Status? DC-3 N472AF

vernicator · **Joined:** Fri Apr 14, 2006 11:42 am **Posts:** 350

Hi all.

I used to see this aircraft at my home town airport as C-GRSA several years ago in what can best be desribed as derelict condition. It was completely restored and flown out eventually moving south. Last I've heard is that it was running freight and there's a picture on airliners.net of the machine taken back in 2002.

Does anyone know if it's still alive? Flying? Got any pics??

Here's the details of this airframe:
C/N. 13485 Ex 42-93560 became KG668 Douglas Dakota III to RCAF as 12942, to C-GRSA, to USA as N471AF, to Brazil as XA-SYN, to USA N472AF

The Inspector · **Posted:** Thu May 13, 2010 11:42 am

According to the FAA home page DC-3C-S1C3G is registered to R.F. Diver on Fishtrap Rd. in Crossroad, TX. :wink:

marine air · **Posted:** Thu May 13, 2010 11:52 am

two questions.
1) What is thought to be the most historic dc-3/ C-47 still flying?
2) What is the most historic dc-3/ c-47 remaining in any condition or museum?

Matt Sharkey · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 2:27 pm **Posts:** 223

marine air wrote:

two questions.
1) What is thought to be the most historic dc-3/ C-47 still flying?
2) What is the most historic dc-3/ c-47 remaining in any condition or museum?

[quote="marine air"]two questions.

1. To me, any C-47 that was part of the D-Day airborne drop or the later Allied airborne drops. "Tico Belle" fits that description. http://www.vacwarbirds.org/belle/index.html

vernicator · **Joined:** Fri Apr 14, 2006 11:42 am **Posts:** 350

Me thinks me post got hello-jacked.

Chris Brame · **Posted:** Thu May 13, 2010 8:41 pm

Quote:

to Brazil as XA-SYN

That's a Mexican registration; was it owned by someone in Mexico but based in Brazil?

Pathfinder · **Joined:** Tue Nov 10, 2009 7:35 pm **Posts:** 587

Most historically significant?

I believe that DC-3 #5 was flying the Boston-Cape Cod route up until recently.

C-47 42-93096 flew as Normandy Pathfinder Chalk 17 and had a long post-war life as a freighter--even flying in OD and stripes with the air cargo outfit out of Burlington, VT. Later in SC and TX. Was flyable when sold on eBay and was flown to the National WW2 Museum in NOLA. Regrettably...they embalmed her before they hung her on the ceiling. N3NJeff here on WIX knows her history from when she came from Sweden...I have done an extensive bio on her from her wartime service.

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Thu May 13, 2010 9:41 pm

Pathfinder wrote:

Most historically significant?

I believe that DC-3 #5 was flying the Boston-Cape Cod route up until recently.

C-47 42-93096 flew as Normandy Pathfinder Chalk 17 and had a long post-war life as a freighter--even flying in OD and stripes with the air cargo outfit out of Burlington, VT. Later in SC and TX. Was flyable when sold on eBay and was flown to the National WW2 Museum in NOLA. Regrettably...they embalmed her before they hung her on the ceiling. N3NJeff here on WIX knows her history from when she came from Sweden...I have done an extensive bio on her from her wartime service.

Good times as a kid to go to the airport!!!! I really should hit up dad for his pictures and get them scanned and posted. It was quite a company and pretty neat to see them on the ramp at one time!! Believe they had 4 airplanes but I cant remember. N54NA was my favorite.

K5DH · **Posted:** Thu May 13, 2010 10:47 pm

I believe that one of the two C-47s under restoration at VFM is a D-Day and possibly Market Garden veteran. The other is definitely a Pacific veteran that was crewed by the current owner's father.

Andy Marden · **Posted:** Fri May 14, 2010 4:57 am

vernicator wrote:

Hi all.

I used to see this aircraft at my home town airport as C-GRSA several years ago in what can best be desribed as derelict condition. It was completely restored and flown out eventually moving south. Last I've heard is that it was running freight and there's a picture on airliners.net of the machine taken back in 2002.

Does anyone know if it's still alive? Flying? Got any pics??

Here's the details of this airframe:
C/N. 13485 Ex 42-93560 became KG668 Douglas Dakota III to RCAF as 12942, to C-GRSA, to USA as N471AF, to Brazil as XA-SYN, to USA N472AF

In an attempt to answer the original question in this post.....
It lives at Rhome/Fairview Airport (7TS0), being last recorded there in Apr09.
Regards,
Andy Marden

Author: USA Military Out of Service 2010 (new edition just going to print)

vernicator · **Joined:** Fri Apr 14, 2006 11:42 am **Posts:** 350

Andy Marden wrote:

In an attempt to answer the original question in this post.....
It lives at Rhome/Fairview Airport (7TS0), being last recorded there in Apr09.
Regards,
Andy Marden

Author: USA Military Out of Service 2010 (new edition just going to print)

Thank you very much Andy. Very considerate of you.

Ztex · **Posted:** Fri Jan 20, 2012 10:56 am

She was at Fairview Airport (7TS0) last month.

patelie · **Posted:** Sun Jan 22, 2012 10:21 am

Matt Sharkey wrote:

1. To me, any C-47 that was part of the D-Day airborne drop or the later Allied airborne drops. "Tico Belle" fits that description. http://www.vacwarbirds.org/belle/index.html

Hi

"Drag-Em-Oot" fits also that description http://www.ruudleeuw.com/dc3-n5831b.htm
She was in 87th TCS - 438th TCG and, on D-day, was Chalk #2 in serial #7 (first serial after the pathfinders). Each year, she is coming in Normandy to make commemorative drops during the ceremonies.

In a Museum you have also "The SNAFU Special" http://www.the-snafu-special.com . She took part in Neptune, Dragoon, Market, Repulse and Varsity.

DC3R4DC47 · **Joined:** Tue Dec 08, 2009 12:34 am **Posts:** 115

each and every Douglas 3 flying today be they tramp freighter,former airliner, C47,R4D,Dakota, or Lisunov Li-2 has its own unique story to tell and as such they are all valuable, they all matter,whether they braved the flak on D-Day, or labored unseen on the night run to Pago Pago.

erwins · **Joined:** Sun Nov 01, 2015 9:14 pm **Posts:** 2

Kicking life in this old thread.

I am now in the DFW area but is seems N472AF vanished from Fairview. See google Earth. Anyone knows her whereabouts?

Brgds,
Erwin

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Status? DC-3 N472AF

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