Never Say Never-C-47 Recalled To Service.

[70 copo]

The U.S. Navy recently put a rebuilt C-47 originally delivered to the United States Army Air Force as 44-76511 in 1944 as a C-47 twin-engine transport. This aircraft has reentered service in the US Navy in 2021 as a range support aircraft for its ATR (Atlantic Test Range).

The navy needed a larger range support aircraft so that more radar and tracking equipment could be carried and track multiple jets and missiles they had in the air at once.

The old ATR was a King Air, twin-engine commercial turboprop transport introduced in the 1969s, three decades after the DC-3, an aircraft that was renamed the C-47 during World War II.

Replacement cost was the issue. A new King Air, or similar but larger aircraft, would not only cost a lot more than the rebuilt C-47 (as a BT-67) but would take longer to obtain. The 77 year old plane was therefore rebuilt by Basler and designated BT-67 for US Navy.

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/ht.../20210520.aspx

https://www.scramble.nl/military-new...67-for-us-navy

[A12pilot]

We’ll that’s pretty cool. If they need additional support, my Stinson is available to fly in formation! Yeah, I’ll be about twenty miles behind abs a few thousand feet down, but still!!

Now that’s cool to see….

Cheers

Dave

[70 copo]

After Skyrader was retired with the introduction of the expensive to operate A-10, there were several proposals to reintroduce an up engined variant of the P-51 design back in to service as a Light Attack aircraft platform. Cost made the USAF decide to evaluate the Sierra Nevada/Embraer A-29 Super Tucano for this role due to its in use status around the world already.

[70 copo]

P-51 variant...

[SS427]

The C-47 will go down in history much like the B52. Both planes that have gone well beyond their life's expectancy and are still shown to be very useful aircraft. There are still many DC-3 (civilian version of the C-47) in service today and many have been converted to turbo props.

My brother is doing all the reconfiguration and avionics on these Tucanos and an L39 that are being used by our military for training and subcontracted thru Valkyrie. He took me through their facility where the work was being done in Phoenix which I was surprised he could do. There were many other projects he is working on such as a command center semi truck and trailer that were totally off limits to me.

[A12pilot]

Rick,

The upgraded version of the L39, the L89, was a limited production unit. Think they only made a few hundred and known to exist are only a handful, at best! I think Woj has one!

Wait…what were we talking about?!

Cheers
Dave

[SS427]

Dave, you are close but it was actually an L78 converted to an L81 and Woj does not have this one....

[A12pilot]

HA! Right on, Rick. Just give him time though….I think he’ll find one!

Cheers
Dave

[hiperf406]

A few pictures of my buddies P51 & his Harvard Trainer.