Anyone in the Mesa, AZ area?

[SIDSIKO]

Would like to hear from anybody who would be good enough to take a trip out to Falcon Field and help me to identify an US Army H-19 that is in a compound down East Roadrunner at the airport. There was nobody present in the adjacent hangar when I visited, so I couldn't gain access. The tail is removed and a plate is visible on the starboard side of the rear fuselage. Sure would appreciate a picture of this plate if at all possible.

Thanks in advance

Sid

[N3Njeff]

Whoever does this, Take some pics of their N3N's.............I believe that this is the same company!!

[Pooner]

I think I can help.

The H-19 in Mr. Campbell's yard is the one belonging to Wingspan Air of Mesa, AZ. I should be able to get the specific a/c ID number from you from the museum's executive director himself tomorrow morning. This Sikorsky was donated to the group coming from Chandler, AZ, Memorial Airfield from the W. and T. Grantham family. I'm assuming this is the one you are referencing.

If you desire more data, PM me and I will happily forward contact data.

I had not yet checked the Wingspan web site this evening , but they may have already posted the Sikorsky number(s) of this H-19. Perhaps a Google or Bing enquiry to "Wingspan" might provide the data right now.

And for N3NJeff, sorry to report that the N3Ns as owned by Mr. Anderson have already been moved off-field - the last leaving perhaps 6 + months ago. According to the airport authority, these vintage airframes had been deemed as "unsightly" and were not stored in accordance with posted airport rules and regulations. Some sort of rot about "project" or "stored" aircraft needing to be stored behind "city approved fencing" which inhibits visibility, and of course, the fencing was subject to rules and regulations stipulating as to the type and construction, etc. Essentially, a "horse$hit" tactic to get someone to move something that someone on a municipal level does not agree with.

I'd been told they had since been moved to Maricopa, AZ, an are well loved and care for - away from the tyrants at KFFZ.

[SIDSIKO]

Hello Pooner,

Many thanks for your kind offer of help in finding out the serial of the H-19. I have hopefully attached a picture of the H-19 in question and a red box around the location of the tail plate inside the fuselage, which should help identify the aircraft if all else fails. Would also welcome any news of the whereabouts of the 50+ H-19's that were moved out of Chandler Memorial after the tidy up

http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/ww23 ... 0825-1.jpg

[Pooner]

Yup, that's the Wingspan H-19!

I was diverted from speaking with museum director Jeff Furnari today, but will get you the data plate information and post for you tomorrow if all goes well. I know the information exits and am happy to share. Correspondingly, if you have any operational history of this helicopter you can share, I am sure the Wingspan folks would appreciate this as well.

There are rumors about that the lot of stored H-19/S-55 airframes at Memorial were scrapped, but that's completely untrue. All were moved one and two at a time about 20 months ago to a new secured storage facility outside of Coolidge, AZ - some 45 minutes or so away. They were combined with another lot of Sikorsky airframes in similar condition that had been stored in Tucson and all are the property of a firm out of Florida - WhisperJet. I will PM you their contact information should you desire this as well. The move was done to consolidate the inventory when Memorial airfield - owned and operated by the Gila River Indian Community - closed to the public and tenants were asked to leave.

Thanks for asking! - Rob

[Craig59]

Rob,

I sent you a PM on this very subject last week but, I see it is still in my outbox. If you could PM both Sid and I on the contact info, I'd appreciate it. Sid and I both thought it was in the Casa Grande area and Sid drove around that area last week when he was visiting. I'll be out that way in January and would love to go see the airframes. Thanks in advance!

[/list]

[SIDSIKO]

Hi Pooner,

Many thanks for your answer and look forward to the information on the H-19. I should be able to do a history on the helicopter for the guys who own it, although the Army's records aren't as complete as the USAF or the USN. Thanks also for the update on the ex Chandler machines, wish I had that information before my recent trip across the pond. Oh well! That's next years holiday planning solved!