Del wrote: "I am writing an article for Propliner Magazine on one of Roger Brooks' airplanes: C-54T N8502R, currently stored at Wendover Airport, Utah. 
I have some current photos of the exterior, but would like to get some of the interior for the article as well.  The Airport Manager told me I need written permission from the owner before he could allow that, and according to the records, Roger Brooks still has ownership of N8502R, even though Chris Houchen of Alaska Air Fuel has acquired the airplane. 
Wendover is 120 miles west of Salt Lake City, Utah on Interstate 80.  During WWII the base was used to train bomber gunners and bombardiers, and it's reknown as the base where the B-29 atomic bomb crews trained prior to transfering to Tinian Island in the Mariana's Group."
I was at Wendover in 2008, indeed an interesting place. This DC-4 / C-54 wasn't there yet but a C-123 Provider was present.

A 2010 photo was sent to me by Craig Smith, see HERE..

Some information on Tanker 65 (c/n 27367/313): It was operated by TBM (based at Tulare & Visalia,CA) fighting the forest fires. Operational during summer of 1998 based on contract at Ramona,CA June 1998 - Nov.98.
And in 1999 saw active service as well. In the summer of 2003 it was fighting fires Arizona.
In July 2008 it was reported as being ferried from Kingman,AZ to Fairbanks,AK for a new owner: Roger Brooks. But it never got that far, it got stranded at some point and for some reason in the great void of Nevada.
Exif info shows these photos were taken 08Jan2014.
Hopefully this good looking propliner will find a new owner to continue a flying career, not just for parts.

By Sep.2018 I learned that N8502R was still here, but where would it go?

"On 16 August 2013, ZS-NTE took the participants of the Axe Space Competition to Parys.
Andre Moll was the photographer for the event. He took this beautiful photo and shared it with us."
Click on photo for link to Springbok Classic Air Facebook page.

See the update on my Photos by Friends & Guests (Page 50), as ZS-NTE as reappeared during the summer of 2017 in Ireland, flying in the retro colours of Aer Lingus.

I googled for details and found on http://rzjets.net/aircraft/ :
Nepal Airlines 9N-ABK Pilatus PC-6/B2-H2 (c/n 755). Converted to H4. PT6A.
Written off in 1998.

For me (webmaster) the Pilatus Porter will always be connected to Air America (CIA) and the war in S E Asia:
...At the same time, there was a need for airplanes capable of repeated take offs and landings in small areas such as jungle clearings, and these airplanes at least had to have strengthened undercarriages, because perfect airfields simply did not exist in this region.
One aircraft ideally suited for such work was the Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter. This machine was developed in Switzerland at the end of the 1950's and promised to be very successful, and afterwards the American aircraft builder Fairchild purchased a license for the production of the PC-6. American production machines were passed on to Air America, as were others purchased in Switzerland.

The PC-6 appeared to be the ideal candidate for operations in these areas: it only needed a tiny space to take off in, and landing distances were also very short due to carefully designed wing flaps.
The capacity of the cargo cabin was good for a single-engine airplane; and the strong construction of the undercarriage minimized the likelihood of destruction of the airplane in the event of a hard landing. The PC-6 was flown more frequently than other single-engine types in the Air America inventory, and an average hour in the air was amongst the highest."
www.roden.eu/HTML/440.htm

"At least 37 PC-6 Turbo Porters were flying for the CIA by Air America, Continental Air Services, Bird & Sons, ICCS Air Services and Air Asia, Tainan. From the beginning Air America used its Turbo Porters in three theaters of South East Asia: Several were assigned to an Air Force contract for use out of Saigon as liaison aircraft. Several were used to support the CIA's Hmong program in Laos, and two went to contracts in Thailand, especially to support the Royal Thai Border Police."
www.militaryaviation.eu/transporter/Pilatus/PC-6.htm

Steve wrote: "Although this negative is starting to go south (almost transparent) but it's interesting because C-119 Tanker 81 almost didn't make the take off...!
During a Santa Ana event (east winds) 1978 fire season, with a full load of retardant and full power to all three engines, she touched the chainlink fence past the end of the runway!
The end of the runway being directly under the main gear, nothing past that point but dirt, weeds and the fence, it was a VERY hot day..."

The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar has a special place with me so you'll find three pages with photos and information HERE #1 and HERE #2 and HERE #3

I looked at the picture and with the aircraft there it sure is not May 5th, 1945! And as I kept looking at it, at the planes etc. I came to the conclusion that it’s actually the Fokker factory at Schiphol, and that it must be after Fokker started building the Meteor jets and Sea Fury, so around 1951.

I think the picture is taken from the canal area but need some proof as no-one will believe me!"
Erling Baldorf, ex senior chief, Royal Danish Navy

Basler BT67 'Turbo DC-3' N142Z (c/n 20494) seen in US Forest Service splendour, now something of the past.
The photo was copied from the US Forest Service website, alas without any name of the photographer to credit.
www.fs.fed.us/fire/people/smokejumpers/aircraft.html

The following text was copied (Feb.2014) for information from said website: "The Douglas DC-3TP is affectionately known to smokejumpers as the DOUG. The last Forest Service owned DC-3 aircraft received turbo prop conversions. The DC-3TP continues a long and proud tradition of supporting smokejumper and paracargo operations and has carried the fleet into the 21st century.
The DC3-TP (J-15) is now based in Missoula. The Doug has a cruise speed of 190 knots providing an initial attack range of 570 nautical miles from the base of operation. Standard configuration includes 12 smokejumpers, two day supply of food and water, a variety of firefighting equipment including chainsaws, a portable pump, hose, and first aid supplies."

History (from Flickr.com TVL1970's photostream):
"This aircraft started service as a US Army Air Forces C-47A (c/n 20494 / USAAF Ser No. 43-16028), delivered to the Ninth Air Force (9th AF) in June 1944. It would serve in the US military until July 1945, when ownership would pass to the US Civil Aeronautics Authority (CAA), and successor agency Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) as NC100.
It would then serve with the FAA until 1970, when the US Department of Agriculture (parent agency of the US Forest Service) assumed ownership as N100Z.
N100Z was used as a smokejumper aircraft, dropping smokejumpers via parachute to fight forest fires.
In the 1990s the aircraft was sent to Basler Turbo Conversions (BTC) for a fuselage stretch and conversion to turbine power through the installation of Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC) PT6A-67R turboprop engines.
After the conversion, the aircraft also was given a new registration: N142Z.
The aircraft has continued since in its smokejumper role with the US Forest Service. The aircraft was used at Aviation Nation 2009 to carry and drop the US Air Force Wings of Blue Parachute Team.

It was registered in Canada as C-GKKB for Kenn Borek Air in Canada on 26Mar2013. Its US Forest Service retirement ceremony, plus a few personal recollections, was described by Bill Gabbert last november on wildfiretoday.com/tag/smokejumpers/page/4/

McCall Tanker Base photo from www.mccallsmokejumpers.org/history.html go and visit (online or perhaps in person!)

C/n AF-75, Beech TC-45G delivered to USAF as 51-11518.
It was remanufactured at Wichita by Beech from C-45F 44-47417 (c/n 7821) and redelivered to the USAF on 23Jun1952.
To storage at Davis-Monthan AFB (AZ), retired June 1957 when struck off charge (soc)
Registered N7212C for Sierra Meat Company of Fresno (CA), 1963/71
As N7212C noted at Chandler,AZ 22Apr72 in, bare metal finish
To Raymond E. Nelson of Bakersfield,CA - Oct1985/98
To Russ Sharpe of Oakdale,CA 1998 who was reported actively restoring this Beech 18
Registered Makenna J. Sharpe of Portland,OR 19May99
Reg'd N80240 (again to Makenna J. Sharpe of Portland,OR), Dec1999/01
Registration N29757 not taken up (ntu) Sep2001
Reg'd N80240 (again Makenna J. Sharpe), Sep2001/05
Reg'd Beech 18 Holdings LLC of New Iberia,LA - 20Nov07/14
Source: www.goodall.com.au/beech18-production/beech18-part-3.pdf

Rich wrote: "Bob Lutz flies his Super Cub next to the Gorge of the Knik Glacier east of Palmer, AK."

To learn more about Rich Hulina's fascinating photography visit my page Rich Hulina / Bush Flying Captured

Ed added the following information (on facebook): "The owner happened to be in the middle of changing a cylinder so, since I had 'smaller fingers' I was asked to help to could reach the back nuts; spent the better part of the afternoon getting oily and messy but it was kind of fun!
Terry Herbert, the owner, was very considerate and let me climb around all over the bird. He told me that he had a recent contract flying auto parts from Mexico to El Paso, but that the contract was finished and he might move the plane to Florida for some kind of Florida Nassau cargo run. I noticed that all of the old fittings and holes for aerial survey were still in place on the belly just patched over."

Then doug Morrison added more info to this Gooney Bird: "Except for Aero Services D-17 Staggerwing this would more than likely be the oldest surviving aeromagnetic survey aircraft - it flew survey for many years!
It was one of the two aircraft fitted out by Gulf Research and Development Company and flying tests from November or so 1946 with the Gulf fluxgate magnetometer.
Registered as NC88740 and later flew for Canadian Aero Service and Questor as CF-IMA.
The other pioneering aircraft put together with aeromagnetic survey gear in late 1946 was a Grumman Goose that worked under the Dominion Gulf banner in Canada before being repolaced in 1947 by Aero Service's first PBY Catalina.
This DC-3 is a very historic survey aircraft - let's hope it survives in the long run!"

In july 2016 it was sighted with Basler Turbo Conversions in Oshkosh.

BT-67 C-GEAI (c/n 16305/33053). This aircraft had suffered damage at Antarctica before (see bottom of this item) but the repairs were more extensive this time and the weather made things even more adventurous. The other BT-67, that flew in spares and supplies on these images, is BT-67 C-GEAJ.

C-GEAI had quite a career; to quote from my files: registered N72BF it was seized Sep.96 (also have it as 'N72BF BT67 Asset Seizure & Forfeiture rgd 11.94'); at Basler's in Oshkosh 1998. It was meant to be delivered to Colombia as HK-3575X but this came not to pass. Then in Aug.'97 it was reg'd N200AN to Good Aviation LLC and while ski-equipped was put for use on Antarctica.
In 2000 it was reported at Missoula,MT operating for World Air Logistics. In 2001 it was seen at Ft.Wainwright (Alaska) in livery and titles for Enterprise Airlines, in use as a smokejumper aircraft; a photo by Frans Truyens in Alaska 2001 HERE..
On 01Nov2001 it was reg'd C-GEAI for Enterprise Airlines, which had its homebase at Oshawa,Ont. It was used for automotive charters for GM Canada.

In April 2004 it was reported in a white colourscheme at Oshawa and under repairs after damage suffered on Antarctica. This happened during a windstorm in oct.2002 and it took until Feb.2004 before it was flown out.
During 2005/6 it was again reported at Antarctica, involved in 'ALCI program'.
The aircraft is, by the way, not a Basler conversion but one of two USAC/AMI-65 turbo-prop conversions; it was upgraded by Basler at a later stage.

In May 2006 it was reported back at Oshawa, in full livery and named 'Lidia'. And Enterprise Airlines had become Triumph Airways. And on 13Dec07 renamed Antarctic Logistics Centre International (ALCI) Aviation.
C-GEAI was reg'd on 28Sep09 to Kenn Borek Air of Calgary,ALB.
In June 2010 it was at Yellowknife,NWT (photos by Dirk Septer), still wearing the Enterprise Airlines titles!
On 12Jul2012 it was reg'd to Cargo North, but C-GEAI may have remained on the Kenn Borek AOC for flight operations.
Then disaster struck again for C-GEAI on Antarctica when on 20dec2012 it hit a snowdrift whilst taking off from Holtana Glacier, 2 people were injured.
A remarkable feat for the crew to get this challenging job done under extreme circumstances.
I would welcome more details on this history of this aircraft, its owners & operators, people who have worked on it & with it. EMAIL

Here's a pictorial report on that earlier salvage operation of C-GEAI on Antarctica!

The sign in the background of the skidoo reads as Starratt Airways. In the book 'Pioneering in Canadian Air Transport' I found something on Starratt Airways. Here are a few lines from Chapter XI (page 169) 'A Change of Government':
'From the standpoint of Canadian Airways, 1935 was a year of waiting: waiting to see the effect of the economics introduced during 1934, waiting to see whether the Government would change in the next election and esspecially waiting to see plans for the new trans-Canada airway developed. While the bush flying operations into the mining districts of Canada increased, the competiton was strong and Canadian Airways actually suffered a reduction in the volume of business.'
...
This was the first full year of operations for the newly formed Wings Limited (photo above) which was cutting heavily into Canadian Airways' business, particularly at the Lac du Bonnet base which was no longer a profitable operation.
In the Hudson area, Starratt Airways and Transportation Limited, organized by R.W. Starratt to supplement a much older ground transportation company, provided the competition. (In this context that photo of the skidoo above is of interest).
...
(p.188)
In the spring of 1936 Canadian Airways entered into a contract with Argosy Gold Mines Ltd to move 500 tons of freight into their minesat Casummit Lake from Gold Pines on Lac Seul. By 28Sep36 over 600 tons of supplies had been moved completing the largest single contract for the transport of freight ever let in Canada up to that time.
The bulk of the freight carried was fuel oil but it also included dynamite and general supplies.
The distance involved was about 70 miles which meant frequent trips by the machines operating from Gold Pines. Other large contracts in the area were carried out by Starratt Airways and General Airways, together with many smaller ones.This resulted in the claim that the air bases at Gold Pines and Hudson,Ontario were the busiest in the world at that time, exceeding thelarge airports at New York and London in the amount of traffic!

The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre website included information on Starratt Airways:
'Robert Starratt was one of leaders in the aviation business of Northwestern Ontario but, never held a pilot’s license. He was born and raised near Moncton, New Brunswick. In 1926 the Hudson’s Bay Company recruited him to manage a transportation network in Northwestern Ontario. He purchased Hudson Bay Transport in 1928, Red Lake Transport in 1929 and moved to Hudson, near Sioux Lookout, Ontario where he started the Northern Transportation Company with tugs, barges and sleighs..
His interest in technological changes convinced Robert Starratt to acquire the most modern aircraft available at the time. Fokkers, Stinsons, Travelairs, Foxmoth, Fairchild 82, Beech Staggerwing, and a Nooduyn Norseman were added to the fleet. In 1937 he purchased the first Beech 18, ever sold commercially in Canada and promptly fitted it with both skis and floats becoming, the first person to do so.'
Follow link to website for more information.

Starratt Airways also employed Canadian bushplane pilot and poet, C.R. 'Charlie' Robinson. Information on this individual welcomed.
Starratt Aws operated Noorduyn Norseman CF-AZS and CF-BDE. I would welcome a more detailed fleetlist: EMAIL
CPA bought Starratt Airways (date?); its base had been Hudson, a small railroad town on Lost Lake near Sioux Lookout. Robert W. Starratt hailed from New Brunswick, he had homesteaded in Alberta and arrived in Hudson in 1926 (at the time of the Red Lake Goldrush 1925-1926), where he set up a freighting business using a large motorized canoe. After modernizing his equipment for his transport business he bought in 1932 Moth CF-AGX, entering into air transport; soon two Travelairs were added and 2 Super Universals, a Fox Moth and a Stinson. For 1934 his company Northern Transportation Co (NTC) carried 800 tons of freight and 2.888 passengers by air and 5.544 tons by land and water.
Bob Starratt was one of the first with a Norseman and had Canada's original Beech 18, CF-BGY.
The post-WW2 period did not look promising to Bob Starratt, he foresaw the construction of roads and airstrips in the region. So he sold his business, both air and overland, in 1941 to CPA for $425.000. By that time he had 17 aircraft. He died in 1967.
Source: Air Transport in Canada Vol.1 and Vol.2 (by CANAV Books / Larry Milberry, 1997)