Mystery DC3 / C47 Tail Fin – help needed

As far as I know, no connection with Fleet pond but thanks for the link.

Thanks again for all your input gentlemen. I may try removing some paint but since I’ve just taken the decision to move it on, it may be best to leave it to someone else to decide. I have no doubt it will finish up in drab olive!

I take it that it has nothing to do with this one parts of which used to reside in Fleet pond

http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/collections/aircraft/aircraft_histories/X002-9932%20DOUGLAS%20C47.pdf

Just a thought but if you were really stuck you could remove the top layer of paint and see if there’s anything underneath…

The other probablility is OT-CWA (FL586) which was a former Belgian Machine
.

Don’t think so, as it’s original serial was 43-49240 which no where nears matches that on the fin.

One other possible aircraft is G-ASMN but this was dark Green prior to scrapping

I think that should read G-AMSN?

…. unless it goes back to the ex-Spanish Air Force Dakotas that were arround in the early eighties.

That’s my best bet, as there were several at Blackbushe in white/silver scheme in the late ’70s. Some went to museums, some returned to flying also and ended up at North Weald and elsewhere.

These are two of the candidates for the fin F-GEFY & F-GEFU which were ex-Senagal Air Force.

F-GEFU appears to have the fin cut off whereas F-GEFY apears to have it removed.

However both were white at the time they were cut up in France. The cockpits certainly came to the Uk

http://www.friendsofthedc3.20m.com/photos.htm

The other probablility is OT-CWA (FL586) which was a former Belgian Machine

Scroll down the photos and you will find this machine at North Weald. The colours would probably be closer to your fin

http://www.oldprops.ukhome.net/DC3-Non%20USA%20Photographs.htm

One other possible aircraft is G-ASMN but this was dark Green prior to scrapping

N5656L as rightly pointed out by Radpoe was black at the time the fin was removed.

My educated guess is that it is from OT-CWA unless it goes back to the ex-Spanish Air Force Dakotas that were arround in the early eighties.

The serial could be entirely fictious as several were used for film work in varing states of completion by Aces High including G-ASMN/N3455.

In addition N4565L was bought for spares from Ipswich. This includes removal of the fin.

There were also examples from Senegal and Belgium also at North Weald

That’ll be N4565L now residing at Doncaster Aeroventure – this aircraft arrived there painted black with a broad yellow cheatline.

Thank you Gentlemen, I’m impressed.

The serial could be entirely fictious as several were used for film work in varing states of completion by Aces High including G-ASMN/N3455.

In addition N4565L was bought for spares from Ipswich. This includes removal of the fin.

There were also examples from Senegal and Belgium also at North Weald

N3455 16631/ 33379 C-47B-35-DK, 44-77047 D 09 Jun 45 – KN673 RAF Montreal 15 Jun 45 – 45 Gp 13 Jul 45 – UK/1 TAMU 23 Jul 46 – 1382 (T)CU 27 Nov 46 – 240 OCU 05 Jan 48 – Stored 03 Nov 48 – 12MU 27 Feb 50 – G-AMSN J A Wilson R 28 Apr 52 – Starways Ltd Mar 53 – Mercury A/V L Apr 64 to Nov 64 – South Coast Air Svces L 12 Jul 65 – Lord Calthorpe, Ringway t/a Mercury A/W R 22 Nov 65 – N3455 Intl Avn Devel Corp R 28 Dec 67 – ATC Inc, Reno, NV R 02 Oct 69 – LAVCO lsd at least between Nov 69 and Nov 70 – Arax A/L noted on 23 May 72 and 16 Jun 73 – Bechtel, noted on 30 Oct 73 – Operated w/o titles Jan 75 Arax Airlines Mar 75* – Eastern Bechtel Corp L 19 Nov 76 to Feb 77 – Pyramid A/L lsd 77 – Pyramid A/Ls ob 10 Mar 78 to 19 May 80 – SU-BFZ Rr. Pyramid A/L, “Cheops” Ob on 07 Sept 83. Entered Safi on 16 Aug 84, dep Malta on 1 Sept – N3455 Rr. – EI-BSI Apple Air Svcs Apr 86, Ntu – G-AMSN Rr Aces High. Ferried Exeter to North Weald on 02 Mar 90. Painted in Star A/Ws Inc c/s – N3455 Rr. H. Richardson. St North Weald. Reg canc, Aug 95 G-AMSN Rr. 31 Aug 95 Aces High Ltd, North Weald – G-AMSN South Coast A/Ws. Bought for parts. Ob dismantled & w/parts missing, Jan 97 – G-AMSN Registered to Aces High 30 Jun 97. Conflicting reports as to whether a/c has gone to Midlands Museum or Imperial Aviation Group, North Coates – G-AMSN Reg canc 25 Jan 2000.

G-AMSN was an Aces High plane, but cannot see any numbers that correspond with the photo.:confused:

Thanks for all your help folks. Tim, the picture was taken in my front garden in Surrey a couple of weeks ago. I bought the fin in the UK with no further detail of it’s history. I believe it may once have been owned by Mike Woodley, but I am not in contact with him.

Could possibly help you more if you revealed where and when the shots were taken and the assumption must be you know already it’s somewhere in the UK from your initial comments?

Tim

There appears to be a number missing,

According to the book I have the 5 is wrong, that little bit of diagonal on the left hand edge only appears on 8 and 9 which doesn’t make any sense as there were no C-47s in the 41-388XX block.

The only way I can see it being a 5 is if the person doing the painting didn’t have a 5 and used an upsidedown 2, which would give that diagonal section.

Thanks Eddie, you may well be correct.

Can’t add any real info, but to me the number looks like “13856”