Aerial Firefighters
Looking Back (to my pre-digital camera days)
United States
1981 to 2000
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| On the road again..... Firefighting aircraft can be found across the United States. The more interesting are modifcations of former military aircraft that have already served the country well. The images below are a collection of aircraft discovered while travelling around the country. |
| Douglas C-54S Skymaster (N96451 '111') it is fitted with belly retardant tank. |
Avra Valley Airport (Marana Regional Airport), Marana - October 1996.
Left to right:
Douglas C-54S Skymaster (N96451 '111') owned by Central Air Services (later Maricopa Aircraft Inc).
Douglas C-54 (44-2914 later N31356) owned by Central Air Services from 1982 it was sold to Aces High, North Weald Airport in 2002 for the film on the Berlin Airlift. |
Left to right: Lockheed C-121A (L-749) Constellation (N749VR '2' previously C-GXKR and 48-612). Purchased by Forest Industries Flying Tankers in 1987 as source of engines/propellers for their Martin Mars water bombers. Rigistered N749VR for Stichtling Constellation Club Nederland and ferried to Avra Valley in 1994. Transferred to Aviodrome Museum in The Netherlands in 2001.
Douglas VC-54N Skymaster (N67040 '147' previously 90392 USN). Fitted with belly retardant tank at Lancaster Fox Field in 1979. Owned by Central Air Services (later Maricopa Aircraft Inc) it was one of eight C-54s. Derelict till 2020 when sold to Scroggins Aviation in 2020. |
Left to right: Douglas C-54R Skymaster (N6816D '109' previously N96361). Fitted with belly retardant tank at Lancaster Fox Field in 1979. Owned by Central Air Services (later Maricopa Aircraft Inc) it was one of eight C-54s.
Douglas C-54R Skymaster (N67062 '148') with Central Air Service, by 2002 it was transferred to March Field Air Museum. |
Avra Valley Airport (Marana Regional Airport), Marana - October 1996.
Left to right:
Douglas C-54S Skymaster (N96451 '111') owned by Central Air Services (later Maricopa Aircraft Inc).
Douglas C-54 (44-2914 later N31356) owned by Central Air Services from 1982 it was sold to Aces High, North Weald Airport in 2002 for the film on the Berlin Airlift. |
Pima Air & Space Museum, Tucson - October 1996.
Left to right:
Fairchild C-119C Flying Boxcar (N13743 '81'),
Fairchild C-123K Provider (N3142D '63'),
Lockheed P-2H Neptune (N14448 '08'). |
Falcon Field, Mesa - October 1996
Left to right:
Grumman S-2T Trackers (136746 registered N746MA '155' previously JMSDF 4147) and an unmarked Tracker with March Aviation.
Douglas C-54P Skymaster (50865 registered N67019 '157') previously with Air Response, scrapped 2013. |
Falcon Field, Mesa, Globe Air Inc. May 1981
Left to right:
Grumman TBM-3 Avenger (N9927Z '39') later exported to AMPAA, Etampes, France as F-AZJA.
Grumman TBM-3 Avenger (N9590Z '25') later restored to Collings Foundation and restored to flying condition at Kissimee, Florida. |
Pinal County Airpark, Marana - Evergreen International Aviation, May 1981
Left to right:
Lockheed SP-2E Neptune (N203EV ex 128382) before its restoration as '142'.
EP-2E Neptune (N126Z 'H1' later N208EV, ex 124904) previously United States Fire Service (USFS).
Lockheed SP-2E Neptune (N202EV '141' ex 131502). |
| Grumman F7F-3N Tigercat (N7629C 'E-41') |
Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, Sis-Q Flying Service, May 1981
Left to right:
Grumman F7F-3N Tigercat (N7629C 'E-41' ex 80374), one of seven remaining Tigercats it was later transferred to USMC Museum, MCAS Quatico and restored in US Navy scheme 'JS-374'.
Grumman TS-2A Tracker (136640 '3G-726' registered N410DF) ex VT-27 USN. Operated as a fire bomber for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (DFFP).
TS-2A Tracker (N436DF '100' c/n 445 ex 136536, ex AMARC '1S716'), later preserved Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Note N436DF registration was later reused with 152337 as '76'. |
| Left to right: Grumman TS-2A Tracker (N451DF '92') California Department of Forestry. Crashed June 19, 1992. |
Left to right:
Douglas DC-6B (N555SQ '45') later Everts Air Cargo,
Douglas DC-6B (N111AN '46') from 1998 cut up and nose only on display at Pacific Coast Air Museum,
Douglas DC-6B (N90MA '21') by 2006 nose only on display at Memorial Airport, Chandler. |
General William J. Fox Airfield (Fox Field), Lancaster - October 2000.
Left to right:
Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer (59701 US Navy registered N6884C '127'). To the Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting, South Bighorn County Airport, Greybull, Wyoming. |
Left to right: Douglas C-54D Skymaster (43-17228 registered N9015Q '152') with Ardco Aviation Inc.
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (48-0322 registered N13745 '82') with Hemet Valley Flying Service. To Milestones of Flight Museum by 2013. |
| Left to right: Lockheed P-3A Orion (151387 registered N922AU '22') with Aero Union Corporation operating from Santa Barbara in October 2000. |
