Photo ID: 1011582
click image to enlarge |
Model: Fairchild R4Q-2, C-119F Flying Boxcar |
Registration: N1394F |
| Year: 1951 |
Serial Number: USMC 131673, c/n 10840 |
| Engine(s): Wright R3350-36WA radials and Westinghouse J-34 Jet |
Owner: John S. Reffett & Terrence E. Luther, Eagle River, AK |
| Location: PAAQ, Palmer Municipal Airport, Palmer, AK |
Photographer: Ken Stoltzfus |
| Date: July, 2004 |
Present Registration: Same |
Present Owner (FAA info): Same |
Notes: 12/17/04 - N1394F sits on the ramp at Palmer, AK, beside N8501W. It was built in Hagerstown, MD as a Marine R4Q-2, s/n 131673 and Fairchild c/n 10840.
Both N1394F and N8501W are registered as 1953 aircraft, but I believe they were built in 1951. The USAF equivalent C-119F's bear a 51-xxxx serial number, and www.uswarplanes.net says they were built in 1951.
It is really a challenge to certificate some of these old military aircraft. This one is covered by FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet A8NM, which was issued to DMI Aviation in Tucson, AZ for Restricted Category operations. A8NM covers only four C-119F/R4Q2 aircraft, i.e. this one plus 131677 (10884), 131669 (10836) and 131700 (10855).
Fuel capacity for the A8NM aircraft is given as 2798 total, i.e. two outboard tanks of 905-gal each and two inboards of 494-gal each. Oil capacity is 60-gal. per side. |
Photo ID: 1011583
click image to enlarge |
Notes: A work in progress. All it takes is time. Money. Hard work. And a passion for old airplanes, which connects the other three. |
| Photographer: Ken Stoltzfus |
Photo ID: 1011584
click image to enlarge |
Notes: Restoring warbirds is not all romance and nostalgia. It is downright grungy at times.
There is work to be done like cleaning up wheel wells. Scrapping, wirebrushing, sanding, sometimes stripping, and painting stuff like this. Oh, and washing out the bird poop.
I did a lot of that when we refurbished some C-47's. Truth is, I'm not an ace mechanic. My brother Karl is, so he got to do general repairs and sheet metal work. My specialties are inspection and paperwork. I find the cracked, bent and worn stuff so someone else can fix them. And I can untangle the specs, A.D.'s and such-like and do a bang up job on getting an aircraft certificated, but don't give me something broken and expect me to fix it. Still, I was found worthy of lots of scraping, wirebrushing and - - ! |
| Photographer: Ken Stoltzfus |
Photo ID: 1011585
click image to enlarge |
Notes: That's a Westinghouse J-34-WE34 on top there, per Hawkins & Powers STC. |
| Photographer: Ken Stoltzfus |
Photo ID: 1011586
click image to enlarge |
Notes: I try to look at the good side of things. Hopefully this wonderful old freighter will be in the air again soon. |
| Photographer: Ken Stoltzfus |
Photo ID: 1011587
click image to enlarge |
Notes: You can learn more about this aircraft at www.flyingboxcar.com. I hope their confidence here proves correct. |
| Photographer: Ken Stoltzfus |
History from FAA files: 10/80 Bill of Sale, USA, Sales Contracting Office, DPDR, Ogden, UT, on "Model C-119, Military Data Plate R4Q2, Serial 131673, Mfg. Data Plate M127, Serial 10840, Engines R3350-36WA" to Dross Metals, Tucson, AZ for $16,059.
2/82, Dross registers Fairchild C-119F, s/n 131673, 10840 as N1394N; 4/82 Dross' Application for Special Airworthiness Certificate, Restricted Category, carriage of cargo. Shows 8025-TTAF, R3350-36WA engines. Subsequent issuance of Airworthiness Certificate and Operating Limitations, Restricted Category, saying "No person may operate this aircraft for other than the purpose of hauling cargo or an operation necessary for the accomplishment of work activity directly associated with that special purpose. Issued by FAA, MDO, Los Angeles, CA.
4/82, Fairchild Hiller C-119F to Elling Halverson, Redmond, WA; 6/82 337, Installed Westinghouse J34-WE34 per STC SA1502NM; 8/85, To Delta Associates, Anchorage, AK, apparently for $20,000; 10/87 to Delta Leasing, Anchorage; 3/89 to John S. Reffett and Terrence E. Luther, Eagle River, AK.
4/89 FAA Order of Suspension of Airworthiness Certificate, saying aircraft was leased to Stebbins-Ambler Air Transport who "utilizes civil aircraft N1394N to carry cargo for compensation or hire." This was seen as a violation of the 4/82 Special Airworthiness Certificate. Oops!
|
|
|
www.FlyingHigher.net - Fairchild Aircraft
|
|