C-123B NX4254H Pictures Now Uploaded

gary1954 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 24, 2009 12:46 pm

Will up load photos later. Saw NX4254H serial 54-603 in Columbus,Georgia today. The crew said they picked her up in Titusville,Florida and were enroute to Alaska where she will be put to work hauling cargo. The Pilot believed that this 123 had been an Air America bird. May have been, a callsign of HADES23 was above each sides windscreen. Though I'd pass this along, photos will be up loaded as I am at work right now.
Okay at home now, loaded some pictures

54-603 C-123B NX4254H enroute to Alaska at Columbus Metro Airport, Columbus, Ga
4-24-09 Photo Gary Lewis

Data Plate, 54-603 C-123B NX4254H enroute to Alaska at Columbus Metro Airport, Columbus, Ga 4-24-09 Photo Gary Lewis

Starboard Engine 54-603 C-123B NX4254H enroute to Alaska at Columbus Metro Airport, Columbus, Ga 4-24-09 Photo Gary Lewis

Port Engine 54-603 C-123B NX4254H enroute to Alaska at Columbus Metro Airport, Columbus, Ga 4-24-09 Photo Gary Lewis

Port Engine closeup 54-603 C-123B NX4254H enroute to Alaska at Columbus Metro Airport, Columbus, Ga 4-24-09 Photo Gary Lewis

Call sign 54-603 C-123B NX4254H at enroute to Alaska Columbus Metro Airport, Columbus, Ga 4-24-09 Photo Gary Lewis

54-603 C-123B NX4254H enroute to Alaska at Columbus Metro Airport, Columbus, Ga 4-24-09 Photo Gary Lewis

Special Thanks to very Kind and Considerate Mr.John Eshleman of Steppers Construction Inc., Wasilla, Alaska for letting me climb aboard and take a few photos.

bluehawk15 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 24, 2009 1:35 pm

Registration returns to:

Name COMPASS ROSE LLC
Street 6382 E BEECHCRAFT RD
City WASILLA State ALASKA Zip Code 99654-9367
County KENAI PENINSULA
Country UNITED STATES

bluehawk15 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 24, 2009 1:41 pm

Oh, and the registration shows it to be a C-123K.

gary1954 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 24, 2009 1:58 pm

Figuers it would be a Government form, I photograpghed the data plate affixed to the bulkhead, and it clearly read C-123 B. There was no mistaking it.

Brad · **Joined:** Thu Apr 29, 2004 10:30 pm **Posts:** 1131

gary1954 wrote:

Figuers it would be a Government form, I photograpghed the data plate affixed to the bulkhead, and it clearly read C-123 B. There was no mistaking it.

It started out as a B-model, was modified to K-model and finally became a UC-123K. It never was an Air America bird. I've got all the history written down but it's at home.

She was a lot of fun when we still had her!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6uH8VagqB4

She will now be in the company of two other C-123s owned by the same people.

Here's a previous thread

http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/p ... =cat+house

gary1954 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:18 pm

Tulio · **Joined:** Mon May 03, 2004 1:05 am **Posts:** 3236

At Titusville, there was WE-674, a C-123K. Sans engines, when I saw it in 2002. It had overall cammo paint on it. There was also another C-123, the former HR-ALK, that had seen service with the Contras in Honduras / Nicaragua.

IIRC the name of the group that owned it, was the Air America Foundation, and they were -still are, from recent Barnstormers ads- fund raising to bring the Provider back into flying condition.

Now, the thread mentioned above, points to the "Cat House" a C-123 that used to reside in Anoka, MN.

Is the plane that Gary saw in GA, the same as Cat House, or is it ALK? I seem to recall that ALK had an overall aluminum fuselage.

Saludos,

Tulio

Brad · **Joined:** Thu Apr 29, 2004 10:30 pm **Posts:** 1131

-0674 (formerly HR-ALK) now known as "Big Lou" is owned by the Air America Foundation and still being worked on at Titusville.

-0603, formerly known as "The Cat House" was privately owned by another individual at Titusville. He purchased it from us (Olympic Flight Museum) in Washington in 2003. We purchased it, along with several other planes from Wally Fisk in Anoka, MN around 2001. After being delivered to Florida, it only flew one more time before being put out to pasture and back up for sale. It was never owned by the Air America Foundation but the opposite has been commonly reported. The man that bought it from us was associatied with the Air America Foundation but that's were their involvement ended.

The current owner purchased the plane and intended to fly it to Alaska. The man that sold it to him had let the plane go down hill after taking it to Florida. It really had some bad problems. An aborted test flight led to some very expensive maintenance and a long delay in time. The work was completed a few days ago and the plane is now heading to Alaska.

spookythecat · **Posted:** Sat Apr 25, 2009 2:34 am

I was gonna ask if that was the one that I saw in Olympia some years back and after watching the video my question was answered. Yep!

B29Gunner · **Posted:** Sat Apr 25, 2009 3:54 am

Tulio wrote:

IIRC the name of the group that owned it, was the Air America Foundation, and they were -still are, from recent Barnstormers ads- fund raising to bring the Provider back into flying condition.

Yep we're still plug'n away on her! But the recent ads you saw were for my own stuff and not directly related to the AAF, despite the Foundation being listed in my contact info :wink:

Lynn Allen · **Posted:** Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:23 am

What kind of engines does she have R-2800's? I have some family in Wasilla also....

Lynn

gary1954 · **Posted:** Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:56 am

Yup great big beautiful Pratts R-2800s

Tulio · **Joined:** Mon May 03, 2004 1:05 am **Posts:** 3236

Gary, Trevor,

Thank you for the info and clarification, it is much appreciated!

Saludos,

Tulio

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