Warbird Information Exchange

What happened to the C-54s, DC-7 and Lockheed Harpoons at Gila River airport in Chandler Arizona. The land was transfered to a local Indian Tribe and they wanted the airplanes off the property.

They still show up on Google Maps aerial view... Not sure how old the sat view is.

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Bill Goebel
aka TPFD

Vintage Aircraft Services
Aircraft restoration and rebuilding
Rhome, TX

http://www.vintageaircraftservices.net

Robert Kropp (Pooner on here) has the full scoop, but there are still a number of airframes still on the field... and no one really knows what the heck will happen to them. Robert was able to get his PV-2 off the airport via road, but there are still two PVs and a Howard 500 still there... all in non-flying shape. There was talk of one of the PV's flying out of there by the guy from CA who owns one, but the tribe will not let anyone do much in the way of work there.

There are still four R5D/C-54 airframes still sitting there, owned by Biegert Aviation (N44904, N44906, N44908 and N44910) and a DC-7 (N4889C) -- only the DC-7 seems to be the one capable of "possible" flight out... the C-54's are mere shells.

All of the H-19 Chickasaws that were out there are now gone, as well as the C-130's - in essence, there is no active business at the airport to speak of.

Worse yet, access to the airfield is even harder now... though Old Price Road still connects, the area is well patrolled by tribal police now and they are very unkind to trespassing. Don't even think of trying to get down there... since all the roads are dirt, the dust plume from cars driving the mile to get from the main road to the actual "ramp" gives you away every time.

Perhaps the most updated photos out there are those taken by Paul Filmer - http://www.skippyscage.com/aviation/az/ ... /index.php

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Ryan Keough
Stow, MA

Anyone know what became of the H-19s? If they were dragged off, by who?

I'm afraid of the answer.

And were these the same airframes that were at Falcon Field in the 70s...back when a turbine conversion program for the Sikorskys was being discussed?

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

Would love to know more about the howard 500. its my dream plane and I am playing the lottery for one!!!

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Long Live the N3N-3 "The Last US Military Bi-Plane" 1940-1959
Badmouthing Stearmans on WIX since 2005

I am not sure of the designation of the helo's at Chandler, but I do know that they are gone, and not to the scrapper!

The last time I crawled thru the C-54's was almost a year ago...somebody needlessly has smashed the instrument panels..just to make sure that at least all the glass was broken on every gauge and instrument.

Helped park tanker 112 in the one hangar, but it's been pulled out, and the Howard 500 is inside as of now....DC-7 is in the chained in area as well, and the jackrabbits are doing nicely.

Any more details?

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

I believe they were heading for Coolidge, Az???

if they were they are either well hidden or not on the airfield - I've visited Coolidge at least twice since they left have haven't seen them.

(of course that doesn't mean I've missed them)

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Paul Filmer
skippyscage photography

Geez....I really am not sure....that's what where I thought they were going...(Cooledge) I know that there was close to 100 chopper airframes there at the time, and the guy had to get them out of there real quick...I saw just the two pick-ups and trailers moving them...there could have been more...If I would have had a flatbed instead of the dry van, I would have helped move them too.....I remember in a days time, there were quite a few trips made, so it couldn't have been moved too far.

I believe, from what I heard (not verified in person yet), that they all went to a compound somewhere near Casa Grande, AZ -- not at the actual airport, but somewhere off-site. If I find out any more, I will certainly post... but I am pretty certain that none were scrapped.

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Ryan Keough
Stow, MA

Aside from a nut like myself, who would like nothing more than a static restored H-19 in my back field, what is the planned use for them?

I've found out that there is a pilot in Washington who has a small collection of them and appearently uses them for crop spraying...but aside from that I don't see much of a use for them. Or equally important... don't know about spares avalability.

I'd love to see some warbird H-19s out there, but I doubt if many other see my vision.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.