Propliners Off-airport Latin America

Propliners Off-airport

Latin America

CENTRAL AMERICA

This Douglas DC-6B, or what is left of it, survives in a disco in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Christian Amado allowed me the use of this photo here, for a larger photo go to Airliners.net.
HI-474CT (cn 43529) is Ex TRADO/Trans Dominican Airways and was transferred from Santo Domingo in 1994 and has been put in the limelight in Disco DC6 in the Hotel Iberostar Dominicana (Punta Cana).

This Fairchild C-123 Provider has found a home in Costa Rica, at hotel Costa Verde in Costa Rica.

'In August 2000, the hotel purchased the abandoned Fairchild for $3,000. They then disassembled and shipped the pieces of the Iran-Contra relic to Quepos.
From San Jose, the fuselage was shipped via ocean ferry (from Caldera to Quepos) because it was 10 inches too wide for the antiquated Chiquita Banana railroad bridges!
After hauling all seven aircraft sections up the Manuel Antonio hill, the C-123 finally found its current cliff-side resting-place.
Now, the C-123 has been retired to less risqué endeavors as a restaurant, bar, coffee store, and an enduring Cold War relic.'
The website www.prk-aviation.nl/Fairchild C123.htm discloses the identity as C-123K 54-0663. When I checked Joe Baugher's website USAF Serials I found "Fairchild C-123B-8-FA Provider 54-663 (msn 20112) converted to C-123K. Preserved at Howard AFB, Canal Zone. Later at Costa Verde Hotel and Resort in San Jose, Costa Rica. In 2011 was serving as a bar and restaurant called 'El Avion' in Quepos, Costa Rica, on Manuel Antonio Hill. According to the restaurant, this was one of the two C-123's used during the Iran-Contra affair in 1986."

There is some doubt whether this hotel or resort actually has/owns the planes... Phil Brooks wrote in april 2017: "El AVion is not located at a hotel. There IS a hotel in the same town (Quepos) with a 727 though! My wife and I ate there a couple times during our stay there about 9 years ago. Good airplane, good and views!"
And:"They are 450 meters apart, according to Google Maps. El Avion and Costa Verde Resort."

See their website for bookings: www.costaverde.com

Apparently a US regsitration was assigned at some point see this link:
www.airliners.net/photo/2552921/L C-123K N62781 (c/n 20112) - "Preserved on the way from Quepos town to Manuel Antonio National Park. It was abandonded in Northern Costa Rica when the "Irangate"or "Contragate" scandal broke. Actually it's a well known Bar-Pub and Restaurant. Ex USAF 54-0663."

Mark Griffith published this in March 2018 on Facebook:
C-123 bar in Costa Rica
John Leone remarked: "It's in Manuel Antonio, which is a smallish town south of Jaco.
See also www.tripadvisor.com

I HAVE A 1976 SLIDE SCANNED ON MY ARCHIVE-SCANS-#3 WHILE IN USAF/AFRes SERVICE!

Photo © Jesus Vazquez Basilio - click on photo for a link to larger size image on MyAviation.net. Published with permission.
Caption: XPT-1-06 This airplane this located in the park Tangamanga I of San Luis Potosi

Alfonso Flores wrote (apr.2006): "This airplane was impounded in early 1980s near San Luis Potosi, it transported contraband. Then it was donated to Tangamanga Park. Unfortunately I can´t identify it because no c/n reference is available and the cockpit area its closed; possibly the plate may survived remain there.".
It has been suggested this is (but not confirmed) msn 2220.

See also my page Plane Mysteries in Mexico, which has this DC-3 in two other liveries!

Like Terry Fletcher wrote me in March 2018:
"Not conclusive proof - but all seems to point to DC-3 c/n 2220,
an aircraft that crashed near San Luis Potosi back in 1981 - source: aviation-safety.net/database/
What we have at Aerial Visuals - credit 'Aero Transport / ATDB' and 'Rzjets' "
¬ Terry Fletcher

In Scramble magazine #479 (april 2019) I read about a Douglas C-47 preserved as 'ETM-6043' at Zona Militar A near Monterrey (location). This was a new sighting. Suggested was it may have come from another spot at this huge military area, at 25.857057 N 100.263753 W. The latter was last visible on Google Earth in Sep.2015 - while the new sighting was not yet visible on my Google Earth in May 2019.
There is however video footage on www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUB72yk8kjc which provided this screendump:

C-47 ETM-6043 preserved near Monterrey, Mexico

'ETM-6043' (the original ETM-6043 was c/n 4598) Fuerza Aerea Mexicana
An identity check would be most welcome! EMAIL
Roy Blewett wrote me in july 2019: "Google Earth imagery, but there is a DC-3 visible, level with the end of r/w 02 at MMMY. That first appears in images dated August 16, so the disappearance of the DC-3 from deeper in the
base a year or so earlier would seem to suggest they are one and the same.
Interesting the aircraft has a radar nose, like 'XA-REH' at Pachuca."
ETM-6043 DC-3 at Monterrey

"Co-ordinates are 25.51.20.51 N 100.14.31.55 W. It's obscured from the road by a wall and trees."

Mark Miller‎ shared this photo on Facebook ('General Aviation junkyard') in May 2019:
C-54 N74AF off-airport at Aguadilla, Puerto Rico; by Mark Miller (FB)
On 03Feb92 Douglas C-54Q N74AF (c/n 22199) suffered a hydraulics failure while taxiing. The C-54 struck
the right wing of Super Constellation HI-542CT and ran into a ditch... A fire broke out. And that was that.
Mark took this photo on 21May2019.

This is the history of msn 22199, courtesy ATDB.aero
History of DC-4 N74AF

A few more details of its location:
DC-4 off-airport on the PR107 near Aguadilla,PR

C-54 N74AF off-airport on the PR107 near Aguadilla,PR

Michael Prophet supplied this photo of a NAMC YS-11 (published with permission), taken in Aug.2004

Michael wrote: "P4-YSA (c/n 2131) can be found on the island of Curacao, on the other side of the island from where the airport is, at Super Club Breezes, restaurant/bar (road: Koraalspechtweg) and it may look different now (with an exotic coat of paint)."

P4-YSA on Airliners.net

Arjen Burgart sent me a photo taken in June 2010, which shows a bit of paint and titles added. See Photos by Friends and Guests (25).

Stef Slavujevic sent me this image in July 2011 (no date to the photo though):
P4-YSA YS-11 Restautant (closed) @Curacao
Stef wrote: "the restaurant has been closed a long time and the property is for sale".

Paul Koopman took these photos on 06Sep14:
YS-11 at Curacao, former restaurant
The small insert is a photo by Ton de Haan, for comparison; you will find one in much larger size at Airliners.net
Ravaged innard of YS-11 former restaurant at Curacao

YS-11 'Air Curacao', former restaurant. To think people wined-and-dined here!

RP-C1420 by Dirk Septer
Dirk Septer photographed this NAMC YS-11 PJ-WIK (c/n 2025) early 2007.
It is part of a restaurant at St.Maarten (Dutch Antilles); my records showed the name as Restaurant Air Lekkerbek (a fried fish, battered & fried cod, I think). Dirk enjoyed the 'special': bami goreng, his (and many others', I am sure!) favourite Indonesian food.
Dirk Septer has more photos by him, on Dirk's pages on this website.

Aad van der Voet supplied me with more historical details of this grounded bird:
"This YS-11 carried tailnumber RP-C1420 from 1977 to 1985, but was reregistered N107MP and later again to PJ-WIK. With that last identification it arrived at St.Maarten (for Winair - Windward Island Airways)."
I also found that c/n 2025 was originally delivered to All Nippon Airways, as JA8661 on 29Jul66, before it went to Philippine Airlines as RP-C1420 in 1977. [Turbo Prop Airliner Production List, TAHS 2003]

Matthew Anderson sent this photo, made by his friend Janet (2009):
YS-11 Air Lekkerbek - St Maarten
Matthew wrote:
"I saw this aircraft on the side of the road, when I got off the 'Carnival Miracle' cruise ship in St Maarten. It was a cloudy day, and I was touring St. Maarten with some friends of mine, on our way to Princess Juliana Int'l Airport in attempt to see some low flying aircraft.
We came across this plane in Heineken colors. On the way back my friend, Janet, managed to snap a good photograph in the rain (!) of it.
I never thought I would see an old turboprop with my own eyes!
I could just imagine what it would look like with the wings still attached, and the Rolls Royce Dart engines hanging off the wings. I wondered about the aircraft until I came across your website."

Rolf Keller brought me up to date with these images. The exif data shows the date as 27Jan2015.
YS-11 Air Lekkerbek - St Maarten restaurant
The 'Heineken' brand has been removed, so much is clear.

"Welcome to Philipsburg, St.Maarten"
YS-11 Air Lekkerbek - St Maarten restaurant

YS-11 Air Lekkerbek - St Maarten restaurant
Rolf wrote: "Air Lekkerbek, it still exists! Even seems to have got a new paint some time. We couldn't visit the restaurant itself, as it was not open during the hours we passed by, but the lot does not seem to be abandoned."
Perhaps under new ownership???

Another image, dated 23Feb15, was sent to me by Phil Brooks (also reporting the establishment appeared closed). See Photos by Friends & Guests (42)

Dirk Septer wrote in March 2015: "the fuselage has been repainted at least twice since 2007; it is open and that on several occasions I've had some of the best Bami Goreng, Krupuk and the works there. And yes, they also serve Heineken!"

In Oct.2016 Dirk sent me another update:
YS-11 Air Lekkerbek at St Maarten

Dirk wrote me in Oct.2016, about this last visit:
"Here are a few shots of NAMC YS-11 c/n 2025, built 1966. Ex WinAir PJ-WIK at Philipsburg, St. Maarten taken on 14Apr2013 (top) and 28Sep2016, respectively.
The most recent one does not show any Heineken advertisements any more. Also the welcome sign is different.
I'm not sure whether the restaurant is still open. I wanted to stop by for some bami goreng and a Heineken, but found the door locked.
They show both different paint schemes than my first picture taken in 2007 and the Dec2009 one taken by Matthew Anderson's girlfriend."

Update Jan.2018: "YS-11 PJ-WIK, a longtime fixture in Phillipsburg, St. Maarten, survived Hurricane Irma with
little apparent damage. Unfortunately, the restaurant building attached to it was totally destroyed.
Noted on 17Jan2018." ¬Ralph M. Pettersen

Update Nov.2019: It was reported late-2019 at the seaport of Philipsburg, destined to become a diving
object out in the sea. [Scramble magazine, #486, Nov.2019]
Googling on this I came across YS-11 aircraft which underwent a similar fate at Aruba:
YS-11 plane(s) in sea at Aruba
From: www.spotmydive.com/en/dive-site/ys-11-airplane-aruba (Nov.2019)

SOUTH AMERICA

VENEZUELA

The photo above and text below stems from 20Jan2023. But perhaps put in this location (much) earlier?
EMAIL me for add'l details / identity..?

La Guaira has the first restaurant built in an airplane! [¬ Venezuela-news 20Jan2023]
'The state of La Guaira has built the first restaurant in Venezuela in an airplane, where Asian food will be
served. This was told by the entity's governor, José Alejandro Terán, whospoke at the inauguration of the restaurant.
"We are at the inauguration of Flight 777, the restaurant built in an airplane on the Cinta Costera of the state of La Guaira. A dream of my general Jorge García Carneiro that is becoming a reality today thanks to the collaboration of private companies and investors."
He added "We remain committed to increasing the quality level of tourism services in our state, thus boosting the economy by attracting more and more investors. Come and dare to experience a flight full of flavors here at the Cinta Costera. Long live La Guaira!"
At the inauguration of this new space, he was accompanied by the Minister of Transport and President of Conviasa, Ramón Celestino Velásquez Araguayán, who said that he was proud to have a venue like this in Venezuela.
"This is extraordinary news that we are giving to the world and to our country. It's a chance to eat on a plane and enjoy this restaurant. As a Venezuelan and Minister of Transport, I am proud and happy that we have this opportunity in La Guaira, the only one in Venezuela and the eleventh in the world, according to statistics", said Velásquez Araguayán.
In addition, this new space features a flight simulator for the enjoyment of children and adults!'
[¬ https://venezuela-news.com/la-guaira-cuenta-primer-restaurante-construido-dentro-avion/]

VUELO777 @La Guaira
Posted @FB/'Aviation Wrecks and relics' which brought on a few reactions and suggestions:
'Maybe ~~YV-212T~~ (DC-6, c/n 44419; Colombian resident, scrapped), perhaps ~~HK-1332~~ (DC-6B/C-118B c/n 43267, also Colombian resident and also scrapped, @Bogota [¬ATDB.aero]. The text on Instagram mentions this is a DC-4!
But... I could find no DC-4 in Venezuela and only one DC-6B: YV-214T (c/n 43708, C-118B) of AECA.
Source reference guide 'Survivors, 2017' as "Caracas IAP April 2013, unreported").
Note: The DC-6B is the passenger version of the DC-6, with many of the specifications of the DC-6A in terms of performance and dimensions, but without the reinforced floor and maindeck cargo doors. At first, it seated 54 passengers but later it was configured, in high density, to as much as 102 passengers. The first production model
of the DC-6B went to United Airlines in 1951. Production of the DC-6B ended in 1958,
by which time 288 had been built.

www.facebook.com/groups/293701250991601/permalink/2038524769842565/
VUELO777 @La Guaira
DC-4 (?) VUELO777 Bar & Lounge @La Guaira. Best bet would be DC-6B YV214T imo (EMAIL)

Comment by Roy Blewett (www.aircraft-survivors.com) 11-2023: "I'd agree that, on the face of it, YV214T would seem to be the most likely candidate.
While there are plenty of images of the Vuelo 777 aircraft available on the 'net, none is particularly clear so it's not really possible to compare them. The forward and aft cargo doors on YV214T do look to be present on the Vuelo 777 aircraft, but the latter has a lot more windows (though these can easily be cut in).
Incidentally, it had arrived on site by Mar14 and has changed hands on a number of occasions before being reopened as Vuelo 777 restaurant on 20Jan23.
The timing therefore works, as historical Google Earth images show a DC6 in the boneyard at Caracas - almost certainly YV214T - through to Apr13, but missing in the next image in sequence, dated Mar14."

Fred Streep added to this: "As Roy already added, this DC-6 has been there for a longe time already.
A location that was very easy to reach before 'the Crisis' in the nation started. Right between the tourist town of Macuto and the port and airport.
My last trip to Venezuela was back in 2012, but the situation on the ground made us skip the Caracas area completely on that trip...
The proximity to the port of Caracas means the airplane may have arrived there by boats as well."
www.spottingmode.com/wro/location/18928

VIDEO: www.instagram.com/p/Cxjfd-DAWSR/
VUELO777 @La Guaira
www.instagram.com/vuelo777

VUELO777 @La Guaira

VUELO777 @La Guaira
Vuelo 777, Fusión asiática

SURINAM

Alex Huber shared these images on Facebook (Beech 18/C45/AT11/SNB), I snatched it for my Off-airport gallery..

PT-TAR in the Surinam jungle
Beech G18S PT-TAR (c/n BA-584) of Surinam Airways saw its flightplan terminated in the Surinam jungle.

PZ-TAR (Beech G18S) from the Surinaamse Luchtvaart Maatschappij equipped with JATO (Jet Assisted Take Off) rockets crashed at Kabalebo (SMKA) in June 1965. Fortunately there were no fatalities; the pilot was J. den Besten.
-ASN Aviation Safety Network database

In Jan.2019 I came across another addition for my Off-Airport gallery...
HK-3630X, a DC-6 off-airport at Puerto Colombia
This is most likely HK-3530X (c/n 43672), a Douglas DC-6 (all white and no markings), at a children's
playground at a coastal road (Calle 1E) in Puerto Colombia, 20 kms W Barranquilla.
I hate to think what the salt air climate will do to this vintage propliner..!

It flew in its better days for Transoceanica de Aviacion Colombia and is ex/ N2079G.

It is also featured in this video: www.youtube.com

Fred Streep shared these images with me, after a visit on 21Dec2019.
DC-6 HK-3530X on display in Puerto Colombia; by Fred Streep 12-2019

DC-6 HK-3530X on display in Puerto Colombia; by Fred Streep 12-2019
Douglas DC-6 HK-3530X (c/n 43672) in Puerto Colombia.

DC-6 HK-3530X on display in Puerto Colombia; by Fred Streep 12-2019

Parque de la Aviacion in Puerto Colombia

Charlie M. Rodriguez shared these images won Facebook, after a visit to Parque de la Aviacion on 09Oct2021
DC-6 HK3530X @Puerto Colombia, 20 kms W Barranquilla
Pity graffiti was added.

This was shared on Facebook, by Alejandro Rosa, on 06May2019
C-54 in Parque Jaime

No mention here of the identity of this Douglas C-54A (DC-4), but www.oldprops.ukhome.net/DC4 Census
has it as HK-136 (c/n 10407). My files show it as ex/ NC88929, at least since 2008 on display in this theme park.

The full text of the post:
"This C-54 Skymaster is placed in an amusement park called Parque Jaime Duque in the northern outskirts of Bogota, Colombia (4°56'52.15"N 73°57'43.87"W). No, it isn't in India! The park has different themed areas including rides and representations of world monuments and was created by Jaime Duque, a famous national civilian pilot with the Colombian airline Avianca who pioneered long-haul international routes from our country. He has since died and is currently handled by a trust he left for its management (informally he is known as the Colombian Walt Disney)."

"In the photo you can see this aircraft which honors the one that in 1956 transported the delegation of Colombian athletes to the Melbourne Olympics, in total a 61 hour flight including 7 stops! The aircraft would come to be known as "The Olympic". The real aircraft was scrapped some time in the 1980s."

Alexandre Avrane (of ATDB.aero, aviation online database) pointed me to the existence of a DC-6 preserved in Valledupar, Colombia. He wrote: "C-118A N44916 was abandoned at Valledupar in 1990 after a failed drug run. Moved downtown and painted to a singer colours; unfortunately the rear fuselage was burnt out recently."
Alexandre included links which provided photos and information, and I worked from there.

C-118A N44916 at Parque parque del Helado de Valledupar
C-118A N44916 at Parque del Helado de Valledupar, by Jose Luis Ropero (2016)
I think the insignia states 'Valledupar Azeza'?

roperoaventuras.com/2016/09/16/el-parque-del-helado-de-valledupar/#jp-carousel-4481

'DC-6 en el parque del helado,valledupar' - tweeted by Casandro Martell

DC-6 in Valledupar, on Twitter
DC-6 / C-118A in Valledupar, on Twitter (2019)

Valledupar is a city and municipality in northeastern Colombia. It is the capital of Cesar Department. Its name, Valle de Upar (Valley of Upar), was established in honor of the Amerindian cacique (indigenous people) who ruled the valley; Cacique Upar.
Valledupar is an important agricultural, cattle raising, coal mining and agro-industrial center for the region between the Departments of Cesar and southern municipalities of La Guajira Department, formerly known as the Padilla Province.
It is also notable as the cradle of vallenato music, representative of the Colombian culture. The city hosts the Vallenato Legend Festival. Vallenato literally means 'born in the valley'. Caja, guacharaca and the accordion are the basic instruments in vallenato.

During the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s, the city suffered during the Colombian Armed Conflict, with numerous kidnappings, thousands of people forced out and failure to control crime. [¬Wikipedia]

DC-6 in Valledupar, by Omar Garcia Sanches (Oct.2019)
DC-6 in 'Parque De La Provincia', Valledupar (Colombia), by Omar Garcia Sanches (Oct.2019)
The fuselage has large 'La Provincia Airlines' plus the names of many countries in the Americas.

| 'World Tour' | 'Vallenatos por el mundo' | 'La Provinzia Airlines' |

www.google.com/maps

History of C-118A c/n 43577/276: 51-3830 (USAF), to Globe Air Inc., N44916 for Aircraft Specialties and
to Patrick W. Moriarty. "Impounded by Colombian Gvmt 90; wfu Alfonso Lopez Apt Valledupar; wings and tail
cut, moved to Parque de los Helados 11.01 - still in USAF's c/s." ¬www.planelogger.com

Vellenatos por el mundo: avion dc-6 en Parque De La Provincia, Valledupar
Vallenatos por el mundo: DC-6 in 'Parque De La Provincia', Valledupar.

(Google Translate, applied some revisions) 'The plane was abandoned between Los Venados and Bosconia by drug traffickers who transported marijuana.
"This park represents the regions that present the World Capital of Vallenato, all its imagination and to remember Magdalena Grande, the provinces of Cesar and Alta Guajira, and remember the Montes de María, the savannas of the great Bolívar, Córdoba and Sucre: those are the seven regions that demarcate this park.'

The DC-6 plane was seized by the authorities in the 1980s and for several decades was taken to what was previously known as El Parque El Helado.
This aircraft which was immobilized more than 30 years ago with a shipment of marijuana in the Los Venados district, south of this municipality, is now one of the main attractions of La Provincia park.

With a length of 39 meters, this old DC-6 was adapted by the municipal administration as a space for especially children, but also young people and adults, to climb in with groups of 50 people, and embark on a 10-minute 'virtual trip', to get to know the main tourist sites of the city.
The aircraft remains static on the ground, but inside it has 50 chairs and a giant screen, with a stewardess and pilot, where the flight is simulated and in video images the city is shown as if it were in the air, passing through the roundabouts , Plaza Alfonso López, monuments and main attractions of the city.'
www.diariodelcesar.com

"This plane is going to make a small theatre where they will be able to see documentaries and films of our history, which will have effect on the new generations.
And I hopefully the funds they collect will go to the coffers of the minstrels of our music, for the artists and people most in need", Carlos Vives said.
Carlos Alberto Vives Restrepo (b.07Aug1961) is a Colombian singer, songwriter and actor. Vives released the album Clásicos de la Provincia in which he started fusing Vallenato with rock, pop and other Caribbean Colombian ethnic rhythms. This fusion scandalized Vallenato purists. [Wikipedia]

"Let's go to the ICE CREAM park today. If you haven't seen it, I invite you to take a ride on the plane
and through Valledupar!" ¬Tweeted by Evafedz

DC-6 at Valledupar, Tweeted by Indira Aramendi
Google Translate: 'The Airplane that was once used by the drug traffickers, is today
the place of greatest training (education?) for children.'

Vista nocturna del espectacular #ParqueLaProvinciaVpar construido por Gobierno @TutoUhiaAlcalde
para fortalecer ADN turístico de #Valleduparlamaslinda. ¬Tweeted_by_turismoavanza @OfiTurismoVpar.

In the May 2017 edition of Scramble magazine #456) I read that HK-3349 had moved from Villavicencio (where it had been stored from around 2004 -ex/ VIARCO Colombia- to around 2014) to Tiuma Park near Meta.

HK-.. at Tiuma Park, Colombia
Douglas C-47A HK-3349 (c/n 11825).
Meanwhile this DC-3 at Tiuma Park has been painted yellow and is devoid of its registration.
The DC-3 was an important transport on the Colombian flatlands and is represented and honoured as such here.
Its previous identities were: 42-92066 92066 HC-AVC.
You'll find a photo of HK-3349 parked in the weeds at Villavicencio (VVC) airport on Photos by Friends & Guests 32

Tiuma Park
www.tiumapark.com - a safari and adventure park.
The idea is that the DC-3 will be raised on a tower from which one can descend with zip lines...

Its adress as noted on Facebook is: km 15, Vía Puerto Lopez, Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia.

In Nov.2018 I came across this image on Facebook
C-47 TIUMA Park (Colombia)

In Dec.2018 2 videos appeared on Facebook showing the DC-3 put in place!

C-47 HK-3349 at Tiuma park hoisted onto the tower! What a humongous feat!
www.facebook.com/Tiumapark/videos/1133203890171273/ (I think the date was 01Dec2018).
Thanks to Michael Prophet for drawing my attention to the videos!

Updated a page compiled in 2005 (!), regarding a preserved DC-6 (HP-641) in Cali, Colombia; Searchfor

Vickers Viscount HK-1708 at Rionegro; photo D.Rudlesden on FB 3-2020
Vickers 745D Viscount HK-1708 at the Comfoma Parque Recreativo at Rionegro, Colombia (GPS 6.1395, -75.3815) 13km SE of Jose Maria Cordova International Airport, taken on Aeroprints AT1817 tour, on 02Nov18.
Ex/ Intercontinental Colombia aircraft, built in 1956, suffered an accident on 31Mar91 in which its beam broke.

Michael Prophet photographed this B-25J Mitchell bomber in March 2006 and provided the following information: FAB542, static display since 1983, ex Fuerza Aerea Boliviano; parked on Plaza Cap W Arce, Cochabamba,Bolivia. Photos © Michael S. Prophet.

This is truly one that could be overlooked but is worth the detour: Convair T-29 / C-131, ex CP-1356 Frigorifico Reyes (c/n 329). This aircraft is now used as a children's library; it is parked on Ave 6 de Agosto, Cochabamba,Bolivia. Photos © M.S.Prophet (March 2006).

Darren Clarke wrote me in May 2021: "Thought I'd drop you a photo from 2003 for your off airport thread - it's
a bit out of date now, but it is the first time DC-3 CP-572 (the 12th production aircraft!) reappears after being
wfu in 1977 and most likely scrapped."
DC-3 CP-572 (remains) in 2003

Darren found part of the upper rear fuselage being used as a porch over the entrance path for the house on the
left of the photo in Reyes, north-east of Rurrenabaque in Bolivia. Who knows if it's still there? EMAIL
This Douglas C-49E (DC-3), CP-572 c/n 1549, was involved in a mid-air collision with a B-17, on 05Sep1955 - ASN 'Mid-air collision at FL90 between a LAB Boeing B-17 (CP-597) and a DC-3 (CP-572). The B-17 crashed; the
DC-3 made an emergency landing at Trinidad.' And was repaired.
See a photo of CP-572 in active service on Ron Mak's gallery, page #3 in 1973.
History of C-49 CP-572

From Air-Britain's 'The First Seventy Years'.

A Jan.2019 addition for the Off-Airport Latin America gallery, a DC-3 in Brazil !
DC-3 HC-ALD, off-airport at a Zoo in Tabatinga
Airliners.net has a 2005 of a decrepit looking C-47 HC-ALD, stored at Tabatinga, Brazil.
Douglas C-47 HC-ALD (c/n 19046) was operated for Aeropacifico Carga but seized for illegal transports in the
1990s at Tabatinga. By early 2019 a photo appeared online showing this airplane is preserved status painted in an olive drab colour. Google Earth found it parked in front of the local zoo, Parque Zoobotânico, some 600 meters
north of the airport. Tripadvisor had the above image taken in September 2017, showing this
DC-3 in the background. The adress of the Zoo is listed as
Avenida da Amizade 1, Tabatinga, State of Amazonas 69640-000, Brazil.

Ulrich F. Hoppe sent me this, he wrote: "Please find the latest pictures of C-47 ex HC-ALD, which I
have taken at Tabatinga, Brasil on 04Jun2019.
C-47 HC-ALD preserved at Tabatinga, photo by Ulrich F. Hoppe (2019)

On my Q&A-page I have an item on DC-3s stored at Fortaleza, Brazil at one time. This post by Ulrich 'Uli' Hoppe
is of interest in that context. The research concerns 2 DC-3s of 5 discussed: "PT-KYW cn34267 is without wing, being slowly restored; it was previously dumped; see www.jetphotos.net" and "PT-KZF cn20244 was moved to
Pacatuba for exhibit, now marked 'SERH' cineastv.forumeiros.com (scroll down 60% of page)."
DC-3 at Pacatuba, Brazil by Uli Hoppe
Current (Nov.2019) status probably is: KYW c/n 34267 wreck at Barra Grande and KZF (w/ wing KYW) at Pacatuba.
See also my item on Photos by Friends & Guests #44. And a new home for KYW: Photos by Friends & Guests #59.

ATDB.aero:
Pacatuba,Brazil - DC-3 PT-KYW i sprobably PT-KZF

Pop Art DC-3 in Brasil This photo was published on www.flickr.com, taken on 25Sep06 and offers the following information:
DC-3 / C-47 Romero Britto
Pátio da AESO
Peixinhos, Olinda, Pernambuco, Brasil

A.Avrane of ATDB (online database) offered the following info:
"ATDB shows this as PT-BFU, an original DC-3 (not C-47). Was painted as such in mid-2001."

Vito Alexandre Cedrini took it from here: "This is a true DC-3, to be exact a DC-3-277C (c/n 2248), note the right hand door!
Originally operated by American Airlines as NC15592, it was used by several operators in Brazil (among them Willys Overland and Ford do Brasil / Ford Motor Company) as an Executive DC-3; last registration was PT-BFU.
It was the only Brazilian registered DC-3 which had a semi-enclosed undercarriage.
Would be better if it could be preserved inside a Museum, as out in the open who knows how long it will survive..."

Charlie Pyles shed a different light on the above DC-3 once being NC15592:
"Although possible, I doubt NC15592 on your web site is the original. Photos were donated to our museum by Cyril Ketterer after he died."
DC-3 NC15592

NC15592
Note the passengerdoor on this side, the righthand side.

Charlie Pyles
Cincinnati Aviation Heritage Society & Museum
www.cahslunken.org

Seems it was rebuild after all (at time of accident there wasn't yet a susplus of DC-3 airliners); this email exchange was done on Air-Britain's ABIX forum:

Hello Ruud,
Googling NC 15592 I found this on

http://www.archive.org/stream/monthlycatalogof471941unit2/monthlycatalogof471941\
unit2_djvu.txt
August 1941 1121

Aircraft accidents. Report of Civil Aeronautics Board of investigation of acci-
dent involving civil aircraft of United States NC 15592, which occurred near
Cincinnati, Ohio, Mar. 10, 1941; docket no. SA-34, adopted July 16, 1941.
[1941.] [1] +27+ [3] p. 1 pi. 4° [Processed.] t C 31.213:049

Also according to the 1984 A-B DC-3 bible this aircraft was with American until
1949!

with best regards,
Pétur P. Johnson

---------

According to the CAB accident report, the wreck was indeed moved to American's
hangar. It also says "At the termination of the hearing on March 20, 1941, the
aircraft was released to American".

I can email the full report to you if you want it.

Regards,

Aad van der Voet (AB #19394)
http://www.oldwings.nl

----------

Thank you for completing the circle. Do not need the accident report; and, as Petur noted previously c/n 2248 served with American for a further eight years.
John M. Davis

Vito Cedrini sent some images of PT-BFU from his archives, see Photos by Friends & Guests (25)

PT-BFU came up on my Q&A-page, in Feb.2016, when looking for identities of DC-3 remaining at Forteleza; PT-BFU at on time was such a resident, but was obviously dismissed as per the above. I copy some of the information as it includes a fairly recent sighting:
"PT-BFU c/n 2248 was also stored at Fortaleza, since about 1983. Last noted there in Dec1991, with its wings separate. About a year later it was moved to Paulista in Pernambuco, Brazil, to be used as an eyecatcher outside a bar/restaurant. In 2001 it moved to nearby Olinda, where it went on display in a parking lot, painted in a special scheme by artist Romero Britto. It was still there in those colours by 2015."

Photos of C-47A PP-YPU at Canarana,Brasil; courtesy Jones Cesar Dalazen.
For information see my page Photos by Friends & Guests, page 12

A DC-3 with a strange tail (tale..?)
DC-3 PP-VBT by Mirkos Ortiz Martens 2023
Douglas C-47B, PP-VBT (c/n 25588), documented by Mirkos Ortiz Martens (18Oct2023) and
published on Facebook's The Douglas DC-3 Appreciation Society (Oct.2023)
PP-VBT c/v 2558 by ATDB.aero (01Nov2023) Atdb.aero: after its military use was operated by BOAC and VARIG.
The sparse info on FB was: 'Old DC-3 without engines in a gas station. Farroupilha, RS Brazil.' But it seems it's rather more a decoration at a restaurant! So I decided to look into it a bit more, its history (ATDB) and location)

Lancheria e Restaurante do Avião (alongside BR-453)

Lancheria e Restaurante do Aviao (alongside BR-453)
Relocated in Brasil from Garibaldi, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
The relocation is 5 minutes by car

-+|+-

This image by André Bonacin was published on www.panoramio.com, which links images to locations on Google Earth.

Details of this photo are listed as Cine Avião JK (Vickers Viscount 701 - PP-SRJ, c/n 15) - Araçariguama, SP, Brasil.

Klaus Hoppe sent me this photo of airliner-turned-restaurant:

YS-11 PP-CTI in use as restaurant, pizzaria

NAMC YS-11 PP-CTI c/n 2080. In use as a restaurant. Ex/ Cruzeiro aircraft.

Klaus wrote me the following in March 2011:
"Here is a photo I took in July 2007, driving the BR101 highway, just around Porto Bello in the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Unfortunately the place was closed, so I have no more information to pass on, neither do I know for sure type of aircraft or which historic airline now serves pizza…
Their home site www.portobellopizzeria.com certainly disregards the special premises."
Klaus Hoppe
Jureré, Brasil

I found the following informationon Airliners.net
www.airliners.net/photo/427525/L - "Ex Cruzeiro PP-CTI in Kaiser Beer colors is a Pizza Restaurant. W/O in Navegantes (NVT) in 29Apr1977." (14Sep2003)
www.airliners.net/photo/2038486/L
NAMC YS-11A-202 PP-CTI (c/n 2080) - "Reportedly still being used as a restaurant, now called 'Churrascaria Aviao'. Tijucas, Brazil (18Nov2011)

Stefano Spagiola wrote: "It's at a rest stop on the highway between the towns of Camboriu and Florianopolis, in the state of Santa Catarina (closer to Camboriu). Unfortunately, I didn't have time to stop, but it looked intact and in reasonable condition."

In May 2017 I started a quest for planes near restaurants and/or hotels, to update the Off-airport section. This Canadair CL-44 took me a little to find but is a worthy candidate!

Mayday nightclub, Los Totems, Cuenca. The world's last surviving normal CL-44.

Canadair CL-44 HC-AZH (c/n 13).
From my files: Ex/Andes Airlines, stored since 1986 at Guayaquil with HC-AZS (c/n 6). Used by Andes until 1986.
Last noted GYE sep97. News in June 2003, to move to CFB Trenton Museum for preservation o'wise scrapping @GYE...
Ln 09Nov06, same, parked between 2 hangars @GYE. Ln April 2007 intact, all white, with reg. also forward pax door and an overwing exit door were open or missing.
RCAF Memorial Museum (Trenton, Ontario) bought CL-44 from Andes A/L but could not fund transport, so they donated it to City of Guayaquil Aviation Museum (but this never happened).
Ln stored still @GYE 17Apr07, all white c/s n/t. Ln asame 16Feb08.
Then moved to 'Mayday nightclub', Los Totems,Cuenca Oct. 2010.

From ATDB.aero
'Preserved (purchased 27Apr05 by RCAF Museum for $1000, donated Aug.2006 to local museum but abandoned; trucked late 2009 to Los Totems, Cuenca and re-assembled as a bar/disco 'Club May-Day', inaugurated 27Oct2010 @ GYE).'

Ron Mak shared a 1977 photo, showing it on Quito's ramp, operational; see Ron's gallery hosted on my website
See also Photos by Friends & Guests (40) for a fairly recent photo.

With a reported sighting on 20Aug2019 I read that it was still in use as a nightclub, at Las Totems, in Cuneca-Ciudad.

Bristol-Canadair CC-106 Yukon HC-AZH, s/n 106932 CAF, c/n 13 (CC-106)
Mayday nightclub, Los Totems, Cuenca
'Discoteca Del Avion ' @Gravedad Cero, Cuenca, Ecuador.
02 53 52.84 S 79 01 14.45 W

Vickers V789D Viscount XC-FOV (c/n 226) preserved off-airport; seen here in the garden of 'Laguardia' party centre near Puembo, at about 20 km from the new International Airport of Quito.

Off-airport Index page

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