I have not been able to establish with certainty which aircraft this cockpit section came from, nor have I seen other images of it. The livery on the aft part appears to be that of Florida-based Missionary Flights International and ties in with the style used on N2401, which was damged in a hurricane and broken up in Florida. The nose section of N2401 was then used to repair C-47A 42-24049 at Norrtälje, Sweden, the nose section of which was corroded.

Originally 41-7744 flying in Europe with the 8th Air Force during World War II, this C-47 would venture to Colombia with Avianca SA in 1947. It continued to fly in South and Central America, last with Servicios Aéreos Nacionales S.A. from 1980 - 84. The aircraft crashed in the mountains on a flight April 19, 1984.

(photographer not known)

Crashed 10 September 1980 enroute from Barranquilla to Bogota. A wing separated in flight, causing the aircraft to lose control and crash in a swampy and wooded area. (photographer not known)

Operating a charter from Bloemfontein to Johannesburg on April 12, 1988, ZS-UAS crashed after an inflight fire at Hennenmann, South Africa, with the loss of all 24 people on board

Repainted in Linea Aeropostal Venezolana (LAV) colours as YV-C-AKE by 1999 to represent that aircraft, which crashed near Canaima in 1972 with the loss of 34 lives.

North Cariboo's DC-3's registration would be cancelled in 1999, going to the USA. Deteriorating over the years, it's in the Basler Turbo yard at Oshkosh, WI still with North Cariboo titles as N68CW at the time of uploading.

Seen pausing between loads in the cargo area at Red Lake Airport. Operating with Sabourin Lake Airways, though still in the basic colours of North Cariboo Air Flying Service. Built in 1943 as a Douglas C-47B-5-DK and first flew with the USAAF as 43-48719.

Has extended nose. Previously in Venezuela Air Force colours. Repainted in LAV colours as YV-C-AKE by 1999. It has been reported as the real YV-C-AKE c/n 4705, but it cannot be as that crashed into a canyon near Canaima, Venezuela in 1972, with the loss of 34 lives.

Identity Unknown

On the maintenance ramp of Rutaca we found 3 unmarked DC-3s. This white one, one in primer and one bare metal with some paint patches. This white one might be the same as I saw in 2012 here.

This DC-3 was manufactured on February 24th, 1940 for American Airlines as "Flagship Texas", and later served with the USAAF, Trans Alaska Airlines, Queen Charlotte Airlines (QCA), Pacific Western Airlines, Great Northern Airways and Trans Provincial Airlines. She was retired by Trans Provincial in 1972 and used for spare parts until abandoned at Terrace Airport. In 1987, Friends of the DC-3 - Canada transported the aircraft by road and sea to the Vancouver area. Canada's oldest surviving DC-3 is now displayed by the Canadian Museum of Flight in QCA colours at Langley Municipal Airport (YLY).

No c/n is known for this aircraft, preserved at the air base. The real 960 is known to be elsewhere.

By a process of elimination using my original spotting logs, I believe these two aircraft to be N286SE and N69B though I have no idea which is which

Has extended nose. Still in Air Force colours. Was repainted in LAV colours as YV-C-AKE by 1999. It has been reported as the real YV-C-AKE c/n 4705, but it cannot be as that crashed into a canyon near Canaima, Venezuela in 1972, with the loss of 34 lives.

There was a line of about ten of these Dakotas at Mexico City but I was threatened by a guard with a machine gun so could not get closer.