BIG PROPS USA 1990s - EX MILITARY TRANSPORTS

A selection of my photographs of former military transport aircraft seen in USA on my vists during the 1990s

Curtiss  C-46D Commando N625CL at Tamiami Florida in November 1991 was impounded for nefarious activitues.

Curtiss C-46F N67977 also at Tamiami FL November 1991 was operated by Haiti Air Freight.

C-46A N74173 was parked at Las Cruces, New Mexico in November 1992 with aircraft dealers Southwest Aviation.

This C-46D displayed at Castle AFB Museum California as wartime "Honey Gal" in November 1990 was formerly N54510.
It was  one of a number of C-46s ferried back to USA from Japanese Air Self Defence Force disposals sales during 1978.

Fairchild C-82A Packet N9701F at Greybull WY October 1992. It had been saved from scrapping in Alaska and ferried to
Greybull by Gene Powers of Hawkins & Powers Aviation. Having outlived its commercial value, Gene was to later paint
it in original 1946 USAF markings to take to airshows. The auxiliary jetpak on the roof was to assist heavy takeoffs.

Greybull, Wyoming in October 1992 showing Hawkins & Powers Aviation's stored KC-97s, C-119s, C-130s, SP-2s, P-3s.
The company's maintenance and operational ramps are top right, with more stored aircraft on the other side of the runway. 
35 heavy aircraft can be seen in this view - but there were more.

A row of ex-USAF Boeing KC-97L Stratotankers stored at Greybull WY in October 1991. Hawkins & Powers Aviation traded
a number of its older ex military aircraft to the USAF and US Navy Museums in exchange for more current types with
potential to be tanked as fire bombers or sprayers. In the foreground is N497HP.

KC-97L N972HP at Greybull in October 1991, showing its previous USAF serial 0-30350 on the tail (53-350).

Hawkins & Powers also acquired KC-97Ls from other sources, such as N97KC seen at Greybull October 1992 after being
ferried from McMinnville Oregon where it had been the "Flight 97" airport restaurant.

Hawkins & Powers Aviation KC-97L N971HP at Stockton California in November 1990, retired here after its firebomber
conversion by Hemet Valley Flying Service had been discontinued in 1984. It was broken up for scrap the following year,
its condition not being helped by the flock of nesting birds which called the spacious roof home.

Erickson Air Crane purchased KC-97L N1365D with plans to use it as a helicopter transporter, but it never entered service.
Seen parked at Erickson's home base Medford Oregon in October 1992, it is still there as function venue.

Aero Pacifico of La Paz, Mexico operated this KC-97L XA-PII from 1987 to 1989 as a freighter, including delivering freshly
baked bread for Mexico's largest bakery, before operating costs forced its retirement at Tucson, Arizona.
Seen at Tucson Airport in November 1991 with other retired and impounded aircraft.

Back to Greybull Wyoming, where the Hawkins & Powers Aviation storage area included this Fairchild C-119L Flying Boxcar
N8505A which had previously flown for several Alaskan freight operators. The former USAF markings "076" are etched
on the forward fuselage sides from her air force days as 53-8076.

Hawkins & Powers Aviation added this C-119L N37636 (ex USAF 53-8150)  in 1991 when acquired from a defunct aircraft
collection in Georgia with whom it flew as "Georgia Box". Seen at Greybull in October 1991 soon after arrival.



Hawkins & Powers Aviation's well-proven engineering capability had brought many long-grounded aircraft back into the air.
During the 1990s the last of their 30 former Royal Candian Air Force C-119Gs were moved from 20 year Greybull storage
to the maintenance ramp for rebuilds to allow them to be flown to military museums across the country.
Above is N5217R ex RCAF 22116 in October 1991 which was delivered to National Infantry Museum, Georgia.

Greybull October 1992, C-119G N3003 ex RCAF 22106 under rebuild for museum display
Intriguingly parked nearby was an operational C-119G sprayer N3003 registered as this aircraft's identity.

C-119F N175ML was a former US Navy R4Q-2, operated by Marine Lumber Co, Nantuckett Massachusetts until retired at
Tucson AZ where it is seen in a storage lot in November 1991. It was later saved by the Mid Atlantic Air Museum.

Warbird supremo David C. Tallichet's Military Aircraft Restoration Company at Chino CA received five Fairchild C-123Ks
in exchange deals with military museums. Here's N87DT (ex USAF 54-0581) in September 1992 before sold in Alaska.

C-123Ks N546S and N677DG with Fowler Aeronautical Service, Van Nuys CA were seen at VNY in November 1990.

Douglas C-124C Globemaster 0-21000 (52-1000) at Travis AFB Museum, California in October 1992. In a huge effort, the
big transport had been rescued from target use at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland and ferried to Travis in June 1984.

US air tanker companies were acquiring USAF disposals early model Lockheed C-130A Hercules.
N45R (ex 56-0496) was at Hemet CA in November 1990, waiting to be tanked by Hemet Valley Flying Service.
 
Hawkins & Powers Aviation had a number of C-130As stored at Greybull Wyoming waiting for tanker conversions.
N132FF (ex 56-0511) was there in October 1991 in the "Big Sky Country" markings of Montana Air National Guard.

Hawkins & Powers C-130A tanker #130 returns to Greybull in October 1992 after summer deployments.
Families of the crew were waiting at the H&P office to welcome them home.

Tanker operator T & G Inc at Chandler-Gila River near Phoenix AZ acquired five C-130As. N119TG was at Chandler in
November 1991 just back from Saudi Arabia where it was operated on a support contract to the US military.

N119G's cockpit

Also at Chandler in November 1991 was C-130A N120TG back from Saudi Arabia where it sprayed oil dispersant.

Fowler Aeronautical Service C-130A N216CR at Van Nuys CA in November 1990 was formerly RAAF A97-216.

Another former RAAF C-130A N4469P (ex A97-215) owned by African Cargo Inc was in the US Customs Service
impounded aircraft compound at Fort Lauderdale Airport, Florida in November 1991.


Probably the very last C-130A models in US military service were designated DC-130As, used on US Navy electronics
systems trials. This is DC-130A 570496 (ex USAF 57-0496) operational at Mojave CA in November 1990.

Douglas C-133A Cargomaster N2276V (ex USAF 59-0531) at Tucson Airport AZ in November 1991. It had been parked here
since 1978 as a spare for Cargomaster Corp which had two C-133As in Alaska on US Govenment contract work.

Hawker Siddeley Argosy N1430Z was former RAF XP447, seen at Lancaster-Fox Field CA in March 1993.

This RAF Vickers Varsity T.1 WJ948 had been purchased by US warbird owners and ferried to US in 1978 as N65538.
After years of delay during a standoff with US Customs which was wary of its military potential (it was a trainer), it was
finally released and flown to West Texas Airport, El Paso in August 1983 where the right main gear collapsed on landing.
It had been turned into a museum with displays inside the cabin, including video of its crash arrival with clouds of dust.

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