Actually, I had expected to find a Douglas C-47 here, but found C-47A N141JR (c/n 19366) replaced by Douglas DC-3 N87745 (c/n 6315), '411973 -T/T9'.
I have a note that this is actually a C-49J and has been modified with more powerful engines from a Grumman Albatros for speedy climb performance, to facilitate skydiving flights at some point.

Chris wrote me in Jan.2016: "N141JR wasn't the VFM's. It was owned by a 3rd party and while it stayed at the VFM, it was being slowly worked on for possible return to flight along with another aircraft.
Sadly, there was a very bad wind storm in 2012 and N141JR (and the other aircraft) got damaged pretty heavily. They have both been trucked away to other hangars and I've not heard anything new on them recently.
Information on the owner and what his plans were are here - http://thirsty13th.com/."
From that website I have the following info: "On 31Jul2013, Thirsty 13th LLC purchased building 880 at Lancaster Airport (LNC) in Lancaster, TX, with three 70ft x 70ft bays. Our C-47 'Billie' is in the middle bay, and the two side bays are leased."

Chris also wrote about "....N87745/'Southern Cross': the aircraft was built as a DC-3 with Wright R1820s to an American Airlines order and immediately pressed into service as a C-49J (43-1975). 
After WW2, it served with several airlines. 
When it got the 'hot' engines and other mods isn't clear, but I suspect it may have been when it came back from Mexico as photos not long afterward show it in a paint scheme that has been seen more commonly on the 'Super DC-3s' that sport the same engines. 
Here is a pic from 1984 of the aircraft - www.airliners.net/photo/Southern-Cross/Douglas-DC-3-G202A/1024031/L/ showing it with the current -17D engines. 
There was a project out there in the 1960's from Garrett AiResearch called the 'Maximizer' that included gear doors, a partially retractable tailwheel, and -17D engines. 
It is believed this aircraft received most, if not all, of the mods at some point; though most were later removed."
Gerben Groothuis sent me a 2011 photo of N141JR; see his gallery on my website: Gerben's Propliners & Warbirds

"In May 1966, Detachment 1, 603d Air Commando Squadron deployed from England AFB, Louisiana to Nakhon Phanom (NKP) Air Base in Thailand. The detachment comprised 8 Douglas B-26K Counter Invader bombers and their crews which were to undergo combat tests in Laos.
An early glitch arose prior to their arrival when the Thai government expressed concern over having foreign 'bombers' on its soil. But Secretary of the Air Force Harold Brown finessed the problem smoothly by simply reclassifying the Big Eagle B-26Ks as 'attack' aircraft with their new designator 'A-26A'.

These K model -26s were a big improvement over the B models first issued to the Air Commandos in Florida during the early 1960s.
At a cost of US$13 Million, the On Mark Engineering Company in Van Nuys,CA, converted 40 Douglas Invaders to the upgraded K configuration. Rebuilt fuselage and wing components, more powerful engines, wingtip fuel tanks, additional wing pylons to carry more munitions, and improved avionics all combined to produce one of the most deadly fighting machines of the war in Laos.
From: www.warbirdsnews.com/warbird-restorations/a-26-special-kay-restoration.html

A-26B serial 43-7140 was built in 1943 it was the 328th A26B built at the Douglas plant in Long Beach,CA.
It was delivered to the USAAF on 08Dec1944 and given the USAAF serial number of 41-39427.
On 13Mar1950, the aircraft was stricken from the USAF inventory and sold on the civilian market.

The aircraft spent 2 years in storage until Alex Oser, a scrap dealer bought it and 13 other A26's in Jan1952. On 19Mar52, the aircraft was sold to Texas Railway Equipment Co. of Houston; this aircraft being one of 9 sold to this company. Later, 7 of the aircraft ended up going to the French Air Force.

The aircraft went through major modifications in Apr53, when the aircraft was completely disassembled and all systems inspected and repaired or overhauled. It was at this time the aircraft was converted to an executive transport with many luxuries and modifications being done to the aircraft by Grand Central Aircraft Co. of Glendale,CA.

Barnwell Drilling Company of Shreveport, LA bought the A-26 on 30Dec61 and made further modifications to enhance the executive transport role.
During this time period, 1952-1967, the A-26 received best of care and maintenance from Barnwell and Texas Railway Equip Co. It is said that former Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson had flown on the aircraft as well as Jack Kennedy.
John Barnwell traded the A-26 on 07Feb67 for a larger Corvair 240 with Omni Investments. The registration
N-numbers were also swapped in the trade and Invader N75Y became Invader N240P.

Flight Test Research, Inc. of Long Beach,CA purchased the aircraft on 19Apr67 for $15,000.00 and the aircraft went home to where it was built 25 years earlier.

Ownership history and uses are a little sketchy from 1972 to 1977. But they must have been interesting since the aircraft was seized from drug-runners by the Sheriff's Dept in Amarillo on 10Jan77!
This occured after a pilot had landed the aircraft on one engine and walked away from the airplane. This clearly made the authoritie suspicious.
A testament to this story is that at a particular air show a few years ago, two gentlemen in dark sunglasses seemed rather intrigued by the airplane; finally one of the gentlemen approached a crew member and asked what color the aircraft had been before Ranger Wing acquired it. When told it was white with grey trim he exclaimed:
"My God it's the "Grey Ghost! We chased that sucker up and down the Gulf Coast! Never could catch him. He'd drop down on the deck and throttle the engines up and leave us standing there!"
The two gentlemen were DEA agents...

The A-26 was purchased by the Commemorative Air Force on 21Dec77 from the Amarillo Sheriff's Dept.
After numerous weekend trips to Amarillo, to prepare her for the flight to her new home, the A-26 was ferried to Waco on 11Sep80. Quite a feat since the Ranger Squadron had only held its first meeting as a CAF unit on 23Jun80 and only had 15 very dedicated members when assigned the A-26 by the Commemorative Air Force!
From:www.a26invader.com/n240p.html which also includes images to illustrate the above.