Propliners Off-airport Asia and Pacific

Propliners Off-airport

Asia and Pacific

Would welcome an update (identity) of this one: a Beech D18S, probably c/n A-72, currently (2017?) at the Mayfair Hotel & Restaurant, Bhubaneswar, India. A.k.a. 'Mayfair Convention'.

Beech 18 at Mayfar Hotel & Convention Center, Bhubaneswar, India

Also through Tripadvisor this photo dated 2016:

Beech 18 at Mayfar Hotel & Convention Center, Bhubaneswar, India
Google Earth, map dates from 2016; aircraft is displayed inside the Beech 18 at Mayfair Hotel & Convention Center.

This was shared on Facebook's Aviation Wrecks and relics by Karl M. Fletcher in Feb.2020:
An-24 off-airport in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

I identified it by ATDB.aero: 'An-24B JU-1027 (ex MT‑2510 MIAT Mongolian AL - Preserved @Ulaanbaatar
train station (as IS-2001) at 47 54 5.4 N 106 53 41 E).' Don't see a tailnumber on this Antonov 24 anymore.
It shows on Google Earth (check 23Feb20). C/n 67302510 only flew with Mongolian Int'l Air Transport (MIAT),
under 3 registrations: BHMAY-2510, MT-2510 and JU-1027 (ATDB.aero)
Ulaanbaatar was formerly anglicised as 'Ulan Bator'; it is the capital and largest city of Mongolia. [Wikipedia]

Offairport South Korea

The military profile is well present in South Korea and many a (military) transport is preserved off-airport. Some have been repainted for their display at a non-military institution. I welcome updates and additions (EMAIL)
Clockwise:

www.airliners.net/photo/4241353/L
Beech 18S HL2012 9c/n 7242) - Jungseok Aviation Science High School, Incheon, S.Korea (24Feb2017)

www.airliners.net/photo/4239553/L
C-47A HL2002 (c/n 20203) - Inha University, Incheon, S.K. (24Feb2017)

www.airliners.net/photo/4058613/L
C-123K 55-684 (c/n 20133) - Youngduk Wind Farm, Younduk, S.K. Real Serial 40684.(04Nov2016)

www.airliners.net/photo/2763553/L
C-46D 10-541 (c/n 22364) Seoul, S.K. (14Oct2005)

Many others can be found, here's what I found browsing Airliners.net in May 2017:
www.airliners.net/photo/4023475/L
C-54E 0-40905 (c/n ...) - Seongmu Park (Republic of Korea Air Force Academy), Cheongju, S K (04Oct2016)

www.airliners.net/photo/2776679/L
C-54D 42-72740 (c/n 10845) - on display in Busan, Seoul, S K (14Oct2005)

www.airliners.net/photo/4168691/L
C-54D 0-72571 (c/n 10676) - Aviation Campus of KOREA POLYTECHNIC, Sacheon, S K (09Jan2017)

www.airliners.net/photo/4023489/L
C-123K 40662 (c/n 20111) - Seongmu Park (Republic of Korea Air Force Academy), Cheongju, S K (04Oct2016)

www.airliners.net/photo/3915433/L
C-123J 56-396 (c/n 20280) - Sunghwa College (closed in late 2011), Gangjin, S K (26Jul2016)

www.airliners.net/photo/3991401/L
EC-47Q 49-570 (c/n 26831/15386) - Yeouido Park, Seoul, S K (22Sep2016) - NOTE Grant Newman's photo below!

www.airliners.net/photo/3958289/L
C-47B 451123 (c/n 34393/17126) - The Independence Hall of Korea, Cheonan, S K (01Sep2016)

www.airliners.net/photo/3894719/L
Beech 18 ? - Samsung Transportation Museum, Yongin, S K (13May2016)

Grant Newman sent these images, taken in Sep.2017 in Seoul,S.Korea
C-47 at Xiaotingshan Air Museum (China), by Grant Newman
Seoul, 23Sep2017. Unidentified C-47

Grant wrote: "...a curious C-47 looking incongruous in the middle of Seoul! It is located at Yeouido Park on the south bank of the Han River which flows through the city.
The text below the platform on which it sits is, unfortunately in Korean, so I can’t provide any further information."

Posting on 'DC-3' and 'Classic-Propliners' (Yahoo, now a thing of the distant past) fora brought helpful responses from Roy, Michael and Andy-
1/. The C-47 at Yeouido Park is C-47B 43-49570
2/. www.airliners.net/photo/3991401 EC-47Q [Reg.: 49-570 MSN: 26831/15386]
3/. It had arrived from Seongnam AB (K-16) by Sep.2015
From my database: Ln Oct.98 at Seoul AB/Songnam City as 049570/D-7

C-47 at Xiaotingshan Air Museum (China), by Grant Newman

Grant sent the following images Dec.2017, and he wrote: "I can add a couple of photographs taken in Seoul, at the excellent War Memorial of Korea and at Boramae Park.
From browsing through Airliners.net I have got the following about the aircraft-
C-46 is CW-20B-2 RoKAF 10541 msn 22364, the C-123Ks are RoKAF 389, msn 20273 and RoKAF 40622, msn 20071, the C-119G is USAF '3199' (although I question the validity of this), msn 10739.
The C-119G, C-46 and C-123K 389 were taken at the War memorial, whilst the C-123 40622 was taken at Boramae Park.
The pictures taken at the War Memorial aren’t the clearest, the day was overcast and muggy.
Here’s a link to more of my pictures taken at Boramae Park: www.flickr.com/photos/147661871@N04/albums/72157688913521161 "

WWII transports at Seoul's War Memorial
Curtiss C-46 Commando at Seoul's War Memorial

WWII transports at Seoul's War Memorial
Curtiss C-46D Commando is RoKAF 10541 (msn 22364; possibly ex/ USAF 44-78541)
From my (RL) files: 'During May or June 2005 resprayed and also changed registration to 10-541.

WWII transports at Seoul's War Memorial
Fairchild C-119G is USAF '3199' (identity in doubt, quoted as msn 10739)

WWII transports at Seoul's War Memorial
"the C-123Ks are RoKAF 389 (msn 20273) and RoKAF 40622 (msn 20071; below)

RoKAF C-123 in Boramae Park
Note the wiring on top of the fueltank, to prevent birds pauzing and shitting the C-123.
At Boramae Park.

RoKAF C-123 in Boramae Park
RoKAF 40622 @Boramae Park

I came across a link from Facebook (july 2015) to a Japanese website, FlightGear, which showed this yellow Twin Beech on a pole in a parking lot.
Well, my Japanese is kinda rusty but from the images, which include an empty parking lot at the bottom of the page, I gather this Twin Beech is no longer there.
It was showing sign of damage by wind & weather, but no cause for destruction. So where did it go?

Beech 18 at Kumamoto City, courtesy 'FlightGear'

I think these images date from 2006, as that was readable, and an adress Higasu-Ku, Kumamoto City; but not sure if that is the (former) location of this Beech 18.

Roy Blewett came with detailed information on this:
"It's G18S JA5503 (c/n BA-551).
A bit of Googling, plus use of Google's translation engine, has ascertained that the aircraft was sold by the Japan Coast Guard to a Mr Kenichi Azuma in 1981 and initially displayed on the roof of a hospital in Kumamoto City.
In around 2004 it was moved to the premises of an aviation hobby shop, owned by a Mr Fuku (apparently) in the same city.
The business closed in May 2007.
The translation isn't entirely clear, but it suggests that the aircraft had already gone by 25 May (2007 -Webmaster), the copious amounts of yellow paint on the ground indicating it had been cut up.

JA5503's sister ship JA5505 (BA-617) was acquired from the Coast Guard by Mr Azuma at the same time as JA5503, and donated to the Kumamoto City Museum where it remains on display."

Bob Parmerter added the following on JA5503 (BA-551):
"BA-551 G18S N353Z
Completed 1960. Sold new to Chu Ito, Tokyo, Japan reg’d 10Nov60 as JA5503.
Maritime Safety Agency, Kagoshima 1960 to Feb71. To Ken-ichi Azuma (famous Japanese chef).
Registration canx 18Apr81. On display.
Translation of the Japanese text in the website seems to say: 2004 on display in Kumamoto City flight gear shop. May 2007 the shop closed & plane gone. Last note in the top entry is Aviation History Museum.
Could final caption translation read that plane was cut up (lots of yellow paint chops on ground near the shop) & dismantled."

Stewart Lanham sent me these photos, in aid for my search of off-airport residing airframes...:
He wrote: "...here are some photos of C-47 JA5019 taken June 2007. Some of these are additional to those I placed on MyAviation.
The nose of C-47 JA5019 is inside the foyer of All Nippon Airways maintenance offices and hangars at Haneda, Tokyo.
This aircraft, MSN 4247 [41-7760], had previously been in a children's playground since the early 1960's. I believe it was restored to its present condition in 2002 for ANA's 50th anniversary."

Stewart updated this in Jan.2012:"The ANA C-47 nose at Haneda was still on display December 2011."

Stewart sent me this in Dec.2012, he wrote: "A more recent photo. The engine previously displayed next to this nose has been moved across the road to the lobby of another ANA building, along with the Tristar procedures trainer."

Hans Hoogers emailed me 03Mar22: 'According to this source http://hikokikumo.net/a3611-000-ANAmentenanceCenter-000.htm, this '19' would not be the cockpit of the real JA5019, but of a C-47 of which this cockpit would have been taken from a scrapyard in Tucson (and then brought to some kind of ANA specifications by a company Itami from Aiko (???)'
A3611-04 Haneda Airport, Ota-ku, Tokyo
ANA Mentenance Center [sic], TIA, Ohta-ku, Tokyo Metropolitan
all nippon airways airframe maintenance center
"Douglas DC-3 Nose Section (Moved from the entrance of the Prime Move Center on 2001/8)
IT IS 19, BUT IT IS NOT JA5019 OF ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS AIRCRAFT. THE NOSE BOUGHT AT A JUNK SHOP IN TUCSON IS RESTORED TO ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS SPECIFICATIONS WITH ITAMI'S AIKO."
Hans: 'I suspect that it became the JA5019, because that was the last one that still flew at ANA; according to http://hikokikumo.net/His-Civ-DC33-5019.htm, the real JA5019 should have been in that playground until 1991, but if I understand correctly, it was demolished on the spot.'

C-47 preserved at Hamamatsu, Japan; status?
www.airliners.net/photo/UK-Air-Force/Douglas-C-47D-Skytrain-DC-3/2817784
Douglas C-47D FL510 'Sister Ann' (c/n 25762/14317) preserved at Hamamatsu, Japan. Photo:KS-SJST Spotters.
www.airliners.net/photo/2817784/L
"Imported to Japan in 2011 and restored as Royal Air Force FL510 'Sister Ann', for use in Japanese movie.
Now displayed near the lake Hamana. It is ex Thai AF 501 (USAAF 43-48501), the real FL510 was c/n 10028. @Hamamatsu, Japan."

A post on Facebook in Feb.2019 prompted me to an update here:
C-47 Sister Ann at Lake Hamamatsu
"Here is a C-47 that is generally in a very good conditoion [sic], but does require a little TLC. Painted in
'Sister Ann'-colors, and participating in a movie about Lord Mountbatton [sic], she is now parked near Lake Hamamatsu. This shot is from Google from 10.2018. That hamburger door must be quickly secured before it
becomes part of somebody's man-cave..."
" Ex- Thai AF, used in movie "Fly, Dakota, Fly." 34.73559, 137.61649" (Google Maps)

C-47 Sister Ann at Lake Hamamatsu
Sits in a rather forlorn place I would say. Why was it put in this dreary location?

The True Story of the Downed Dakota

C-47 Sister Ann at Lake Hamamatsu

Johnny Wales published this on Facebook in May 2019: "It is the fascinating tale of Lord Montbatten's private
plane (he wasn't on it) crash landing on Sado Island in the Sea of Japan, where I live. The islanders built
a runway by hand on the beach and the plane flew safely away!"
DC-3 'Sister Ann' in Japan
Mr Wales had a (very) small part (seconds) in the movie as the British Consul; he peered out
the window after the DC-3 had crashlanded! He wrote:"That's my Akita dog, Kyla, sniffing out the plane.
Here are the details of the movie: www.imdb.com/title/tt2024539/"

JA8732 (cn 2101) - NAMC YS-11A-213
Air Nippon (ANK),
Off-Airport - Tokorozawa
Japan, April 7, 2006
This is the first shot of this aircraft at its new home. After flying for many years, this aircraft is now on display close to the Tokorozawa Museum, near the railway station.
Photographer : Stuart Haigh (published with permission).
My own notes say: JA8732 is on display Tokorozawa station (outside Koku-Koen).
Check out Stuart's website: www.topjetpix.com
Please note that the location is also spelled as Tokorazawa; Fred Streep reported he had a hard time finding it (2006) as this plane / museum is actually not at the main railway station but at a smaller one, nearby, at "Kuko-Ken" or something similar, which translates as airport...

See also a 2012 update on Photos by Friends & Guests (38)

deHavilland Heron DH.114 preserved at Fukuoka

"De Havilland Heron DH.114 JA6159 at Kaizuka Park in Fukuoka,Japan. Photo by 'Ya Kn'. 33.63304 130.42507"
www.facebook.com/photo

Willem Overtoom included this shot in his newsletter, which was quoted to me, while travelling in Cambodia in July 2008.

He wrote (my translation): "I arrived at Sihanoukville, which I had visited 5 years ago too. It still isn't a city but rather a collection guesthouses, small hotels and a beach. There is no evidence of city planning, but there is a harbor, a cluster of streets, buildings.. And a few kilometers from there again some buidings, streets, small business and some governmental buildings. East of there more of the same... There is no city centre... A lot of walking if you don't have a motorcycle at your disposal!
A few years ago the beach of Victory Hill underwent a sizeable reconstruction and resorts and hotels, even casino's have been built here. Next to the pier a hangar has been built; it isn't large enough for the Antonov 24 it accommodates... It will serve at its last resting place as a decoration for a restaurant / nightclub here..."

XU-335
Willem Overtoom also sent this image, the aft fuselage of the An-24 above.
This helped to identify it as XU-335.

Steve Darke provided the identity of this bird (oct.2012):
"This is c/n 99902009, ex/ RA-79162."
Regards,
Steve
www.thai-aviation.net

In the Propliner no.141 (2015) was a photo published, with the info that this airframe had been moved again (now all white, no markings), to the top of an appartment block in Sihanoukville. It seemed positioned look out to sea.

Phil Brooks forwarded a Facebook post as a screendump to me, fit for my Off-Airport Gallery here!
F.27 XY-ADZ preserved at Yangon,Myanmar (Henry Toh, Facebook)

F.27 XY-ADZ preserved at Yangon,Myanmar (Henry Toh, Facebook)

Posted 17Jan2019 on Facebook by Henry Toh (assume photo by H.Toh, not sure; no date)
Reading the below Feb.2019 update I have a feeling this is not XY-ADZ, but rather XY-AEW..?

Airliners.net provided the following information (post Richard Vandervord):
Fokker F.27-600 Friendship XY-ADZ (c/n 10574)
"Union of Burma Airways took its first F.27 in 1963 and over the years that airline and its successors Burma Airways Corp and Myanma Airways flew a further two dozen, of which some 17 were involved in write-off accidents.
This one was delivered new to Burma Airways Corp in 10.78 (ex/ PH-EXF ¬Webmaster) and was wfu along with most of the survivors around 2005. None remain in service and ADZ was towed from the Airport to the downtown People's Park in March 2013 for public display near the incredible Schwedagon pagoda complex."

Here's a post on Facebook (Feb.2019) by Petr Nesmerak of XA-YDZ fixed up rather nicely!
F.27-600 XA-YDZ at Yangon
Fokker F-27-600 Friendship, ex/ Myanmar National Airways XY-ADZ (c/n 10574) at People's Park Yangon, Myanmar Date: 7.2.2019; location 16.794575, 96.144305 near the Yangon Planetarium.
Note: Google Earth shows 2 grey coloured aircraft (F.27s?) on the People's Square, 16 48 04.17 N 96 08 22.30
This is the same park, the civil Fokker F.27's are a little south in the park.

F.27-600 XY-AEW (c/n 10352) is preserved there too, in People's Park. Footage on YouTube
F.27 XY-AEW preserved at People's Park, Yangon

Stewart Lanham sent me these photos in Sep.2007 and he added the following information:
"Douglas C-47A c/n 9414 has been on display at the Bangkok National Science Centre for Education for several years.
This aircraft was formerly 42-23552, arriving in Thailand for Thai Airways then transferring to the Royal Thai Army. It is displayed as 9414 in Royal Thai Air Force colours.
The location is on Sukhumvit, adjacent to the Ekkamai bus and Skytrain stations.
The photos were taken on 28Aug07."
Stewart sent an update in 2012: Photos by Friends & Guests

Its previous identities were 42-23552, FD868, G-AGHN, VH-BZB, HS-TDF, 223552 / 9414; the latter two for Thai Airways and the Royal Thai Army (9414 is also its c/n).

This was shared on Facebook in May 2019. I thought it looked the same but recent sightings
(2017) of 9414 were quoted in disagreement. So which is this one..? EMAIL
C-47 at a temple

Arthur Mick is a veritable treasure hunter in Thailand!
Cockpit of this C-47 at Tambon Huai Sai is a very good find!

A Douglas DC 3 parked on the bank of Chao Phrayaa River ...

This one appeared on a You Tube video, but as yet remains unidentified: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpPvVNhnFW8

Alexandre Avrane of Aero Transport Data Base (ATDB) wrote the following:
"It wears a fake '979' serial but this does not fit with any known Thai civil or military C-47s serials or construction number.

Pix and info on:
http://wikimapia.org/4863139/Douglas-DC-3-airplane
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/2730653
http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Asia/Thailand/photo597826.htm
http://www.thai-aviation.net/W&R%20-%20Bangkok%20City.htm

This is not 9414 mentioned on the first link, which is a different airplane (photo of actual 9414 elswehere on this page)

Frits Klinkhamer wrote me Dec.2011: "I may have found the solution to this mystery! Recently someone gave me a few pages, alas not the complete issue, of a DDA magazine and it included an image of HS-TDA c/n 13726!" See below:

It does bear a striking resemblance to the location seen in the mystery photo...!
The text with the photo by Ko Stuik translates as: "The Thai Dakota Association obviously has some problems, seeing the location and condition of their DC-3 Dakota.The photo was taken on May 30th, on the north side of Bangkok."
Paul v.d.Horst, of the DDA magazine editorial team, advised me ".. photo was taken 30th of May 1991, according to DDA Magazine of December 1991."

Stewart Lanham also sent this image, about which he wrote:
"Believed to be c/n 26777, this Douglas C-47B has been on display at the Royal Thai Police museum for many years.
This aircraft was formerly 43-49516, a Vietnam veteran before arriving in Thailand for the Royal Thai Air Force, then transferring to the Royal Thai Police. It is displayed as 219789 in Royal Thai Police colours.
The location is on Ram Intra, near to Don Muang airport. The aircraft is mounted above the gatehouse to the Police airfield. Other museum aircraft are displayed just inside.
The photo was taken on 25th January 1999.

Steve Darke, of www.thai-aviation.net fame, helped me on these images of Curtiss C-46 Commando HS-SKD (c/n 22561).
The photo on the right was made by (©)Iain Hutchison when it was on Lat Phrao, Bangkok as the Apichart Restaurant.
It was at this location since 1985 at least, reported first as a coffeeshop, later as a restaurant (but that may have meant the same).

This photo of HS-SKD was made by (©) Steve Darke himself, when it had moved to Chonburi, late 2001.

Steve generously (I like it when I can copy/paste from a reliable source!) provided the following historical data:
C-46F 44-78738 c/n 22561 was leased (with 5 others) by Skyways International Trading & Transport Co (Miami, Fl.) from USAF on 19May48, and Skyways registered it as NC1649M on 02Jun48 (with incorrect c/n '2505'). The registration was formally changed to N1649M on 01-Jan-49, and the c/n was corrected to 22561 on 14Feb49.
Noted with Ttl 152:27 hours on 18Mar50, N1649M was leased (with 2 others) from USAF by Seaboard & Western Airlines Inc (New York) on 21Mar50 and registered to them on 30Mar50. The USAF lease moved to Slick Airways Inc (Burbank,CA.) on 14Jul52, and N1649M was registered to Slick on 28Jul52. Slick bought N1649M on 30Nov56 before selling it to AAXICO Airlines Inc (Miami,FL.) on 09Sep57 (registered to AAXICO 11Sep57).
AAXICO sold N1649M to William N. Hahn (Miami,FL.) in Nov64, and he registered it on 22Dec64. It was noted at Shannon on major overhaul by Shannon Repair Services Ltd in 1965, presumably prior to its sale by William N. Hahn to Caraibische Lucht Transport Maatschappij NV (Willemstad, Curacao, Netherland Antilles) on 01Jul65. An export CofA was issued on 19Aug65 on sale to Netherland Antilles, with a ferry permit applied for on the same day for flight from Miami, Fl. to Curacao, Netherland Antilles. N1649M was cancelled on 15Sep65.
HS-SKD via Steve Darke Photo © Iain Hutchison.
It became PJ-CLC with Caraibische Lucht Transport Maatschappij NV until they sold it to Millard C. Berry (Miami,FL.) (who was listed as CLTM’s General Manager) on 16May67. PJ-CLC was cancelled on 19May67, and registered immediately N1447 to Millard C. Berry. A CofA was issued to N1447 on 07Jun67.
Millard C. Berry sold N1447 to Continental Air Services Inc (Los Angeles,CA.) on 08Sep67, and it was fitted with ferry tanks in USA that month. N1447 was cancelled 10May74 on sale to Laos, where it became XW-PMF with Royal Air Lao.

Photo © Iain Hutchison.
XW-PMF markings

XW-PMF escaped from Vientiane to Bangkok on 24May75, and remained stored at Don Muang as XW-PMF until painted as HS-SKD in 1978, being registered as such on 17Nov78 to Sahakol Air Cargo (which later became Bangkok Airways). It did not enter commercial or cargo service, was cancelled in Apr80, but remained stored at Don Muang until at least Jan84. By 1985 it had moved to a location on Lad Phrao road in the northern suburbs of Bangkok to become 'Apichart' coffee shop. It remained there, although wasn't open for long as a coffee shop, until moved south to Chonburi in 2001.

This is how André Wadman found HS-SKD on 22Jul06; click on the image for the link to a larger image on Airliners.net

In may 2017 I couldn't find any more updates after 2006 of HS-SKD. I did see the note "Mark the dogs, guarding the plane"..

www.airliners.net/photo/1098420/L

André Wadman 'found' this C-47 former Thai Air Force 919 (c/n 27180) at Si Racha on 31Jul05; click on the image for the link to a larger image on Airliners.net
And it is for sale!

And André continued with his finds: C-47 former Thai Air Force 210 (c/n 15026/26471) is also at Si Racha on 31Jul05; click on the image for the link to a larger image on Airliners.net
And it too is for sale!

Peter Pgt shared this in july 2019 on Facebook: C-47 'off-airport' in Bangkok, behind Seacon Square Mall

No further information on the exact location nor the date of the photo was given.
Photo taken from roof of the mall; carpark? The empty car park, grey roofs in the distance plus the housing
where this Douglas C-47 is put on display (since when?) seems a redeveloped area of what once was a race circuit.
I would welcome more information plus of course the identity of this ex/ Thai Air Force DC-3! EMAIL
Here is the location, courtesy Google Earth (2019):
C-47 'off-airport' in Bangkok, behind Seacon Square Mall

Peter Pgt also shared this C-47 on Facebook (11-2022)
Off-airport Thailand by Peter Pgt
Unfortunately his post had little information, except: 'Nice gas station ornament in Thailand.'
No info on (former) identity or location..
Its markings read 'US 10' and JIG 112 (tail) - EMAIL me!

Two photos I found on Flickr (2019 + 2024), but no news on its identity.
C-47 'US 10', JIG 112 - preserved (Thailand
Left: "Douglas C-47 Skytrain identity unknown preserved as USAF "JIG 112" code 10 at a petrol station near Makham Khu. (The petrol station is a Caltex). www.flickr.com/photos/erwinalexander/49118941266
Right: 112 JIG 10 US C47 -+- 12.82124805N 101.13370514E (not visible on Streetview + Google Earth, Feb.2024)
www.flickr.com/photos/143531276@N06/53512305305/

Found the location on Google Earth, north of the indicated location... Another Caltex location.

12°50'34.42" N 101° 7'6.94" E

Ben Fitton shared this in June 2022 on Facebook ('Aviation Wrecks and relics'); he wrote "Pattaya, Thailand. It's possibly a bit difficult to see properly in the photo. If anyone can identify, that would be great.
I like planes but I don't have a great knowledge of them." Marked 'Ripley's'

Cheryl Baumgärtner identified it as: 'EC-47P 43-49703, ex SVNAF, escape to Thailand in 1975.'
Location reported in 2016: 12.92870140N 100.87868500E.
Here's another photo, at the same location during the daytime: abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1436564
Unidentified manufacturer's serial (msn or c/n) !!!

In May 2019 a photo of a roadside C-46 was shared on Facebook; online research led to a post w/ photos on a forum

C-46 restoration in Udon Thani, Thailand. Allegedly this has been a 'paratrainer'.
Post on https://forum.keypublishing.com/forum/historic-aviation/144986-c-46-for-restoration-udon-thani-thailand
Posted by 'wl745', date 10Feb2017: "This has been in a roadside military installation since before 1998.
Someone will know its history!"

C-46 restoration in Udon Thani, Thailand
Identity is apparently unknown; www.oldprops.ukhome.net/C46 Census.htm EMAIL

This seems to be the result, posted on Facebook (may 2019)
C-46 restoration Udon Thani garden
Arthur Minck did a fine report here, but I could not determine the exact location (EMAIL)

C-46 restoration Udon Thani garden
Perhaps someone can email me the translation of the Thai markings on the fuselage (EMAIL)

Another find by Arthur Minck, shared on Facebook: "On Route 36 from Pattaya to Chonburi, this very nice DC-3.
I it is located by a new gasstation, which will be open soon." (Tambon Makham Khu, Thailand ¬May 2019)
C-47 at a new gasstation on Route 36 in Thailand

C-47 at a new gasstation on Route 36 in Thailand

The tailnumber 'JIG 112' is obviously fake; I could not find a suitable candidate on
www.oldprops.ukhome.net/DC3 Africa, Asia and Australasia Census. Any suggestions? EMAIL

Another off-airport plane relic in Thailand: Fairchild C-123K Provider
Fairchild C-123 Provider preserved in Thailand
Unidentified Fairchild C.123 Provider on Highway 2 on the outskirts of Muak Lek,Thailand.
Even the well informed website www.aerialvisuals.ca has no (former) identity of it (it does share another photo)
Location: 14°38'13.8"N 101°09'46.5"E (Google Maps) - Highway 2, C.145 kms NE of Bangkok near Mittraphap, Muak Lek District, Saraburi (or: Sara Buri).
While it is located near the Theppratan Steak House I cannot find who it belongs to now.

Large image on upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Fairchild_C.123_(12867909215).jpg
and commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fairchild_C.123_(12867909215).jpg
A good side shot on commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fairchild_C-123K_Provider_on_display_adjacent_to_highway_2_near_Muak_Lek,_Thailand.jpg

I wonder if it was a Thai Navla plane or meant to be (note the paintscheme on the tail):
http://thailandscale144.blogspot.com/2012/03/1144-fairchild-c-123k-provider-royal.html

Shared on Facebook (july 2019) with the following information (no date of photo, but I suspect recent):
"57-6289 / ex RTAF B.L4k-8/16 / Fairchild C-123K Provider / cn 20299 / Bangkok-Chonburi Hwy km42
Off Airport Thailand: C-123 'Coffee 123'

Off Airport Thailand: C-123 'Coffee 123'

From my files: 298 Royal Thai AF, 602 sqdn; ex/57-6289. At Bangkok june'96. Stored Bangkok-Don Muang
AFB (may 2000). Reported at Bang Wua (Duckham's Garage) next to Hwy 34, 52 km from Bangkok city.

Photo © Jack Hannen; published with permission.
RP-C1132 (cn 22571) at Cagayan de Oro, Philippines (14Feb06).
Former USAF, Flying Tiger & Astro Air Transport Inc. Impounded for many years and later withdrawn from use in 1989 at Cagayan de Oro's Lumbia Airport. She now is on display as the prominent façade of a local diner. Though the wings are real, the engine cowl is a fabrication and propellers are from a small aircraft.
Click on the image for the link and larger image on Airliners.net.

Two Douglas DC-3's reside at a hostel in San Juan La Union, the Philippines!

DC-3 at Charlie's Surf Hostel (Puerto Rico)

The adress is Surfer's Road, Brgy. Urbiztondo - 2514 San Juan (La Union) in San Juan on the Philippines!
From Facebook

In Scramble's edition #461 (Oct.2017) I read the following: "On 01Aug2017 'Charlies Hangar Hostel' opened in San Juan (La Union), in Northern Philippines.
Centre piece of this backpacker/surfers hostel is a DC-3.
We have not yet been able to identify the DC-3.
An earlier travel blog dated May 2017 shows work in progress with the DC-3 in bare metal up in scaffolding and with several repair patches on the nose.
So the blue colourscheme it has now, is not original.
The DC-3 does not have the tail mounted beacon light, which the civil Philippine Daks used to have, making it unlikely that it is one of the DC-3s that were auctioned in late 2014 at Manilla IAP."

The two DC-3's here have been identified (source Scramble magazine #475, Dec.2018) as
C-47A RP-C1352 (c/n 25347/) and C-47A RP-C1354 (25368/14126)
The latter is the flagship, parked right in front of the hostel but does not have any markings on the exterior.
The owner is the son of the former owner of these Douglas piston transports, C.M Aero Services (Charlie Miller).
Note- RP-C1354 is sometimes identified as c/n (msn) 25571 but this is not correct (according to the Scramble report).

Ron Mak shared this photo with me; RP-C1352, RP-C1353 and RP-C1354 of C.M Aero Services at Manilla (stored)

Douglas C-47s of C.M Aero Services stored at Manilla: RP-C1352, RP-C1353 (c/n 25571/14126) and RP-C1354

Charlie's Hostel, DC-3 on the beach! @San Juan La Union, the Philippines.

Posted by Carla Isabel Maristela on Facebook, March 2021
DC-3 at Charlies Hostel

Posted by Charlie's Hangar Surf Hostel on the Facebook page in June 2022:
DC-3 at Charlie's Hangar Surf Hostel
It's on my bucketlist for sure!

AW.650 Argosy ZK-SAE is preserved at a bar/restaurant at Blenheim-Woodbourne,NZ (last reported Jan96). Photo anyone?
AW.650 Argosy ZK-SAF (6801) was reported in 2004 to be at Woodbourne, New Zealand; its fuselage with landing gear is located at a farm. Photo?
More details & pics on Phil Treweek's website.
Phil wrote in Nov.2007: "I photographed the aircraft both when it was on a farm behind RNZAF Base Woodbourne in 1998 and in 2000, after it moved down the road to the cafe. When I first photographed ZK-SAE what was left of ZK-SAF was pointed out to me in the distance, but I wasn't able to photograph it.
I drove past ZK-SAE back in July this year and she's looking pretty good - but as I had a ferry to catch, I wasn't able to stop..."

Bristol 170 Freighter NZ5906 (13059) has been converted into a 2-room accommodation at Woodlyn Park, Otorohanga, New Zealand.

For more details go to www.woodlynpark.co.nz

Another photo of NZ5906.

Photo was taken by Bill Blanchard on 26mar06.

This is ZK-CLU, a Bristol 170 Freighter (c/n 13156) at Nelson Founders Park, New Zealand.
Click on the image for a larger photo; taken by Steve Mills 14Jan06.
First flight of this Mk.31M was on 02Dec53. It was bought by the Royal Pakistan Air Force and delivered on 22Dec53. Next it went to Straits Air Freight Express Ltd and registered ZK-CLU (1966); it became converted to Mk.31E.
That company was renamed SAFE Air asper 31Oct67. At some point it was put up in storage.
Steve Mills offered the following (additional) details on its history-
"Allocated G-18-148 22Dec53 for Bristol Aeroplane Co.Ltd.; manufactures date 22Dec53; delivered 1954 RPAF - serialled S4403, coded 'A'; delivered 01Jun66 Auckland for Straits Air Freighter Express; reg ZK-CLU 01Jul66 to SAFE; entered service 03May67 named Merchant Buccaneer; renamed Safe Air in 1967. Final flight Cook Strait flight 26Sep86 (crew S. Petersen, L. Gollop); final SAFE commercial flight Sep 30, 1986 Christchurch - Invercargill - Woodbourne (crew T. Allen, R. Guard, G. Batchelor); wfu 30Sep86 (21314hrs, 25978 cycles); delivered 20Nov86 Wakapuaka for Nelson Founders Museum - landed on Wakapuaka sandflats, aircraft belly landed after a bridge over a creek collapsed, wings removed then towed to Museum; reg cancelled 04Dec86; reassembled and on public display."

Other Bristol Freighters surviving -partially- in New Zealand can be found at the Ferrymead Aeronautical Society: ZK-AYG and ZK-CRK on Air Britain's Photographic Images Collection (AbPic).

Click on image for a link to larger photo on Airliners.net

ZK-APK (cn 34227): a different life for this DC-3 on State Highway 1 at Mangaweka, New Zealand.

See also other photos on A.net
Peter Layne wrote the following on 09Apr06:
"Had a look inside this DC-3 today while driving from Bulls to Waiouru in the North Island of New Zealand. Owner John Eames was telling me that one of the aircraft's former engineers visited for the weekend recently and took out all visible corrosion and then a painter touched up all the necessary paintwork. ZK-APK is in remarkably good condition considering it has been outdoors since 1986.
Have a look at the above website (A.net); if you look up the port side interior you will see a series of photographs depicting ZK-APK's history. That was my idea back in 1987 which I discussed with John Eames at that time. The entire project concerning ZK-APK has been a great success."

Photos on Flickr.com by 'RuthannOC' 29-30March 2010 brought a new livery to light on this aircraft..;
www.flickr.com/photos/ruthann/sets/72157623797641676/ it shows large 'Adventure Company' - 'DC-3 Skyliner' and 'Mangaweka'-titles.
Peter Layne also sent me images for use on my website, see Photo by Friends & Guests (24)

A 23Feb2017 update: www.airliners.net/photo/4280451/L ZK-APK 'Mangaweka Adventure Company'

Grant Newman sent me these photos (Exif data show 13Dec17) of ZK-APK with 'Mangaweke'-titles.
ZK-APK 'Mangaweke' by Grant Newman
DC-3 ZK-APK (c/n 34227), 'Mangaweke Skyliner'

Grant wrote: "About the DC-3s at cafés here in New Zealand. The Mangaweka International Airport Café is currently closed and won’t be open for at least 8 months.
The wooden entrance walkway to the DC-3 is currently being worked on, so the aircraft is inaccessible.
It looks like it needs a bit of a clean, too.

The Taupo McDonalds is, of course, open for business and by the time I reached Taupo, at around 5:30pm, it was packed for dinner!
The DC-3 is only open for dining between 10am and 4:30pm, so I missed out on eating within it.
Note that on the sign next to the aeroplane, the Taupo McDonalds has been voted 'the coolest McDonalds on the Planet', out of some 35.000 restaurants around the world!!!
No small wonder for a lakeside tourist trap in little New Zealand!"

ZK-APK 'Mangaweke' by Grant Newman
'DC-3 Skyliner'
Video footage on Plane Savers E90, 2019

UPDATE per FB 05Jan24 post on 'Aviation Wrecks and relics', by Charles McGrosky
DC-3 Mangaweke Skyliner
Informative responses: 'It used to be mounted at a gas station in Mangaweka. The owner moved it to his yard
in Shannon to restore it some years ago. It has been on the market but presumably not sold. Seems like a
very big restoration job.'
Douglas DC-3 plane famous as Mangaweka tea room up for sale:
future-of-mangawekas-iconic-plane-up-in-the-air [¬ Paul Mitchell, May 06 2021]

UPDATE by FACEBOOK May 2024 'The Douglas DC-3 Appreciation Society':

Post by Alesha Fistonich: "We are lucky enough to relocate/transport the famous Mangaweka DC-3 aircraft ZK-APK in Shannon. We are relocating the aircraft too [sic] it’s [sic] new site in west Auckland New Zealand.
For over 30 years, a well-known landmark in Mangaweka was an elevated douglas DC-3 aircraft installed in the middle of the town as a tearooms, adjacent to a service station on SH1.
The aircraft was built for the US Airforce in 1945 but was transferred to the royal New Zealand Air Force. It had 700 hours of service with the RNZAF 40 Squadron. In 1947 it was sold to the New Zealand national airways corporation registered as ZK-APK, and given the name poaka .
The aircraft was equipped with larger viewing windows in 1964, and became part of the airline's Skyliner fleet. It was in commercial passenger service from 1947 until 1969. It was then used for top-dressing operations until being withdrawn from service in 1981, having completed a total of 42,764 flying hours.
The aircraft was installed as an attraction in Mangaweka in 1984 by the owners of the local service station, to help promote their river adventure company.
By 2018, the future of the aircraft was uncertain. In 2021 the plane was moved to shannon for restoration and in 2023, the aircraft was put up for sale."

Picked this up from a post on Facebook in Aug.2024:
"The DC-3 (ZK-APK) was originally brought to Mangaweka by Viv and John Eames in 1986.
Since then, the plane sat alongside SH1 in Mangaweka for nearly four decades (!) and was at one point a tearoom.
Before the Eames brought it, the aircraft was owned by the Royal New Zealand Air Force who named the it 'Poaka'. After serving the RNZAF, 'Poaka' went to the country’s first national domestic airline, National Airways Corporation, and eventually joined Fieldair’s fleet.

In 2021, Brendan ‘Mintie’ Cottle brought the plane and in the same year dismantled it and brought it to Shannon for repairs, much to the dismay of some residents. Cottle at the time said the iconic plane was in "desperate need of repairs" after being exposed to the elements for 35 years. But in 2023 he put the aircraft up for sale to the tune of $85,000.

Auckland resident Kevin Gardener was on his way to Palmerston North, with his brother to visit their mum, when on their way the pair went to check out the Mangaweka DC-3.
He bought the famous Mangaweka DC-3 and plans to renovate it in his back paddock.
Gardener’s long-time passion for aircraft saw him take up a job as a aircraft engineer for the Air Force after high school. Later he started his own business and left aircraft engineering. Now retired, and with time on his hands, restoring the DC-3 Mangaweka in his west Auckland back paddock is a hobby harking back to that early passion!
He said restoring the plane to an extent that it could be used by family and friends would take some time though." [¬ www.stuff.co.nz/travel/ - /iconic-mangaweka-dc-3-moves-big-smoke

David Ellis sent me this photo (published with permission, © D.Ellis, 06Mar05): McDonalds DC-3, ZK-CAW, located near the lakeside at Taupo, New Zealand. The inside is fitted out for burger eaters. It's been there for many years.

The Air-Britain DC-3 book (1984) has the following history:
C/n 18923 - delivered 15oct43 to USAAF as 42-100460, continued on to Brisbane (07Dec43). Registered 06Feb47 as VH-ANM for Australian National, named "Yannana". Then to Queensland A/L Ltd (named "Darling Downs") registered on 04Feb56. On 07Dec58 it was registered to Ansett-ANA and a few years later, on 14Feb61 it moved to Airlines of NSW.
It became registered ZK-CAW for South Pacific A/L of NZ (named "George Bolt") on R28Sep61, changing to NZ National Airways (still named) "George Bolt" on 28Feb66.
Qantas leased it from 12May66 and tailnumber VQ-FAI was applied for Fiji A/W, delivery on 06Jun66; it was reregistered ZK-CAW again, for NZ Natl on 05Aug69, the lease obviously ended. Then Mt Cook Airlines leased it, from 05Aug69, returning at some point to NZ National.
South Seas A/W had it registered on 07May71 and Fieldair Ltd (trading as Airland) had it registered on 13May71.

Gil White offers the following history of ZK-CAW.

ZK-CAW in new paintscheme!
Photos on Flickr.com, taken 14Feb09, showed a fresh paintscheme!

My Photos by Friends & Guests #47 has a 2016 update by Terry Fletcher!
My Photos by Friends & Guests #65 has a 2023 update by Walter van Brempt

And here is an image by Grant Newman,taken 13Dec2017 (by EXIF data):
McDonalds DC-3 at Taupo,NZ - by Grant Newman
McDonald's Diner DC-3
The Taupo McDonalds has been voted 'the coolest McDonalds on the Planet', out of some 35.000
McD restaurants around the world!

A good website to read up on 'Kiwi DC-3s': www.kiwiaircraftimages.com

Douglas C-53 aircraft wreck at Vansittart Bay

This was shared on Facebook, from
www.expeditioncruising.com/2024/08/from-on-board-kimberley-aircraft-wreck
C-53 at Vansittart Bay, Australia
"The good news is the crew were all eventually rescued by a Qantas flying boat. The wreck was later partially salvaged which is why the various parts are now scattered around. Today the wreck is one of the best preserved
sites anywhere in the Kimberley and is regularly visited by expedition cruise guests who will also spot various birds
in the regrown bush while walking the 500 metres from the beach wet landing."
Ex/ USAAF 41-20066 Call Sign VH-CDW, more details on pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/c-53/41-20066

Gerben Tornij sent me these photos, made © by Jos Heyman, of Douglas C-47A c/n 20041 located at Armadale in Western Australia.

This is the history: early 1946 this C-47A was bought by the Koninklijke Nederlandsch-Indische Luchtvaart Maatschappij (KNILM) and registered DT-971. For use of operating from the Dutch East Indies to Australia the radio callsign VH-REY was painted on the aircraft.
In Aug. 1947 the aircraft transferred from the (military) ML-KNIL to the KLM, but it remained in the Dutch East Indies; its tailnumber changed to PK-REY.

When Indonesia gained its independence from the Dutch, PK-REY was handed over to Garuda, which changed the tailnumber to PK-GDC. In 1971 PK-GDC suffred an accident at the airport of Broome, located in northwest Australia. It remained since then in Australia.
For years the C-47A served as decoration to the Tourist Bureau of Broome, but after 1980 its condition deteriorated.
Around 1995 PK-GDC was bought by the Western Australian Museum of Aviation and the aircraft was transported to Jandakot Airport; here it was painted in the drab USAAF camouflage paintscheme. Unfortunately, the plans for the museum were never fully realized.

In June 2002 the aircraft was again offered for sale with the remark: Ideal for conversion into bus/caravan !. It did not come that far, but the fuselage was sawed in 3 pieces to make it suitable for roadtransport.
PK-GDC was sold to Peter Hanbury of Armadale, W.A. on 23APR03. During May 2003 the aircraft was dismantled and trucked to the property of Jeff Green at Armadale, W.A.
Here it was put in the garden of the new owner, serving as a spare bedroom and highlighting gardenparties. Unfortunately the left wing was not attached as it would end up in the neighbours yard!
These photos were taken on 02Oct05.

Merv Prime (photo) reported the following, kindly forwarded to me by Mike Clayton (Oct.2012):
"The aircraft was moved over the weekend of 1st / 2nd September from Armadale to Amelup ( north of Albany) in the Stirling Ranges where it will be restored and act as an attraction outside the Lily Dutch Windmill restaurant / accommodation complex. See the photo of the aircraft on arrival at Amelup."

DC-3 Amaroo Tavern in New South Wales (NSW) - Off-airport Australia

DC-3 Amaroo Tavern in Moree, New South Wales (NSW) - almost 500 kms from Brisbane.
I came across this DC-3 in a Plane Savers episode (E83, march 2019, contributed by Martin).
The livery is still that of Papua New Guinea (PNG) Defence Force.
DC-3 Amaroo Tavern P2003

Seems this DC-3 (C-47B, c/n 26638/15193) is now marked P2-003 / 03.
I have a note that it used to sit on a pole here in Amaroo,NSW. I hope it has a long life here at this pub!
There is a 2011 photo on Flickr (FlashFlyGuy) from where I copied this history¬..

'This C-47 Dakota S/N 43-49377 was delivered to Australia in January 1945. It was inducted into the R.A.A.F. as Aircraft No. A65-67 Registered VH–CUX. She served in many different squadrons including the School of Air Navigation at East Sale.

In 1975 the Australian Government converted A65 – 67 to a Civilian DC-3 and on the 10th October 1975, handed her over to the Papua New Guinea Defence force, in the name of foreign Aid, where she was given the Aircraft No. P2-003 with the call sign 'Defence Force 3'.
She gave approximately 5.000 hours of service to the Papua New Guinea Defence Force until she was pensioned off on the 11th February 1992, when the Port Engine developed a massive oil leak and had to be shut down in flight by the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Tim Shaw R.A.A.F., who landed safely at Port Moresby.

This DC-3 was bought by tender from the Papua New Guinea Defence Force in July 1993. The aircraft was flown to Moree in two stages by Captain Reg Perkins and First Officer David Kilin.
The 1st flight was conducted from Port Moresby to Cairns on Saturday 21Aug93 and took 3 hours and 20 mins.
The 2nd flight took place the following week with an additional crew member. Marty Taylor, the proud Owner, and the duration was 5 hours and 13 mins landing in Moree at 7.10pm on Saturday 28Aug93.

After a lot of preparatory work including swapping the engines with another, DC-3 VH–SBL, P2–003 was towed through 3 fences and 2 roads to the car park of the Tavern where it sat for 2 months while the foundations for the P2-003 were put in place.
The aircraft was finally lifted into place by three cranes on Tuesday the 23Nov93.
The DC-3 was officially opened at a tourist attraction on 09Apr94.'

Other links:
www.amarootavern.com.au
michie.net/balus/p2-003
www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/c-47/A65-67

Michael O'Rance shared this photo on FB/Aviation Wrecks and relics in Oct.2022.
He wrote: 'Taken some time ago. An old DC-3 turned into a bar at the Airways Hotel overlooking
Jackson Field airport, Port Moresby, PNG'. (Webmaster: email me its status, still there? EMAIL)
C47B Port Moresby (PNG), Airways Hotel

Justin Meadows provided the history on this post: 'C-47B-30-DK ex USAAF 44-76545, RAAF A65-84 and PNGDF P2-002'. Presently titled 'Air Niugini' & 'National Airline of Papua New Guinea'.

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