| Aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Registration / Serial: | 51-7163 |
| Alternate Serial: | 0-17163 |
| Aircraft Original Type: | Grumman G-64 Albatross |
| Aircraft Generic Type: | Grumman G-64 Albatross (G-111 / U-16) |
| Aircraft Version: | Grumman HU-16B Albatross |
| C/n (msn): | 213 |
| Operator Titles: | USA - Air Force |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| City / Airport: | Atwater - CastleMap |
| Region / Country: | California, United States |
| Airport Codes: | ICAO: KMER IATA: MER Local: MER Other: - |
| Collection: | Castle Air Museum |
| Photo Date: | 22 September 2010 |
| Photo by: | Aad van der Voet |
| Photo ID: | 285718 |
| Photo Comment |
|---|
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While in service with the USAF, this Albatross was loaned to Pan Am in 1969. It operated a weekly service as PA163 from Mombasa, Kenya to a satellite tracking station at Mahe, Seychelles, on a joint contract with the Philco Radio Corp. and the US government. It flew in bare metal as "0-17163", with a Pan Am logo on the nose. It was withdrawn from use on 3 Nov 1971, and stored at Long Beach, CA. It became N70725 in Sep 1977, and in 1987 it was restored to flying condition and flown to the Castle Air Museum, where it was restored in the markings seen here. The Albatross was first noted on display as such in Nov 1988. This photo is copyright © Aad van der Voet, and may not be used or published in any way without permission. It was added on 4 October 2020, and has since been viewed 638 times. |