N62342 ¦ CIC 06.10.1995
Douglas C-54D-1-DC (c/n 10613/DC344)
Aero Union Corporation
Chico-Municipal (CIC/KCIC)
06 October 1995
Delivered as C-54D 42-72508 to the US Air Force in March 1945, this DC-4 was transferred to the US Navy the same day, becoming BuAer 56497, and eventually a VC-54Q in 1962. By mid-1971 the aircraft was parked at AMARC at Davis Monthan, and by 1974 it was converted back to a C-54D and sold to the civil market as N62342.
In December 1975 N62342 was acquired by Chico-based Aero Union, a pioneering aerial firefighting company, which was one of the first to induct large military aircraft for fire fighting. N62342 served as Tanker 13 until the early nineties, when it was retired at its base, Chico-Municipal. As such it was seen in 1995, parked but fairly complete, except for its engines which were probably used on another Aero Union DC-4.
N62342 was sold to Buffalo Airways as C-FBAK in early 2001, and to Hay River Air Services in 2016. It was last reported as parked at Hay River in May 2025, still in airworthy condition.
N62342 ¦ CIC 06.10.1995
Douglas C-54D-1-DC (c/n 10613/DC344)
Aero Union Corporation
Chico-Municipal (CIC/KCIC)
06 October 1995
Delivered as C-54D 42-72508 to the US Air Force in March 1945, this DC-4 was transferred to the US Navy the same day, becoming BuAer 56497, and eventually a VC-54Q in 1962. By mid-1971 the aircraft was parked at AMARC at Davis Monthan, and by 1974 it was converted back to a C-54D and sold to the civil market as N62342.
In December 1975 N62342 was acquired by Chico-based Aero Union, a pioneering aerial firefighting company, which was one of the first to induct large military aircraft for fire fighting. N62342 served as Tanker 13 until the early nineties, when it was retired at its base, Chico-Municipal. As such it was seen in 1995, parked but fairly complete, except for its engines which were probably used on another Aero Union DC-4.
N62342 was sold to Buffalo Airways as C-FBAK in early 2001, and to Hay River Air Services in 2016. It was last reported as parked at Hay River in May 2025, still in airworthy condition.