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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Douglas DC-1 / DC-2/R2D / DC-3 Dakota / C-47/R4D Skytrain / C-53 Skytrooper
    Latest Model:C-47A-15-DK
    Last Military Serial:42-92847 USAAF
    Construction Number:12693
    Last Civil Registration:N47TB
    Latest Owner or Location:American Airpower Heritage Flying Museum, Dallas, TX

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    Dates

    Event

    Circa 1944

    Constructed as a C-47A-15-DK by Douglas at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.

    6 March 1944

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 42-92847.

    Circa 15 April 1944

    Transferred to 438th Troop Carrier Group, England.

    26 April 1944

    Transferred to U. S. 8th Air Force, Europe.

    27 April 1944

    Transferred to 87th Troop Carrier Squadron, 438th Troop Carrier Group, 53rd Troop Carrier Wing, U. S. 9th Air Force, Greenham Common Air Base, England.
    Operated with markings: THATS ALL BROTHER

    6 June 1944

    Was lead aircraft for D-Day invasion, dropping paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division at 0048. Hit by Flak.

    6 June 1944

    2nd mission on D-Day after Flak damage repaired, delivering a glider load of troops and equipment to the men of the 82nd Airborne Division.

    1944

    After airfields secured in France, this aircraft flew many missions flying supplies into France and evacuated wounded troops to England.

    15 August 1944

    Dropped paratroopers in Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France.

    17 September 1944

    Dropped paratroopers during Operation Market Garden.

    From December 1944 to January 1945

    Flew supply missions during Battle of the Bulge.

    24 March 1945

    Dropped paratroopers of the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 17th Airborne Division in Germany during Operation Varsity.

    4 August 1945

    Returned to the USA, Bradley Army Airfield, CT.

    26 October 1945

    Transferred to Reconstruction Finance Corp, Walnut Ridge, AR.

    To Air Cargo Transport Corporation with new c/r NC88874.

    1946

    To United Gas Corporation keeping c/r NC88874.

    From 1953 to 1967

    To Union Producing Co, Shreveport, LA with new c/r N88874.

    12 April 1956

    Certificate of airworthiness for N88874 (DC3C, 12693) issued.

    From Circa 1960 to Circa 1969

    May have seen covert duty with CIA.

    1967

    To Jim Hankins Air Services, Jackson, MS keeping c/r N88874.

    August 1968

    To Southeastern Land Corporation, Mobile, AL keeping c/r N88874.

    21 April 1970

    Certificate of airworthiness for N88874 (DC3C, 12693) issued.

    1971

    To Jim Hankins Air Services, Jackson, MS keeping c/r N88874.

    1972

    To Church of God Union Assembly Inc, Dalton, GA keeping c/r N88874.

    June 1976

    To Air New England, East Boston, MA keeping c/r N88874.

    28 April 1977

    To Cryderman Air Services keeping c/r N88874.

    June 1977

    To National Jet Service, Indianapolis, IN keeping c/r N88874.

    1978


    Photographer: The History Channel

    11 May 1979

    To Air Indiana keeping c/r N88874.
    Purchased Aug 1978.

    9 July 1980

    To McCollum Aviation Inc, Danville, IL keeping c/r N88874.

    10 March 1981

    To Astro Airways Inc, Pine Bluff, AR keeping c/r N88874.

    23 July 1991

    To Skyborne International Co Inc, Geneseo, NY, keeping c/r N88874.

    1 February 1997

    To Summit Aviation Inc keeping c/r N88874.

    6 August 1998

    To Randsburg Corporation, Portland, OR keeping c/r N88874.

    From By 1999 to September 2003

    Placed on display with Aero Heritage Museum, Falcon Field, Mesa, AZ.

    August 2001

    To Royal Aviation keeping c/r N88874.

    2002


    Photographer: Gottfried Darringer
    Notes: Champlin Air Museum Mesa Falcon Field AZ 2002

    28 May 2002

    To Randsburg Corp, TX keeping c/r N88874.

    May 2003

    Restored.
    Markings Applied: EN, 847
    Restored and fitted with three Gatling guns to replicate an AC-47.

    9 September 2003

    To Randsburg Corp, WI keeping c/r N88874.

    26 June 2004


    Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
    Notes: 35mm slide photographed at the Quad Cities Air Show, Davenport, IA

    3 December 2008

    To Basler Turbo Conversions Llc, Oshkosh, WI keeping c/r N88874.

    In the inventory of Basler Turbo Conversions, Whittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, WI.
    View the Location Dossier

    4 September 2015

    To American Airpower Heritage Flying Museum, Dallas, TX with new c/r N47TB.

    Planned to be converted to turbo-prop.

    Restoration started.
    Restoration to original D-Day configuration planned for completion in 2019.

    24 July 2017


    Photographer: Terry Fletcher
    Notes: At 2017 EAA Airventure at Oshkosh

    31 January 2018

    First post-restoration Flight.
    First flight since restoration began, restoration on-going.

    October 2018


    Photographer: Mark Kennedy
    Notes: C-47 Skytrain Thats All Brother (Commemorative Air Force) at Wings Over Houston Airshow, Ellington Field, Houston, Tx. Oct. 2018.

    October 2018

    4 April 2019


    Photographer: Robert Bourlier
    Notes: Sun-N-Fun, Lakeland, FL.

    4 April 2019


    Photographer: Robert Bourlier
    Notes: Sun-N-Fun, Lakeland, FL.

    27 May 2019

    4 June 2019


    Photographer: Robert Nichols

    4 June 2019

    4 June 2019

    18 June 2019


    Photographer: Uwe Bethke
    Notes: Visiting Braunschweig / Germany


    This dossier is waiting for review by an editor.This airframe dossier is based on
    unreviewed imported data.
    If you can verify the documented history or add to it with additional text and/or photos please feel free to do so by using the upload tool and the history editor.

    Credits
    Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...

    Print Sources
    Douglas DC-3 Survivors, Volume Two by Arthur Pearcy
    U.S. Military Out of Service 2010 by Andy Marden

    Internet Sources
    57th Alumni Association
    AMCAR
    Aviation in Malta
    Federal Aviation Administration in the United States of America
    Flickr
    United States Military Services Serial Number Lists by Joe Baugher
    YouTube

    Individual Contributors
    Glenn Chatfield
    Terry Fletcher

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