Thanks to the incredible work of Jim Stella, we have learned the full history of the DC-3 plane that sits atop our Factory Café! Take a look at our DC-3’s incredible history including where it’s been, what it’s done and the impact it has made on the nation. A big thanks to Jim Stella for putting together our DC-3’s official timeline!
Prepared by Jim Stella
C47A Douglas S/N 20448 AAF S/N 43-15982
FAA Reg. N838M Built in Long Beach CA.
2/6/44 Delivered to Army Air Force (AAF)—
Air Transport Command (ATC) Miami, Fla.
7/15/44 Transferred to ATC-Carrabin, Miami Army Air Field (Miami, Fla.)
11/24/44 to ATC Miami Army Air Field, Miami, Fla.
1/2/45 to Morison Army Air Field, Palm beach, Fla. 9/14/47 to Mitchell Army Air Field, Garden City, Long Island New York.
9/18/47 ——————USAF formed—————
10/26/47 to Westover AFB, Chicopee, Massachusetts
6/24/1948 to 5/12/1949 Berlin Airlift “Operation Vittles”
(This aircraft does not appear to have been used for the Berlin Airlift)
2/17/49 to Kindly AFB, Bermuda
3/14/51 to Westover AFB, Chicopee, Massachusetts
2/25/52 to Rheine Main AFB, Frankfurt, West Germany
9/30/52 to Wiesbaden AFB, Wiesbaden, Hesse, West Germany
6/30/53 to Furetenfeld AFB, in Bavaria near Munich, West Germany
4/11/55 to Wright Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio
4/27/55 to Kelly AFB, San Antonio, Texas
6/2/55 to Tinker AFB, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
6/30/61 to Logistics Command, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
1/1/62 to 2584 ABW (No Information found on this group)
12/30/63 to US ARMY New Cumberland Army Depot, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. This facility was used to overhaul and rebuild CH-47 helicopters during the Vietnam War. This air craft was most likely used to haul parts to and from the Depot. Mainly the large oversized rotor blades of the CH-47.
12/5/74 to storage at Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, Arizona (ZB020 This may have been her storage number)
6/28/75 Released to LEE County Mosquito Control Dist.,
Ft Myers, Fla. this was her only civilian owner before her retirement. Traded to Dodson International for a Turbine converted DC-3 and then sold to The Roasterie…….and Now
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