Rich-History 1944 C-47 SKYTRAIN Inbound for CMA Display

DougRobertson

Expected to fly in late today at Camarillo, California Airport CMA is a 1944 C-47 Skytrain acquired by the local American Aeronautical Foundation from Canada. The non-profit foundation, founded in 1982, already bases an airworthy North American B-25 Mitchell medium bomber at CMA. This B-25 appeared in the popular film "Catch 22".

The AAF wanted a WWII historic aircraft capable of carrying many passengers, and the C-47 carried 28 troops in its wartime military configuration. The C-47 will be used to provide rides when refurbished. It will probably be parked near the B-25 next to the Southern California Wing of the Commemorative Air Force ramp at CMA.

The C-47 has a rich history. Built in Oklahoma City in 1944, it was stationed later that year in Italy with the 12th Air Force and 60th Troop Carrier Group. After being returned to civilian service in 1946, it was purchased by the Israelis and saw action in the Six Day War and the Yom Kippur War. The C-47 remained in Israel until 1999, when the Israeli Air Force sold it as surplus to Global Aircraft Industries in Edmonton, Canada.

The aircraft is expected with a ferry permit to clear customs this morning in Spokane, Washington and refuel at Livermore, California before arriving at CMA. That is the plan.

See http://www.aluminummistress.org/news.htm for daily updates and http://www.aafgroup.org .

DougRobertson

Sorry, the newspaper-supplied link to the aluminum mistress C-47 does not work, but the second link to the AAF's site does, and shows the aircraft. With a little digging in the main site, you will find the daily reports now as of 21 May 2008. So, look over the main site also for full screen photo of this C-47B.

DougRobertson

Efforts to fly the C47B across the American border to enter the USA were stalled by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), who is requesting additional documentation on the aircraft's extensive ownership trail before issuing a Ferry Permit. An FAA spokesman stated "The plane is 60 years old, and we needed the whole history of the plane's registration, who's had it and what it's been used for. It's a paperwork issue".

The FAA requested its counterpart in Canada to do an on-site inspection of the C-47, and that won't happen until next month. The ferry group originally were reportedly told it would be a simple one-hour procedure to get the permit. Stay tuned.

rayw

Here's her history

Manufacturers serial number 15347/26792

Built as 43-49531 and delivered on Nov 30th 1944.

Went to the 9th AF Italy Jan 14th 1945

Returned to USA Sept 15th 1945

to The Reclimation Finance Corp.

Registered NC63186.

Sold to Elsham Ltd Israel as 4X-ADA May 5th 1950.

Transferred to the Israeli Air Force 1950.

Sold to Arkia as 4X-ADA om Oct 10th 1955.

Withdrawn from use Jan 20th 1965.

I don't have the details of when she was ferried to Canada unfortunately

Ztex

Website says she is supposed to "return" today.

Any news?

DougRobertson

For ray w-the full history of the C47B aircraft up to the 2008 acquisition by the AAF is contained in the AAF link in my first post.

For Zane, if the Aluminum Mistress arrives CMA today, will have more info probably here tomorrow. Thanks for the interest. Stay tuned.

DougRobertson

The 1944 Douglas C47B "Aluminum Mistress" finally arrived at CMA Tuesday, 23 September, escorted dramatically by a B25 also owned by the American Aeronautical Foundation. The flight from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada took eight hours over two days. The plane was flown VFR because of lack of instruments and no IFR certification. Hand held GPSs, charts and a compass were used to navigate. Flight was at lower altitudes because of a lack of any deicing system. The route included fuel stops at Great Falls, MT and Reno, NV. Some arrival drama occurred-the right engine ran out of fuel on approach because of its higher fuel burn, which was of some concern.

Still in its old Israeli Air Force desert camouflage, the plane will be restored by Foundation volunteers by installing new hydraulic lines, a modern flight deck panel and a complete strip and repaint. (Shortly after return to civilian service in 1946, Israel bought it and it saw action in the Six-Day and Yom Kippur wars).

Attempt will be made to match the original color scheme of 1944 and '45. Passenger flights are expected to be offered sometime in the next year. Interested persons can observe the aircraft this Saturday parked adjacent to the Commemorative Air Force ramp at 455 Aviation Drive, Camarillo, CA airport. More information is on the link in my original post here.

Ztex

A couple of pics and more info over at the WIX forum!

http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=19235&start=75

Congratulations to those folks!

DougRobertson

Thanks, Zane, for the link which has two fine in-flight photos of "Aluminim Mistress". We have three here, taken on the ground in Canada. See N215CM.

DougRobertson

More photos uploaded today of "Aluminum Mistress" N215CM on the ramp at CMA. Looks like new or newly overhauled props are on the plane for the ferry flight.