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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Douglas DC-1 / DC-2/R2D / DC-3 Dakota / C-47/R4D Skytrain / C-53 Skytrooper
    Latest Model:C-47J
    Last Military Serial:50814 US
    Construction Number:15273
    Last Civil Registration:N48211
    Compressed ID:Douglas C-47J sn 50814 US cn 15273...
    Latest Owner or Location:Southern Museum of Flight, Birmingham, Alabama

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    Dates

    Event

    1944

    Constructed as a C-47B-15-DK by Douglas at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.

    1944

    New construction number, 26718, assigned to the airframe.

    26 November 1944

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 43-49457.
    Not TOS, rather transferred directly to USN.

    26 November 1944

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Navy with BuNo 50814 as a R4D-6.

    26 November 1944

    Transferred to NAS Seattle, WA.

    September 1945

    Transferred to Fleet Airborne Electronics Training Unit--Pacific.

    February 1948

    Transferred to NAS San Diego, CA.

    August 1948

    Transferred to Fleet Airborne Electronics Training Unit--Pacific.

    Converted to a R4D-6Q.

    18 September 1962

    Redesignated as C-47J.

    By 1969

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army with s/n 50814.

    Converted to an EC-47J.
    Aircraft was converted to DC-3S standards, with extensive electronics gear installed.

    April 1969

    Transferred to U. S. Army Electronics Command, Lakehurst, NJ.
    Utilized as an airborne electronic test bed.

    May 1970

    Converted to a C-47J.
    Electronics gear removed.

    May 1970

    Transferred to John F. Kennedy Center for Military Assistance, Fort Bragg, NC.
    Flew approximately 500 hours annually in support of Special Forces missions, such as HALO parachute drops, VIP missions, transporting the JFK Commanding General, Troop transport for missions to Billings, MT for cold weather survival training, missions to U.S. Army Special Forces Underwater Operations School and Combat Diver Qualification Course in Key West, Florida and night special operation infiltration missions.

    March 1971


    Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
    Notes: At Simmons Army Air Field, Ft. Bragg, NC. Photographed by Kodak Instamatic 126 camera. This scan is from negative due to photo lacking detail.

    30 September 1975

    To North Carolina Forest Service, Raleigh, NC with new c/r N48211 (C-47J, 50814).


    Photographer: Jim Rouse


    Photographer: Jim Rouse


    Photographer: Robert Long

    22 March 1999

    To Southern Museum of Flight Foundation In, Birmingham, AL keeping c/r N48211.

    Based at Southern Museum of Flight, Birmingham, AL.
    View the Location Dossier

    8 November 2007


    Photographer: James Eubanks
    Notes: Southern Museum of Flight, Birmingham AL

    13 December 2012

    Civil registration, N48211, cancelled.

    30 May 2014


    Photographer: Andy Tucker


    Credits
    Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...

    Print Sources
    U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials 1909 to 1979 by John M. Andrade
    U.S. Military Out of Service 2007 by Andy Marden

    Internet Sources
    Air Classics
    Airbus, Boeing, Convair and Douglas Production List
    AMCAR
    Federal Aviation Administration in the United States of America
    United States Military Services Serial Number Lists by Joe Baugher

    Individual Contributors
    Glenn Chatfield
    Charles Davis
    Mike Henniger

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