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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Douglas DC-1 / DC-2/R2D / DC-3 Dakota / C-47/R4D Skytrain / C-53 Skytrooper
    Latest Model:TC-47D
    Last Military Serial:44-76716 USAF
    Construction Number:16300
    Last Civil Registration:N8704
    Latest Owner or Location:Yankee Air Museum, Detroit Willow Run Airport (YIP) (East Side), Ypsilanti, Michigan

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    Dates

    Event

    Constructed as a TC-47B-30-DK by Douglas at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.

    New construction number, 33048, assigned to the airframe.

    11 April 1945

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 44-76716.

    April 1945

    Transferred to 2523rd Base Unit, Hondo Field, TX.

    May 1945

    Transferred to 2536th Base Unit, Marcos Field, TX.

    October 1945

    Transferred to 2517th Base Unit, Ellington Field, TX.

    April 1946

    Transferred to 2532nd Base Unit, Randolph Field, TX.

    October 1946

    Converted to a TC-47D.

    November 1946

    Transferred to 2622nd Base Unit, Mather Field, CA.

    18 September 1947

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Air Force with s/n 44-76716.

    August 1948

    Transferred to 3535th Bombardment Training Wing (Air Training Command), Mather Field, CA.

    February 1951

    Transferred to 3605th Navigator Training Wing (ATC), Ellington AFB, TX.

    May 1954

    Transferred to 3600th Flight Training Wing (ATC), Luke AFB, AZ.

    September 1956

    Transferred to 2242nd AF Reserve Combat Training Center, Selfridge AFB, MI.

    July 1957

    Transferred to 3320th Technical Training Wing (ATC), Amarillo AFB, TX.

    March 1958

    Transferred to 2242nd AF Reserve Combat Training Center, Selfridge AFB, MI.

    October 1958

    Transferred to 2423rd Instrument Squadron (AFRES), Selfridge AFB, MI.

    19 January 1965

    Loaned to University of Michigan, Willow Run Airport, Ypsilanti, MI.

    To U. S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare.
    Donated to the Department of Health.
    Your Assistance is Needed: Do you know when and if this Department had this aircraft? Please share any information you have by editing this dossier.
    Share Your Information with Everyone by Editting the Documented History

    12 June 1970

    Assigned civil registration: N8704

    August 1970

    Struck off Strength/Charge from the United States Air Force.

    14 August 1970

    To Regents of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI keeping c/r N8704.

    27 October 1972

    Certificate of airworthiness for NR8704 (DC3C, 33048) issued.

    26 February 1973

    To Environmental Research Unit of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI keeping c/r N8704.

    May 1982

    To British Caribbean Air Ways keeping c/r N8704.

    23 September 1982

    To Yankee Air Force Inc, Belleville, MI keeping c/r N8704.

    Based at Yankee Air Museum, Detroit Willow Run Airport (YIP) (East Side), Ypsilanti, MI.
    View the Location Dossier

    16 May 1984

    Certificate of airworthiness for N8704 (DC3C-S4C4G, 33048) issued.

    Circa 1993


    Photographer: Ken Videan
    Notes: At EAA Oshkosh.

    Elkart Airshow, Indiana.

    Circa 18 August 1994


    Photographer: Earl A Holmquist
    Notes: Photographed at the Wings of Eagles Air Show in Batavia, NY.

    28 July 1995

    Involved in an incident.
    Ground looped on take-off at Oshkosh, WI.

    By 3 May 1997

    Markings Applied: U.S. AIR FORCE, 476716

    3 May 1997


    Photographer: Terry Fletcher
    Notes: Scanned from Photo - taken in 1997 outside Hamilton Museum, Ontario

    August 1999


    Photographer: Tom Tessier
    Notes: At Yankee Air Museum, Willow Run Airport, MI

    17 November 2000

    Involved in an incident.
    Starboard landing gear collapsed before take-off at Reading, PA.

    10 May 2003


    Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
    Notes: At Wright-Patterson AFB, OH

    25 July 2011


    Photographer: Terry Fletcher
    Notes: At 2011 Oshkosh

    23 July 2018


    Photographer: Reinhard Jost
    Notes: Arriving at Oshkosh 2018

    24 July 2018


    Photographer: Mario Richard
    Notes: Oshkosh

    26 July 2022


    Photographer: Robin MORET
    Notes: EAA AirVenture 2022, Oshkosh, WI

    25 July 2023


    Photographer: Reinhard Jost
    Notes: With the name Hairless Joe and a question mark on the tail active at AirVenture 23, Oshkosh, WI


    Credits
    Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...

    Internet Sources
    Aerial Visuals - The Locator by Mike Henniger, Senior Editor
    Airbus, Boeing, Convair and Douglas Production List
    Aviation in Malta
    Federal Aviation Administration in the United States of America
    United States Military Services Serial Number Lists by Joe Baugher
    YouTube

    Individual Contributors
    Glenn Chatfield
    Terry Fletcher
    Mike Henniger

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