87_1978-03-30_MUC_1200_SR

 

Photo taken by Stefan Röhrich.

 

 

München-Riem

1978-03-30 (30 March 1978)

 

87

Douglas C-47DL Skytrain (DC-3)

4579

Aéronavale (French Navy)

 

87 is seen here shortly before touch-down on runway 07. It was accompanied by French Navy C-47 '59' that day. This aircraft was actually damaged by enemy ground fire on 6 June 1944 in Normandy as 41-18487 with USAAF (see below). It’s preserved at Lorient/Lann-Bihoue NAS today.

 

French Navy Dakotas were occasionally seen at Riem during the 1970s, often turning up in twos or threes. The following were logged (there may have been more):

 

59: 28 September 1971

36, 71 & 716: 24 February 1975

711 & 725: 13 September 1976

10 & 87: 1 May 1977

59 & 87: 30 March 1978

771 & 726: 27 February 1979

725: 8 October 1979

 

 

Built for USAAF as 41-18487 in August 1942, serving in North Africa. Bought by Aer Lingus in April 1946 and named "St Malachy" operating schedules to the UK and near Continent. (Source: R.A. Scholefield, airliners.net) Sold to French Navy in October 1961.

 

Detailed entry on this airframe from joebaugher.com:

18487 (MSN 4579) to USAAF Aug 03, 1942 - Used in training by 5th AF, 317th TCG, 41st TCS, Australia Sep 28, 1942 to Dec 14, 1942 - Oran, North Africa May 10, 1943 - Eighth Air Force, UK 30Mar44. 48th Troop Carrier Squadron, 313th Troop Carrier Group, Ninth Air Force, Folkingham (Station 484). Transported paratroopers of the 3rd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment to a drop zone one mile NW of Picauville, Normandy, France on Mission ‘Boston’ 6Jun44; battle damaged by enemy ground fire- to RFC Dec 14, 1945 - Scottish Aviation Limited 14Dec45 for civil conversion. To civil registry as EI-ACG (Aer Lingus ‘St Malachy’ Apr 17, 1946. Leased to Silver City Airways Apr 07, 1959 to Oct 28, 1960), EI-ALR (Benedar Air Ltd Jan 02, 1961). Delivered 14Jan61 to Société d'Exploitation et de Construction Aéronautique (SECA), Le Bourget, Paris, France for overhaul and modification, then sold to French Navy Oct 10, 1961 as 8487/87. Operated by squadron 56S as ‘87/F-YFGC’, later ‘F-YGGB (1969 to 1979). Preserved Ste Mere l’Eglise Airborne Troops Museum (Normandy). Later replaced by 42-100825. Preserved and on display at Nîmes-Garons, France. With the impending closure of the navy base at Nîmes, the aircraft is moved to Lann Bihoué, Bretagne/Brittany. Exhibited at BAN Lann Bihoué; dedicated 18Sep10 on the occasion of the BAN Lann Bihoué Open House for the Naval Aeronautics Centennial.

 

More details on the Aéronavale C-47s and this airframe here (in French):

www.ffaa.net/aircraft/dakota/dakota_fr.htm

 

This airframe as EI-ACG with Aer Lingus at MAN in April 1952:

imgproc.airliners.net/photos/airliners/2/7/3/2395372.jpg

 

EI-ACG with Silver City Airways in Libya in 1959:

imgproc.airliners.net/photos/airliners/6/3/3/1223336.jpg

 

87 preserved and displayed at FNI in June 1996:

www.flickr.com/photos/57646436@N06/44879418761

 

87’s fuselage arriving at BAN Lann Bihoué in May 2010:

imgproc.airliners.net/photos/airliners/9/2/4/2345429.jpg?...

 

87 preserved and displayed at BAN Lann Bihoué in May 2016:

bdd.deltareflex.com/photos/highdef/15/15352.jpg

 

Scan from Kodachrome K25 slide.

Done