Clay's Gooney airborne

After a multi-year restoration, Clay Lacy has his Gooney Bird up and flying, Currently flying as N541GA, the aircraft was built as C-47 USAAF s/n 45-1100, Delivered to the USAAF on 5 October 1945, it was declared surplus on 20 November of the same year! This was surely a record. The aircraft became iVC55414 with Standard Steel Spring Company and was converted as an executive transport, in 1963, it was registered with Rockwell Spring and Axle Co. as N5414. By December 1967, the aircraft was registered with North American Rockwell Corp, as N5410 but this registration was apparently not taken up and the craft became N5416Q. in July 1969, the plane went to the Georgia Department of Air Transportation as N541GA. All systems have been gone through and the interior has been finished in a plush executive style. The next step calls for a post-war United Air Lines paint scheme so watch for this in a future issue.

MESSERSCHMITT BACK TO THE NAVY

When the Texas Aircraft Factory contracted to build new Me 262s the US Navy supplied Me 2628-la/U1 Werknr 110639 as a pattern airplane provided TAF restore the craft to wartime condition. This plane had been on outside display at NAS Willow Grove from 1946 to 1993 and was in very poor condition. When the project was transferred to another company at Paine Field, Seattle, work continued on the 262 and it was completed in May and looks very nice. The aircraft is scheduled to return to the Navy shortly (hopefully for indoor display) and the first of the new Me 262 is due to flv in autumn 2000."