rd12 Posted October 26, 2018 Share #1 Posted October 26, 2018 Hello, I have never tried to research an aircraft before and am not sure where to start. I am trying to find out anything I can about the aircraft pictured below. the tail number/serial number is 247371. I know the picture below was taken in the CBI theater during WW2. After the war the plane was given to the Chinese Nationalist Gov't. I am trying to find what unit the plane was assigned to. I assume it would have flown under 10th AF and then ATC? Many thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rd12 Posted October 26, 2018 Author Share #2 Posted October 26, 2018 On a side note, the plane is still flying and is based in Phoenix, AZ. This is a recent photo. It is now painted in Civil Air Transport (CAT) livery. CAT was a Nationalist Chinese airline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USARV72 Posted October 26, 2018 Share #3 Posted October 26, 2018 C-47, most likely hump veteran. Start with C-47 units. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rd12 Posted October 26, 2018 Author Share #4 Posted October 26, 2018 I believed it to be a C-53 in that it lacks the large cargo door. But I suppose the cargo door could have been removed at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lettow Posted October 26, 2018 Share #5 Posted October 26, 2018 Here is the wartime history according to data at www.aerialvisuals.ca Constructed as a C-53-DO by Douglas at Santa Monica, CA. 29 June 1942 Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 42-47371. By July 1942 Transferred to Air Transport Command. Flown around Santa Monica by ATC in July 1942. August 1942 Ferry flight. Flown from Santa Monica to West Palm Beach, FL then onto Karachi, India. 10 September 1942 Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Air Force with s/n FJ712. Served with the RAF in India. 26 December 1942 Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 42-47371. December 1942 Transferred to 1st Troop Carrier Squadron, 10th Air Force, USAAF, China-Burma-India Theater, India. 21 December 1945 To unknown owner. Sold into commercial service, at Dhub, India. 5 February 1946 To Central Air Transport Corp., Bejing, China. The site lists the post-war history up to the present day with pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted October 26, 2018 Share #6 Posted October 26, 2018 Just FYI, but the first digit of USAAF tail numbers are generally the last digit of the year it was made (1942). Oddly, 47371 is also my ZIP code. Douglas C-53-DO 47371 (MSN 7313) to USAAF Jun 29, 1942. To 10th AF in India Aug 12, 1942. To RAF in India Sep 10, 1942 as FJ712. Returned to USAAF custody Dec 26, 1942. Sold Dec 21, 1945 at Dhub, India. Sold To Central Air Trsnsport Corp (CATC) of Beijing, China Feb 5, 1946. Sold to Civil Air Transport (CAT) of Taipei, Formosa Dec 19, 1949, and transferred to Hong Kong registered as N8336C. CAT was renamed Air Asia, Ltd, a subsidiary of Air America. Registered as N1794B Jul 22, 1953. Sold to TEMCO Aircraft Corp of Dallas, TX Dec 9, 1953 and registered as N67K. Reregistered as N47L Jan 12, 1954. Sold to Union Chemical and Materials Corp of Dallas, TX May 22, 1958. Sold to Southern airways Co of Atlanta, GA Jun 22, 1958 and reregistered N147M. To Mead Corp, Dayton, OH Jul 23, 1962. To Ohio Aviation Co of Vandalia, OH Apr 18, 1969, sold to Tecumseh Products of Tecumseh, MI. Donated to Kalamazoo Aviation History Dec 3,1982. Purchased by Warren Basler Oct 18, 1993. Used in production of 1994 film "Richie Rich". Began private ownership service Jul 5, 1999 as "The Spirit of Enterprise" with private user in Wisconsin. Re-registered as N943DJ. Current 2011. From: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_2a.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rd12 Posted October 27, 2018 Author Share #7 Posted October 27, 2018 Thank you for the information and sources. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rd12 Posted October 27, 2018 Author Share #8 Posted October 27, 2018 This aircraft now wears tail number N8336C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted October 28, 2018 Share #9 Posted October 28, 2018 That's its civilian FAA registration number: https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=8336c Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now