Erickson Aircraft Collection - USA Northwest 2014

USA NORTHWEST 2014

~ERICKSON AIRCRAFT COLLECTION
& AERO AIRTANKERS ~
(MADRAS, OREGON)

Erickson Aircraft Collection, Madras,OR
Travelling west, heading for Portland for our flight home, it was convenient to stop in Madras for the newly established
museum here: Erickson Aircraft Collection. Indeed, less of a museum than a collection, for these planes are not dead, they fly!
Upon our visit on 27Oct2014 it had opened shop only recently. The collection was previously housed in Tillamook,OR but the sea
climate caused corrosion on these valuable planes. So Erickson Aero Tanker (a related entity to Erickson Group Ltd, owned by
Jack Erickson) bought an airtanker outfit, Butler Aircraft Services, based in Madras,OR and moved (most of) the collection to
new digs at Madras. Erickson Aero Tanker operates three DC-7 air-tankers and is developing MD-87s jets for the new
generation airtanker role. This page is dedicated to the aircraft I found here.

Erickson Aircraft Collection, Madras,OR
Perhaps these titles 'Tillamook Air Museum' will see change?

Erickson Aircraft Collection, Madras,OR
Douglas C-47B Skytrain N56V (c/n 16405/33153). Previous identities: 44-67821, KN547, 44-76821, GA+110,
AS+590, AB+590, BD+590, 14+06, Fv79008, SE-IKL, N5467Y. Source: Bob Ogden's 'Aviation Museums and
Collections of North America' (published by Air-Britain, Historians; 2011). As indeed main source below identities.

Erickson Aircraft Collection, Madras,OR
We come to one of the most prized planes of Erickson’s collection, this B-17G Flying Fortress, a World War II bomber.
Erickson’s B-17G which was formerly named 'Chuckie', after the previous owner’s wife, but the move to Madras offered an
opportunity for a name change: 'Madras Maiden'. Because Madras served as a primary training base for B-17 crews during WW2.

Erickson Aircraft Collection, Madras,OR

Erickson Aircraft Collection, Madras,OR
This B-17 flew as 48543/Chuckie, as shown by a photo by Gerben Groothuis taken in Oct.2011 at Meacham IAP, Texas

Serial: 44-8543. Civil Registration: N3701G.
History:
Manufactured by Lockheed-Vega, Burbank CA
Delivered to USAAF as 44-8543.
- BOC: October 16, 1944.
- SOC: May 1959.
- Allocated to Cheyenne Modification Center, WY, October 1944.
- Transferred to Domestic Project 50A, November 1944
- Transferred to 4142nd AAF Base Unit (Air Technical Service Command), Patterson AAF, OH, Sep1945.
-- Designated TB-17G.
- Transferred to 4000th AAF Base Unit (Air Materiel Command), Patterson AAF, January 1946.
- Loaned to Honeywell, Minneapolis, MN. November 1946.
- Transferred to 4152nd AF Base Unit (AMC), Clinton County AFB, OH, June 1948.
- Transferred to 2760th Air Base Group (AMC), Clinton County AFB, OH, March 1949.
-- Designated as ETB-17G.
- Transferred to 2750th Air Base Wing (AMC), Wright-Patterson AFB OH, September, 1949.
- Transferred to HQ Air Research and Development Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Oh, April 1951.
- Transferred to Wright Air Development Center (ARDC), Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, January 1952.
- Leased to Federal Telecommunications Laboratory, Westchester MAP, NY, December 1952.
- Leased to Federal Telecommunications Laboratory, Teterboro AP, NJ, April 1957.
-- Designated as JTB-17G.
- Transferred to Arizona Aircraft Storage Branch (AMC), Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, January 1959.
- Dropped from inventory as surplus, May 1959.
American Compressed Steel, Cincinatti, OH, August 18, 1959-1960.
- Registered as N3701G.
Aero American Corp, Tucson, AZ, May 9, 1960-1961.
Albany Building Corp, Fort Lauderdale, FL, February 6, 1961.
- Operated by Leroy Brown, hauling freight, Bahama, 1961.
John B. Gregory, Fort Lauderdale, FL, May 15, 1962.
Donthan Aviation Corp, Dothan, AL, March 7, 1963-1979.
- Flew as sprayer.
- Damaged during fire-ant dusting, Cordele, GA, August 17, 1976.
William D. Hospers/Vintage Flying Museum, Fort Worth, TX, October 4, 1979-2010.
- Restored to airworthy status.
- Flew as 48543/Chuckie.
Gerald Yagen/Military Aviation Museum, Virginia Beach, VA, October 2010-2013.
- Fitted with chin turret and other military equipment.
Tillamook Air Museum, Tillamook, OR, 2013.

SOURCE: www.warbirdregistry.org/b17registry/b17-448543.html

Madras aviation museum

Erickson Aircraft Collection, Madras,OR

Boeing developed this four-engine heavy bomber aircraft in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC).
The B-17 was primarily employed by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) in the daylight precision strategic bombing campaign of World War II against German industrial and military targets.
From its pre-war inception, the USAAC (later USAAF) touted the aircraft as a strategic weapon; it was a potent, high-flying, long-range bomber that was able to defend itself, and to return home despite extensive battle damage.
A total of 155 B-17s of all variants were delivered between 11 January 1937 and 30 November 1941, but production quickly accelerated, with the B-17 eventually setting the record for achieving the highest production rate for large aircraft. By the time production ended in May 1945, 12.731 aircraft had been built by Boeing, Douglas, and Vega (a subsidiary of Lockheed).
As of September 2011, 13 aircraft remain airworthy, with dozens more in storage or on static display.
Wikipedia, more...

Erickson Aircraft Collection, Madras,OR
The large parasol wingspan of the Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina N2172N is obvious here.

Erickson Aircraft Collection, Madras,OR
PBY-5A NX2172N (c/n 1886) has the following previous identities: BuNo.46522, N5585V, CF-FFA, C-FFFA.

Erickson Aircraft Collection, Madras,OR

Erickson Aircraft Collection, Madras,OR
The Douglas B-26 Invader sits so high on its undercarriage that I find it a pain to take a decent picture!

Erickson Aircraft Collection, Madras,OR
Douglas TB-26B Invader NX3222T (c/n 28001), former: 44-34722, N3222T, N62289,
BuNo.126912, 41 (France), 126912 (Gabon).

Erickson Aircraft Collection, Madras,OR
B-25 MITCHELL 44-30748 (c/n 108-34023)
Madras aviation museum
Photo by Ada Leeuw

Erickson Aircraft Collection, Madras,OR
Its history from www.warbirdregistry.org/b25registry/b25-4430748.html:

Built at NAA's Kansas City Plant, late 1944.
Delivered to USAAF as 44-30748.
- BOC: February 1945.
- SOC: January 1959.
- Stored at Davis Monthan AFB, AZ, December 1958-1959.
Ace Smelting Inc, Phoenix, AZ, May 19, 1959.
- Registration N3447G reserved but not taken up.
- Acquired as surplus for $1,143.
Alson-Niblock Flying Inc, Elkhart, IN, May 1959.
- Registered as N8195H.
Christler & Avery Aviation, Greybull, WY, December 1959-1963.
- Fitted with agricultural hopper & spray bars installed, January 1960.
Avery Aviation, Greybull, WY, August 1961-1968.
Filmways Inc, Hollywood, CA, 1968-1972.
- Flew in movie 'Catch 22' as 'M&M' and 'Miss Renee', 1968-1969.
Tallmantz Aviation, Orange County, CA, August 1971-1972.
- Open storage, 1970-1972.
Milan S. Pupich, Van Nuy, CA, March 1972-2002.
- Restored to airworthy status, 1972-1974.
- First flight, 1974.
- Flew off deck of USS Ranger in San Diego Bay to commemorate the 50th anni of the Doolittle Raid, 1992.
- Complete Upper Gun Turret and tail gun assembly installed, March 1997.
- Flown as 430748/Heavenly Body.
-- Scheme of Heavenly Body, 390th BS, 42nd BG, 13th AF.

Tallmantz Aviation Collection on YouTube
Frank Tallman - Wikipedia

Madras aviation museum
Photo by Ada Leeuw

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt '226641'

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
You can just read the serial here: 44-90471

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Registered with the FAA as NX47DA. Its previous registrations were: 44-90471, 532 (Peru) and 114 (Peru).

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Lockheed PV-2D Harpoon, registered N83L (c/n 15-1501)

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
You gotta love those pin-ups! Hurray for 'Rose's Raiders'!
NL83L had the following identities: BuNo.37535, N7079C, N83L.

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
NL83L, not sure what the L in NL83L signifies; NX is for experimental, that I know, but 'L'?
Mike Meyer wrote me the following to explain: "I used to Crew Chief NL83L , so I know it quite well.
The L in the registration is for 'Limited Airworthiness'-category. She was a fire ant pellet spreader;
Neil Rose bought her in Dothan (Alabama) about 1989 or 1990. I didn’t do a lot of the work to pretty
her up, but was involved in the regular inspection and gripe repair work. She was at Pearson Airfield
in Vancouver WA for several years. I’d typed up Plane Captain Notes for her care and feeding so the
next Crew Chief doesn’t have to re-invent the wheel."
Madras aviation museum
Photo by Ada Leeuw

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
The PV-2 Harpoon is quite a sizeable aircraft.

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
The gunner position here in the PV-2D Harpoon.

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
The Douglas AD-4W Skyraider (AEW.1), NX4277N (c/n 7850).
The Douglas Skyraider has such a well balanced design it makes for one of my favourite warbirds.

Doug Bodkin, Capt. USMC (Ret.), wrote me in Nov.2015: "...about that Spad with Marine markings BuNo. 126867, painted as BuNo. 126840. Perhaps a clue might be the tail marking 'RM'.
This was the squadron designation of my old outfit, VMCJ-3, based at MCAS El Toro; although when I was flying with them it was in the EF-10B. My time with VMCJ-3 at MCAS El Toro dates from September 1968 through February 1969.
The glass bulges were for its role in electronic countermeasure measures (ECM) warfare, housing direction-finding antennae for passive ECM work.
Active ECM would have been conducted from pods on wing stations."
Regards,
Doug

David Collier wrote me in June 2016: "Capt. Bodkin service was much too late to be of help in trying to figure out the paint scheme on the Museum's AD.
The tail code RM was assigned to VMC-1 during 1952-53 while operating in Korea The squadron was rarely tasked to conduct AEW missions, although they had four AD-4W guppy variants assigned with their APS-20 radar, and maintained aircrew proficiency through training missions.
Note that the squadron marking below the service name does not show on the Museums' AD.
My guess is the Tail Code RM reflects the name of one of the previous owners of this warbird, since VMC-1 does not appear anywhere on the aircraft and the plane has lost most of the distinguishing features of the -W.
I remember photos of this plane when I was active in 'Warbirds of America'.
I will look in back copies of their magazine for an article on the owner who had the plane painted in is current scheme.
A listing of AD-4Ws transferred to the Royal Navy does not include BuNo. 126840 and Joe Baugher's website does not show that number.
A list of AD-4Ws does show BuNo. 1289340 c/n 7823, but has no information on units that operated the aircraft.
The bubble domes were installed just aft of the crewmembers' door, when the aircraft was converted to a target tug."

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
NX4277N, former identities by Bob Ogden's reference book: BuNo.126867, WV181, SE-EBK, G-BMFB.
So if it was BuNo.126867, why is it painted with the BuNo.126840? EMAIL

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Note the glass bulges, no doubt fitted for the AEW-task: Airborne Early Warning.

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
The carrier deck configuration is quite handy here too!

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Another sleek design: Vought F4U-7 Corsair, NX1337A (formerly: BuNo.13722, 722 France).

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Grumman FM-2 Wildcat, NX58918 (c/n 5812, ex/ BuNo.86754).

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Grumman made some fantastic warbirds, here: the TBM-3E Avenger, NX6447C (c/n 3637, ex/ BuNo.53575, N6447C)

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Lockheed P-38L Lightning, NX2114L (c/n 422-8087, ex/ 44-27083, NX75551, N75551, N502MH)

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Lockheed P-38L Lightning 5781 'Tangerine', in honour of Lt. E.C. Ethell.
The unsharpness on the left side was due to (undetected) damagecaused when a security officer dropped my lens
when we were checked before boarding our flight in Amsterdam, at the start of our trip. My Canon EF 16-35/f2.8
did not show any damage, but when taking photos in available light, at full 2.8 diafragma opening (without tripod) this
unsharpness appeared. I only noticed it when I had returned home. Fortunately it was repairable, for it is an excellent lens.

On a forum I read: "Tangerine was the first P-38F (41-7654) flown by Irvin C. Ethell (48th FS, 14th FG).
A German PK photograph shows its wreck somewhere in Tunisia."
On another forum: "Tangerine was flown by Lt. E.C. Ethell and later was lost on a mission with another pilot flying it. The airplane was assigned to the 14th Fighter Group, 48th Squadron. E.C. Ethell's son was Jeffrey Ethell: warbird researcher, author, pilot and photo guru."

Photo by Ada Leeuw, using her compact Canon SX280!

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Douglas A-24A Dauntless, NX5254L (c/n 2350, ex/ 42-60817, N9152H, N15749)

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
This Douglas A-24A Dauntless S-9 (NX5254L) seems to be in maintenance.

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
North American T-6G Texan, N100XK (c/n 168-430, ex/ 49-3326, E.16-69)

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Painted in tribute to Norman 'Swede' Ralston, the Erickson Aircraft Collection's North American T-6 Texan.

Norman William Ralston (b. 28Nov1916 – d.14Nov2007) was an American pilot
During World War II, Ralston, known as 'Swede', trained hundreds of Army pilots at the Rankin Air Academy in Tulare,CA. Rankin Aeronautical Academy was a civilian flight school for the United States Army Air Corps.
As a stunt pilot, he operated a fleet of aircraft for Ralston Airshows.
He became famous for flying an AT-6 Texan through Naval Air Station Tillamook, a World War II Blimp Hangar, in Tillamook,OR.
Ralston constructed the first commercial hangar at Hillsboro,OR and helped found the Hillsboro Airport.
He co-founded the airline company Aero Air, a successful full service Fixed Based Operator.
Wikipedia

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Bell P-39N Airacobra, 42485 (no further details)

Bell built a total of 9,584 Airacobras of which 4,773 were delivered to the Soviet Union whose pilots preferred the aircraft for its ground attack capability.the P-39 gained great respect as a destroyer of German tanks and vehicles.
www.ericksoncollection.com/aircraft/#/bell-p-39-airacobra/
That serial 42485 could be 'bogus', could be the real thing. Not much to go on, have no data on its history.
But if there is a relation with USAAF serials, '42485'is hard to place. Joe Baugher listed the serial batches and they all relate to fiscal year 1942, and only as 42-9485 I could fit this P-39N in one of the possible serial batches (42-9127/9726 - 600 planes).
www.joebaugher.com/usaf_fighters/p39_14.html

Erickson Collection, Madras
Exotic: Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa, registered N43JE (no further details).
N43JE is a replica. Nicknamed 'Oscar' by the Allies, the Ki-43 was the
Imperial Japanese Army's most widely flown fighter of World War II.

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection

P-51 N551D
History and previous identities (from www.mustangsmustangs.com )
1945: Dec 12, RAAF, BOC
1947: Aug 06, RAAF instructional airframe, Ballart VIC
1953: Dec 04, disposal
1954: surplus, Wilmore Aviation Services Pty Ltd, Moorabbin VIC
1959: Oct, VH-BOY, sale, Fawcett Aviation, Bankstown NSW
1959: Bankstown NSW, 'Miss Yankee'
1976: Jun 05, crashed, take-off, Bankstown NSW, rebuilt
1978: sale, Warbirds of Great Britian, UK
1979: sale, Gordon Plaskett, King City CA
1981: sale, Flying Tigers Farms, Bakersfield CA
1983: N551D #3, sale, Bill Destefani, Bakersfield CA, restoration Shafter CA
1983: N551D, sale, Jack Erickson / Erickson Air Cranes, Central Point OR, adopted 45-11489, later 44-14826 (on FAA reg)
1988: N551D, Red-nose, coded QP J 'Sabrina' on right nose
1997: based, Tillamook Air Museum, Tillamook OR
2007: N551D, Provenance Fighter Sales
2007: Sep, Geoff Milne, Melbourne Australia, not delivered - Milne killed in aircraft crash Australia
2009: N551D, Jack Erickson / Erickson Group Ltd, Medford OR

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
North American / Aero Classics P-51D, registered to Erickson Group Ltd as N551D, serial 44-14826 (mfr 1944).

Eric West wrote me in June 2015, he has the inside track on this Mustang:
"Somebody recently sent me a link to your Erickson Collection site and I thought you might like a little further bit of history on their P51D, pictured in yur report.
In fact, strictly speaking, it is NOT a P-51D! It is in fact a Commonwealth Aircraft Co CAC 17, an Australian built variant of the P51D, originally powered not by a Packard V1650 Merlin, but by a Rolls-Royce Merlin 266 (which I think was built by Packard anyway).

I knew it as VH-BOY back in the early 1970s when I flew it as well as its sister ship VH-BOZ.
At the time they were used as target tugs by Illawarra Flying School, flying out of Bankstown Sydney. They were fitted with a winch and a rear facing winch operators seat, in an open cockpit behind the pilot’s seat, where the fuselage fuel tank used to be.
The canopy was replaced with a fairly standard version when not being used for towing. These were, if memory serves, the first civil Mustangs to operate in Australia.

CAA did all it could to prevent ex warbirds from being operated privately and it took a law suit to finally get Mustangs into private hands. 'BOY & 'BOZ were flying before that, but only on contract to the Australian Navy."

Continued further below-->

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection

Eric West continues on the career of this Mustang, when it flew as as target tug:
"You can see the winch sticking out of the starboard fuselage, just behind the wing trailing edge.
The winches were actually powered by windflow. At one time the aircraft had a drogue tube to launch the target drogue, but we towed them off like a banner in my day.
The cables, when fully wound out, were about a mile long.
It did not really do much for the aircraft’s performance, it needed all the power it had! The Center of Gravity was a bit aft of optimal as well, the aircraft had a disturbing tendency to pitch nose up in the landing flare and you would have to initiate the flare, and then pole forward a bit to keep the right attitude.
They were not too easy to fly straight & level either, and about an hour was enough with the drogue out the back.

I have flown far nicer Mustangs since, but then they had not been messed about with!
Both aircraft were a bit tired and rough back then, 'BOY was very scruffy when I flew her, but we know what she looks like now, most gratifying to see it too.
'BOZ is in the RAAF Museum at Cook Point and is magnificent back in her original colours."

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Focke Wulf FW190-A8 registered N447FW (serial 739447, asper FAA website).

FW190 c/n 739447 (from: www.aerialvisuals.ca)
On 21Feb2001 - To Thinnes Jay, Sedona, AZ with c/r N447FW.
On 26 March 2010 - To unknown owner; registration pending to a new owner in Virginia Beach, VA.
-- - Based at Military Aviation Museum & Fighter Factory, Virginia Beach Airport, Virginia Beach,VA
On 20 April 2010 - Civil registration, N447FW, cancelled (exported to Germany).
On 04May2011 - To Training Services Inc, Virginia Beach,VA with tailnumber N447FW.
On 10 May 2011 - Certificate of airworthiness for NX447FW (FW 190-A8, 739447) issued.
--- To Tillamook Air Museum, Tillamook Airport, Tillamook,OR.
On 24July2013 - Civil registration revised, indicating ownership by Erickson Group LTD, Beaverton,OR.

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Focke Wulf FW190-A8, N447FW.
Bob Ogden's reference book did not list this FW190, but did list a Hispano HA-1112MiL Messerschmitt N90602
which I did not see upon my visit here. Perhaps it is still in Tillamook,OR? According to the FAA Registry website
N90602 is still reg'd to Erickson Group Ltd.

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Aero L-29 Delfin, NX7149E (c/n 993629; ex/ A-2918 Indonesia, LL-2918 Indonesia)

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Globe GC-1B N80888. The FAA website states: serial 291, mfr 1946, reg'd 17Jan2013 Larry R. Martin.

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Classics! Cannot tell anything about the car, but the aircraft is a Grumman G-15 Duck (J2F-6), N3960C.
Ex/ BuNo.33559, N3960C, N910CM.

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Boeing-Stearman PT-17 Kaydet (c/n 75-4405; ex/ 42-16242)

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Going outside I came across this veteran, Lockheed P-2 Neptune.

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
BuNo.148360/LZ-4 (VP-94) was reg'd on 24Mar99 N360RR for Jack A. Erickson.
In the early-1990s it seems it was destined (registered even?) to Military Heritage Command, Las Vegas but maybe
that museum or preservation never got off the ground.
What do you think of that backdrop, eh? I don't mean the 'DC-9', I mean Mt Jefferson of course!

Now we come to the Erickson Aero Tankers and we see former Butler Aircraft Services N401US, Douglas DC-7 c/n 45145/767.

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Tanker 62 with the future looming in the background.
Ken Swartz found N401US 'Tanker 62' in a new livery in 2016, HERE...

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
A bit of history from my records: Delivered to United Airlines in feb.1957 as N6331C. To US Overseas Airlines, registered
N401US, leased from C&J Aircraft Leasing 10Jan64. Sold to Stanley D.Weiss in 1965. USOA collapsed in 1964.
Reg'd 25Mar1976 to Butler Arcraft Company, based at Redmond,OR. Operated on Air Tanker contract summer 1998.
While based at Lancaster-Fox Field,CA seen 25Oct03, on duty for fighting fires. Cal Butler, Founder, died 2004.
N401US at Medford,OR 21Aug05, on call for fighting fires. And 25Oct07 active at San Bernardino ATB.
Butler Aircraft Services taken over by Erickson Aero Air and on 27dec12 had N401US, N838D, N6353C reg'd to
Erickson Aero Air LLC, while reg'd 26Nov12 to Corsair Two LLC, Hillsboro,OR for Aero Air LLC.
Reported 25Mar14 at Madras, parked with no.1 prop missing. But seems in fine shape here.

2020 is expected to be the last season for Erickson's DC-7s; T66 N6353C is said to have been stored for spare parts (Jan.2020)

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection

Erickson Aero Tanker is a subsidiary of the Hillsboro,OR based Aero Air LLC founded in 1998. One of Erickson's co-owners is Mr Jack Erickson, who was the founder and former owner of Erickson Air Crane, which was sold to the ZM Private Equity Funds in 2007.
Keen to enter the air tanker business, Aero Air bought Butler Aircraft Company from its then owner Mr Travis Garrick in December 2012.
As part of the deal, Aero Air acquired Butler's three DC-7 air tankers, support equipment and spare parts, which are all held in a recently constructed hangar facility at Madras Mun'l Airport,OR which is leased from the city of Madras.
All three DC-7's now sport the Erickson Aero Tanker logo in place of Butler Aircraft titling. The new logo features an MD-87 streaming fire retardantin its wake - maybe a prophecy of the DC-7's eventual replacement.

The above from Martin A Cooper's excellent 4-page "The Magnificent Sevens", in Propliner magazine no.140 (autumn 2014). The fan magazine for propliner enthusiasts.
The Magnificent Sevens in Propliner magazine

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Tanker 66 is DC-7 N6353C (c/n 45486/964), undergoing some maintenance here.
I was told the 'the third one' was still on contract in California. This is Tanker 60, N838D.

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
It seems that Tanker 66 is normally based during the firefighting season at Redmond,OR and T#62 at Medford,OR.
But they obviously move around Oregon as fire demand dictates. T#60 has a contract in California with CalFire until 2016.

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Maintenance being sone on the Wright R-3350 engine.

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection

Tim Crippin posted this photo on the Fire Bombers group on Facebook: "Newly painted T-66 arrived in Medford around 5:40 this afternoon." That was 19Mar2015.

Hopefully this will mean that it may continue in active service for many more years!

October last year I was at Madras, see MY REPORT 'ERICKSON AIRCRAFT COLLECTION' for more details on T66

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection

N9483R is a Snow S2C. From Wikipedia:
"The Ayres Thrush, formerly the Snow S-2, the Aero Commander Ag Commander and the Rockwell Thrush Commander, is an American low-wing agricultural aircraft produced by Ayres Corporation and more recently by Thrush Aircraft.
It is one of the most successful and long-lived agricultural application aircraft types in the world, with almost 2.000 sold since the first example flew 59 (!) years ago."

"Snow Aeronautical (Wikipedia) was a US aircraft manufacturer, established in 1955 in Olney,TX by Leland Snow to manufacture and market agricultural aircraft of his design.
The British aviation company of Britten-Norman acted as distributors for Snow's aircraft and later took an equity stake in the company. The company was purchased by the Aero Commander division of North American Rockwell in 1965."

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Identified by the faded nosecone: N756Z, Douglas DC-7B (c/n 45400/864, former N347AA).
History on N756Z can be found on my page DC-7 (may 1996), a more recent image on USA 2012, N756Z stored @Richmond .
The DC-7 page has more details on Butler & TBM, while the 2012 page has more details on Butler / Erickson Aero.

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
In 2007 N756Z was missing essential part but still played a role as an engine testbed for Butler Aircraft Services.
Back then it was still considered to be up for restoration, to complete airworthiness, but they must have run into serious snags.

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
Erickson Aero tankers has the MD-87 as the future jet airtanker.
During 2014 they had 3 MD-87 available for airtanker duties, though there were still a few snags to adress.

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection

Still with the Spanair titles on the fuselage, but the EC-registration replaced by tailnumber N292EA.
N292EA was reg'd to Corsair two LLC on 20Apr2012 and on the FAA Registry this MD-87 was tied to c/n 53208.
Website www.planespotters.net has its history as EC-634 / Iberia, EC-FEY / Iberia, EC-KVA / Spanair, SE-DMM / SAS Scandinavian AL (07Feb2012) / N292EA / Erickson Aero Tanker (20Apr2012).

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
EC-FFI is MD-87 c/n 53210. Its career started with Iberia as EC-636 on 28Jun1991, was rereg'd EC-FFI for
Iberia and to Erickson as N294EA (not yet applied to aircraft) on 26Jul2013. Again according to www.planespotters.net,
but a bit strange that Spanair is not featured in this list.

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
EC-LUJ is MD-87 c/n 53212 and has a similar background: EC-638 / Iberia, EC-FHD / Iberia, stored at Madrid,Spain
in 2007, then stored at Sockholm-ARN Dec.2012, EC-LUJ / TAT Tiger Aircraft Trading (Jan.2013)
and reg'd as N296EA for Erickon Aero Tanker on 07Feb2013.

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection

EC-FHK is MD-87 c/n 53213. It started with Iberia as EC-639 in 1991, rereg'd EC-FHK for Iberia that same year, stored at Madrid in 2007, stored at Madras 15Mar2013 after SE-DMS for SAS Scandinavian AL was not taken up, N297EA was reg'd to Erickson Aero Tanker on 23Apr2013.

It remains to be seen if they all get 'tanked' or some will remain grounded for use of spare parts supply.
The mountains in the distance are of a group called the Three Sisters.
We were every fortunate with the weather: the next day, boarding our flight, it was all wind and rain that was on offer.

Madras, Erickson Aircraft Collection
A last view on Mt Jefferson and the planes here, we'd drive to Portland passing Mr Hood, that other remarkable landmark
of the Cascades in Oregon.

http://www.ericksoncollection.com/

A list from Bob Ogden's 'Aviation Museums & Collections of North America' (Air-Britan, 2011)
As one can see the aircraft depicted here on my webpage are the airworthy ones; we'll have to see
if the non-flyable ones of the Erikson Aircraft Collection will make it to Madras too.
Erickson Aircraft Collection at Madras

USA NORTHWEST 2014 ~ERICKSON AIRCRAFT COLLECTION & AERO AIRTANKERS ~ (MADRAS, OREGON)

MORE ON THIS NORTHWEST USA 2014 TRIP: PAGE 1 - WASHINGTON STATE KENMORE AIR HARBOR, SEATTLE HISTORIC FLIGHT FOUNDATION AT PAINE FIELD MISSOULA'S MUSEUM OF MOUNTAIN FLYING PAGE 2 - IDAHO MONTANA WYOMING OREGON NAMPA'S WARHAWK AIR MUSEUM GREYBULL, WY ~ PAGE ONE | PAGE TWO

USA NORTHWEST 2014

~ERICKSON AIRCRAFT COLLECTION
& AERO AIRTANKERS ~
(MADRAS, OREGON)

MORE ON THIS NORTHWEST USA 2014 TRIP:
PAGE 1 - WASHINGTON STATE
KENMORE AIR HARBOR, SEATTLE
HISTORIC FLIGHT FOUNDATION AT PAINE FIELD
MISSOULA'S MUSEUM OF MOUNTAIN FLYING
PAGE 2 - IDAHO MONTANA WYOMING OREGON
NAMPA'S WARHAWK AIR MUSEUM
GREYBULL, WY ~ PAGE ONE | PAGE TWO