Warbird Information Exchange

SAR HU-16



USCG C-130 from NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii



DC-4M Instrumented Range Aircraft operated by the AVCO Corporation



RA-3 Sywarriors visiting from VAP-61 NAS Agana



EC-121K touches down after flight from NAS Point Mugu

Kwajalein based HU-16 at Ponape, E. Caroline Islands. Aircraft is sitting on a WWII seaplane ramp built by the Japanese Navy. The hill behind hadbeen dug out to form a hanger to house seaplanes.

Looks like that DC-4 has a similar QEC as the Shackleton (without the contra-rotating props, of course).

Why did the Navy fold the wings on the Skywarriors when parked on a very open ramp? Just curious.

Gary

Isn't that a Northstar?

Sully

The DC-4M is indeed a Northstar constructed for Trans Canada Airlines and registered as CF-TFL. The aircraft was apparently scrapped in 1964 in Middleton, Ohio (?). It was replaced by a US Army EC-121K Constellation refitted for optical tracking.

Why did the RA-3's fold their wings? Good question as there was certainly ample parking space. Probably a procedural issue. The three Skywarriors would show up every six months or so and remain for several days to photograph each and every island on every atoll. There was fear that the Russians (or others) may have set up a tracking base for US ICBM re-entry tests.

Here'd another lost photo added to the 'ramp collection'.

Almost went to Kwajalein in 1974, with Martin-Marietta on the Sprint project. A broken leg gotten at the Sprint site in Nekoma, ND, kept me in the states. That would have been a neat tour.

Walt