Operational big piston propliners

[Chris Brame]

Love #7 - "Look, darling - soon we'll be taxiing up the Thames!"

[Michel Lemieux]

Mike!!!! super.....

This looks like some of the comic strips my dad used to show me....

Really nice.

[Michel Lemieux]

Even better if you really look at it.

Like a good old vintage hotel experience.

- Check in
- Food
- Drinks
- Sleep....s...x
- Arrival which is departure!

Really cool

[T J Johansen]

And right about there things changed again. Apparently Iditarod winner Thomas Wærner and his dogs need a ride back from Alaska. And they seem to think a DC-6 is the right way to go. It looks as though the plane will arrive at Sola on May 22. Unless of course one of the dogs suddenly grows an enviromental conscience, and refuse to fly.

Funny thing is that when it was first announced that the flight was off, a guy on a norwegian aviation forum suggested that Wærner use the DC-6 as his transport since he was "corona stuck" in Alaska. And now it seems that this is what will happen. I guess flightradar24 will be scrutinized next week.

T J

[Mike]

Fingers crossed!

[Blackbirdfan]

Neither the Carvair nor the Mars have flown for several years now, therefore I don’t class them as operational.

Coulson is doing something with the Mars. Not sure if its just Hawaii or if its both Hawaii and Philippine. There has been some speculation that due to the big contract that Coulson signed in Australia, they might be going there this fall. No they haven't been flown in a couple years, they have been kept in flightworthy condition.

Will

Only my opinion, but I would consider the chance for either of these to be deployed to Australia as a extraordinarily unlikely scenario. Hawaii is serviceable, so it would be technically possible, but I don't think Philippine has flown since 2006. Besides, isn't the plan still to sell her to the Pensacola Navel Air Museum? I never heard much after the political blockage from Ottawa

I think it could be unlikely but I'm not sure what else they could be doing that equates to "big news coming this fall." I agree, its been a LONG time since a Mars has flown that sort of distance, but, it did it when it was new, so what is to say it can't still do it? It could be argued that the engines are better now, the navigation equipment is light years better, and it doesn't have a whole lot more hours on the airframe. True, Philippine Mars hasn't flown in years, however Coulson had it ready to fly for the Pensacola deal. Its ready to go, and ready to fly. It does apparently need new water tank door seals, but aside from that, the engines are good, and its ready to fly. I guess the real giveaway will be if Philippine gets repainted back in Coulson colors.

The Pensacola deal was off in 2016. Totally dead, no deal. Unceremoniously send to a very deep watery grave.

Will

[T J Johansen]

A little later than originally thought, but DC-6B N151 is finally ready for the ferry flight. The flight plans are looking like this.

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N15 ... /PAFA/CYZF

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N15 ... /CYZF/ENZV

There is a Facebook group started for this endeavour, you can find it here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/240827120511427/

As I understand it, you need to ask pretty please to join the group.

Here is what it looks like at present. Photos by Everts:

T J

Attachments

[mexchiwa]

Earlier this spring I saw a Douglas flying low over central KY - very rare sight here (not many fire bombers in this area or anything)

[Mike]

Great to see that N151/LN-SUB arrived safely at Sola this afternoon after the ferry flight from Alaska. I'm sure the dogs were happy to get out for a walk afterwards!

I've mixed feelings about this one, great to see it preserved in a very appropriate location, but sad to see another one of these magnificent beasts grounded for eternity now. We must be down to less than 10 airworthy ones worldwide - Red Bull's, Carlos Gomez' in Hawaii, plus the remnants of the Everts fleet. Not a single one in the lower 48 AFAIK.

[T J Johansen]

I know what you mean Mike. I never went to Miami to see these birds in action in the early 90s, thinking that "Corrosion Corner" would last for some time yet. Two DC-7s and a C-117 in the drink in Ft. Lauderdale later and the FAA said "nope, this is it"! My only chance to see some fly was when I drove up to Fox Field in late 93 when they had a huge forest fire raging. DC-6, P2V, and P-3s staggering out from Fox on a scorching saturday, even that late in the fall.

One thing I'm not comfortable with is the fact that the DC-6 will be displayed outside, next to Flyhistorisk Museum Sola. They do not have space inside the hangar, nor do they expect to ever be able to get more space. Not to mention that Sola is located almost in the north sea. Not the best prospect if you ask me.

T J

[Thomas_Mac]