Photos © Miguel Angel Rodriguez Franco

Is this XB-ERL ???


This DC-3, half way being scrapped, would be XB-ERL. However I cannot find any reference to this registration. Photo was taken at the old airport of Nayarit, probably in 2002.
During Nov.2003 I was given an update by Miguel R.Franco and was informed it had been fully scrapped and removed. He also added the following on the history of this aircraft: "This DC-3 was scrapped one month ago. I know this airplane was in Zacatecas city some years ago, with some man named Morales Holland. People said her 7 PICOS COMAND but he had financial problems and he flew to Tepic City. He kept having problems with the DC-3 and he abandoned the airplane in the airport for some years; problems for fly again were not solved, so he abandoned XB-ERL in the old airport of Tepic, Nayarit.
And now it is gone, scrapped."

ETM.6046: what is the construction number ???


C-47 ETM.6046 of the Fuerza Aera Mexicana is preserved at Santa Lucia AB, but a construction number seems unknown.


This B-25J Mitchell bomber is preserved at the Museo Tecnologico de Comición Federal de Electricidad
Alfonso Flores told me it looked different in the early 1980s: full white fuselage and a yellow cheatline from nose to tail.
Jeff Rankin-Lowe kindly provided the following information:
- Museo Tecnologico de la Comisión Federal de Electricidad (Chapultepec Park, Mexico City, Mexico)
- Preserved (in civilian markings)

It's history:
- North American "Mitchell" c/n 108-32403
- to USAAF as B-25J-30, s/n 44-29128 (date unknown)
- to RCAF as Mitchell 3AI, s/n 5236, 24.1.52
- modified as Mitchell 3AIA (date unknown)
- stored (Lincoln Park*), 21.8.61
- struck of service 05.10.61
- to Woods Body Shop as N92872, 23.5.62
- to Roy M Egeland as N92872, 1963
- to Lebate Corp as N92872, 1966
- to ? as ?, 1969
- to Museo as ?, 1972
- to Chapultepec Park (Mexico City), for display on pole, 1989
* Lincoln Park was at Calgary, Alberta and it had a Depot at Claresholm, Alberta; most of the wfu'd Mitchells were at the latter location, but the aircraft record cards rarely specify which place
Thanks Jeff !

In Jan.2006 Barclay Thompson wrote me: "On 14Oct195 Ian Grave and I carried out an airtest on this aircraft. The flight was one hour and apparently was satisfactory. This was while I was a pilot in the Test Flight at RCAF Station Winnipeg.
From the look of it I sure wouldn't want to be flying it today!."
Thanks Barclay !

And Jeff came back for more on this, and Mitchells in RCAF service:
The Mitchell 3AI was equipped with the AN/APG-33 "curve of pursuit" gun-laying radar, while the Mitchell 3AIA was fitted with the AN/APG- 40 radar. Both were used to train CF-100 navigators (the RCAF term for the backseater).
The versions of Mitchell in the RCAF included:
WWII:

  • Mitchell Mk I
  • Mitchell Mk II (four were modified as F-10s for photo-mapping)
  • Mitchell Mk III
    Post-war:
  • Mitchell 2BT
  • Mitchell 2LB
  • Mitchell 2PT
  • Mitchell 2TT
  • Mitchell 2U
  • Mitchell 3AI
  • Mitchell 3AIA
  • Mitchell 3LB
  • Mitchell 3PT
  • Mitchell 3ST
    Jeff Rankin-Lowe has written a book: "The Aircraft of the Canadian Armed Forces" (a revised edition is due out soon in 2003) and published many an article on the subject.


    This NAMC YS-11 was photographed at Veracruz Airport, date unknown. Identity (registration and c/n) welcomed.
    Miguel has this to add on the YS-11: "this YS-11 was with LITORAL SA DE CV. They had 4 airplanes and were flying from Veracruz to Oaxaca, Veracruz to Puerto Escondido,Chetumal,Tabasco and many more destinations.They were based in Veracruz, but when AEROMEXICO bought them they changed the name to AEROLITORAL. They flew with Fairchield Metro IIs and changed homebase to Guadalajara. The YS-11s were stored for many years in Veracruz, but 3 of them were sold. On this remaining YS-11 in Veracruz airport's jungle I could not see c/n and registration, but the people of security told me this YS-11 was of LITORAL and allowed me to have a look.
    At the moment only one YS-11 remains operational in my country, one of GACELA CARGO and they fly Mexico-Monterrey-Herrmosillo-Chiguagua-Herrmosillo-Monterrey-Mexico. They have one YS-11 and two Fairchield Metro IIs."


    This DC-6 is carrying registration HK-8621-X and was apparently abandoned after a drugsdeal was intercepted, some 5 or 6 years ago (1997?). It sits since then, abandoned, at El Ojito, Durango in Mexico. The photo was taken 03Feb02. The registration may be false.
    I am looking for the construction number of this Six.


    Michael Prophet found (in Nov.2006) this DC-6 om maps.google.com of which I reproduce an image here:

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    Last updated 1.2.2006