"El Avión" (The Airplane) Restaurant in Quepos, Costa Rica.
Information provided to me, by Dr. Gary Kuhn:
Gary Kuhn photographed this Fairchild C-123K Provider, at the Ministerio de Seguridad Publica's storage area, located at the Juan Santamaría International Airport in January 1991.
The little we know about this "Provider" is, that it was initially built by Fairchild Aviation at their Hagerstown, MD plant in 1954 as a C-123B-8-FA with Fairchild's c/n 20112 and USAF's s/n 54-663. It was accepted by the USAF some time around 1954.
Data on the aircraft's service with the USAF, USAFR or ANG is unknown to me at this time.
It is known that once it was withdrawn from US Military service, it went into storage, and eventually made it probably sub-rosa for service with the Fuerza Democrática Nicaragüense [The Contras] in their fight agains the Sandinista Government of Nicaragua during the 1980s-1990s. It acquired during this period, the US civilian registration N62781 (C-123K, 54-0663).
The US Registration was cancelled 18 November 1988, and then for one reason or another, the Provider ended up at the Costa Rican MSP's storage area, where Gary saw it in 1991. The photo shows a faded SEA camouflage pattern as well as obliterated markings.
Eventually, the airplane was dismantled [see photos here:
http://www.costaverde.com/avionmove.htm]
The new owner, was the Finca Manuel Antonio, in Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas province, Costa Rica.
Once disassembled in its major components, these were moved first by road, and then by barge to Quepos, where the airplane was once again assembled, and now is the main theme of a restaurant named "El Avion" [The Airplane] Manuel Antonio Hill in Quepos, Costa Rica.
Terry Fletcher's
http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframePho ... rial=21188The airplane re-named as “Ollie's Folly” [In reference to USMC's Lt. Col. Oliver North] is now sitting on a hill above the restaurant, in Quepos.
<a href="http://flickriver.com/photos/pvdac/5594409079/">View on black</a>
Fairchild C-123K Provider:
Country of Origin: United States
Manufacturer: Chase Aircraft / Fairchild Aircraft - USA
Initial Year of Service: 1952
Production: 307
Crew: 3 + 62
Length: 78.48ft (23.92m)
Width: 110.01ft (33.53m)
Height: 33.99ft (10.36m)
Weight (Empty): 35,367lbs (16,042kg)
Weight (MTOW): 59,525lbs (27,000kg)
Powerplant: 2 x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-99W Double Wasp 18-cylinder radial piston engines generating 2,300hp each; 2 x General Electric J85-GE-17 turbojet engines developing 2,850lbf each.
Maximum Speed: 228mph (367kmh; 198kts)
Maximum Range: 1,035miles (1,666km)
Service Ceiling: 28,871ft (8,800m; 5.5miles)
Rate-of-Climb: 1,150 feet per minute (351m/min)
Hardpoints: 0
Armament Suite: None.
This, via Martin Wienert @laahs.com
http://www.laahs.com/threads/391-Provider-in-Costa-Rica20112 • C-123B C-123K 54-0663 N62781
Ascher Ward, Van Nuys CA 7.87
V. Gonzales .88
struck-off USCR 17.11.88
(wfu open storage, San Jose, Costa Rica 96)
El Avion restaurant, Hotel Costa Verde, Costa Rica 00/05
http://www.goodall.com.au/warbirds-d.../fairchild.pdf1970
http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft...000972833.html1978
http://www.flugzeugbilder.de/show.php?id=951963Even today emblem of 439th Tactical Airlift Wing (1974-1987) above the door.
Last operated (1986) by U. S. Air Force Reserve, Westover ARB, Massachusetts/USA
It acquired during this period, the US civilian registration N62781 (C-123K, 54-663).
According to the restaurant "El Avion", this was one of the two C-123's used during the Iran-Contra affair in 1986.
http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1954.htmlThe US Registration was cancelled 18 November 1988.
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