At around 1900 GMT yesterday, Two C54s landed here in Reykjavik on a ferry to the UK, to be precise, to North Weald airfield. These aircraft are to be used for some kind of a film work centered around the Berlin Airlift.
The aircraft are N-44914 with “56498” on the tail and is painted in Air Transport Command colours. The other is N-31356 with “44-42914” on the tail and is overall aluminimum with a read chevron. It is how ever looking a little tired and honored the old tradition of finishing the Atlantic crossing on three engines. The No.4 engine was feathered on landing here yesterday, and as this is written the crew is out there in the rain and cold trying to get it operational again.
The scheduled departure is a little bit in the dark, I don´t think they will depart today, as the No.4 engine is not operational yet and the dark is approaching rapidly. Another thing is that I seriously doubt that the aircraft are IFR certified (after seeing the cockpit and instrumentation!!!), so the crossing will probably have to be done in VFR conditions. To morrow is my guess for departure, I will keep you posted!!!
Regards,
Galdri
By: Newforest - 15th July 2012 at 07:50
But what of the catalina does she still reside in the hangar and who is paying for her fees?
Can you see the photo above your post? 😉
By: Howard500 - 15th July 2012 at 00:15
Maybe it was Peter Tiechman or someone at Duxford ?
By: Merlin Power - 14th July 2012 at 22:36
sold
does anyone know if there is any other information as to who bought the C-54’s if this is true that they have been sold.But what of the catalina does she still reside in the hangar and who is paying for her fees?
By: B-17 Buff - 10th July 2012 at 19:30
I think ms is probably refering to the Catalina that was at North Weald in December 2009,it had a US reg.N423RS and also JV928 it was minus its blisters and had blue engines.I seem to recollect it was there for maintainance.
Colin
It is still there, hangered.;)
By: springers - 10th July 2012 at 09:35
No thats a different one.
There was one that was intended to go to the US and back again?
I think ms is probably refering to the Catalina that was at North Weald in December 2009,it had a US reg.N423RS and also JV928 it was minus its blisters and had blue engines.I seem to recollect it was there for maintainance.
Colin
By: B-17 Buff - 9th July 2012 at 20:01
After some ‘enquiries’ I made earlier in the year, I was told that the C-54’s have been sold to a local ‘person’… the idea is that one good flyer will be made from the two, making one effectively a hanger queen. Either one will require a lot of work.
Pictures from May this year….
By: markstringer - 9th July 2012 at 17:33
Catalina
Poxy iPhone auto spell. Sent some very weird messages to people…..
No thats a different one.
There was one that was intended to go to the US and back again?
By: pagen01 - 9th July 2012 at 17:25
Catalina thread here, http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=117872
By: markstringer - 9th July 2012 at 16:31
Catalina
Poxy iPhone auto spell. Sent some very weird messages to people…..
By: Arabella-Cox - 9th July 2012 at 16:04
Is the Catalonia still there?
I thought Catalonia was in Spain………….!!!
Planemike
By: TwinOtter23 - 9th July 2012 at 15:21
IIRC these airframes have been discussed on other threads about these parts (sadly I cannot find them) – it is my understanding they have been offered for disposal to various groups across the UK; I guess that a lack of resources has put off these possible acquisitions! 🙁
By: ericmunk - 9th July 2012 at 15:16
Is the Catalonia still there?
You mean the Andalusia, surely? 😀
By: David Burke - 9th July 2012 at 15:01
All it would take is a fair chunk of money and some people to look after it and do the work! Its worth pointing out that the atmosphere at Speke is positively maritime so a DC-4 would take some looking after!
By: HP81 - 9th July 2012 at 14:49
A C-54 would be an ideal exhibit for the IWM at Duxford to tell the Berlin Airlift story along with the Hastings,but as the IWM no longer want larger aircraft this is probably a non-starter. Another option would be the Speke Aerodrome Heritage Group at Liverpool painted as a Starways DC-4.If the group wanted a DC-4 how about starting an appeal to save one as happened with the Avro748?
There does seem be a great deal of apathy in this country concerning preserving transport aircraft compared to most of Western Europe.
I like the Speke idea:D I would paint Starways on the left and Air Charter or Lloyds on the right. In fact the DC-4 was a popular type with the UK independents of 50’s & 60’s so there are plenty of great schemes to choose from.
By: Newforest - 9th July 2012 at 13:06
did the film get made?
Negative, the film was cancelled. 🙁
By: markstringer - 9th July 2012 at 11:59
Is the Catalonia still there?
By: cestrian - 9th July 2012 at 11:46
A C-54 would be an ideal exhibit for the IWM at Duxford to tell the Berlin Airlift story along with the Hastings,but as the IWM no longer want larger aircraft this is probably a non-starter. Another option would be the Speke Aerodrome Heritage Group at Liverpool painted as a Starways DC-4.If the group wanted a DC-4 how about starting an appeal to save one as happened with the Avro748?
There does seem be a great deal of apathy in this country concerning preserving transport aircraft compared to most of Western Europe.
By: SADSACK - 9th July 2012 at 11:26
re;
did the film get made?
By: FoxVC10 - 9th July 2012 at 10:29
Had a good external look at them a year or so ago. Starting to corrode in the u/c bays and a few other less obvious places.
By: David Burke - 9th July 2012 at 10:02
They are too expensive -probably quite corroded by now and in reality just worth what you can get for the engines. Sadly I don’t forsee enough interest in the U.K in any kind of DC-4/C-54 heritage flight.
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