C-47 #43-48716, "Luck Of the Irish" Restoration Thread

[Chappie]

She looks fantastic after being stripped. Great progress.


Chappie

[flightsimer]

I was not intending on doing any stripping this weekend as I wanted to wait until I could clean up using the pressure washer... but I was conned into doing some and this is the result...

Just about the entire Right side of the fuselage is stripped minus the vertical stabilizer and just under the cockpit windows. I will still have to do some spot stripping as well, especially around the windows.

After I got the paint off, I did find some light surface corrosion in some areas that will have to be treated prior to us painting it. It appeared to me to be light stuff that will easily be fixed.

A lot of the paint was already taken off from our previous test patch, but I cleaned up what was left as well.

All Covered up (The weight of the paint itself started pulling the plastic away from the fuselage)

After it was pulled up

After being cleaned up



And full Shot.


Just have to do the left side and Top/Bottom for the fuselage to be finished. Not too bad for just five hours total of work. I would be able to have done it in about 2 hours total had I been able to pull it out and use the power Washer.

[flightsimer]

Today, I recieved a package from Ed's daughter with pictures, books, logs, orders and even a B-24 flight manual.

I was looking through the book on the 435rd Troop carrier group. It was divided up by squadrons and other events, etc. it's like a yearbook.

But anyways, in the 75th's chapter, there is a picture of all the mechanics posing in front a C-47.

OUR C-47!!!!!!!!!

SHE INDEED HAD NOSE ART!!! AND I HAVE A PARTIAL PICTURE OF BOTH SIDES!!!!

Hopefully will get the page scanned soon

[Warbird Kid]

Awesome! Can't wait to see the pics!

[whistlingdeath77]

Wow, she's looking fantastic. Keep up the good work and thank you for the updates

[cooper9411]

I love the smell of paint stripper in the morning

[flightsimer]

And here she is.


Also, here is a copy of the will Ed wrote the night before Operation Market Garden


More photos will be added later.

FOR ANY FUTURE READERS, IF YOU HAVE SEEN THIS PLANE BEFORE IN ANOTHER PICTURE, PLEASE POST IT!

[Pathfinder]

Outstanding! Glad to see that the "nose number" carried on as I pointed out in an earlier post. Very interesting to see the CK code just below that number. I have never seen that done before.

I you can isolate the nose art in a scan of the book and scan it at 500-600 dpi we might be able to determine what the shape of the background of the name is.

[whistlingdeath77]

Having the original photos,papers etc is just as important as having the plane. That's great that documented history is there to go with it.

[patelie]

Dave
Take a look at the picture of Brass Hat II with the car in front. You will see the same markings : three last digits of serial and below the code squadron

[Pathfinder]

You are correct, SIR!

It is there....but I did not SEE it!

Looking forward to your visit!

[flightsimer]

Hi

CC : Dennis F. O'Connor Jr - 32405987 - T/Sgt. - Bronx, N.Y.
RO : Harold E. Harris - 35405046 - S/Sgt. - Lockbourne - Ohio
All two were with Frome on D-Day in 071 and during Varsity in 716

I don't know when the picture was taken because all five were not in the same plane on D-day nor in Varsity. The picture is in the History of the 435th edited in 1946 (with other combat crew)
Pictures of 75th TCS combat crew were taken probably after september 1943 and sure before june 1944.
Frome, Bussman, O'Connor and Harris were assigned in the same plane, Flight B in September 1943 but without navigator.

James C. Brady, Navigator was transfered from the squadron to the 437th TCG in February 1944

==> pictures of combat crew which are in the group history were taken between September 1943 and February 1944

Marcellus F. Bussman - O-618116 - Santa Rosa, Calif
Bussman was also Pilot. On D-day he was left wingman (CN #36 in 42-100879) in the same element than Frome (right wingman, CN#35 in 42-92071)

During Varsity Frome flew with (CP) Jesse T. Slusher - O-775605 - Seattle - Wash.

And Edward W. Frome - O-799371 - Baltimore, MD

As it turned out, I recieved the original photograph, of the picture I had previously posted, of this crew from Ed's Daughter.

On the back he had wrote the names of everyone. It said that this was the assigned crew for Ed's first ship, 071.

[DH82EH]

[quote="flightsimer"]And here she is.


I look at this photo and I see "luck of the......" very plainly.
It looks like a big shamrock (four leaf clover) and I'd go out on a limb and say the last word is "Irish"
Looks pretty close to the same on both sides.
Anybody agree?

Andy Scott

[Chris Brame]

OK, I took the photo and stretched the nose art in perspective - not perfect but gives you some idea:

Not sure, but maybe the little white things look like dice?

[patelie]

I look at this photo and I see "luck of the......" very plainly.
It looks like a big shamrock (four leaf clover) and I'd go out on a limb and say the last word is "Irish"
Looks pretty close to the same on both sides.
Anybody agree?
Andy Scott

Take a look at the message posted by tyler on may 31st (page 5). They already have the nickname
"The Luck of the Irish"