Wednesday, July 08, 2009
It's Time To Play..... Otterflogger's "Name That Cockpit"!
OK, "Ladies and Gentlemen", time for "installment #113" in our "cockpit series", which will be a continuing "brain-strainer".
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Steve's "Otter Of The Week"! .....by Karl E. Hayes
This Otter made a "30 foot stall", made a "go-around", landed safely, got a ride by "Chinook", and her military career was over! She returned to Canada, and still "flogs the bush".............
All information is from Karl Hayes' "masterful" CD entitled:
De Havilland Canada
DHC-3 OTTER
A HISTORY
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Otter 150
Otter 150 was delivered to the United States Army on 7th September 1956 with serial 55-3297 (tail number 53297). Like Otter 149, its first posting was to VX-6 Squadron of the United States Navy, to whom it was lent for crew training purposes. It was collected at Downsview by a Navy pilot on 24th September '56 and flown to the VX-6 base at NAS Quonsett Point, Rhode Island where it was used for pilot training. When this task was complete, the Otter was flown to Fort Riley, Kansas and joined the 2nd Aviation Company with whom it deployed to Illesheim, Germany.
By January 1962, 53297 was serving with SETAF in Italy and it continued in service with that organisation until October 1967. It was one of two Army Otters serving in Italy in the mid 1960s, the other being 53280, and both went to the depot at Coleman Barracks, Mannheim, Germany during October/November 1967 from where they were shipped to the United States and then onwards to Vietnam. 53297 joined the 54th Aviation Company in Vietnam in March 1968. An incident is recorded in the unit history of the 54th Aviation Company for 11th November '68 when 53297 was being flown by a US Army pilot in the left seat, with a Royal Australian Army officer as co-pilot: “The crew dropped '297 in from about thirty feet at Rach Gia, then made a successful go-around and landing. The landing gear, engine, propeller and fuselage were all damaged badly. Four inches were taken off each prop blade on the first contact with the ground. Fortunately neither passengers nor crew were injured. Because the aircraft stalled and hit 800 feet short of the runway, it was suspected that the flaps may have been bled up on final approach. The Otter was carried back to Vung Tau by a Chinook helicopter”.
That incident ended the Otter's military career. At Vung Tau it was entrusted to the 388th Transportation Company who arranged for 53297 to be shipped home. It arrived at the Sharpe Army Depot, Stockton, California in March 1969, where it was held for a time, and it was then sent to the Forest Park Army Depot, Atlanta, Georgia where it arrived in September 1969 and where it was put into storage alongside several other Otters which had been returned from Vietnam. It remained in storage at the Depot until May 1972 when it was deleted from the inventory and put up for disposal as military surplus. 53297 was one of six Army Otters purchased by Air Craftsmen Ltd of St.John, New Brunswick, a company which traded in Otters, buying military surplus aircraft, restoring them as civilian aircraft and selling them on. All six were located at the Atlanta Depot and following temporary repairs there, were flown to St.John during October/November 1972. The six were reserved as CF-BEO/BEP/BEQ/BER/BEU and BEW. Otter 150 was reserved as CF-BEQ in October 1972, which were the ferry marks it used for the flight to St.John.
A ferry permit was issued for a flight from the Forest Park Army Depot, Atlanta, Georgia to St.John Airport on 11th October '72 for both CF-BEQ and CF-BEW. After arrival at St.John, it was a time before BEQ was worked on and it would not fly again for three years. By February 1975 it had been taken to St.Louis Aviation at St.Jean Airport, Montreal where it was converted to civilian configuration. The allocation CF-BEQ was cancelled on 23rd May '75 when the Otter was registered C-GLJI to its new owners, Labrador Air Safari Inc of Baie Comeau, Quebec. It went on to serve that company for many years, being registered to Labrador Air Safari (1984) Inc in January 1987. It is one of a fleet of Otters of Labrador Air Safari, which fly hunters, tourists and fishermen to wilderness areas of Quebec during the summer months.
*** LATEST UPDATE!***
Otter 150
January 1st, 2008. C-GLJI. Labrador Air Safari (1984) Inc, Baie Comeau, Quebec. R-1340.
- by Karl E. Hayes
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- C-GLJI of Labrador Air Safari at its Baie Comeau, Quebec base November 1992 (Ken Swartz)
What a "Stoneboat"!
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
All information is from Karl Hayes' "masterful" CD entitled:
De Havilland Canada
DHC-3 OTTER
A HISTORY
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Otter 150
Otter 150 was delivered to the United States Army on 7th September 1956 with serial 55-3297 (tail number 53297). Like Otter 149, its first posting was to VX-6 Squadron of the United States Navy, to whom it was lent for crew training purposes. It was collected at Downsview by a Navy pilot on 24th September '56 and flown to the VX-6 base at NAS Quonsett Point, Rhode Island where it was used for pilot training. When this task was complete, the Otter was flown to Fort Riley, Kansas and joined the 2nd Aviation Company with whom it deployed to Illesheim, Germany.
By January 1962, 53297 was serving with SETAF in Italy and it continued in service with that organisation until October 1967. It was one of two Army Otters serving in Italy in the mid 1960s, the other being 53280, and both went to the depot at Coleman Barracks, Mannheim, Germany during October/November 1967 from where they were shipped to the United States and then onwards to Vietnam. 53297 joined the 54th Aviation Company in Vietnam in March 1968. An incident is recorded in the unit history of the 54th Aviation Company for 11th November '68 when 53297 was being flown by a US Army pilot in the left seat, with a Royal Australian Army officer as co-pilot: “The crew dropped '297 in from about thirty feet at Rach Gia, then made a successful go-around and landing. The landing gear, engine, propeller and fuselage were all damaged badly. Four inches were taken off each prop blade on the first contact with the ground. Fortunately neither passengers nor crew were injured. Because the aircraft stalled and hit 800 feet short of the runway, it was suspected that the flaps may have been bled up on final approach. The Otter was carried back to Vung Tau by a Chinook helicopter”.
That incident ended the Otter's military career. At Vung Tau it was entrusted to the 388th Transportation Company who arranged for 53297 to be shipped home. It arrived at the Sharpe Army Depot, Stockton, California in March 1969, where it was held for a time, and it was then sent to the Forest Park Army Depot, Atlanta, Georgia where it arrived in September 1969 and where it was put into storage alongside several other Otters which had been returned from Vietnam. It remained in storage at the Depot until May 1972 when it was deleted from the inventory and put up for disposal as military surplus. 53297 was one of six Army Otters purchased by Air Craftsmen Ltd of St.John, New Brunswick, a company which traded in Otters, buying military surplus aircraft, restoring them as civilian aircraft and selling them on. All six were located at the Atlanta Depot and following temporary repairs there, were flown to St.John during October/November 1972. The six were reserved as CF-BEO/BEP/BEQ/BER/BEU and BEW. Otter 150 was reserved as CF-BEQ in October 1972, which were the ferry marks it used for the flight to St.John.
A ferry permit was issued for a flight from the Forest Park Army Depot, Atlanta, Georgia to St.John Airport on 11th October '72 for both CF-BEQ and CF-BEW. After arrival at St.John, it was a time before BEQ was worked on and it would not fly again for three years. By February 1975 it had been taken to St.Louis Aviation at St.Jean Airport, Montreal where it was converted to civilian configuration. The allocation CF-BEQ was cancelled on 23rd May '75 when the Otter was registered C-GLJI to its new owners, Labrador Air Safari Inc of Baie Comeau, Quebec. It went on to serve that company for many years, being registered to Labrador Air Safari (1984) Inc in January 1987. It is one of a fleet of Otters of Labrador Air Safari, which fly hunters, tourists and fishermen to wilderness areas of Quebec during the summer months.
*** LATEST UPDATE!***
Otter 150
January 1st, 2008. C-GLJI. Labrador Air Safari (1984) Inc, Baie Comeau, Quebec. R-1340.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
- C-GLJI of Labrador Air Safari at its Baie Comeau, Quebec base November 1992 (Ken Swartz)
What a "Stoneboat"!
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
Thursday, July 02, 2009
It's Time To Play..... Otterflogger's "Name That Cockpit"!
OK, "Ladies and Gentlemen", time for "installment #112" in our "cockpit series", which will be a continuing "brain-strainer".
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
***MYSTERY UNSOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the Bristol "Bolingbroke"! "Honourable Mention" to "Anonymous" and "Softjug"! "Sailboat fuel" doubles next week!
CLUE - King Henry IV of England was known as "Henry of Bolingbroke".
*Hint* - (Right-click on the cockpit photo, and select "properties", the "clue" is in the photo name.)
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
***MYSTERY UNSOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the Bristol "Bolingbroke"! "Honourable Mention" to "Anonymous" and "Softjug"! "Sailboat fuel" doubles next week!
CLUE - King Henry IV of England was known as "Henry of Bolingbroke".
*Hint* - (Right-click on the cockpit photo, and select "properties", the "clue" is in the photo name.)
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Steve's "Otter Of The Week"! .....by Karl E. Hayes
Unfortunately, as in human life, the history and accomplishments of some Otters is very vague as compared to other celebrated "peers". Here is one such aircraft.........
All information is from Karl Hayes' "masterful" CD entitled:
De Havilland Canada
DHC-3 OTTER
A HISTORY
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Otter 162
Otter 162 was delivered to the United States Army on 6th October 1956 with serial 55-3304 (tail number 53304). It was assigned to the 3rd Aviation Company, Fort Riley, Kansas and moved with the Company when it deployed to Illesheim, Germany in July 1957. The Company disbanded in November 1959 but 53304 remained in Europe and by January 1962 was serving with the 207th Aviation Company, Heidelberg, Germany. In December '62 it went to the Depot at Coleman Barracks, Mannheim, Germany for overhaul, and when this was completed, in July 1963 it joined the 2nd Aviation Company in France. It was noted flying from Prestwick, Scotland to Benbecula and return on 2nd July 1965, the 2nd Aviation Company having a tasking each summer to transport Special Forces to the missile firing ranges on the Outer Hebrides. 53304 continued in service with the 2nd Aviation Company until the unit disbanded in March 1967. It then joined the 56th Aviation Detachment based at Coleman Barracks, Mannheim, Germany which took over the tasks performed by the 2nd Aviation Company. It was noted visiting Luton, England on 12th September 1967 and the airfield at Tattenhill in March 1968, transporting personnel to the nearby Fauld and Ditton Priors ammunition depots, which was one of the missions of the 56th Aviation Detachment. It visited the USAF base at Mildenhall, England on 15th August 1969. 53304 crashed on landing at Coleman Barracks in October 1969, fortunately without injury but the Otter was a write off. It was deleted from the Army inventory in January 1970.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Transporting "Special Forces", Otter 162 probably took secrets with her to that "hangar in the sky"............
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
All information is from Karl Hayes' "masterful" CD entitled:
De Havilland Canada
DHC-3 OTTER
A HISTORY
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Otter 162
Otter 162 was delivered to the United States Army on 6th October 1956 with serial 55-3304 (tail number 53304). It was assigned to the 3rd Aviation Company, Fort Riley, Kansas and moved with the Company when it deployed to Illesheim, Germany in July 1957. The Company disbanded in November 1959 but 53304 remained in Europe and by January 1962 was serving with the 207th Aviation Company, Heidelberg, Germany. In December '62 it went to the Depot at Coleman Barracks, Mannheim, Germany for overhaul, and when this was completed, in July 1963 it joined the 2nd Aviation Company in France. It was noted flying from Prestwick, Scotland to Benbecula and return on 2nd July 1965, the 2nd Aviation Company having a tasking each summer to transport Special Forces to the missile firing ranges on the Outer Hebrides. 53304 continued in service with the 2nd Aviation Company until the unit disbanded in March 1967. It then joined the 56th Aviation Detachment based at Coleman Barracks, Mannheim, Germany which took over the tasks performed by the 2nd Aviation Company. It was noted visiting Luton, England on 12th September 1967 and the airfield at Tattenhill in March 1968, transporting personnel to the nearby Fauld and Ditton Priors ammunition depots, which was one of the missions of the 56th Aviation Detachment. It visited the USAF base at Mildenhall, England on 15th August 1969. 53304 crashed on landing at Coleman Barracks in October 1969, fortunately without injury but the Otter was a write off. It was deleted from the Army inventory in January 1970.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Transporting "Special Forces", Otter 162 probably took secrets with her to that "hangar in the sky"............
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
Thursday, June 25, 2009
It's Time To Play..... Otterflogger's "Name That Cockpit"!
OK, "Ladies and Gentlemen", time for "installment #111" in our "cockpit series", which will be a continuing "brain-strainer".
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
***MYSTERY UNSOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the Boeing P-26 "Peashooter"! "Sailboat fuel" doubles next week!
CLUE - Certain six-guns in the old west were known as "peashooters"!!
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
***MYSTERY UNSOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the Boeing P-26 "Peashooter"! "Sailboat fuel" doubles next week!
CLUE - Certain six-guns in the old west were known as "peashooters"!!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Steve's "Otter Of The Week"! .....by Karl E. Hayes
Here is a "deceased" girl that started her career in Norway, but returned later to Canada. I tell you, those boys at Thomas Lamb Airways Ltd of The Pas, Manitoba, were "real men". Who would fly an R-1340 engined Otter across the "Atlantic" today? Not too many volunteers, I don't think...........
All information is from Karl Hayes' "masterful" CD entitled:
De Havilland Canada
DHC-3 OTTER
A HISTORY
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Otter 441
Otter 441 was delivered to the Royal Norwegian Air Force on 28th January 1964 with serial 64-441, taken from its year of delivery and constructor's number. It was crated and shipped to Norway, arriving in Oslo Harbour 2nd March '64. It was taken to Kjeller Air Force Base where it was reassembled, and accepted by the Air Force, and allocated code 0-AL. On 9th June 1964 it was assigned to 7192 Stotteving (7192 Support Flight) at Orland Air Force Base on amphibious floats. It was to serve the entire of its military career at Orland. In March 1966 it went to Kjeller Air Base for overhaul, returning to Orland. 7192 Support Flight became 720 Squadron, and on 25th January 1967 the Otter received code JT-S. It remained based at Orland with Detachment D of 720 Squadron until 9th October 1967 when it was taken out of service. On 15th November '67 it was struck off charge, having flown a total of 1,257 hours in the service of the Royal Norwegian Air Force, and was entrusted to Halle & Peterson of Oslo, the DHC agents in Norway, for disposal.
Three of the former Norwegian Air Force Otters were sold to Thomas Lamb Airways Ltd of The Pas, Manitoba in April 1968, number 29, which was allocated marks CF-XJM, number 423 which became CF-XIL and number 441 which became CF-CDL. This was the second use of the marks CF-CDL, which had initially been used for Otter 433 which had been destroyed in a crash on 14th February 1968. The purchase price was $30,000 a piece for each of the three Otters and at the time of the sale all three were located at Vaernes Air Base, Trondheim on amphibious floats. Thomas Lamb Airways (later re-named Lambair) were responsible for returning many Otters back to Canada from foreign parts, and arranged for ferry pilots to fly the three Otters back to Canada. A ferry permit was issued for the delivery flight from Vaernes Air Base to The Pas.
The three Otters set off in formation, flying first to Rotterdam in Holland (also noted at Soesterberg Air Base nearby on 22nd April), then to Manchester, England and on to Shannon in Ireland, where they arrived on 25th April '68. At Shannon, ferry tanks were installed in the Shannon Repair Services hangar for the ocean crossing. The three-Otter formation departed Shannon on 4th May for Prestwick, Scotland and on to Stornoway before setting off across the Atlantic via Iceland and Greenland to Goose Bay. The three Otters arrived at The Pas, Manitoba where they were overhauled and entered service with Lambair.
In February 1972 CF-CDL was sold to A.Fecteau Transport Aerien of Senneterre, Quebec. It met with an accident at Lac Goulde, Quebec on 25th June 1975 while operating on floats, referred to in the accident report as “engine failure on climb out” and was substantially damaged. After repair, it was returned to service, the company name being changed to Air Fecteau Ltee and the registration to C-FCDL. It suffered another incident at Lac Canusio, Quebec on 9th March 1981. After landing on the frozen lake, on which the ice was only one and a half inches thick, the pilot had unloaded five 45 gallon fuel drums, by pushing them out of the cargo door and allowing them to free fall to the ice, which weakened it. While taxying away from the unloading area for take-off, the Otter broke through the ice and was partially submerged. It was again repaired and returned to service.
Air Fecteau Ltee merged into Propair Inc, to whom C-FCDL was registered. On 7th March 1984, a precautionary landing after propeller failure is recorded at LG-2 in northern Quebec. In July 1986 the Otter was sold to Cargair Ltee based at St.Michel-des-Saintes, Quebec. It continued flying for Cargair until it was destroyed in a crash on 27th May 1991, twenty five miles north of its base at St.Michel-des-Saintes. In the cruise, the Otter struck trees in IMC conditions, crashed and burned. One of the two occupants sadly was killed and the other seriously injured. The Otter was destroyed.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Damned trees"!
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
All information is from Karl Hayes' "masterful" CD entitled:
De Havilland Canada
DHC-3 OTTER
A HISTORY
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Otter 441
Otter 441 was delivered to the Royal Norwegian Air Force on 28th January 1964 with serial 64-441, taken from its year of delivery and constructor's number. It was crated and shipped to Norway, arriving in Oslo Harbour 2nd March '64. It was taken to Kjeller Air Force Base where it was reassembled, and accepted by the Air Force, and allocated code 0-AL. On 9th June 1964 it was assigned to 7192 Stotteving (7192 Support Flight) at Orland Air Force Base on amphibious floats. It was to serve the entire of its military career at Orland. In March 1966 it went to Kjeller Air Base for overhaul, returning to Orland. 7192 Support Flight became 720 Squadron, and on 25th January 1967 the Otter received code JT-S. It remained based at Orland with Detachment D of 720 Squadron until 9th October 1967 when it was taken out of service. On 15th November '67 it was struck off charge, having flown a total of 1,257 hours in the service of the Royal Norwegian Air Force, and was entrusted to Halle & Peterson of Oslo, the DHC agents in Norway, for disposal.
Three of the former Norwegian Air Force Otters were sold to Thomas Lamb Airways Ltd of The Pas, Manitoba in April 1968, number 29, which was allocated marks CF-XJM, number 423 which became CF-XIL and number 441 which became CF-CDL. This was the second use of the marks CF-CDL, which had initially been used for Otter 433 which had been destroyed in a crash on 14th February 1968. The purchase price was $30,000 a piece for each of the three Otters and at the time of the sale all three were located at Vaernes Air Base, Trondheim on amphibious floats. Thomas Lamb Airways (later re-named Lambair) were responsible for returning many Otters back to Canada from foreign parts, and arranged for ferry pilots to fly the three Otters back to Canada. A ferry permit was issued for the delivery flight from Vaernes Air Base to The Pas.
The three Otters set off in formation, flying first to Rotterdam in Holland (also noted at Soesterberg Air Base nearby on 22nd April), then to Manchester, England and on to Shannon in Ireland, where they arrived on 25th April '68. At Shannon, ferry tanks were installed in the Shannon Repair Services hangar for the ocean crossing. The three-Otter formation departed Shannon on 4th May for Prestwick, Scotland and on to Stornoway before setting off across the Atlantic via Iceland and Greenland to Goose Bay. The three Otters arrived at The Pas, Manitoba where they were overhauled and entered service with Lambair.
In February 1972 CF-CDL was sold to A.Fecteau Transport Aerien of Senneterre, Quebec. It met with an accident at Lac Goulde, Quebec on 25th June 1975 while operating on floats, referred to in the accident report as “engine failure on climb out” and was substantially damaged. After repair, it was returned to service, the company name being changed to Air Fecteau Ltee and the registration to C-FCDL. It suffered another incident at Lac Canusio, Quebec on 9th March 1981. After landing on the frozen lake, on which the ice was only one and a half inches thick, the pilot had unloaded five 45 gallon fuel drums, by pushing them out of the cargo door and allowing them to free fall to the ice, which weakened it. While taxying away from the unloading area for take-off, the Otter broke through the ice and was partially submerged. It was again repaired and returned to service.
Air Fecteau Ltee merged into Propair Inc, to whom C-FCDL was registered. On 7th March 1984, a precautionary landing after propeller failure is recorded at LG-2 in northern Quebec. In July 1986 the Otter was sold to Cargair Ltee based at St.Michel-des-Saintes, Quebec. It continued flying for Cargair until it was destroyed in a crash on 27th May 1991, twenty five miles north of its base at St.Michel-des-Saintes. In the cruise, the Otter struck trees in IMC conditions, crashed and burned. One of the two occupants sadly was killed and the other seriously injured. The Otter was destroyed.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Damned trees"!
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
Thursday, June 18, 2009
It's Time To Play..... Otterflogger's "Name That Cockpit"!
OK, "Ladies and Gentlemen", time for "installment #110" in our "cockpit series", which will be a continuing "brain-strainer".
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
***MYSTERY UNSOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the Helio "Stallion"! "Sailboat fuel" doubles next week!
CLUE - "Rocky" Balboa was known as the "Italian Stallion"!
ARTICLE - Helio Stallion: "Warhorse"!
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
***MYSTERY UNSOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the Helio "Stallion"! "Sailboat fuel" doubles next week!
CLUE - "Rocky" Balboa was known as the "Italian Stallion"!
ARTICLE - Helio Stallion: "Warhorse"!
