C-47A 42-92482 to US Marines as an R4D-5, BuNo 17136, in January 1944. The original caption suggest the Edwards test centre used three R4Ds, one at a time, between 1952 and 1984, and that this was the second one between 1956 and 1979. One of their jobs was to check if lakebeds were dry enough for X-plane emergency landings. Last registration of this airframe, XA-ROM. Photo from: NASA

I have recently found out the ID of this unmarked DC-3, thanks to a request on Air-Britain Information Exchange. Ordered by the USAAF as 42-92482 but delivered to the US Navy as R4D-5 17136 in 1944. To NASA as NASA 017 in 1963, NASA 817 in 1965 and N817NA in 1969. It was sold in 1978 and was being refurbished by Hamiltion Aviation at Tucson for Omega as XA-ROM when this photo was taken. It was withdrawn from use at Guadalajara in 2001. The fuselage was later moved to Atizapán.

XA-ROM was stored for a long time at Guadalajara, Mexico. But was removed to make room for airport enlargements. The fuselage ended up in Atizapan just north of Mexico City, just outside the airport fence. Tail and wing sections were stored inside the hulk. A group of volunteers was planning to preserve the cockpit section. By late 2018 the fuselage was painted in bright colours.

Ex USAAF C-47A 42-92482, USN 17136. NASA later used the same registration on another C-47 (c/n 26787).

Photographer: Peter Mancus. NASA later used the same registration on another C-47 (c/n 26787).