Photos © Ruud Leeuw
Photos © Ruud Leeuw
| Lake Hood is a treasure-trove for radial-engined bushplanes ... It is located next to Anchorage's Ted Stevens Int'l Airport and it is a place of constant activity. Although my visit to this area was limited, there would have been no excuse if I had ignored it! Here is a map of its location, taken from maps.google.com Actually the northern part is Lake Hood and it is connected by a canal (to facilitate planes taking off and landing) to Lake Spenard... Check this WEBCAM at Lake Hood: www.alaskaairmen.com/cam/ |
DeHavilland DHC-2 Beaver, the gracious bushplane, N101TE is its tailnumber.
N101TE c/n 2000SC. |
DHC-2.com offered the following: |
DeHavilland DHC-2 c/n 950 was delivered on 25Jul56 as 55-3485 for the US Army (designated an L-20). It made its way to Europe for the Dutch Air Force ("Koninklijke Luchtmacht", serial S-1); its career ended there in 1974. N77KZ was registered to Philip E. Driver of Anchorage, AK on 22Oct87 |
Rust's Flying Services is one of the biggest players here at Lake Hood and I came close to booking a Bear Viewing trip with them, if I'd had only more time...Anyway, here is the history of DHC-2 c/n 1254: delivered on 03Sep58 as 57-2580 to the US Army (L-20 Beaver, #1822); it was stored at Davis Monthan from 02Dec71 to 11Mar76 . It was registered as N68083 for Kenmore Air Harbor Inc. (of Kenmore,WA) and reported at Kenmore on 17Jul76. Source: DHC-2com It was registered to Rust's Flying Services Inc on 02Aug96. |
DHC-2 N114GH (c/n 380) rests here at the shores of Lake Hood and can look back at a life that started on 16Oct52 when it was delivered to the US Army as 51-16834.It was put in desert storage at Davis Monthan from 22May72 to 12Feb76, before it was registered as N9303Z to Cate Aircraft of Knoxville, TN (1976?). Next identity became N505LM (in Apr86) for Robert L. Magnuson of McGrath,AK. The next owner became O. Kay Barnum (of Anchorage,AK) who had tailnumber N114GA assigned to it. The aircraft crashed on take-off, Anchorage, AK 19May98 22:00 (though I could not find an NTSB report). it present tailnumber N114GH was assigned on 11Jun98 to Phyllis H. Hankal of Anchorage, AK and it looks in great shape! Source: DHC-2.com |
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Its present tailnumber, N95DG, was assigned on 20Jun91 to Aircraft Marketing & Leasing of Fairbanks,AK but anno Nov.2006 this seems invalid as FAA's register for N95DG has the
remark "Undel Tri" added, a sign the ownership is no longer current and/or the owner can no longer be contacted.
For more photos of N95DG see DHC-2.com |
 You can see the wind is picking up... Weather can change quickly here in Alaska (but I've seen it raining days on end as well !).
DHC-2.com offered the following history: |
 N5146G and look at that magnificent backdrop!This DeHavilland Beaver has c/n 247 and was delivered as a L-20 Beaver on 01May52 with military serial 51-16487 (USAF). Tailnumber N5146G was assigned way back in May 1971 for the present owner and operator, the Civil Air Patrol Inc. (Hq at Maxwell AFB,Alabama) and is Alaska based. Data on N5146G on DHC-2.com stated it had amassed a total 10,781.0 flying hours by Sep.1995. It seems it was involved in an accident during step-taxi demonstration, on 23Jul06, but fortunately no injuries were reported; it did sustain substantial damage though; this happened on 7 Mile Lake, Alaska. DHC-2.com had it reported as "Status unknown", so it may be back in service since only recently.  Martin Prince Jr sent me some photos while it was on a visit at Hangar Lake, Bethel (AK) in Aug07. |
The Civil Air Patrol is a non-profit organization and is also known as The Auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. CAP has over 58,000 members (including 27,000 cadets ages 12- 21), covers 8 geographic regions, 52 wings, 1,700 units.. It has the world’s largest fleet (550) of single-engine, piston aircraft. |
Skytruck of the Bush...Some kitchen equipment is waiting to be loaded on N454SP c/n 1193). N454SP was moored near the park on Lake Spenard, on Lakeshore Drive. This DHC-2 / L-20 was delivered 21Feb58 as 56-4443 to the US Army, but was stored at Davis-Monthan AFB during the period 21Feb72 to 12Feb76. It entered "civvie street" as N3067F, but this was cancelled on 28May76. It moved to Canada in 1976 and saw it registered as C-GEZV in July 1976. I am not sure if this was to Green Airways Ltd of Red Lake,ONT who also became an owner (this was cancelled on 05Jul84). C-GEZV continued its career with Air Roberval Limitée of Roberval,QUE, which had it registered on 19Oct84. Next was Aviation Québec Labrador Limitée (Sept Iles,QUE), as of 07Oct93. It returned to Air Roberval Ltd on 08Feb94. Then it went further up north, to Alaska and became N454SP for S.P. Aero of Anchorage. this seems to have taken place during Feb95. And maybe these refrigerators are destined for its present owner: Alaska Lodges Inc (Anchorage, AK; registered 30Jan01). Source & more photos: http://www.dhc-2.com/cn1193.html |
Its aviation history started with delivery by DeHavilland of Canada on 22Jan53
as 52-6083 to the USAF, designated a L-20 Beaver (No:246). More photos on www.dhc-2.com/id37.htm |
Source and more photos at www.dhc-2.com/id51.htm |
This smart looking Beaver is c/n 1135 , presently registered as N9878R.
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 It was delivered, like so many, to the US Army (on 09Sep57, as 56-0398). N5878
became its first civilian identity (but to whom and when?). When I checked FAA's online website I noticed N9878R had been registered to laughlin Acquisitions LLC, 4506 Lake Shore Dr, Anchorage since 15Aug05. |
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| Serenely gliding in a picture postcard setting... N6LU is DHC-2 c/n 908. It was delivered on 09Apr56 and names of owners read as Taxi Air Group Inc (as N97T) and Shell Aviation Corp. of Cordova,AK. Tom Parker of Cordova,AK had it registered in Aug69 and it became N6LU for Lake Union Air Service Inc. (Lake Union / Seattle,WA), but I have no date for this. Goeffrey D. Armstrong of Anchorage,AK entered the books as owner in Aug94. Source: www.dhc-2.com When I compiled this webpage (Nov06) I found FAA's website showing James M.Jensen (Anchorage) registered as owner since 13Apr99. |
Its delivery date was on 21Jun57, as 56-0388 to the US Army (another L-20). |
Joe Baugher's website offers the following: |
I would welcome more info on its history, such as to owners / operators during the days of DHC-3 and when it was converted. |
This is DHC-2 c/n 490, which was delivered by DeHavilland Canada on 22Apr53 as 52-6112 to the USAF; the 52- part of its serial signifies the order was funded in fiscal year 1952.Its transition from a military career to a civilian seems hazy, but N5579D was found in USCAR 03Nov90 as “sale reported”. Things get more tangible when it was recorded as N4957 for the State of Maine Forestry Department in Sep71. It even became museum material when it went to the Mid Atlantic Air Museum Inc. of Middletown,PA (date?) and the Museum at Reading Airport,PA. (again: date?) in USAF markings 26112 LG-112. DHC-2.com has some interesting photos in this livery. But it was too soon to retire and on 07Mar97 we see N4957 registered to Steve Lacombe of Hessmer,LA. Joe Furgerson of Sunnyvale,CA became the next owner on 09Apr03. |
This DHC-2 Beaver in its attractive red/white livery is c/n 658, presently registered as N5162G.It was delivered on 14Jun54 as 53-8164 to the US Army. It was registered N5162G in May 1971 for the Civil Air Patrol. But where above Beavers remained faithful, this one was bought by Alaska River Safaris in 1981. It is registered to Walter G. Hanni of Anchorage,AK since… 25Jun84 ! More on DHC-2.com |
"Best in the Bush"… DHC-2 N9877R is making its way in the canal that seperates Lake Spenard and Lake Hood (though the entire lake is referred to by most as Lake Hood). This is c/n 1180 and it was delivered on 20Dec57 as 56-4436 to the US Army, designated L-20. It found itself stored at Davis Monthan AFB in Arizona from 25Sep75 to 28Apr76. It was entered in the FAA’s records as N3225F in May 1976 for Civil Defense of Jacksonville,FL. It moved to Alaska as N98JT for West Alaskan Outfitters Inc. of Soldotna in June 1986. Next owner was Michael J.Yorke of Chugiakge,AK in Dec93. Its present tailnumber N9877R was issued for C & S Leasing Inc. of Anchorage,AK, which was registered on 11Feb98. Source: DHC-2.com But it seems firmly in use by Regal Air; when I checked FAA’s website I found it was registered to Laughlin Acquisitions LLC (Anchorage,AK) since 15Aug05. |
I like these short tailnumbers: N74G !This is L-20 Beaver c/n 1015, which too saw its career start with the military: delivered on 03Jan57 as 55-4612 to the US Army. Its first civilian tailnumber was N36841, which was registered in 1976. I don’t know what happened but its airworthiness certificate stems from 08Dec89. Maybe Ronald O.Kakeldey of Anchorage,AK had something to do with this as he was an early owner and he seems a capable manufacturer (see below). But N74G was sold to R & J Aircraft Leasing Corporation of Anchorage,AK at some point (date?). And next we see N74G registered to Michael K.Schilling of Kenai,AK on 29Jun01. Source: www.dhc-2.com On FAA’s website I found N74G registered to Jack B.Duclos of Anchorage,AK since 25May05. |
We saw the name Ronald Kakeldey also appear as former owner of N74G (see above). One can read more about the Murphy SR3500 Moose here: www.murphyair.comI came across another one at Red Deer,ALB on 24Sep07 (scroll to almost bottom page). |
When I checked the webcam (see below) I found the temperature at 5 a.m. to be 7 degrees F / minus 14 degrees C on Nov.3rd 2006 and it showed some building in progress here.
WEBCAM at Lake Hood: www.alaskaairmen.com/cam/ |
Background information and specifications on the DeHavilland Beaver: |
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