Bogotá Warbirds

[garbs]

I have occasion to fly to Colombia a few times a year and have seen a P-47 at the edge of a small military-looking area just off the Bogotá Airport. I assume, from Warbirds Directory (3rd Edition - paper), that it's FAC 861 (P-47D 45-49102) and the location is "Museo Aeronautica, Bogotá - Catam AB.

Last time I flew out on one of the Avianca "Little Fokkers" I snapped a photo of the area. A bit confusing, as the only Ju-52 I can find in W/B Directory says it's a Ju-52/3mg4e at the "FA Colombiana Museum, Bogotá El Dorado AB":



There's also an A-26 in this frame - it could be 44-35778 Museo Aeronautico, Bogotá- Madrid AB or 44-35508 Apiay AB, Colombia.



Not sure which T-6 this is. There's also this Sabre:



And a DC-3 and DC-4/6/7:





I'm going back in a few days - any idea what this collection is, and if a civilian can get in?

[Dan K]

http://www.fac.mil.co/?idcategoria=42

http://www.fac.mil.co/?idcategoria=130

[JBoyle]

The bottom photo is a DC-4...quick way to tell..round windows.

Now if someone could come up with a good way to tell 6s from 7s...besides 3 vs. 4 blade props...I thought for awhile p[rop spinners were the key...but some of both have them.

Also a Huey, Hughes 500/OH-6, a Beaver and Hiller UH-12/H-23....and I thought I'd never see a Merlin/Metro in a museum.

[T J Johansen]

Now if someone could come up with a good way to tell 6s from 7s...besides 3 vs. 4 blade props...I thought for awhile p[rop spinners were the key...but some of both have them.

Check the airscoops on top of the cowl. The DC-6 scoop doesn't extend as far back as on the 7. Note also that the DC-7C has a taller tail than the B model, and the DC-6. The DC-7C also had a 10' "wing root insert" so the engines are located further outboard than on the B.

T J

[Brad]

I put pictures of most of these planes in this thread a while back.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=16244&start=0&hilit=Colombia

[garbs]

Thanks, Brad - nice shots. Now I don't have to try to get in the gates somehow. Didn't see the Howard from the air but it was pretty hazy.

I figured the membership would easily sort out the DC 4/6/7 question as well. So what does that make the old moldy hulk sitting on the ramp in Tegucigalpa, then? They closed our Honduras factory before I ever got a photo of it, but the plant manager said it has been there since he was a kid.