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 Post subject: Saving C-53 41-20095
PostPosted: Sat Mar 19, 2016 10:08 pm 
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 Post subject: Re: Saving C-53 41-20095
PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2016 12:11 am 
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AAIR lists a category 4 (major damage) accident at Casablanca on May 18, 1944 - have you checked the accident report for photos?
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/ ... Submit4=Go

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Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)


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 Post subject: Re: Saving C-53 41-20095
PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2016 4:40 am 
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Location: The Netherlands
jtramo wrote:
Meet DC-3A/C-53 41-20095....and Vintage Wings Inc. What started with years of talk of dreams for the future between pilot friends became plans that need to happen now when we meet this particular C-53. We are a grassroots group of younger warbird nuts, with many of the initial cadre from the Major and Regional airlines and one from ATC. Some are already well established in the warbird world and others have been trying to be!

We are still looking for detailed military records and wartime pictures for 41-20095 (help from the masters at WIX appreciated!) but the timeline places her in theater during Operation Torch and Operation Husky. At some point thereafter, when more dedicated C-47s became available, she was transferred to the Air Transport Command and was based in Cairo. Stories passed down by her owners indicate that she was used by Generals Jimmy Doolittle in Cairo and Douglas MacArthur as his personal aircraft for a two month period. We are currently looking for information to validate these claims and her service from 1942-45.

After WW2 ended, she was purchased by the Dutch Air Lines (that would become SAS?) and flown as the "Gorm Viking" until 1953. After her civilian airline service she came back to the US to become a Corporate aircraft with what looks like a Remmert Werner conversion. She had two or three owners until 1963 when she was purchased by the State Of Ohio to become "Buckeye One," the VIP transport of Ohios 4 time Governor Rhodes. He was a champion of aviation and used 41-20095 (now N34D) to dedicate new airports and give rides to kids in his "airport in every county" initiative. His Director of Aviation and pilot Norm Crabtree is credited with the quote "the airport runway is the most important main street in any town."

After her service with the State of Ohio she went to the USAF Museum in Dayton. Not getting the love she deserved, she was eventually sold and flown to her current nesting place. Our immediate goal is to ensure her future from the elements and from those who want to clip her wings (literally) for parts. Fundraising efforts are starting in days if not hours.

Our long term goals are a restoration to flight status in her 1942-43 Torch livery as an educational tool for the next generations. As a mobile museum, she will have a cabin full of displays designed to educate future generations on the importance of the DC-3 type aircraft in aviation history along with our particular aircraft's Forest Gump like life story.

Our group so far is mostly in their early to mid 30s and know what its like to be stuck on the fringe of a rather exclusive group of warbird operators. Our goal is to try to involve folks around our age and younger and connect with current vintage aircraft Gurus to ensure that the tribal knowledge of how to maintain and fly these aircraft transfers from generation to generation. We already have some wonderful and incredibly experienced advisors helping us get started. Many of us have been told for years that in order to volunteer on warbirds we must have warbird experience. We are trying to do away with that Catch 22. We are launching our website very soon, but we do have our facebook page set up for updates already. Ill try to keep our progress going here at WIX as well, as I can say these types of threads have always been my favorites.




Danish Air Lines, but they formed a partnership SAS, stands for Scandinavian Airlines System, Also Gorm Viking is not a Dutch name for an aircraft.
Also her registration was then SAS OY-DCE.
The first operator in Holland for C-47 and C-53 was KLM, after WW2.


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 Post subject: Re: Saving C-53 41-20095
PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2016 6:27 am 
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 Post subject: Re: Saving C-53 41-20095
PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2016 9:41 am 
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WTF? A quadruple reply post each copying the entire original post. What a PITA. Maybe a moderator could clean that up to make it less cumbersome to view this thread (or at least Starfighter could go back and "edit" the redundant versions of his post and delete the excessive "quoted" portions.) Please! <--- Looks like the server hung while posting. I have trimmed the duplicate threads, Scott - WRG Editor

So, this sounds like a very ambitious and worthwhile project. I wish I could volunteer to help out but I am only guessing at this point, based on the history of the aircraft in question, that you and it are located in OH - guessing because you didn't actually say or specify - and because even though you said "now N34D" that registration actually comes back to a 1988 EAA Biplane model P built by Joseph D. Clinton and now owned by a guy in Independence, OR.

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 Post subject: Re: Saving C-53 41-20095
PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2016 9:50 am 
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 Post subject: Re: Saving C-53 41-20095
PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2016 12:12 pm 
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Do you have a "punch list" of specific things that need to be done to the airplane to make it ferriable, or parts that you'll need? Have you reached out yet to any of the various DC-3/C-47 "gurus" who are still around to solicit their help and/or advice too?

I wholeheartedly agree with and approve of your mission statement of trying to preserve and pass-down the fast-disappearing knowledge and experience that it takes to maintain and operate these precious legacy aircraft and wish you the best of luck! And also, has your group qualified for or filed as a 501(C)(3) non-profit to be able to solicit tax-deductible contributions?

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“To invent the airplane is nothing. To build one is something. But to fly is everything!” - Otto Lilienthal

Natasha: "You got plan, darling?"
Boris: "I always got plan. They don't ever work, but I always got one!"

Remember, any dummy can be a dumb-ass...
In order to be a smart-ass, you first have to be "smart"
and to be a wise-ass, you actually have to be "wise"


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 Post subject: Re: Saving C-53 41-20095
PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2016 12:56 pm 
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 Post subject: Re: Saving C-53 41-20095
PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2016 2:08 pm 
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As Hannibal often said "I love it when a plan comes together!"

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“To invent the airplane is nothing. To build one is something. But to fly is everything!” - Otto Lilienthal

Natasha: "You got plan, darling?"
Boris: "I always got plan. They don't ever work, but I always got one!"

Remember, any dummy can be a dumb-ass...
In order to be a smart-ass, you first have to be "smart"
and to be a wise-ass, you actually have to be "wise"


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 Post subject: Re: Saving C-53 41-20095
PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2016 4:50 pm 
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 Post subject: Re: Saving C-53 41-20095
PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2016 6:25 pm 
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Rajay wrote:
WTF? A quadruple reply post each copying the entire original post. What a PITA. Maybe a moderator could clean that up to make it less cumbersome to view this thread (or at least Starfighter could go back and "edit" the redundant versions of his post and delete the excessive "quoted" portions.) Please! <--- Looks like the server hung while posting. I have trimmed the duplicate threads, Scott - WRG Editor

Thanks very much for the primo "service" Scott! :drink3:

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“To invent the airplane is nothing. To build one is something. But to fly is everything!” - Otto Lilienthal

Natasha: "You got plan, darling?"
Boris: "I always got plan. They don't ever work, but I always got one!"

Remember, any dummy can be a dumb-ass...
In order to be a smart-ass, you first have to be "smart"
and to be a wise-ass, you actually have to be "wise"


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 Post subject: Re: Saving C-53 41-20095
PostPosted: Tue Mar 22, 2016 8:01 pm 
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 Post subject: Re: Saving C-53 41-20095
PostPosted: Tue Mar 22, 2016 8:49 pm 
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Drop me a pm. I am half way through an Annual on a DC-3, and can offer assistance.
Simon

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 Post subject: Re: Saving C-53 41-20095
PostPosted: Sat Mar 26, 2016 11:10 pm 
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 Post subject: Re: Saving C-53 41-20095
PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 2016 8:28 am 
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Jeff, those are likely to be two different aircraft in those photos.

Note the C-53 in the top has the ADF on the top of the fuselage and no astrodome while the bottom photo the escape hatch is open, no ADF and it has has an astrodome.

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Aircraft: C47B, C-123K, Fairchild F-24, Funk Model B, L-21B, T-28B, T-34B
Static: F-4C Phantom II, F-15A, T-3 Provost


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