Gary said I should post this update - C-47A 43-15137

Quest Master · **Joined:** Fri Oct 06, 2006 2:42 pm **Posts:** 387

Gary said that I should post this up on the WIX. Originally it was a private email that I sent out, but here goes:

On veterans day I returned to my house after a 68 hour, 3200 mile long trip to and from Midland Texas with a very special piece of WWII history. I normally don't send out a "wide" update of my quest's, but this one is a little different.

Late last year my friend Mark showed me a "grouping" from a paratrooper who was killed in Normandy that he won on ebay. The grouping comprised of a gold star mothers flag, dog tags, insignia and personal effects. I was struck by the grouping. But, I didn't know why. I asked Mark for a trade....and after strict negotiations, we came to terms. I knew very little of this man who died in the service of our country. Fast forward.

At the beginning of this year I was contacted by the gifted restoration expert at the Commemorative Air Force Museum in Midland Texas. They wanted some of the parts that I had for my B-24 project to restore their B-24 back to her original wartime configuration. I himmed and hawed, but we came to terms. I drove to Midland with the parts and met with Gary, the gifted man responsible for the restoration. We BS'd in the afternoon sun in the parking lot of the CAF museum after it was all said and done. I asked if he was a collector, and he said no.....but he did have a couple of things - one was a cockpit from a C-47 Cargo aircraft. I asked him if he would sell it and he said - well maybe. Many months of negotiations went on (at the same time I did research about this plane). Gary and I came to terms and after almost a year I finally brought the cockpit back to questland (kinda like Graceland....but without all of the neon and fringe - hey don‘t laugh…Elvis did it).

So what is so special about all of this? Well, the grouping that I got from Mark - 2nd Lt. James F. Clarke......he jumped from this exact aircraft during WWII. Not an aircraft like this.....THIS exact aircraft. He jumped from this exact aircraft into Normandy ultimately resulting in the loss of his life as well as several of his troopers.

As may of you may know my life is a bit odd......but why is this so personal to me? This aircraft....this man? Well, it turns out (with tons of research of course) he (Lt. Clarke) is buried in the same cemetery on Long Island as my Grandfather. Seven degrees of Kevin Bacon.....I think I've done better.

Here is the update: (I did it kinda quickly - and after a few days of sleep deprivation) so if you see any glaring spelling errors please let me know. I'm gonna look it over in the next day or so for accurate content and spelling

.

Here you go:

http://www.questmasters.us/C-47A_43-15137.html

muddyboots · **Posted:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:25 pm

Nice! Thanks, Van!

marine air · **Posted:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:36 pm

Hey QM,

You may want to ask Gary the address of that scrapyard. Maybe they have a few more items left that go with that airplane, props, engines or maybe landing gear.
Also, how did you trace what airplane serial number that guy jumped from that was killed in the Normandy Invasion?

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:41 pm

Where is the nose going to be displayed when it is done?

Pooner · **Posted:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 9:36 pm

Chris, you rock. Stuff like this happens for a reason, man. Fate. Nothing less, nothing more.

Get on down to PHX here and we'll load you up on B-24 spares, maybe even replacing some of those you sent off to Gary. Gonna be out of room in the hangar anyway seein' as we're up to our eyeballs in PV-2 "Harpoon" stuff... gonna do my best to make City of Mesa hate me sooner if not later. They were overjoyed to see the PB4Y-2 tail section leave, but they'll be none too thrilled with a "10 tons of PV in a 8 ton capacity hangar space." :lol:

Let me know what you might need in C-47 interior (cockpit) stuff in a PM and I'll see what I can do to help ya. Have some of this tucked away in here, too...

Nice work, as always. Hat is off to you.

- R

Dan K · **Posted:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 9:50 pm

It's a true delight when perseverance is rewarded this way. I applaud your efforts.

I found only minor proofing errors in your report--I'm sure you'll find them. Of course, the motor is an R-1830 rather than an R-1930.

Again, congratulations on your find. :wink:

Quest Master · **Joined:** Fri Oct 06, 2006 2:42 pm **Posts:** 387

Marine Air - I've seen the pictures of the scrap yard from Gary.....nothing left. They cut her good. Just "chunks" left from her proud past. Gary did a great honor by saving what he did. That was the only "large" piece left. How did I trace the history of Chalk 40....recently the "Chalk" lists from the 507th Parachute Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division were discovered at the National Archives. Since I knew the serial number of this aircraft it was easy from that point.

Mustangdriver - Displayed? Well, right now at my house with the rest of my collection. I've been working on a Museum for quite a few years. Right now cyberspace is where she can be preserved and enjoyed. Hopefully in a couple of years I can offer all of my stuff to the public. Check out the rest of the website....I've got one or two cool things out there.

Pooner - Rob, shoot me an email. It has been a while since we've talked B-24!!!!!

Ztex · **Posted:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:06 pm

That's a great story!

And to think it might not have been saved if our intrepid Gary wasn't such a softy for old airplanes...

Way to go!

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:08 pm

Let me in on some B-24 chatter! :wink:

Quest Master · **Joined:** Fri Oct 06, 2006 2:42 pm **Posts:** 387

Dan K - Oops! Typo. I said I was tired! It was a VERY long trip. I made the change on my script. Next update it will post with the correction. Much thanks.

Ztex - Yup....gotta love Gary. He does have an eye for saving our history. And in this case.....a very important piece of our history.

TAdan · **Posted:** Thu Nov 15, 2007 8:34 am

Wow Van, that is a great story! I am so glad you were able to tie the cockpit and the man together. Just awsome.

And a big thumbsup to Gary for saving the nose from the smelter.

marine air · **Posted:** Thu Nov 15, 2007 8:51 am

That is an amazing story. Best of luck!

retroaviation · **Posted:** Thu Nov 15, 2007 8:56 am

marine air wrote:

You may want to ask Gary the address of that scrapyard. Maybe they have a few more items left that go with that airplane, props, engines or maybe landing gear.

Originally, the scrap dealer told me there was nothing of the airplane left, but I didn't believe him. I had been talking to him off-site (in a somewhat heated exchange of how I felt about scrap dealers and what they've done to the Warbird world), so when he finally got disgusted with me and drove off, I decided to follow him to his scrap yard. That's when I found the nose sitting on a pile of tires......

He was right about one thing though. Other than the nose section, there was indeed nothing much left of the airplane. I was just too late. :cry:

I was literally standing in a pile of molten aluminum from what used to be the C-47. These two pictures might give you an idea of what the remaining airplane was like........

Gary

Django · **Posted:** Thu Nov 15, 2007 10:53 am

Wow, that was definately meant to be for you to aquire the nose and the paratrooper grouping. Nice.

RMAllnutt · **Posted:** Thu Nov 15, 2007 11:04 am

That is truly an amazing story, it gave me chills. It is amazing how fate can work like that some times... My hat is off to you (and to Gary as well). Best of luck with her restoration.

All the best,
Richard

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Gary said I should post this update - C-47A 43-15137

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