, XB-HEW is not listed in the TAHS Mexican civil aircraft register of 1993."

Matt Miller solved it soon after posting:
"I'm pretty certain this is N518DW c/n 4813.
Still on the FAA register, as a deregistered plane.
Last with 'CANTU FEDERICO L DBA CH&L AIR SERVICE' of Brownsville , cancelled 19Apr82 as exported to Mexico.
A photo of N518DW at Aircraft N518DW (Douglas DC-3 c/n 4813) - Photo by Peter Nicholson shows an almost identical colour scheme!"

Tom Singfield sent me this image in July2014 and requested help to identify it.
He provided the following information: "I have this plain plastic slide, it only has a date on it: April 1977.
The date is the Kodachrome date stamp.
The photographer is unknown. Last letter of registration is on the nose 'O'."
Looks like Africa? Or maybe South America? There seems to be a wingtip on the far right, so perhaps not too isolated, maybe it sits on the outskirts of an airfield.
There is what looks like a bench too, for what it is worth, but it supports the theory it hasn't been left in a remote spot. Perhaps the mecanics rested on it when they took off the engines, the undercarriage (?) and the tailfin.

Close up:

Ferdinand sent me this in response:
"If I look at the color of the O on the nose, green rather than the  regular black, it makes me think Saudia.
Then O would lead to HZ-AAO.
This DC-3 with unknown serial number crashed in Feb 1956 while taking off out of Najran, Saudi Arabia.
A google map search for the airport shows an empty desert.
However searching for 'Najran Old airport', a flag in the downtown area appears, which is far greener!
On the eastern end of the old compound green bushes like in the photo show.
In the picture the airplane has clearly been canibalized, the dry climate could have preserved the fuselage easely for the 20 years between the unfortunate take off and the picture.
No further proof of this theory."
Tom wrote in response: "I have two slides of Saudi Daks, neither of their very different cheat lines match the mystery plane.The dates of these two Saudia slides are Jun69 and Jul76."

Martin Pole sent me the following in Oct.2014:"Tom Singfield and I have discussed this at length and we are both happy with its conclusion:
This is a former Nigerian Air force C-47 that was badly damaged during the Nigerian Civil War/Biafran War at Escravos, some repairs were carried out to enable a flight back to Lagos. The aircraft was thought never to have flown again after this single flight and was left abandoned.

The image provided gives many clues to this C-47’s identity: The ‘O’ on the nose is actually a ‘Q’, Therefore the identity is ‘AAQ’ c/n 9874 (ex 5N-AAQ).
Above the letter ‘Q’ on the remaining lower half of the nose is the small faded green triangle that formed  the start of the cheat line, this green ‘triangle’ is underlined by a faded yellow pinstripe.
Photographic evidence supports that the complete nose section carried this narrow stripe while in service. 
The paint work had deteriorated and eroded  during the eight year period of abandonment revealing some markings from its  historical past.
The three green strips that are above the main cheat line just to the rear of the cockpit windows are from civilian airline service with Cyprus Airways, as G-AKGX."

Jürgen Scherbarth wrote me in Dec.2011, for this mystery:
"I found this strange plane in my slide collection. Do you have any idea about the real identity of this ugly looking C-54 conversion?
The slide must have been taken somewhere in Colombia in 1985."

What is the significance or meaning of the titles 'Aero Descanso'?
'HJL-27' is probably a poor attempt for a fake registration, but perhaps also a link to the original one?

EMAIL (please include the link of the page you refer to, thank you!)
The first theory contibuted is:
"Aero Descanso DC-4 - 'Descanso' translates as 'resting'
A sighting in June 1977 at Mosquera, a suburb of Bogota, reported: DC-4 HK-1025 c/n 10432: used as restaurant "El Descazo".
Could be a typo, possibly in an Aviation Letter from summer 1977.
Various databases/websites report DC-4 HK-1025 still being used as a restaurant of café. Perhaps that is the plane in your photo.
A nice touch to this theory is that this would be KLM's PH-TDM, named 'Aalsmeer'..." (-Fred Streep)

Information in my database shows:
C/n 10432 - Dlvd to USAAF 20oct44 42-72327; to American Airlines after WW2 registered NC90402; to KLM dec48 PH-TDM, rereg PH-DBM mar54; sold jun55 HK-521 Rutas Aéreas de Colombia (KLM started passenger services for SAM Colombia); sld'68 Taxader Colombia rereg HK-1025.
After use by Taxader Colombia in 1970s used as restaurant "El Descazo".

Paul van de Horst wrote:
"On page 26 in the little book 'Air Transport Hulks 86' it is reported as HK-1025, with a somewhat similar photo (different colours, same titles) by Ricky-Dene Halliday.
Location at that time appears to be somewhere else, reportedly just outside El Dorado airport on the road to Cundinamaica.
If correct, this would make it an ex-KLM C-54, amongst other identities!"

This photo, from the above mentioned book, was forwarded to me by Michael Prophet:

'EGGOCENTRIC' DC-4 HK-1025

STATUS: UNSOLVED

Lewis Grant sent me, what looked like, a straight forward DC-6 slide, taken at Lakeland,FL on 10Nov1987.
Except the tailnumber, N480MA (N460MA?), seems missing from the reference books...

Lewis wrote-
"May I ask for your help in trying to trace the identity of a DC-6/C-118, which has eluded me for many years, despite searching and asking in many places.  
I logged an airworthy N480MA at Lakeland, Florida on 10-Nov-87 and have never been able to find a c/n for it.   It does not appear in any production lists and I can only assume that it was a false registration, or one that was never taken up."  

Someone suggested N480MA to be an intended registration and not taken up for whatever reason, or a 'bogus' ID for a film, or smuggling, etc. The same would go for the possibility of N460MA. It does seem rather crudely painted on, there is an obvious darker patch where the N-number is painted (which suggests that the N-number wasn't tampered with for a minor change, but rather a completely different tailnumber painted on).

Ron Mak responded to this challenge and he sent an image, taken by him at Caracas 03Nov1983, from his extensive propliner photo library:

Ron included the following historical data:

C/n 44107 DC-6B

N6107C Pan American World Airways "Clipper Balboa" del 30-09-53

cvtd to DC6a/b 1960.

6701 Portuguese Air Force bt 26-06-1961

N789TA Atlas Aircraft Corp bt 09-1978

YV-290C Aero B "Caracas" bt 12-11-78

YV-243P ??? bt 1985

HI-454CT Transporte Aero Dominicana bt 10-1985

w.f.u & stored Santo Domingo 07-1991

[Source: TAHS Piston Engine Airliner Production List]

C/n 4107 on Airliners.net

C/n 44258 YV-296C shows the same livery, reregistered as N400UA, on Airliners.net
C/n 43529 YV-297C shows same livery HERE, but I could not find images US-reregistered, as N873TA

Fernand van de Plas offered his help:
'N480MA' is a DC-6A: small cockpitdoor, only fitted on DC-6 and DC-6A; the converted DC-6B/Fs kept their wide starboard door.
The colours identify it as a Aero B Venezuela aircraft, this airline operated in the 1970s six DC-6 Freighters, destinations included MIA.
When ones examnines the 6 possible c/n's of this airline, 2 can be excluded (c/n 43529 en 43535), because they were written off during the 1970s. So 4 DC-6A (narrow door) remain:
YV-290C   44107
YV-293C   45518
YV-295C   44108
YV-296C   44258 <--
FvdP.

'YV-290C never went back to the US, it ended its days in Santo Domingo with TRADO' -Andy Martin

Considering the similarity of tailnumber N400UA I am inclined to think 44258 is 'N480MA'.
But Universal Airlines bought it in July 1984, according to TAHS, and sold it to American World Airlease in Apr.92 - while Mr Grant photographed it as N480MA in 1987... So the 'WHY' of this registration remains, as yet, unresolved.

Lewis reaches the same conclusion:
"If you look closely at the photos of the Aero B Venezuela DC-6s, with the same basic colours as 'N480MA', both Ron Mak's photo of YV-290C and the Airliners' shot of YV-297C have small but significant differences from 'N480MA' - look closely at their nosewheel doors, and also cabin windows, whereas the photo of N400UA (ex-YV-296C) looks identical.
None of the other 4 Aero B DC-6s appear to be candidates. YV-293C had a different livery, and from Piston Airliner Prod List, YV-294C was stored at Lajes, and YV-295C was stored in Haiti."

SO WHY WAS IT PAINTED TEMPORARILY AS N480MA IS AS YET UNKNOWN !!! TYPO????

Sean Rice responded:
"I don't know this for sure, but I think this is one of the those that now belongs to Jeff Brooks, of Brooks Air Fuel?
I was talking to him here in Kenai, a few months ago, about his Beech 18s; he mentioned one which had been derelict for a while and the Fire Dept cut it up because the airport admin 'got tired of it sitting there.'
I haven't been up to see his stuff, but this bird would fit what he described."

John Hume wrote me on his 2014 Alaska image:
"Unidentified Twin Beech seen on the Fairbanks Fire Training Ground.  Used for target practice by the looks of it."

Information on its identity WELCOMED

While googling for information I came across this on a forum, not sure if the actual identity is given here:
-
DC-3 TNI-AL dipajang diatas bangunan tribun di arena balap kuda dan Sirkuit KenPark di Pantai Ria Kenjeran Surabaya [Fred de Ruiter had this translated for me: "The navy DC-3 has been placed on top of a public stand at a horse racetrack KenPark, on the beach Ria Kenjeran in Surabaya"]

Is also U-604? Any pictures?
+
Marco..Here is the picture of DC-3 Ex.TNI-AL Sqn.600, but I don't know the true number is: 604 or 605?

Rolf Larsson asked for help in identifying this DC-3; he wrote:

"On 20 October 1975 I took this picture of an R4D-5 at Davis Monthan AFB , an US Army Missile Command aircraft in storage.
Unfortunately no identity is visible.
A number of US Army Missile Command R4D-5s were apparently in storage , a few being 43-8950 c/n 26211/14766 and 43-9095 c/n 19066, for this aircraft (43-9095) see also your section 'Vintage Transports by Friends & Guests' page eleven, page eighteen and page twentysix (N47060 and photo/story by Jürgen Scherbarth).
For reasons of deduction I'll post this link for 43-8950, as the US Military Missile Command titles don't match (note the windows)

Unfortunately I have been unable to identify my aircraft.
According to Air-Britain´s big DC-3 books, 43-8950 was stored at DMAFB until 19 June 1975 and 43-9095 was registered N47060 on 19 August 1975, so probably my picture depicts another aircraft.
Any help would be very much appreciated !"

STATUS: SOLVED

Alan Hayden sent me this on 07Feb13, he wrote:
"I wonder if you can confirm this is (was) a DC-6?
I took the photos in a field beside Addis Ababa Airport, last week, (beside the cargo area customs) and have been trying to find out what type it is..."

I have had suggestions that it could be ET-AGY, which is shown on my website in (1988) 'splendour': Ron Mak's Propliners.
I've a hard time to believe ET-AGY to be reduced to this from 1988 until now, 2013!
That same wreck seems shown in a corner of a photo here (from Chris Mak's collection, taken around the same time by someone else):
www.michaelprophet.com/News_articles/News_articles2012/images/images_DC3Part3/8.jpg

Nils Rosengaard quoted following text from Aeroplane Monthly, September 2000, page 10.
A short article states: 'Douglas duo goes on show in Ethiopia':

'AT THE ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES headquarters at Bole Airport in Addis Ababa, a pair of historic Douglas propliners is now on static display.

Douglas DC-6A ET-AGY is parked adjacent to the airline's training fleet of Cessna 172 Hawks, giving student pilots a chance to see the sort of aeroplane their fathers may have flown. The airliner arrived in Ethiopia in July 1978, but was damaged while taxying at Dire Dawa on June 26,1980; it was taken to Addis Ababa where it was initially offered for sale before being pressed into service for training from 1985. It is now out of use, but there are no immediate plans to restore it.

The other Douglas has been thoroughly restored, and in October 1999 it was painted up as the the first aircraft to serve the airline, C-47A ET-AAO, which was taken on in February 1946 with only 40hr flying time on the clock.
It had previously flown with the United States Foreign Liquidation Commission in Cairo. For three months in 1949 the aeroplane was operated by Scottish Aviation, and in the early 1950s was fitted with a magnetometer and flown on surveys of the Ogaden region. Sadly,Ethiopian Airlines' first aeroplane was lost on January 13,1962, when it struck a mill building and some bystanders while taking off from a small airstrip at Tippi. Among those killed in the accident were the captain and first officer; the C-47 has been restored as a tribute to them.' END QUOTE.

Nils added: "There are two colour pictures – one showing ET-AGY in all its glory (the picture is printed reversed) and one picture of the DC-3, unfortunately only the front end (no markings visible).

Webmaster: from this we may assume ET-AGY still to be in some form of complete shape and livery in the year 2000. Which is less than 13 years ago...
But we dig a little deeper and with both the Mak brothers we at least can establish there was a derelict DC-6 cockpit around in 1988... We start with an image from Chris' collection, which sees the cockpit wreck in the background, behind ET-AGY:

Alan sent me a Google Earth screendump of where he found the remains of the DC-6, plus he found a P&W engine cowl...

STATUS: UNSOLVED

Colleen Rankin sent me this in Feb.2013, she wrote:
"I live very remote, on Afognak Island, about 80 miles north of Kodiak, Alaska.
While doing beach cleanups this summer we found something that we felt was an airplane part, wrapped up in fishing net and it had made its way to shore.
The part has honeycomb between the inner and outer wall. A friend did some research and found out about Warm Wind Three, a C-119 that disappeared in November of 1952 on a flight from Anchorage to Kodiak...
Do you know anyone that may be able to confirm if this could be part of that aircraft? It is of a size that might be an engine cowling."

The Aviation Safety Network database provided details on the plane referred to:
C-119C 51-2570 (c/n 10528) went missing 15Nov1952 during a flight from Anchorage-Elmendorf AFB, AK (EDF) to Kodiak NAS, AK. Fatalities: 20 / Occupants: 20 (5 crew and 15 passengers). ASN.

Afognak Island, Alaska

If you are interested in the C-119 Flying Boxcar you find more on my website HERE..