R4D


-- Ray Berger reberger@fnbnet.net wrote: The following types and bunos are listed in my log book while aboard VX6: C117D 138820. LC117Ds 17191, 99853, 12441, 17253 C47J 50753, 50766. LC47H 17017, 17221. It is curious that all have 5 no.s except 138820 which is listed as a C117D. That was strictly a Quonset bird, I think, as were the C47Js 50753 and 50766, at least that is where I flew them. Ray

-- Ray Berger reberger@fnbnet.net wrote: Looking at my logs, I flew my first R4D-5 in June 1952 Buno 17108 in the ferry squadron VRF 32. I took it from Jacksonville to San Diego. After that I have flown R4D5s 39062, 50780, 56528, 50854, 17134, and 39095 R4D-6s Bunos 17257, 50800, 17119, 50761,50979, 39098, 50836, and 50775. R4D-7s 99833, 99826. My earliest R4D-8 was in 17219 in May 1953. Also R4D-8s Bunos. 172421, 17292, 17177, 17124, 17149, 17191(this appears later as a C-117D), 17152, 17190, 50826, 99845, 17127. C-117D 17248 in June 1963, first time that designation appears in my log. I aso flew C-117Ds 99845, 39061. I have a C47 J listed with Buno. N7998A. I delivered it from Norfolk to Naples Italy via Goose Bay, Keflavic, Prestwick Scotland and London. I almost caused an international incident when I filed direct London-Naples. When I hit the Swiss border I was asked if I had overflight clearance. Nobody violates Swiss airspace and keeps his career intact. So I did a quick route change. That looks like a civilian number and was delivered to the US embassy in Naples. All the rest in my logs(I have 5 with 8448.1 hours) are C47s and C117s in VX6 Ray

--From: "Paul K. Panehal" panehalp@fdn.com The aircraft which went down in Jan/Feb 66 was a 47 and it caught a wing tip on landing. Dick Simmons the radioman on the flight and I were close friends. Shaddock (sp) had taken Red Auxfords place on that flight. Red was that crew's FE/PC.
I believe the fill in pilot was to be the winter-over OinC of the VX-6 group. VX-6 had a very small WO group that year, smaller than previous years - no requirement to fly a 47 or 117. I was to be the WO radioman for the 47/117's and was scrubbed from the WO roster. That was one of the reasons I was choose to be one of the crew to fly 17221 back to the Ice
in the 66-67 season.

--From: Bill Spindler spindle@attglobal.net Back to the 1/74 Antarctic Journal... "The fourth airplane loss of the season occurred on January 12, 1965, at Camp Ohio in the Horlick Mountains. An LC-47J (Buno 50778) was at landing rollout on the skiway when one of the main skis struck a high but unobserved sastrugi. The ski turned vertical and struck the propeller, tearing off the engine and twisting the fuselage." [this BUNO isn't on Joe's list either] No crew member names are mentioned in the article for either of the 2 64-65 LC-47 losses; generally the article ("US aircraft losses in Antarctica" by Peter J. Anderson, NSF OPP) only names fatalities.

--From: "Paul K. Panehal" panehalp@fdn.com It was LC-47, last part of Buno was 832 (possibly 17832). The accident occurred Feb 3, 1966 at 0942 hrs Zulu on the Ross Ice Shelf near Roosevelt Island. Lt. Harold M."Hal" Morris was plane commander, Lt. William D. "Bill" Fordell copilot, Lcdr Ronald Rosenthal navigator, ADJ3 Charles C. Kelley and ADR3 Wayne M. Shattuck plane captains, and Richard S. "Dick" Simmons AT1 radioman. The accident was observed by the crew of an LC-117 (Buno last three 107 if I am not mistaken. I believe Jimmy Clark ATR2 was it's radioman - during his pre C-121J years) which was there at the time. Exploding JATO due to the intense heat destroyed all but the tail section, and continued to explode for hours after the accident. Wasn't Wayne Shattuck normally part of the Otter crew? For two reasons this accident has been etched in my memory. One Dick and I were good friends. He and I had dinner together the evening before the accident. He was helping me with binary (which seems so old today) and we discussed electronics theory. A short while after dinner he was not feeling well and had gotten sick to his stomach. He thought something he ate didn't agree with him, and went to his rack.The following morning (day of the accident), I was coming out of the AT shop at Willy Field and caught my wedding band on the door as I went slipped down the steps to the snow. The edge of the door ripped my ring off my finger, taking with it a good bit of skin both above and below the knuckle on my left hand, ring finger. I remember being on my hands and knees for some time, digging in the snow trying to find the ring, and my finger bleeding like crazy. After some time I found the ring I wrapped my finger in a handkerchief and headed over to the sickbay. Just as I was checking in to see the Doc (Doc Holik)and the radio went off, announcing the plane crash and telling the emergency medical crew a LC-130 was standing by to fly Doc Holik and his party to the crash site. Everything went into high gear getting the equipment and personnel ready and out the door. It may have been a half hour or longer before everyone settled down enough to take care of my finger. I'm sure Doc and his group were outa there within minutes of the call but, all of us were concerned about the who and extent of the accident. All the particulars were not known as those in the know cut-off circulation of all information. Later, when the LC-117 returned I found out from Jimmy what he had seen and what had happened. Still, the information was not available to everyone. I think, the reason I was told, was due to our friendship. I was sick, when I discovered Dick was on-board. They also reported that Doc Holik efforts were dedicated and relentless. He just would not give up in his efforts, although others resolved there was nothing that could be accomplished. Doc was highly revered even before this situation, and became almost legendary afterwards. I have never known a more dedicated doctor, in my 30 years of service. My hat has, and always will, be off to the "Real Quack" of VX-6, and the many things he did on the Ice to make the everyday fatigue disappear. Those who served with him will always remember the picture on the door to sickbay with a duck dressed as a doctor and the words "VX-6 Quack". Thanks Doc. Hope this helps out.

--I just ran across an old pix of LC-47 17239 #8 JD ("Snafu"?), after it was stricken. I believe it was the LC-47 which caught a ski in snow contorted waves - sastruugi (sp?) - (caused by wind, resulting in a very rough surface - sort of like an aircraft with pontoons landing in heavy sea waves). Location in the Horlick Mountains half way between Byrd and Pole Stations. This occurred early in the season and no one was hurt, other than the A/C. Or it could be the aircraft which put a prop through the port fuselage. In any case no one was hurt in either accident. Dick Andersen or Ray may be able to fill in additional blanks. pk

--BUZSAM@aol.com Hi, Joe, I'll try to answer (to the best of my knowledge and reference material at hand) some of your questions concerning side numbers of R4D's. #1 BUNO 17246 R4D-5 Name: Korora II #2 ? (however, P2-V 140436 was side numbered 2 ; also BUNO 140437 was side numbered 1. Confusing, huh?) #3 ? #4 BUNO 17274 R4D-5 Name: Charlene #5 BUNO 56528 R5D-3 Admiral's plane #6 BUNO 56505 R5D-3 Name: Have Gum, Will Travel #7 BUNO 17163 R4D-5 Name: Takahe - also: BUNO 17188 R4D-8 #8 BUNO 12418 R4D-5 Name: Que Sera Sera - also: BUNO 17154 R4D-8 #9 BUNO 17219 R4D-8 Name: Semper Shaftus USMC #10 BUNO 99853 R4D-8 Name: Wilshie Duit - later: Divine Wind Also: BUNO 131624 R7-V Name: Phoenix was also #6
I picked up 50835 at the plant in Santa Monica after it was modified to an R4D--8 for VR-22 in April of 1952.
A listing of all the R4D-8's that I have flown: