D Day museum gets a C-47

[Pat Carry]

The Natl D Day Museum in New Orleans has acquired through a donation combat veteran C-47 42-93096. This C-47 participated in the D Day invasion, Market Garden, Battle of the Bulge and the jumping of the Rhine River in March 1945. Unfortunately in my point of view the plane is currently in flying condition but will spend the rest of its days on static display.

[RickH]

Pat, is that the C-47 that has been for sale down in Hondo, TX. ?

[Aircraft Mech Paul]

Hi All,

well...this may or may not be a touchy subject for all of you out there. Regarding the flyability of the combat verteran aircraft that are still with us. But, from my point of view, having worked around many flyable examples of these fine Warbirds, I would like to take the opportunity to perhaps state my case, as I see it.

From a purely selfish point of view, I am all for the idea of restoring and maintaining combat veteran aircraft in an airworthy condition. If flown, they are the ones that should be flown with much more care and TLC than the non combat vet's. However, if, as in this case, an airworthy example of a C-47 is around....I for one do not mind seeing it on the ground as a "static" display. But keeping it maintained as if it were ready for flight would be a very good thing. There are many, many other examples of the type still flying, so why put something with a signifigantly higher historical value at risk of damage than the ones who never saw the type of combat that this aircraft has had ? In other words, fly the ones with less signifigance from an historical perspective.

The same logic holds true, at least to me, that if there were ONLY 4-5 examples of the aircraft breed known to exist, then why not fly one or two ? Combat veteran or not. But always keeping in mind of the historical rareness and the higher level of TLC the aircraft deserves because of that signifigance.

There are plenty of DC-3/C-47/R4D still airworthy. So why put one whose historical signifigance is on a higher level at risk ? The same holds true of the remaining Mustang population. Why put a combat vet at risk when there are others that can fill it's role for our amusement just as easily.

I am not condemming the efforts to keep the combat vets airworthy. After all they belong to someone. And the owners have the right to do with them as they see fit.

I hope that this doesn't sound like the ramblings of an idiot. And I hope that folks understand the perspective I am attempting to put forward here.

Respectfully,

Paul

[Obergrafeter]

Yes it is the one from Hondo. Getting new paint as we speak. It also has one really low time engine on it. Seems a shame to put that on static.

[N3Njeff]

Cool, glad to see "eider duck" is going to a good home. To bad that she will be limited to the ground. It still saddens me that one of its fellow company airplanes N54NA is not around. She truly was the museum piece. I hope that the museum will take the time and put the paddle board props back on. I will remember always when they flew the skies over New England when they worked for a living.

[DIK SHEPHERD]

And, what will be said after the next major hurricane goes through New Orleans?

Oops!

Or maybe . . , sorry about that!

In other words, any area that is constantly subjected to any high wind weather shouldn't have any historically significant aircraft on display. Unless, they also have an established plan to evacuate the aircraft whenever necessary.

Just look at the Navy's Museum in Pensacola. Just look at Week's operation.

Sure . . , everybody says that they have planty of insurance. But, in the long run, who ends up paying for the damage? We do!

It's just like those A** holes that build their houses on the outer banks of the Carolinas. Every other year or so, they get blown away. Then they turn around and rebuild on the same spot. Because they get cheap insurance through the US government, and the taxpayers end up with the bills.

So, if they want a C-47, fine. Just get some old hulk that isn't going to fly again. The majority of the museum visitors won't know it's history, nor will they care.