Monroe, La 16 Sept

[GARY HILTON]

[The Inspector]

Having lived (!?!) in that charming municipality for a while in the mid 70's, (upwind from the OLINKRAFT plant) I see that in spite of it being the birthplace of HUFF-DALAND Dusting Service (kids, study your airline lineages) air service hasn't improved much-

[RMAllnutt]

A quick look on the FAA register shows that tired looking Gooney Bird is actually a very rare DC-3A, built in 1938. I sure do hope they save her.

Richard

[Tillerman]

I took a picture of that DC-3 in 1993, at Houma-Terrebonne Airport, LA.
It was WFU back then already. It had EASI titling, and had been in use as a mosquito sprayer.



The old airliner interior was basically intact, it still carried the open overhead bins. The cabin was was infested with large stinging insects, so I took the photo and made for a rapid exit.



There are not that many DC-3's around with the original integrated airstair/passenger door.



Good to see it has not been scrapped.

Tillerman.

[Chicoartist]

. . . I see that in spite of it being the birthplace of HUFF-DALAND Dusting Service (kids, study your airline lineages) air service hasn't improved much-

Yep, Delta Air Lines' birthplace of record was Monroe, La. In the off-season, they'd swap fertilizer for some pax in the Huff-Daland dusters and fly routes throughout the southeast. Delta Air Corp., or somesuch, the name of the "Delta" crop dusting service, was the "parent" organization, and DAL still maintains jet service to little ol' MLU last I checked. My old stomping grounds ... MLU is a great training airport for local Louisiana Tech since it has at least one of every type of approach. Got my instrument rating there.

One of DAL's Huffs is on display at the Southern Museum of Flight in Birmingham, AL. It's in beautiful shape.

Wade

[The Inspector]

And, they built their own HUFF-DALLAND airframes, best described as 'very functional in appearance' They looked like the crates Stearmans were sent in-
One of the members of EAA Chapter 261 in Noo Awlunz in the 70's was a senior DELTA DC-8 stretch Captain but said his first few years he'd go dust in the Summer as part of his regular job with DELTA. Al also owned a beautiful WACO ZPF

[tulsaboy]

Does anyone know who Environmental Aviation is? They're listed as the owner. We're trying to restore Flagship Tulsa, an original American Airlines DC-3, and those original interior parts are kinda hard to find. If we could get those hat rack pieces, it would make our lives much better. Can anyone help?

kevin

[The Inspector]

My guess would be, according to TILLERMANS posting, an ex mosquito sprayer. which probably means it's clapped out, unairworthy, and suffering from severe corrosion, I would start by contacting the MLU airport authority (or the Parish gov't) and see if the thing can be traced to it's owners or, if you could help them out by paying a portion of the I'll guess, overdue tie down fees and part the thing out and helping to 'clean up' the airport, NOISEEDAVE, you listening?

[Tom Crawford]

These aircraft are part of the Aviation Military Museum, www.ammla.net. They are a fledging museum trying to keep the memory of Selman Field's WWII history alive. I'm sure they would appreciate a donation.

The Beech is suppose to represent the multitudes of AT-7's that once filled the ramps were used in training navigators and of course the DC-3 is in memory of Delta Airlines. The museum is a long ways from ever having a flying example of either of these planes.

The museum also has a fairly large collection of General Claire Chennault memorabilia as for a time Monroe was his mailing address prior to heading to China.

My father worked at Selman as a aircraft mechanic during the war years. Selman it still one my favorite stops when I get to visit Monroe. I enjoy a lot of nostalgic memories about the old field.

For a time Eric Mingledorf maintained and flew a P-40 in AVG marking from this field. He sold the plane and it currnetly resides in the War Eagles Air Museum in Santa Teresa, NM.
Tom