Owner Type: Corporation Owner Name: BERLIN AIRLIFT HISTORICAL FOUNDATION
City: FARMINGDALE State: NJ
Zip: 07727-0782 Country: US
Fractional Owner:
Aircraft Type: Fixed wing multi engine Model Year: 1952
Airworthiness Class: Restricted Transponder Code: 50043313
Serial Number: 52-2718 Aircraft Model: 1381606
Last Action: 2003-01-21 Cert Issue: 1997-01-09
Status: The Triennial Aircraft Registration form was mailed and has not been returned by the Post Office
Aircraft Mfg: BOEING Aircraft Model: C-97-G
Category: Land Amateur: No
Engines: 4 Seats: 93
Weight: CLASS 3 Cruising Speed: 222
Engine Mfg.: P&W Engine Model: R-4360
Fuel Consumed: 0.00 Horsepower/Thrust: 3250
 

Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation acquired Boeing C-97G 52-2718 in 1996.  A former KC-97, 52-2718 is one of only 2 remaining airworthy C-97's in the world.

Manufactured by Boeing Aircraft Company, Seattle WA, as KC-97G and delivered to the USAF on April 27, 1954.

Apr. 1954     to 98th Air Refueling (Medium) Squadron (Strategic Air Command), Lincoln AFB,  NE

Sep. 1954     to 96th Bombardment (M) Wing (SAC), Altus AFB OK.
                      (Deployments to Ernest Harmon AB, Newfoundland, Elmendorf AFB AK, and Mountain  Home  AFB ID).

Sep. 1957    to 96th Air Refueling (M) Squadron (SAC), Altus AFB .

Jun. 1958    to 97th air refueling (M) Squadron (SAC), Malmstrom AFB MT

Feb. 1961    to 407th Air Refueling Squadron (SAC), Malmstrom  AFB

Jul. 1961    to 26th Air Refueling Squadron (SAC), Plattsburgh AFB, NY

Feb. 1962    to 4108th Air Refueling Wing (SAC), Plattsburgh AFB

Jan. 1963    to 497th Air Refueling Wing (SAC), Plattsburgh AFB

Aug. 1964    to 128th Air Refueling Wing (Air National Guard), General Billy Mitchell Field,   Milwaukee WI

Aug 1965    Converted to KC-97L    (Two General Electric J-47 jet engines installed under outboard wings, so  the aircraft could refuel the fast jets.)

Sep. 1972    to 151st air Refueling Group (ANG), Salt Lake City MAP UT

                       (Deployments to Rhein Main AB, Frankfort, Germany, "Operation Creek Party")

Sep. 1976    to Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center, Davis Monthan AFB AZ.

Jul. 1977     Dropped from Inventory as surplus.

1986             Auctioned to unknown group who converted her to C-97G  

                       (Removing Aerial Refueling Equipment, and Fitting Cargo Doors)

1988 -          Seized by US Marshal Service and auctioned to Grace Aire Inc. of Corpus Christi TX.

                      (Operated as a cargo transport for humanitarian missions to South America and to carry fish in Alaska.)        

4-22-1996    Purchased by Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation.

Nov. 1997   Aircraft paid for in full by Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation

Oct. 1998     Flown from Moses Lake, Washington to Greybull, Wyoming for inspection and restoration.

Sep. 1999    FAA Approval of Inspection program achieved.

2000             Aircraft painted in colors of YC-97A 45-59595, the sole C-97 used in the Berlin Airlift.

July 2001,   Flown from Greybull, Wyoming to Aberdeen South Dakota.

Nov. 2001   Flown from Aberdeen SD to Millville, NJ.

May  2002   Flown to Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, NY.

Feb. 2003   Foundation acquires C-97G 53-3816  for spares. (the forrmer AeroPacifico Airplane, it was the last C-97 Built)

November, 2003 Foundation takes delivery of parts from 53-3816, which includes 6 spare R-4360-59B engines.

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