Addition for Historic Wendover Airfield Museum

[wendovertom]

We are excited to announce that Historic Wendover Airfield has been able to acquire a C-54E 44-9141 (Actually delivered to the US Navy as an R5D).

the plane arrived in Wendover after having been retired from Forest Service fire fighting. It was destined to be flown to Alaska where she was intended to haul fuel in the back country but the museum has been able to give her a new home! This is big for us as the C-54 played a huge role in the 509th Composite Group operations while they were based in Wendover. We plan on displaying her as a 320th Troop Carrier Squadron plane. If you get the chance come on out and check the plane out!

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=61362 ... fhm9vM7n8u

Thanks and we hope to see you out in Wendover!

Tom P.

[sandiego89]

Nice addition! A 320th squadron scheme would be great! maybe with C. Sweeney below the cockpit window....

I believe the 320th C-54's were natural metal in the 1945 period?

[wendovertom]

Nice addition! A 320th squadron scheme would be great! maybe with C. Sweeney below the cockpit window....

I believe the 320th C-54's were natural metal in the 1945 period?

Yes - natural metal with the squadron logo beneath the pilot and copilot windows - then a big dark green Wing rising up from the logo and a green strip from the wing to the tail. I don't have photos with me presently but here is the Wikipedia page that gives you a good idea

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/320th_Tro ... r_Squadron

Tom P.

[Chris Brame]

Congratulations! Now the obvious question: Will it be kept flyable , taxiable or static ?

[wendovertom]

Congratulations! Now the obvious question: Will it be kept flyable , taxiable or static ?

Thanks! As is she would need a good going through to be brought back to "ferry" status. About 5-6 years ago she was gone through and prepped to fly to Alaska but since then the old owners let her sit. She will get to be inside and out of the direct weather in the B-29 hangar that was built for the B-29s of the 509th CG. Our goal is to keep it in a state that will allow for a return to flight in the future when the museum has the funds to operate a four engine transport

Tom P

[JohnB]

Great news, I'm always pleased to see a transport preserved.
The paint scheme "wings" look like those used in other transports of the '50s, C-124s, C-97s and the like.

Hopefully, you can get a B-29 at some point.
Are there any unused sections around for a composite?

A couple of months ago at an air museum where I'm a volunteer docent, I gave a tour to some college-age kids from Utah. They had never heard of the Wendover airfield's place in history. I mentioned the museum and they said they'd try to visit.

Last edited by JohnB on Wed Sep 23, 2020 1:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Tulio]

Great news!

Congratulations! Tom and all the crew at Wendover, are doing a great job as stewards and caretakers of aviation history.


EDITED:

I wonder, what happened to the C-54 tankers that were in Rantoul, KS?


Saludos,


Tulio

[Pat Carry]

Great news!

[mike furline]

https://www.airliners.net/photo/USA-Mar ... -4/1279955

https://blackbusheairport.proboards.com ... blackbushe

[Warbird Kid]

Hooefullt, Send over can get a B-29 at some point.
Are there any unused sections around for a composite?

I was thinking about this as well. Best bet would probably be to try and acquire 44-69957 and 44-62134 from China Lake and try and put them together. Of course with no small effort or funds. That, or one of the two other airframes in their salvage yard.

[Joe Scheil]

Great News Tom,

An excellent chance to preserve that C-54. The white paint on the aircraft is redone, but adheres to the same pattern the plane had during her military service. In fact a good shot of her taken in 1986 on the Aero Visuals site shows her paint looking very stock. I flew on a fire in San Diego during 1997 and had your C-54 sitting on my right wing being flown by Ted Mundell (I think) and just though she looked wonderful. The Photos posted by Mark Furline and linked to show a very smart looking aircraft, and hopefully this "white" top scheme can keep your internal temperature down as well as corrosion to a minimum.

All the best on your acquisition. \

Interestingly I just read the "story" of the Sweeney Mission in Ian Toll's "Twilight of the Gods", Volume Three of his excellent WWII trilogy. Have you read this account? I had no idea that mission had gone that way. I wont spoil it here, but I have a different understanding now of the "Bock's Car" flight.

[Randy Wilson]

Joe - you may also want to check this out, written by the usual co-pilot of the plane who ended up being an observer to the flight. He visited our museum a couple of times, the second with his fellow crewmember the "weaponeer", Dick Ashworth. Very interesting story indeed. Here is a link to Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Decision-Nagasaki-Mission-Almost-Failed/dp/B0006RA34U/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2GNHZDZCQZJ0O&dchild=1&keywords=decision+at+nagasaki&qid=1600813781&s=books&sprefix=decision+at+naga%2Cstripbooks%2C181&sr=1-1

Randy

[JohnB]

Interestingly I just read the "story" of the Sweeney Mission in Ian Toll's "Twilight of the Gods", Volume Three of his excellent WWII trilogy. Have you read this account? I had no idea that mission had gone that way. I wont spoil it here, but I have a different understanding now of the "Bock's Car" flight.

I just started the book and have enjoyed the trilogy a great deal.
I highly recommend it. Over the past couple of years, I've been on a Pacific War kick, learning about the combined ops, carrier, and surface actions are a welcome break from strictly aviation topics.
I also recommend the books by James D. Hornfischer, while a naval historian, he has a good grasp of aviation subjects.

I'll look forward to reading that account in the book. When at Wright-Pat, I was invited to a VIP open cockpit night and got to sit in "Bocks's Car".

[wendovertom]

Thanks everyone! We are excited and looking forward to restoring the interior of the plane to look a little more "WWII proper". Painting the outside will come later as we are wanting to get her into the B-29 hangar and out of the weather. However, I am working on getting the nose art taken care of!

I am hoping to get out the museum soon and get some interior shots and will post them here. I am waiting to talk to a guy who can help us determine the best way to remove the retardant tank as well. SOMEONE is going to have to crawl under that floor and unbolt the beast!

As for a B-29 - well that is the dream! One day perhaps. i have not given much thought to the China Lake airframes - seems like such a mountain of paperwork and Hui to get through for, although they are B-29s, "pieces parts". to be honest I am hoping that the AF display program and the board of directors at Hill AFB museum decide that thier B-29 needs to be in a hangar. . . . our hangar - ROFL!!

I have not read Fred's book - probably should one of these days. I have to admit, having been able to interview the 509th CG's XO, Tom Classen, my opinion of Sweeny is probably a bit jaded. Classen had a great deal of combat experience and more flight time over Sweeny but Classen and Tibbetts did not see eye to eye and Sweeny got the mission and dang near blew it. Nothing like armchair QB'ing on Monday morning right? I will stop.

Thanks for the support and if you are out in our neck of the woods be sure to reach out and I will make sure WIXer's get special attention!

Tom P.

[wendovertom]

Here is a quick video of the C-54 we shot last week: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=37369 ... Opm6YfFAYw

Enjoy!

Tom P.