Looking for wartime photo of C-47A 43-15137

Quest Master · **Joined:** Fri Oct 06, 2006 2:42 pm **Posts:** 387

I'm still trying to find a wartime photo of C-47A 43-15137. C-47A 43-15137 was assigned to the 306th Troop Carrier Squadron (TCS) 442nd Troop Carrier Group (TCG) 50th Troop Carrier Wing (TCW) IX Troop Carrier Command. She flew with the nose code 7H and tail code H. I've found one photo of her at the National Archives but I can't make out the nose art. I would like to start the restoration this summer. I'm sure you've all seen the link before but here is is again:
http://www.questmasters.us/C-47A_43-15137.html

Thanks again for the help.

clangjr · **Joined:** Thu Apr 12, 2007 3:48 pm **Posts:** 106

How could anyone in the year 2006 determine it was a good idea to simply scrap that plane???

TAdan · **Posted:** Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:23 am

You put together a great web page about the planes History. Nice work. Glad to see the Cockpit is being appreciated.

Quest Master · **Joined:** Fri Oct 06, 2006 2:42 pm **Posts:** 387

Thanks to Gary for saving her! I was fortunate to find a picture when I was down at the National Archives of this plane just prior to Normandy. The photo was only 8 1/2" x 11". I was able to make out the Nose Code of 7H and Tail Code of H.....but the nose art - no joy. It's there....but it just looks like a "white" blob. I talked to the Navigator of this aircraft that flew with her on D-Day (yup still alive and thrilled about the aircraft)....but he was assigned to her as a temporary Navigator just prior to D-Day and can't remember the name or artwork (he was kinda busy getting ready for that whole Invasion of France thing :wink:

). Anyway if anyone knows what the nose art looked like I'd love to see it so I can put it back on the nose during restoration. Thanks.

Django · **Posted:** Thu Mar 13, 2008 3:33 pm

That's cool you found a pic of it!

I have a bunch of pics of what's left when I was vacationing at Lake Austin. :lol:

That is a Varga Girl. It is similar to this one and if I recall, the one facing the opposite direction like the plane, is a red head. I'll have to look in my Vargas book tonight. Couldn't find any pics of it online.

tulsaboy · **Posted:** Thu Mar 13, 2008 3:45 pm

Van,

Can you post a high-res scan of the original here on WIX? Might help some of us make a better educated guess.

kevin

Quest Master · **Joined:** Fri Oct 06, 2006 2:42 pm **Posts:** 387

Django,
The picture on my page with all of the crew is NOT 43-15137. I don't know what plane that is. She is from the 306th Troop Carrier Squadron - Tail Code P, the nose art I believe says "Precious Cargo". I put that picture on the page solely because she was with the 306th. That plane did not fly on D-Day. C-47A 43-15137 is in the other black and white photo further down on my page. When I found that picture at the National Archive I went nuts! Even with magnification I couldn't make out the nose art!!!! There must be another picture out there somewhere.

Quest Master · **Joined:** Fri Oct 06, 2006 2:42 pm **Posts:** 387

Kevin,
Sorry, I was only able to make a zerox copy at the National Archives....the photo reproduction machine was down. I put it under the uber magnifyng machine that they had and couldn't make out a thing. It was hard to even make out the serial number on the tail.

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Looking for wartime photo of C-47A 43-15137

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