daveT
Senior Airman
I'm looking for photos of C-47A, serial number 42-92990, construction number 12852.
WWII and Post War photo request. I have photos from 1965 onward. History of aircraft posted below.
The complete history is attached in the pdf document
I'm primary intered in WWII and post war USAF service.
5. USAAF history of C-47, serial number 42-92990, construction number 12852 as provided by Tom Van Hoorn, of Dutch Dokota.
The aircraft was built as a Douglas C-47A-20-DK Skytrain in the Midwest City Douglas Aircraft Company Plant in Oklahoma City, under contract number AC-28405 (Note this contract number matches the data plate info). Construction number 12852 was delivered to the USAAF on 26 March 1944 and received serial number 42-92990. The aircraft was then flown to Troop Carrier Command Staging Area at Baer Army Airfield, Indiana. At Baer it was inspected, modified, and test flown before departing to its assigned unit.
42-92990 was then transferred to the Air Transport Command at Homestead Army Airfield, Florida on 14 April 1944. At the time, Homestead was primarily a maintenance stopover for aircraft going to the Caribbean and North African areas. The aircraft next is shown assigned to the 12th Air Force on 25 April 1944 and then the 51st TCS on 29 April 1944.
6. History of the 51st Troop Carrier Squadron:
Activated in June 1942 as a Troop Carrier Command, C-47 Skytrain Troop Carrier Squadron (TCS), trained in the United States until being deployed to England, assigned to 13th Air Support Command, Eighth Air Force in October 1942.
The squadron trained briefly in England until the Operation Torch landings in North Africa during November 1942. It was reassigned to 12th AF and transferred to Algeria on 15 November 1942. The squadron's aircraft flew supplies to front-line units in Algeria and Tunisia during the North African Campaign as soon as suitable landing strips were available and evacuated casualties back to rear area field hospitals.
The squadron engaged in combat operations, dropping airborne units into Sicily during Operation Husky and later into areas around Anzio, Italy as part of Operation Shingle, the invasion of mainland Italy in January 1944. They moved north though Italy 1944-1945 in support of Allied ground forces, evacuated wounded personnel and flew missions behind enemy lines in Italy and the Balkans to haul guns, ammunition, food, clothing, medical supplies, and other materials to the partisans and to drop propaganda leaflets.
The squadron participated in the airborne assault of Southern France in August 1944, dropping airborne forces into the Rhone Valley. With the end of combat in May, 1945, they aided in the redeployment of personnel after the war and also hauled freight and mail. Squadron demobilized in Italy on 14 November 1945 and placed in non-operational status and was inactivated as an administrative unit in March 1946.
7. History of 42-93990 with the 51st TCS. During the time 42-92990 joined the 51st TCS, it was stationed at Ponte Olivio on Sicily. It would have operated from Brindisi, Gaudo, Galera, Malignano, Tarquinia, Rosignano, and Naples Airfields, all in Italy. Types of missions flown by would have included dropping paratroops in Italy in June 1944. Two missions were flown in connection with the invasion of Southern France in August 1944. The squadron released gliders and dropped paratroopers in the battle area. The squadron also transported troops, dropped paratroopers and released gliders during the Allied assault of Greece in October 1944. In addition to airborne operations, the squadron evacuated wounded personnel, hauled ammunition, food, clothing, medical supplies and other material. They also dropped propaganda leaflets.
8. Post war overseas service of 42-92990. After the 51st TCS, the aircraft was next assigned to the 10th Base Squadron, Air Forces Europe, based in Germany on 1 January 1948. On 12 May 1948 it was assigned to the 7910th Base Unit at Wheelus Airbase Libya. Then it was assigned to the 526th Air Base Group and the 1603rd Air Base Group. The 1603rd Air Transport Wing flew C-47s to Egypt, Saudia Arabia and Cyprus.
9. 42-92990 back in the USA list of assignments. In September 1949 it was assigned to Westover MA. MTC, 1600 Maintenance Group/Base Group/ATG.
9 Jun 1950, assigned to Griffis, NY Air Material Command, 2751 Experimental Wing/3151 ELG.
15 August 1951, Wright Patterson OH, Air Development Center.
3 Jan 1952, Converted to RC-47A, this is the only C-47 known to have been used for photo mapping. (Important note: This would explain the three opening in the bottom fuselage of the aircraft)
11 Feb 1952, Long Beach CA, Air Pictorial Service, 4860 Photo Group,
1 May 1952, Burbank CA, Military Transport Command, 1350 Air Base Group
4 Jan 1955, Kirkland NM, AF Research Development Command, 1901 Air Base Wing
7 May 1955 – 6 Feb 1961, Orlando FL, MTC, 1360/1372/1376 Air Base Group/Maint. Squadron
1 Jul 1961, Strategic Air Command, 321 CSG
1 Oct 1961, 4047 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
1 Apr 1963, 306 Bomb Wing
5 March 1965 military career ended and aircraft was sold to the Hillsborough County Health Unit in Tampa Florida.
WWII and Post War photo request. I have photos from 1965 onward. History of aircraft posted below.
The complete history is attached in the pdf document
I'm primary intered in WWII and post war USAF service.
5. USAAF history of C-47, serial number 42-92990, construction number 12852 as provided by Tom Van Hoorn, of Dutch Dokota.
The aircraft was built as a Douglas C-47A-20-DK Skytrain in the Midwest City Douglas Aircraft Company Plant in Oklahoma City, under contract number AC-28405 (Note this contract number matches the data plate info). Construction number 12852 was delivered to the USAAF on 26 March 1944 and received serial number 42-92990. The aircraft was then flown to Troop Carrier Command Staging Area at Baer Army Airfield, Indiana. At Baer it was inspected, modified, and test flown before departing to its assigned unit.
42-92990 was then transferred to the Air Transport Command at Homestead Army Airfield, Florida on 14 April 1944. At the time, Homestead was primarily a maintenance stopover for aircraft going to the Caribbean and North African areas. The aircraft next is shown assigned to the 12th Air Force on 25 April 1944 and then the 51st TCS on 29 April 1944.
6. History of the 51st Troop Carrier Squadron:
Activated in June 1942 as a Troop Carrier Command, C-47 Skytrain Troop Carrier Squadron (TCS), trained in the United States until being deployed to England, assigned to 13th Air Support Command, Eighth Air Force in October 1942.
The squadron trained briefly in England until the Operation Torch landings in North Africa during November 1942. It was reassigned to 12th AF and transferred to Algeria on 15 November 1942. The squadron's aircraft flew supplies to front-line units in Algeria and Tunisia during the North African Campaign as soon as suitable landing strips were available and evacuated casualties back to rear area field hospitals.
The squadron engaged in combat operations, dropping airborne units into Sicily during Operation Husky and later into areas around Anzio, Italy as part of Operation Shingle, the invasion of mainland Italy in January 1944. They moved north though Italy 1944-1945 in support of Allied ground forces, evacuated wounded personnel and flew missions behind enemy lines in Italy and the Balkans to haul guns, ammunition, food, clothing, medical supplies, and other materials to the partisans and to drop propaganda leaflets.
The squadron participated in the airborne assault of Southern France in August 1944, dropping airborne forces into the Rhone Valley. With the end of combat in May, 1945, they aided in the redeployment of personnel after the war and also hauled freight and mail. Squadron demobilized in Italy on 14 November 1945 and placed in non-operational status and was inactivated as an administrative unit in March 1946.
7. History of 42-93990 with the 51st TCS. During the time 42-92990 joined the 51st TCS, it was stationed at Ponte Olivio on Sicily. It would have operated from Brindisi, Gaudo, Galera, Malignano, Tarquinia, Rosignano, and Naples Airfields, all in Italy. Types of missions flown by would have included dropping paratroops in Italy in June 1944. Two missions were flown in connection with the invasion of Southern France in August 1944. The squadron released gliders and dropped paratroopers in the battle area. The squadron also transported troops, dropped paratroopers and released gliders during the Allied assault of Greece in October 1944. In addition to airborne operations, the squadron evacuated wounded personnel, hauled ammunition, food, clothing, medical supplies and other material. They also dropped propaganda leaflets.
8. Post war overseas service of 42-92990. After the 51st TCS, the aircraft was next assigned to the 10th Base Squadron, Air Forces Europe, based in Germany on 1 January 1948. On 12 May 1948 it was assigned to the 7910th Base Unit at Wheelus Airbase Libya. Then it was assigned to the 526th Air Base Group and the 1603rd Air Base Group. The 1603rd Air Transport Wing flew C-47s to Egypt, Saudia Arabia and Cyprus.
9. 42-92990 back in the USA list of assignments. In September 1949 it was assigned to Westover MA. MTC, 1600 Maintenance Group/Base Group/ATG.
9 Jun 1950, assigned to Griffis, NY Air Material Command, 2751 Experimental Wing/3151 ELG.
15 August 1951, Wright Patterson OH, Air Development Center.
3 Jan 1952, Converted to RC-47A, this is the only C-47 known to have been used for photo mapping. (Important note: This would explain the three opening in the bottom fuselage of the aircraft)
11 Feb 1952, Long Beach CA, Air Pictorial Service, 4860 Photo Group,
1 May 1952, Burbank CA, Military Transport Command, 1350 Air Base Group
4 Jan 1955, Kirkland NM, AF Research Development Command, 1901 Air Base Wing
7 May 1955 – 6 Feb 1961, Orlando FL, MTC, 1360/1372/1376 Air Base Group/Maint. Squadron
1 Jul 1961, Strategic Air Command, 321 CSG
1 Oct 1961, 4047 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
1 Apr 1963, 306 Bomb Wing
5 March 1965 military career ended and aircraft was sold to the Hillsborough County Health Unit in Tampa Florida.
