Warbird Information Exchange

Chris or Scott,
Do you know what type aircraft this is?
This photo is not mine but I have passed by the plane before. It still has U.S. Air force insignia, and the wings and engines are on the ground. It is rumored years ago to have been trying to smuggle drugs from the airport, seized, and then the wings removed for transport to a park in Valledupar, Cesar.

It's a Douglas C-118, military version of the DC-6 airliner. I used to see the Navy versions flying out of Glenview Naval Air Station in the 1970s; our armed forces had retired most of them by the end of that decade. Many were bought by civilian outfits for freight and fuel hauling, or conversion to firefighting aircraft, but some ended up in the smuggling business. Next time you pass by, could you check it for a serial or registration?

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

Or perhaps try and locate the old TRADO Connie that was reported to be sitting derelict and bullet riddled in the Guajira part of Colombia. This was following a drug run around 1980. It is another of those aircraft still thought to maybe linger in the weeds somewhere.

http://www.conniesurvivors.com/HI-332.htm

T J

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Make my day, punk!

Mr. Johansen,
I have looked for this constellation as I live in Riohacha, la Guajira, but I believe what was left has been scraped for the aluminum.

Slight digress....

Use to see Connies often making the PR to DomRep run while stationed in BQN. Kinda looks like at least one in this pic collecting bird droppings at the Santo Domingo Intl (lower right plane?).

Wyman: Sad, but hardly surprising I guess.

CoastieJohn: This one? http://www.conniesurvivors.com/HI-542CT.htm

T J

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Make my day, punk!

I was stationed there at BQN twice and that one was sitting on the south side of the runway forever. I do recall the missing wing parts.

There's a DC-6 (?) that's on the way to the airport in Cali that's in a playground, I'm going back with my wife to visit her family there at the end of August, so I'll take some pics.

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"According to the map, we've only gone 4 inches."