Re: Fairchild FC-2 found in Chile

[tonyb42uk]

'To all,
I hope some of you might find this of interest.
The following is copied from Darryl Gibbs' Vintage and Warbirds
Forum, another Yahoo Group and copied to the Fairchild board with
Darryl's permission. The story has also been posted on the Air-
Britain message board and there is a thread of messages on the
subject on the Latin American Aviation Historical Society forum.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

>This was mentioned in the Classic Propliners list.

It is from the Santiago Times at:

http://www.tcgnews.com/santiagotimes/index.php?
nav=story&story_id=13890&topic_id\
=15

CHILE: HISTORIC PLANE FOUND IN DESERT

(June 1, 2007) The remains of Chile's first commercial airplane, a
Fairchild FC-2 that crash-landed in the desert February 24, 1939, may
soon be restored and put on display at a northern Chile museum.

The plane, which flew the route between Antofagasta, Tocopilla,
Iquique and Arica for LAN Airlines, was forced to land in the middle
of the desert 68 years ago. Although the pilot and his passenger were
rescued three days later, close to the village of Cuya, the plane was
left to rot.

Two Air Force officers happened upon the plane in 2005 when on a
motorcycle ride through the desert and notified the Civil Aviation
General Directorate.

A team of investigators from the National Archeology Museum and the
Air Force found that, although the plane was vandalized of its basic
parts, its carcass was sufficiently intact to merit restoration, a
process that could be completed by as early as 2009.

SOURCE: LA TERCERA
By Deborah Guterman (editor@...)

Darryl Gibbs
Aircraft of Australia Aviation Photography.
www.aircraftofaustralia.com
Vintage and Warbirds. http://www.vintageandwarbirds.com
Information on all aspects of aviation, particularly vintage and
warbirds. Home of the CNAPG aircraft recognition quiz's, and the
Vintage and Warbird mailing
list.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I can only add that Kent Mitchell's 'Fairchild Aircraft, 1926 - 1987'
mentions three FC-2's, c/nos 164 to 166, sold to Chile in 1928. My
notes (source long forgotten!) record the three were sold to
F.A.Chile, which presumably means they were not, initially commercial
aircraft. I have another note saying the F.A.Chile obtained a total
of six FC-2, but cannot confirm that.
Best regards, Tony Broadhurst'

[David Stroud]

'That's a fantastic find and thanks for mentioning it, Tony. I learned
that Bob Reeve's Fairchild 51 or what's left of it is still up in Alaska
too. My wife and I had a close up and personal tour of Stars and Stripes
in Richmond, VA this past Spring. Kinda makes the 24's and PT's look
like fairly modern stuff. In some ways, Sherman was a genius of simplicity.
Small details like how the rudder and elevators were attached and the
folding wing design are fine examples.

David Stroud Ottawa, Canada
C-FDWS Christavia
Fairchild 51 under construction
and on the gear...

----- Original Message -----
From: tonyb42uk
To: fairchildclub@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, June 02, 2007 6:45 AM
Subject: [fairchildclub] Fairchild FC-2 found in Chile


To all,
I hope some of you might find this of interest.
The following is copied from Darryl Gibbs' Vintage and Warbirds
Forum, another Yahoo Group and copied to the Fairchild board with
Darryl's permission. The story has also been posted on the Air-
Britain message board and there is a thread of messages on the
subject on the Latin American Aviation Historical Society forum.
----------------------------------------------------------

>This was mentioned in the Classic Propliners list.

It is from the Santiago Times at:

http://www.tcgnews.com/santiagotimes/index.php?
nav=story&story_id=13890&topic_id\
=15

CHILE: HISTORIC PLANE FOUND IN DESERT

(June 1, 2007) The remains of Chile's first commercial airplane, a
Fairchild FC-2 that crash-landed in the desert February 24, 1939, may
soon be restored and put on display at a northern Chile museum.

The plane, which flew the route between Antofagasta, Tocopilla,
Iquique and Arica for LAN Airlines, was forced to land in the middle
of the desert 68 years ago. Although the pilot and his passenger were
rescued three days later, close to the village of Cuya, the plane was
left to rot.

Two Air Force officers happened upon the plane in 2005 when on a
motorcycle ride through the desert and notified the Civil Aviation
General Directorate.

A team of investigators from the National Archeology Museum and the
Air Force found that, although the plane was vandalized of its basic
parts, its carcass was sufficiently intact to merit restoration, a
process that could be completed by as early as 2009.

SOURCE: LA TERCERA
By Deborah Guterman (editor@...)

Darryl Gibbs
Aircraft of Australia Aviation Photography.
www.aircraftofaustralia.com
Vintage and Warbirds. http://www.vintageandwarbirds.com
Information on all aspects of aviation, particularly vintage and
warbirds. Home of the CNAPG aircraft recognition quiz's, and the
Vintage and Warbird mailing
list.
----------------------------------------------------------

I can only add that Kent Mitchell's 'Fairchild Aircraft, 1926 - 1987'
mentions three FC-2's, c/nos 164 to 166, sold to Chile in 1928. My
notes (source long forgotten!) record the three were sold to
F.A.Chile, which presumably means they were not, initially commercial
aircraft. I have another note saying the F.A.Chile obtained a total
of six FC-2, but cannot confirm that.
Best regards, Tony Broadhurst






------------------------------------------------------------------------------


No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.8.6/828 - Release Date: 6/1/07 11:22 AM


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

'