Seized Skyraider Update

kalamazookid · **Posted:** Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:10 am

mustangdriver wrote:

The 20mm cannons arrived at the Port of Savannah, Ga., on Oct. 8, 2008, inside two 40-foot shipping containers being imported by Dixie Equipment. CBP officers discovered the cannons concealed in a wooden box, hidden under aircraft parts in the nose of one of the containers, although the cannons were not listed on the entry form, bill of lading, invoice or any other documentation submitted by Dixie Equipment.

CBP officers seized the cannons and aircraft parts on Oct. 15, 2008. The ICE HSI investigation following that seizure revealed the Skyraider aircraft had entered the United States illegally. ICE HSI agents seized the plane pursuant to a court order on April 24, 2009, at the Bessemer Airport, where it had been delivered to Hendrickson in August 2008.

Neither the State Department nor the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) had granted a permit, license or other written authorization for the importation of the Skyraider, the cannons or the aircraft parts at the time they entered the United States

The pilot, who was hired by Hendrickson to fly the plane from France into the United States, provided false information to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Port of Buffalo, N.Y., to gain admittance into the country.

This is from the US Immigration and Customs website

If I'm understanding this right, the import permit was denied, but the guy tried to import it anyway. Then when the weapons shipped, they were not only concealed within a crate, but weren't even on the manifest?

I don't get it. If the facts above are true, I don't understand why the responsibility doesn't fall on the owner. Generally, when the government denies you a permit to do something, you don't do it anyway. The way the weapons were imported (hiding in the corner of a crate, not reported in the manifest) is shady if you're looking at this from the government's perspective. Given the post-9/11 world we live in, I would think someone would take extra care to make sure items that could be perceived as being of a sensitive nature are shipped properly and within regulation.

If the details about the denial of an import permit and the shipping are true, this is simply negligence on the part of the owner. I fail to see how that's the government's fault.

It sucks about the Skyraider, but if the above facts are true, I have a hard time feeling sympathy for the owner. Hopefully some sort of resolution can be found that keeps any harm from coming to the Skyraider.

airtj · **Posted:** Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:34 am

I was over at aafo.com and they have a thread about this aircraft also. In the picture in the article one of the props was cut to keep it from flying.

http://www.aafo.com/hangartalk/showthread.php?t=9769

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:38 am

Luckily they smuggled in extra prop blades.

The Inspector · **Posted:** Sat Jan 07, 2012 11:46 am

Wasn't there the same situation in reverse a few years ago where my gummint, attempting to protect me from myself denied an export certificate for a restored SPITFIRE?
And all the crap NOSEEDAVE went through getting an ex Israeli C-47 into the country a couple of years ago.

maxum96 · **Posted:** Sat Jan 07, 2012 1:02 pm

airtj wrote:

I was over at aafo.com and they have a thread about this aircraft also. In the picture in the article one of the props was cut to keep it from flying.

http://www.aafo.com/hangartalk/showthread.php?t=9769

I think it might be an optical allusion due to the angle where the camera was to the blade and the use of a wide angle lens.

Iclo · **Posted:** Sat Jan 07, 2012 2:33 pm

One question I didn't see anywhere: what was the real state of these "Canon" when they were imported, knowing a bit the french position about weapons (very restrictive) I seriously doubt that these weapons were not neutralized since a long time.

So why speaking of weapons, if there is no more threat that with a replica of cannon or machine gun ?

cooper9411 · **Posted:** Sat Jan 07, 2012 2:57 pm

Iclo wrote:

One question I didn't see anywhere: what was the real state of these "Canon" when they were imported, knowing a bit the french position about weapons (very restrictive) I seriously doubt that these weapons were not neutralized since a long time.

So why speaking of weapons, if there is no more threat that with a replica of cannon or machine gun ?

Even if the French did demil them, the ATF still has to do there own demilling! :drink3:

Forgotten Field · **Posted:** Sat Jan 07, 2012 3:16 pm

There are two issues with the cannons. First, you need a Form 6 to import them at all. Second, you cannot import the registerable piece- the receiver. If you destroy the receiver of the weapon and want to import scrap metal (and it needs to be scrap metal by ATF's standards), then it can be imported IF it is approved on a Form 6.

I have imported an item or two, and items are scrutinized more than you would believe despite the fact that our borders are sieves. Whether it was importer, exporter, owner, broker, or whoever made the mistake, the owner is in the wrong.

Of course, we are much safer now that the Skyraider and 20MM cannons aren't here to harm schoolbus's full of exceptional future Democratic/Republican voters. Great save! And the other drugs, weapons, and harmful items they missed when they were spending man-hours on this case- fahgettaboutit!

airnutz · **Posted:** Sat Jan 07, 2012 3:17 pm

kalamazookid wrote:

mustangdriver wrote:

The 20mm cannons arrived at the Port of Savannah, Ga., on Oct. 8, 2008, inside two 40-foot shipping containers being imported by Dixie Equipment. CBP officers discovered the cannons concealed in a wooden box, hidden under aircraft parts in the nose of one of the containers, although the cannons were not listed on the entry form, bill of lading, invoice or any other documentation submitted by Dixie Equipment.

CBP officers seized the cannons and aircraft parts on Oct. 15, 2008. The ICE HSI investigation following that seizure revealed the Skyraider aircraft had entered the United States illegally. ICE HSI agents seized the plane pursuant to a court order on April 24, 2009, at the Bessemer Airport, where it had been delivered to Hendrickson in August 2008.

Neither the State Department nor the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) had granted a permit, license or other written authorization for the importation of the Skyraider, the cannons or the aircraft parts at the time they entered the United States

The pilot, who was hired by Hendrickson to fly the plane from France into the United States, provided false information to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Port of Buffalo, N.Y., to gain admittance into the country.

This is from the US Immigration and Customs website

If I'm understanding this right, the import permit was denied, but the guy tried to import it anyway. Then when the weapons shipped, they were not only concealed within a crate, but weren't even on the manifest?

If the details about the denial of an import permit and the shipping are true, this is simply negligence on the part of the owner.

Or the negligence of the importer...tho the responsibility is the owners...as in Willie Nelson's tax lawyer.(Luckily, later Willie did achieve a settlement from his CPA, but he still had to do the gubmint dance.)

From the article I linked on page 1 of this thread of the owners suit against Geodis.....
quote:
According to the brief, Geodis knew that the U.S. State Department denied its request to bring the Skyraider into the States, but failed to inform the plaintiffs of the denial.

Invader26 · **Joined:** Wed Aug 11, 2010 7:56 am **Posts:** 843

Shhhhhhh.....don't tell ICE or the ATF about the stuff [and people] coming across from south of the border....... :drinkers:

gary1954 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 08, 2012 10:11 am

Invader26 wrote:

Shhhhhhh.....don't tell ICE or the ATF about the stuff [and people] coming across from south of the border....... :drinkers:

Ain't that the frickin truth. :axe:

JOMiller · **Joined:** Mon May 30, 2011 8:27 am **Posts:** 321

Anyone know the BuNo on this bird??

Warbirdnerd · **Joined:** Fri Apr 30, 2004 7:34 pm **Posts:** 2923

JOMiller wrote:

Anyone know the BuNo on this bird??

It is: Bu126956
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/a1regist ... 26956.html

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Seized Skyraider Update

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