Warbird Information Exchange

Success.

So, who knows why this photo is important in warbird history?

_________________
It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

WAG: Last known image of the last surviving Douglas DC-5 as it was being hauled off for scrap in Israel circa 1956?

_________________

All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

Chris, you're close enough we're gonna give you the pony.


Circa 1963. First pic (and these two) are the last-known pics of the last-known DC-5, c/n 426. She's in the process of being moved from the Tel Aviv Aeronautical Technical School to Givat Brenner kibbutz as a child's playground.

_________________
It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

Didn't anyone try to stop them? No one in the crowd knew the significance? Before I get flamed, that is my attempt at sarcastic humor. Someday we'll be trying to save the last F16 from the scrapper.

...or F-16 as they used to call it...

Actually, the people in the bottom photo are all WIXers. The lady on the right says, "WTF, the colors on that nose are all wrong." Then the little fella on the left asked, "real or replica"? Pandemonium ensued! Before we knew it, the DC-5 was off to the scrappers while the core group continued for hours on the sidelines.

_________________
Rob C

Historically, the claim of consensus has been the first refuge of scoundrels; it is a way to avoid debate by claiming that the matter is already settled. “

– Michael Crichton

It looks like it may also have had a shark's mouth and sharp-lined invasion stripes that were cut off.

_________________

Ok, I will bite.

Why is a DC-5, or a DC-5 going to a kibbutz important to warbird history?

While a DC-5 is rare, and historically interesting, it was never considered important by anyone.

These are actually the last known photos of a large group of kids getting excited about an old airplane.

You basically answered your own question, Joe.


First: The adjective "important" is much too subjective for universal agreement.

Second: You've twisted what I wrote. Reread my initial post. I'm confident you'll notice that I identified the photo(s) as being historically important.

Third: Why are the photos historically important? They are the last known photos of an aircraft type that even Joe Scheil described as being "...rare, and historically interesting..."

DC-5 c/n 426 was one of the handful of multi-engined aircraft available to the Israeli Air Force during its initial fight for survival in July of 1948. Geoff Goodall has summarized her service in Israel nicely.


http://www.goodall.com.au/australian-av ... s-dc-5.htm


Lastly, this post was created in not-inconsiderable haste. I'm brand-new to Flickr, and this was simply a test as to whether this closet Luddite could post a photo successfully at WIX. I selected (what I thought was) an interesting photograph and ran with it.

_________________
It was a good idea, it just didn't work.