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Classic Wings Magazine WWII Naval Aviation Research Pacific Luftwaffe Resource Center
When Hollywood Ruled The Skies - Volumes 1 through 4 by Bruce Oriss


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PostPosted: Wed May 25, 2011 11:27 am 
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FREMONT -- Skip Honsperger stood in a wet patch of grass on a sunny Friday afternoon at Fremont Airport, fiddling with a rusty padlock securing the door to a large airplane that sits next to the airport's runway.

Though the Douglas DC-3 has seen better days, a few dedicated aviation buffs are sharing a vision of what the plane could become, and are asking for help in restoring the retired military aircraft to its original glory.

"We are going to make it historically correct," airport owner Rex Damschroder said. "The school kids could come out here and go through the plane and really see what it was like to be a paratrooper during the D-Day invasion."

Local historian Pat Smith said he has researched that specific plane's history and found it was involved in several missions during World War II.

Smith said the plane was part of the U.S. Army Air Corps' 314th troop cargo group, which was attached to the 62nd troop cargo squadron and carried both ground troops and paratroopers into several countries during the war.

"The 62nd TSC was involved in all the major campaigns in the Mediterranean and European theaters," he said. "It dropped the 82nd Airborne into Italy, participated in attacks on Sicily and took part in the D-Day invasion. It is very much a war veteran."

After the plane's war service, Smith said, it was bought by the former Frontier Airlines and was used as a passenger plane for about 11 years, and then for another seven years for Southern Airways.

A few volunteers, including Honsperger and Jack Batesole, have been slowly working to restore the airplane to the condition it was in before the D-Day invasion. Honsperger said the restoration will be a long road, but was thrilled when some cleaning and repairs to one of the plane's twin 1,200-horsepower Pratt & Whitney engines prompted it to spurt out some black smoke and start up.

"It sounds like the Harley of the skies," he said of the noise the 14-cylinder radial engine makes when it runs. "It took about 40 hours of work to get it going. It just turned over a few times and just took off."

Damschroder, also a state representative, plans to pull the DC-3 onto the taxiway near the airport's frontage on Ohio 53 on June 4, grill some hot dogs and open the plane for tours. The event, which is set to run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and has a rain day set on June 5, is meant to attract anyone interested in volunteering for the restoration effort.

"The hope is to try to get some people interested in volunteering," Damschroder said. "If we clean this up and take good care of it, maybe she will still be around for the 100th anniversary of D-Day in 2044."

The airport also has a big anniversary, its 50th, coming up in 2013. Damschroder said he would love to have the restoration done in time for the airport's anniversary air show.

Honsperger pointed out areas where birds had gotten inside the fuselage and nested and others where animals had torn off parts of the fabric covering its wings. He said the plane could be visibly restored and ready to taxi down the runway within a matter of weeks if funds were unlimited. As it stands now, he said he has no idea how long the project might take.

"First we need to research what kind of products we can clean it with," he said. "It just needs some tender, loving care."

Batesole, in addition to bringing his expertise as an aviation maintenance inspector, provides another invaluable piece of the puzzle, one of his historic Jeeps. The DC-3 has no batteries to start its engine and runs on a 24-volt electric system, which very few other vehicles have.

Batesole's Jeep will likely be used during the June 4 event to power the plane's electric system, until volunteers hook it up to batteries.

Damschroder plans for the finished product to have the same paint job -- complete with invasion stripes -- it had when carrying paratroopers to the battlefield during the D-Day invasion.

"D-Day will always be a big part of our history," he said. "I think it will be a really cool thing when it's finished."

Honsperger said aviation maintenance experts are welcome to apply for the effort, but said they will need as many amateur volunteers as they can get.

"There will be plenty of grunt work," he said. "There is a lot to do yet."

Found it here:
http://www.thenews-messenger.com/articl ... nav%7Chead


Last edited by Warbirdnerd on Thu May 26, 2011 9:10 am, edited 2 times in total.

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PostPosted: Wed May 25, 2011 3:56 pm 
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Location: CYYJ
c/n# 11637
42-68710 5Mar43 -Oran 28May43 -8th AF 29Apr44 - USA 1OAug45 - RFC 08Sep45
NC45370 Continental A/L
N85SA Southern
1954 - Houston Aviation Products 31Dec63
Jack Richards Aircraft Sales Inc, Oklahoma City, OK
R H Prim, Sarasota, FL
Jack Adams Aircraft Sales Inc, Wales, MS (1966)
Byrne Aircraft Sales Inc, White Plains, NY (1968)
C. E. Wheeler, McLean, VA Sep68
Distribute Aire Inc, Albuquerque, NM Jan70
Aviation Materials Inc, Memphis, TN
Zephyr Aviation Inc Sep70
A Broussard, Waco, TX May72
G Lewis, Baytown, TX Dec73
Teias Avn, Baytown, TX (1975)
R Branch, Morresville, IN Mar75
H Gibson, Indiatlantic, FL (Mar77)
Sky Diving Inc, Mason, OH 21Mar78
S. M. Moran, Marietta, GA, 23Dec82
Rolling Meadows Aviation Inc 16Feb83.

Where was it 1983-2011 ??


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PostPosted: Wed May 25, 2011 4:11 pm 
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N58SA is SN 42-68710...technically not a C-47 but rather a C-53. (Very Cool!!)

She was Chalk #17 and carried personnel of D/508th PIR to DZ N in Normandy (Serial 20) for D-Day.

D-Day crew:

Chalk #17 C-53 42-68710
P 1/Lt James R. Hamilton
CP 2/Lt Ernest R. Scott
RO Sgt Aaron M. Womack
CC Sgt Henry H. Gardner


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PostPosted: Wed May 25, 2011 8:26 pm 
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It was registered to Gene Damschroder 9-16-88. I know it hasn't flown in about 15 years so maybe it's been sitting in Fremont all that time.


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PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2011 6:18 am 
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Thanks Gentlemen!
The News Article called it a DC-3, and as they say in Canada, Gooney Birds are not my Fort-Eh! :wink:
I've edited the subject line to reflect the information you provided.
Thanks again for the details on this bird.


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PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2011 9:16 am 
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I just talked to these folks on the phone. They are going to come on the Warbird Rescue Show. They have an amazing story! They are having an open house on Julry 4th (July 5th being the rain day), from 10AM-2PM. They are going to cook up hotdogs and such and display the aircraft. Some WWII gear will be on display and they are going to attempt to start one of the engines.

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PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2011 9:42 am 
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Great news! I use to skydive out of Sugar Alpha when she was owned by Steve Moran (Died in a T-28 crash around 85-86). She was located at FDR Airport in Warm Springs, GA until shortly after Steve's death. It then disappeared from the airport.

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PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2011 2:59 pm 
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She carried Brit paras to DZ X in Operation MARKET-GARDEN 17SEP44.


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PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2011 3:43 pm 
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I wonder how many more of these veterans are out there.

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PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2011 8:57 pm 
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I believe the VIP configured N1944H currently for sale at Courtsey has D-Day history.

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PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2011 9:54 pm 
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There have been two two Daks at Freemont for many years. The one in the article and N137PB which used to be in a lean-to on the field.

Jim


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PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2011 10:18 pm 
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Pogmusic wrote:
Great news! I use to skydive out of Sugar Alpha when she was owned by Steve Moran (Died in a T-28 crash around 85-86). She was located at FDR Airport in Warm Springs, GA until shortly after Steve's death. It then disappeared from the airport.

Was that the bird that always carried a big SNOOPY dog in the rear seat out of cartersville ga?

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PostPosted: Sat May 28, 2011 7:15 am 
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N137PB
USAAF 41-7707

DC-3-395/C-52B

Douglas C-52B-DO
DC-3A-197Es ordered by United Air Lines and impressed on the production line (Douglas Model DC-3-395)

41-7707 c/n 4128 ex-NC33649 (not delivered).
To USAAF Jul 22, 1941.
To civil registry as (DC-3A) NC33327 (Northwest Airlines *327* Jul 04, 1944 - Mid Continent Airlines

The Douglas C-52 was the designation given to six Pratt & Whitney powered DC-3s impressed by the USAAF in the aftermath of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, five from the production line and one that was already in service. They differed from the similarly powered C-48s in having the full DC-3 passenger capacity of 28 seats, while the C-48s had between 10 and 21 seats. Two more Pratt & Whitney powered DC-3s were impressed as C-68s.

Most likely remained in ZI during the war--and was back in civilian livery by JUL 44.


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PostPosted: Sat May 28, 2011 8:37 am 
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i'm 1 hour east of fremont. alot of you know my credentials, i'd like to help. i'm not a tool / wrenching guy, but i can help in other ways as time allows. please contact me!!

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PostPosted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 2:59 pm 
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dc8jet wrote:
It was registered to Gene Damschroder 9-16-88. I know it hasn't flown in about 15 years so maybe it's been sitting in Fremont all that time.

yes it has been sitting along Rt. 53 in front of the airport, and out back was another one, N137PB that is for sale, they are asking $89,000.00
I had the opportunity to do some maintenance on both aircraft back in 2007-2008. The one that saw combat is being restored to at least static and from what I hear theyare trying hard to restore it to airworthy condition. I knew Gene Damschroder and had many a conversations with him. He earned his wings in WW2 piloting Corsairs. He once told me that he wanted to convert the combat veteran into a roadside attraction/diner but never got around to it. Gene asked me if I would help him convert it to a diner and I emphatically said no. I also had the opportunity to fly with Gene on a few occassions. :drinkers:

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