Here's hoping the WIX community might have seen this and can aid in the prosecution and recovery...
Cockpit section of USN R5D (C-54Q) stolen Saturday, 01 December 2007 from Memorial Airfield, Chandler, Arizona. Aircraft was in open storage. Unrestored cockpit section measured appx. 12' x 12' x 25' from nose cone to sleeper compartment bulkhead. Weight is appx. 5500 to 6500 pounds.
USN R5D-3 (C-54Q) Bureau No. 56528, built Douglas Aircraft Corp. accepted 28 July 1945 FAA Reg. No. N44915, formerly operated by Biegert Aviation, Inc. Aircraft cockpit is an assest purchased by AN Vintage Aircraft Restorations, Ltd. Mesa, AZ and slated for display with Wingspan Air Heritage Foundation, Mesa, AZ on a long-term loan.
Witnesses last saw the aircraft cockpit headed down Interstate 10, west-bound, mid-day on Saturday, 01 Dec. Cockpit was loaded on a commerical truck-trailer combination, possibly by a commerical carrier. Those who saw it last assumed it was being removed by the owner or the intended museum group. It wasn't.
Cockpit was obviously targeted by an aircraft afficionado as it had to have been purposely loaded at the airfield onto a large trailer with a crane or heavy piece of lift equipment. Law enforcement officials believe it was not taken for salvage, as other aviation related items including outer wing panels, a trailered Douglas DC-7 nose section and a trailered aircraft tail section were not touched.
This Navy cockpit section is nicknamed "The Admiral" for its role in a 1950s south pole mapping mission the military code named "Operation Deep Freeze." The Admiral was the second C-54 (R5D) reported to have landed on the pole ice cap. Retired from service at Litchfield Naval Air Facility, Phoenix in excess of 25,000 TT airframe hours, it eventually was purchased by Biegert and slated for conversion to become a spray aircraft. The conversion never took place and "The Admiral" became an engine and propellor donor for other R5D aircraft in the fleet. Because of its Naval history, the owners tried to donate the airplane back to the US Navy for preservation, but the expense to ready the airplane for ferry flight and apparant lack of interest from this service branch lead to its demise in January 2006. The cockpit section was retained to preserve a portion of the aircraft for future generations to see and appreciate.
Please view the enclosed photos and alert any of the names in this posting if you've seen this aircraft cockpit. Note the special "brass" placard holder under the pilot's sliding window, spray paint "X 1st" marking on fuselage. A reward is offered for the safe return of "The Admiral." And for those who illegally removed the cockpit, this is now an issue for law enforcement officials unless owner/museum staff is contacted first and the asset is located.
Contacts:
Officer C. Wilcox, Gila River Indian Community Police Department, Sacaton, Arizona, reference DR#2007-038594 (520) 562-4511
Robert Kropp - ANVAR - (602) 708-3942 Phoenix, Arizona (or PM "'Pooner" via this message board).
Jeff Furnari - Executive Director, Wingspan Air Heritage Foundation, Mesa, Arizona (480) 226-9283
Thanks, WIXers. Hate to be the bearer of bad news. The older I get I become less and less tollerant of thieves and airplane vandals. I'll keep ya'll posted as to how this plays out.
- 'Pooner
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
