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- 99853
- LC-117D
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- Douglas C/N 33337
- Ordered by USAAF as TC-47B-35-DK
- USAAF S/N 44-77005
- Delivered to USN as R4D-7 in May 1945
- Assigned to NAS Clinton OK
- Assigned to NAS Quonset Point RI in Sept 1945
- Assigned to to NAS San Diego CA in February 1946
- Assigned to NAS Columbus OH in March 1948
- Assigned to VR-23 at NAS Norfolk VA in August 1948
- Converted to R4D-8 in early 1950s and assigned new Douglas s/n 43339
- Converted to R4D-8L
- Assigned to VX-6 1 October 1957
Redesignated LC-117D in 1962.
- Withdrawn from use Jan 1967 at McMurdo Sound Antarctica
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Disposition: Damaged beyond repair January
1968 during ship board loading, set on an ice flow, drifted out to sea in the Ross Sound
Antarctica.
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- JATO takeoff
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- From Buz:
- In Deep Freeze III, in a rough landing at Little A-5, the landing gear was damaged
necessitating emergency repairs to get the plane home. It was sent to Jacksonville and the
entire mid-box section of the wing was rebuilt using three-times stronger material than
originally called for. After this, nobody knew what condition the aircraft was in so they
gave it to me for deployment that year. Henceforth the name of "Wilshie Duit".
It turned out I flew the same two engines for two complete deployments without a bauble.
And, in Deep Freeze 60, it was the first plane into all outlying stations.
After I left, the plane changed hands and, consequently the name was changed to Divine
Wind.....which is Kamakaze.
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- From: BillyAceBaker@aol.com
Date: Mon, 29 May 2000
Subject: Re: [OAEs] R4D Pic
- BUNO 99853 was dropped from the sling when it was being loaded aboard the USNS Towle. It
was left on the ice and drifted away after the next season.
Billy-Ace
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- To: OAEs-and-FNGs@egroups.com
From: BUZSAM@aol.com
Date: Mon, 29 May 2000
Subject: Re: [OAEs] R4D Pic - CO
Yes, Gus, It was my bird.......99853......that was dropped. I cried when I heard about
it........and still shed tears at the thought.
Buz
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