The Douglas DC-6 Association
of South Africa
Individual Aircraft History
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c/n 44668
C-118A
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Date |
Reg |
Service /
Fate |
|
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53-3297 |
US Air
Force |
|
wfu February
1975 |
|
Withdrawn from use and parked at Davis
Monthan AFB, |
|
bt |
N222DG |
Pacific Alaska
airlines |
|
bt
1977 |
N222DJ |
Time Avenue Services & converted to
DC-6A |
|
lsd August
1978 |
N222DJ |
Mark Air
Transport |
|
lsd
1979 |
|
Jet
Way |
|
bt
1980 |
N106DH |
|
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bt October
1984 |
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Pacific Air Express
|
|
bt |
N872TA |
Trans Air Link
Corporation |
|
1991 |
V5-WAC |
West Air Aviation, |
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9Q-CVK |
Filair |
|
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V5-WAC |
United Nations Organisation (wet
leased/franchised from West Air
Aviation) UN/WFP op in |
|
July
1994 |
9Q-CVK |
Written off during landing accident,
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The
following was sent to DC-6 researcher and historian Leon Steyn, 20 January
2011.
Dear Leon,
Attached please find some photos of the
DC-6A-44668, V5-WAC (Westair Cargo) when it was in our hands in Namibia,
shortly after independence in 1990.
The need arose for heavy
lift transport with the new era and Southern Angola had to be supported by
the World Food Program. It was Namibia Commercial Aviation who was the
pioneering company to register a DC-6 in Namibia in 1990 and Westair
purchased this 44668 in September 1991. The aircraft was flown across the
pond from Fort Lauderdale by Gert de Klerk and his crew carrying long
range fuel and two single aircraft. She was configured and kitted for the
relief operation out of Rundu Air base in Northern Namibia bordering
Angola.
Food was trucked & railed from Walvis bay via
Grootfontein and stored in the old SADF Air Force hangars. From here loads
were flown into southern and south eastern Angola. This operation was well
organized logistically and an average of 65 tons of commodity was moved
daily by the two DC-6 aircraft. A fuel depot was installed in a very short
time to support the two aircraft with AVGAS. Flights ranged from 30
minutes to 1.5 hours into Angola and up to 4 flights were done per
aircraft every day. Loads were reduced as the days aged due to high
temperatures.
This operation was interrupted and stopped by Government in 1994 and the DC-6s were returned to Windhoek. This was trouble for us and the aircraft was marketed. After huge efforts it was sold in 1995 and Mike Mayers will be able to get you the history up to the aircraft’s final flight, which he survived.
On the three photos attached is a take-off from
Eros with the mountains in the background, a full load take-off out of
Rundu (I recall sitting on the center line taking photos with the DC-6
passing about 5 meters above; crazy experience) and a start-up for a
flight with a full load into southern Angola. The commodity moved,
included corn, oil, beans, buckets, motor cycles, fuel drums and we also
installed four 5000 Ltr containers for Diesel. This arrangement for the
diesel fuel was a comprehensive installation with spillage provision and
emergency dump facility; hence the little tube visible under the rear
fuselage.
We trust this will assist you in your mission to
add to the history of 44668.
Peter Keil
Technical
Director
Aviation Road
Eros Airport
P. O. Box
407
Windhoek
NAMIBIA
The exact dates not known but must be
between 1991 and 1993.
The logo on the front of the aircraft (Pelican)
is the early West Air Cargo logo.
