Dates

Event

Constructed as a C-47A-20-DL by Douglas at Long Beach, California, USA.

19 April 1943

Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 42-23518.
Went into service at Long Beach, CA for $109,663.00.

14 May 1943

Ferry flight.
Arrived in Oran, Algeria.

19 May 1943

Transferred to 11th Troop Carrier Squadron, 60th Troop Carrier Group, Theirseville Algeria, Ghris Airfield DAOV.

9 July 1943

Towed a British Glider From El Djem strip B for Operation Ladbroke to Syrecusa, south east tip of Sicily.

13 July 1943

Dropped British Paratroopers for Operation Fustain at Catania, Sicily.

6 September 1943

Base of operations changed.
Ponte Olivio Airfield, Gela, Sicily.

29 October 1943

Base of operations changed.
Gerbini Airfield, Sicily.

26 March 1944

Base of operations changed.
Bridisi, Italy.

From March 1944 to October 1944

Supported operations into Yugoslavia. Operations included; dropping supplies, transporting wounded partisans, inserting and extracting Joes, dropping of propaganda leaflets and even inserted mules with riders.

19 October 1944

Base of operations changed.
Pomigliano Airfield, Italy.

10 April 1945

Base of operations changed.
Vinoenza, Italy.

25 April 1945

Base of operations changed.
Ravenna, Italy.

28 April 1945

Base of operations changed.
Pomigliano Airfield, Italy.

31 May 1945

Base of operations changed.
Weller Field, Trinidad.

20 June 1945

Base of operations changed.
Belem, Brazil.

23 September 1945

Returned to the United States. Morrison, (West Palm Beach) Florida.

29 October 1945

Transferred to Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Bush Army Airfield, GA.

15 February 1946

To War Assets Administration.

Contracted to American Air Express for work on the airframe.
Removed all the military equipment such as static lines, litter supports, parapac equipment and outside army stowage fittings.

10 June 1947

To Glen H McNew, Coral Gables, FL with new c/r NC53426.

1 June 1948

Civil registration, NC53426, cancelled.

June 1948

To Sociedad Aeronautica Medellin S. A., Columbia with new c/r HK-505.
Operated with markings: C-505

3 August 1951

To Howard J. Korth, Miami Springs FL with new c/r N3938C.

18 August 1951

To Wings Inc keeping c/r N3938C.

4 February 1952

To New York Airways Corporation keeping c/r N3938C.

16 May 1952

To New York Airways Corporation with new c/r N66W {1}.

31 October 1952

To Wings Inc keeping c/r N66W {1}.

From 3 November 1952 to 1967

To Hoover Vacuum Company, North Canton, OH keeping c/r N66W {1}.

12 November 1952

To Hoover Vacuum Company, North Canton, OH with new c/r N5V.

2 December 1955

Certificate of airworthiness for N5V (DC3C, 9380) issued.

27 October 1967

To Ohio Aviation, Vandalia, OH keeping c/r N5V.

20 November 1967

To Ohio Aviation, Vandalia, OH with new c/r N5144.

19 February 1968

To Jack Adams Aircraft Sales, Walls, MS keeping c/r N5144.

12 August 1968

To Jack Adams Aircraft Sales, Walls, MS with new c/r N514X.

16 August 1968

To Radcliff Investment Co., West Memphis, AR keeping c/r N514X.

April 1969

Outfitted with a Beechcraft air-conditioner, APU, stereo and T.V.

1 June 1971

To Keystone Aircraft Sales keeping c/r N514X.

1 September 1971

To Mid-American Housing Inc keeping c/r N514X.

11 October 1971

Involved in an incident.
Summarized NTSB narrative from report number FTW72AF021: There were no fatalities. Incident occurred at 18:10 hours. The damage was substantial. The flight departed from San Antonio, TX, with the destination Dallas, TX. There was a fire or explosion in flight while climbing to cruise. Landed wheels up on touch down. The factors included; previous damage. The emergency circumstances included; forced off-airport landing on land...
For a complete description of the event read the NTSB Report.

18 November 1971

To Tradewinds Aircraft Supply Co keeping c/r N514X.

11 July 1972

To T C and E Realty Inc/Luther and McDuff keeping c/r N514X.

6 November 1973

To Rio Airways Inc/Luther and McDuff keeping c/r N514X.

10 October 1975

To Rio Airways Inc/John B McDuff keeping c/r N514X.

31 July 1979

To R E Pockrus, Port Isabel, TX keeping c/r N514X.

7 September 1979

To Master Gerald Inc, Port Isabel, TX keeping c/r N514X.

2 October 1979

To ADA Industrial Building Corporation, Oklahoma CIty, OK keeping c/r N514X.

4 April 1980

To ADA Industrial Building Corporation, Oklahoma City, OK with new c/r N53ST.

1980

Markings Applied: 53, T, 531323
The aircraft was repainted.

31 July 1983

Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
Notes: 35mm slide photographed at Oshkosh, WI

30 May 1984

To ADA Aircraft Museum Inc, Oklahoma City, OK keeping c/r N53ST.

13 July 1985

Photographer: Ken Videan
Notes: On static display at IAT Fairford.

September 1987

Photographer: Tom Tessier
Notes: At Slaton Airport, TX.

To Liberal Air Museum, KS keeping c/r N53ST.

3 December 1992

To Birmingham Electric Battery Co, Birmingham, AL keeping c/r N53ST.

15 September 1993

To Weisner Inc, Englewood, CO keeping c/r N53ST.

July 1997

To CB Air, Englewood, CO.

24 March 1998

Assigned civil registration: N53ST

15 August 1998

To Air Care International Inc, Goleta, CA keeping c/r N53ST.

26 May 1999

To Prescott Precision Die Inc, Prescott, AZ keeping c/r N53ST.

30 November 1999

To Prescott DC3 Inc, Prescott, AZ keeping c/r N53ST.

1 January 2002

Certificate of airworthiness for N53ST (DC3C, 9380) issued.

Based at Ernest A Love Field, Prescott, AZ.
View the Location Dossier

To Commemorative Air Force-Arizona Wing, Falcon Field, Phoenix, AZ.
View the Location Dossier

10 September 2011

Photographer: Mike Henniger

10 September 2011

Photographer: Mike Henniger

25 October 2014

Photographer: Nigel Hitchman
Notes: Photographed during the Copperstate Fly-In at Casa Grande, Arizona

21 January 2015

To unknown owner with c/r N53ST.
Registration pending to a new owner in Midland, TX.

28 May 2015

To American Airpower Heritage Flying Museum, Dallas, TX keeping c/r N53ST.

5 February 2016

To American Airpower Heritage Flying Museum, Dallas, TX with new c/r N147AZ.