Connie on Okinawa

Ztex · **Posted:** Mon Jan 26, 2009 3:46 pm

This is one of the photos form my inherited collection. (Scanned from a very small print)

It is a MATS C-69 at Naha, AFB, Okinawa in 1951. (is it a C-69? )

I was wondering about the tail number...it appears to be 9612

It does not jive with USAF serial numbers....
49-612 was an F-80 (lost in Korea)
49-1612 is a T-28
and so on.

The original bunch of C-69's were in the 42-945XX range...

Any ideas on how to figure this one?

Matt Gunsch · **Posted:** Mon Jan 26, 2009 3:53 pm

maybe 48-612 ?
That would make it a C-121.

Nathan · **Posted:** Mon Jan 26, 2009 4:02 pm

9812?

Second Air Force · **Posted:** Mon Jan 26, 2009 4:04 pm

Zane, here is a possible answer to your serial number question. MATS was organized by combining AAF and Navy transport divisions into one Command under USAF control in summer 1948. The Department of Defence set up the organization and the equipment came from both former transport arms.

So...that would make this possibly an R7O-1 or R7V-1? I tried to find the serial number on Baugher, but my head started to hurt too much and I aborted. I'll stick to AAF serial number searches, thank you. :oops:

Scott

Ztex · **Posted:** Mon Jan 26, 2009 4:05 pm

Hmmm...
Scott...I agree...

Nathan...your guess is as good as mine...

Matt...
If that's the case, which it could be, I've been wrong before....

Then it's this airplane...N749NL!
Currently in Holland.

That would be cool!

jwc50 · **Posted:** Mon Jan 26, 2009 5:04 pm

Ztex wrote:

It is a MATS C-69 at Naha, AFB, Okinawa in 1951. (is it a C-69? )

I was wondering about the tail number...it appears to be 9612

It does not jive with USAF serial numbers....
49-612 was an F-80 (lost in Korea)
49-1612 is a T-28
and so on.

The original bunch of C-69's were in the 42-945XX range...

Any ideas on how to figure this one?

I believe it is 48-612, one of the 10 or so C-121A/L-749A Constellations delivered to the USAF in 1948-49. The USAF flew some of them until early 1968. One of them was refurbished by Vern Raburn in the early 90s (The "MATS Connie") and flown at air shows through 2003 until it was sold and sent over to South Korea for static display.

Second Air Force · **Posted:** Mon Jan 26, 2009 5:25 pm

I'll bet you're correct, Jim. I couldn't find any kind of logical bureau number in the Navy lists, so 48-612 sounds like the choice.

Speaking of "The MATS Connie" here are a couple of shots I got of her at the Fairmont Army Air Field fly-in and open house in June of 2003. The first photo shows two of the WWII hangars in the background.

That was a beautiful aircraft that I wish could have been kept airworthy.

Scott

ww2John · **Posted:** Mon Jan 26, 2009 5:43 pm

I'm just glad I got to see it fly several times at various airshows.
Most memorable was a real short final right over the Warbirds area @ OSH one year. Quite something to look up and see all that stuff right (gear & flaps down) over my head and hear the song of those four engines.
Jets are OK, but four round engines...wow...

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Connie on Okinawa

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