C-47 #43-48716, "Luck Of the Irish" Restoration Thread

[flightsimer]

Here is some info of what it did in WWII

Supply Missions: 52
Medical/Evacuation Missions: 13
Ferrying Missions: 14
Training Missions: 7
Other Missions: 10

According to the Diary, there was only one specific time that missions were listed as by “Fully Operational Combat Missions” and that was from April 1st, 1945 till April 23rd, 1945 for all flights that crossed the River Rheine. However, I would assume that the three combined flights flown over the Battle of the Bulge and Operation Varsity would also count as “Fully Operational Combat Missions”.

*** Of the 52 supply missions, 25 were stated as Fully Operation Combat Missions, with 27 being Sub-Operational missions
*** Of the 13 Medical/Evacuation Missions, two were listed as being Fully Operational Combat missions; taking place on the 21st and 23rd of April.
*** Ferrying missions were missions that were flown for internal purposed within the Squadron such as when they moved bases from Welford, England to Bretigny, France or when they carried other crews to stranded aircraft.
*** Training missions were missions specifically listed as training purposes
*** Other Missions were missions that had unknown intent

There were four missions that I am especially proud to have this plane flown on.

December 24th, 1944 – Flew supply mission to Bastone, Belgium (Battle of the Bulge)
Air dropped supplies (mostly ammo) to the 101st Airborne Division who were isolated by the enemy on the ground. Supplies dropped from Parapacks and Cabin Bundles.
Route flown: Welford – Redhill – Ashford – Cap Gris Nez – St. Omer – Douai – A-91 (Sedan) – Montmeday (the IP) – Bastone with a left turn and re-flying the same course out
Flown by Bussman, Mack, Bell and Austin

December 26th, 1944 – Flew supply mission to Bastone, Belgium (Battle of the Bulge)
Air dropped supplies (mostly ammo) to the 101st Airborne Division who were isolated by the enemy on the ground. Supplies dropped from parapacks and cabin bundles. First time 155MM rounds were dropped by air.
Route flown: Welford – Redhill – Ashford – Cap Gris Nez – St. Omer – Douai – A-91 (Sedan) – Montmeday (the IP) – Bastone with a sharp right turn then re-flying the same course out
Aircraft damaged from small arms fire
Flown by Frome, Slusher, O’Connor and Poltesz

March 24th, 1945 – Flew Glider tow Mission, Field Order No. 5 (Operation Varsity)
Towed two CG4A gliders to the Drop zone near the River Rheine. Flew No. 5 position
Route flown: A-48 – Laon – Wavre – Diest – Bosch – Weeze – DZ “s”, made right turn out of DZ to Bosch – Diest – Wavre – Laon – A-48
Carried the 3rd BN, 194th Glider Infantry regiment of the 17th airborne Division
Flown by Frome, Slusher, Harris, O’Connor

May 8th, 1945 – Flew VICTORY MISSION to various airfields (V-E DAY)
Delivered “Stars and Stripes, Victory Edition” to each airfield
Flown by D’Aigle and crew

It also flew eight missions in which it evacuated American, British, French and German POW’s from various airfields from the 21st of April till the 28th of May.

Last edited by flightsimer on Wed May 15, 2013 2:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[flightsimer]

So you say this particular C-47 was assigned to the 75th TCS, do you know what group? Or did I not see that noted here somewhere? I have many, many photos of wartime C-47's that may help in your search for the scheme your plane carried.

M

The 75th Troup Carrier Squadron was a part of the 435th Troup Carrier Group, which itself was a part of the 53rd Troup Carrier Wing.

I cant seem to find the site I found this out, but I read previously that the 75th's planes were painted Olive Drab over Forest Green with Grey Bellies.

Because of that, we will be using this plane as an example.
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Douglas- ... 092000e3fd

In fact, I would like to find out who exactly restored this plane prior to Kermit Weeks buying it two years ago as I would like to find out exactly what paint they used. That shade of Olive Drab is my favorite

[Mark Allen M]

Here's an 'Operation Varsity' C-47

[The Inspector]

The OD/Green over neutral gray is 'as delived, F.O.B.' from the factory. The paint mfr is not really important if you can take an inspection cover to your local auto paint jobber store, using a spectrometer they can match it exactly and mix anywhere from a nail paint bottle size up to a swimming pool of that exact shade and tint.
Have you tried contacting Weeks to see if the paint mfr is noted in the log book when it was painted 'aircraft painted with XYZ brand paint 2/17/2007' or whatever.

[mustangdriver]

Contact the Dover Air Mobility Command Museum. They have the exact paint codes for the OD over gray. Check with the NMUSAF as well.

[Steve Nelson]

The "Forest Green" was likely Medium Green mottling along the leading and trailing edges of the flying surfaces. This was applied to many OD aircraft, in an effort to break up the outline. When initially applied the Medium Green was lighter than the OD, but the OD faded quickly in service, and the mottling ended up having the opposite effect as intended.

The aircraft in the photo above has some of the blotching on the wings, and the horizontal and verticals appear to have been repainted, either with fresh OD, Medium Green, or possibly even RAF Dark Green (likely whatever was handy.)

SN

[flightsimer]

The OD/Green over neutral gray is 'as delived, F.O.B.' from the factory. The paint mfr is not really important if you can take an inspection cover to your local auto paint jobber store, using a spectrometer they can match it exactly and mix anywhere from a nail paint bottle size up to a swimming pool of that exact shade and tint.
Have you tried contacting Weeks to see if the paint mfr is noted in the log book when it was painted 'aircraft painted with XYZ brand paint 2/17/2007' or whatever.

Unfortunately, every time they repainted her, she was completely stripped and no original paint remains on the outsider the plane, just yellow primer and White/gold paint.

However, the interior still appears to have the stock interior coating, but I don't know how well it will clean up with all the adhesive over it from the insulation they installed when they turned it into a VIP transport.

I am going to try and contact Mr. Weeks on Friday when I have a day off to see if he has any info on the paint or to at the least get the contact info from whom he purchased it from.

The reason I want this specific paint is because I believe it might be a satin finish as it has a slight sheen to it, but it's not overwhelming. I also like this exact shade of darker OD compared to other aircraft. From what I can find, there was a couple different spec for olive drab during the war.
One that faded green and one that faded tan. However, I can't tell which one was which even with the specific paint spec.

http://fortcrookipms.com/ckfinder/userf ... 0WW-II.pdf

[shrike]

For removal of the adhesive on the interior, 3M makes a very effective, albeit very very expensive adhesive remover.
Naptha is almost as effective, and much much cheaper. Neither should affect the underlying paint when used with care.
Make up a bunch of soft wood scrapers to use with it.


For my two cent's worth, if no authentic name or nose art can be documented, I would go with a very generic 'as issued' scheme (and by Bastogne, invasion stripes should either be all-gone or underside only) to best represent the aircraft and all the men that depended on her.

[flightsimer]

For my two cent's worth, if no authentic name or nose art can be documented, I would go with a very generic 'as issued' scheme (and by Bastogne, invasion stripes should either be all-gone or underside only) to best represent the aircraft and all the men that depended on her.

That's been the plan so far.

There deffinately will not be any stripes as stripes were only painted on before Normandy, which afterwards were always in some stage of removal.

[The Inspector]

For my two cent's worth, if no authentic name or nose art can be documented, I would go with a very generic 'as issued' scheme (and by Bastogne, invasion stripes should either be all-gone or underside only) to best represent the aircraft and all the men that depended on her.

That's been the plan so far.

There deffinately will not be any stripes as stripes were only painted on before Normandy, which afterwards were always in some stage of removal.

And remember. NAPTHA is lighter fluid!!!!!! wear proper hand/arm protection (NOT latex gloves) that won't melt in naptha. Probably rubber dipped cotton would work best ask your states Health and Safety Department.

[Pathfinder]

There deffinately will not be any stripes as stripes were only painted on before Normandy, which afterwards were always in some stage of removal.

Yes the D-Day stripes were partially removed (fuselage and wing tops) and the underside stripes retained. The idea is to continue to identify friendly a/c to ground units--like AAA. Would you want to be the only a/c in or around a formation NOT sporting identifying markings...?

Your bird entered the ETO just after Market-Garden (which went on for longer than a single day...) and the war was still going on. I would expect that she got stripes under side.

[shrike]

http://www.crazyhorseap.be/Mustangs/Mustangs/Invasion%20Stripes.html Has the text of the memoranda describing invasion stripes, and their subsequent removal.

[flightsimer]

Ok guys, I need a little help.

In the last month or so, I was searching through this forum, or I was redirected here at least. I can not remember specifically what i was looking for at the time, but the thread i stubbled into contain someone either requesting information on the placement of the Stars and Bars for their C-47 or something else.

Their C-47 was the C-47 ("J8" 43-15211)(N1944A) that I linked to at the begining of the thread. The person also ended up posting a picture they created of the paint scheme they were in the process of applying or were planning to apply.

I do remember one specific thing about the thread which was someone telling this person that the J8 on the left side was not 8J on the right side, that both were the same.

Does this ring a bell for anyone?

Im really trying to find this person who started the thread.

Edit: Nevermind, I found it, but it was in another forum. Every time i did a search it came up as already, read. So I
thought it was from early tonight.

[flightsimer]

Does anyone have a blown up image of the Mission symbols for C-47's?
I need the Glider Tow symbol (the guy pulling the glider) and the Supply mission symbols (Locomotive and Cars). Could not find anything on the web except for a very small photo from a decal package for models.


Also, does anyone know, was their a specific flag that was designed just for the victory of WWII? In our history, we were one of three ships that flew to various airfields on the "Victory Mission" carrying and delivering the "Stars and Stripes, Victory Edition".

I did a search on the web, but didn't find anything.

[shrike]

[quote="flightsimer"
Also, does anyone know, was their a specific flag that was designed just for the victory of WWII? In our history, we were one of three ships that flew to various airfields on the "Victory Mission" carrying and delivering the "Stars and Stripes, Victory Edition".

I did a search on the web, but didn't find anything.[/quote]

That would be the August 15, 1945 edition of the Stars and Stripes newspaper.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stars_and_Stripes_%28newspaper%29

Last edited by shrike on Wed May 22, 2013 11:40 am, edited 1 time in total.