By Randy Malmstrom
Douglas DC-3. My photos at Erickson Aircraft Collection in Madras, Oregon.
Editor’s notes: This aircraft was originally built as a C-47B-30-DK with the construction number 16405 at the Douglas Aircraft Company’s plant in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and was originally ordered for the United States Army Air Force as s/n 44-76821 (later on, this aircraft was assigned a second construction number, 33153). Though initially delivered to the USAAF on April 28, 1945, it was transferred to the Royal Air Force on May 5, 1945, as a Dakota Mk.IV with the RAF serial number KN547, and delivered to Windsor Field (Lynden Pindling International Airport) in Nassau, the Bahamas. From 1945 to 1952, KN547 flew with the Royal Air Force Far East Air Force, being stationed at British airbases in India and Japan before being placed into storage with No.8 Maintenance Unit (MU) by February 28, 1952. Three years later, on February 21, 1955, it was transferred back to the USAF with its original serial number and assigned to the 7330th Pilot Training Wing at Furstenfeldbruck Air Base in West Germany, but was later transferred to the West German Luftwaffe in April 1957 and issued the serial number GA+110.
During its time with the Luftwaffe, the aircraft was later issued with further serial numbers (AS+590 (1959-1961), AB+590 (1961-1964), BD+590 (1964-1967), and finally 14+06 (1967-1975). On August 11, 1975, 14+06 was transferred to the Swedish Air Force under the type designation Tp79 and issued the serial number 79008 (Photos of this aircraft in the Swedish Air Force HERE). By 1982, the aircraft was added to the Swedish civilian registry as SE-IKL and came into the ownership of the Swedish Air Force Museum (Flygvapenmuseum) at Malmen Air Base, Linköping. That same year, SE-IKL was traded by the Flygvapenmuseum to American pilot and aircraft collector David Tallichet alongside a Douglas AD-4 Skyraider, Hawker Hunter (J34), and two Saab 32 A32 Lansen jets in exchange for Supermarine Spitfire PR Mk. XIX PM627, which has since been placed on display in Swedish Air Force colors. Tallichet brought SE-IKL back to the United States, registered it as N54697 and stored it in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1996, the aircraft was sold to Jack A. Erickson, re-registered as N56V, and displayed at the Tillamook Air Museum in Tillamook, Oregon, and was given the name “Spirit of Tillamook.” The aircraft was converted to a DC-3 with the installation of carpet, passenger seats, a galley and a lavatory. The aircraft is now based at the Erickson Aircraft Collection in Madras, Oregon, while retaining the name “Spirit of Tillamook.”
Further notes: There is another DC-3 registered as N56V (formerly C-53 Skytrooper s/n 41-20130), which is currently under restoration to static display at the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, North Carolina.
About the author
Randy Malmstrom grew up in a family steeped in aviation culture. His father, Bob, was still a cadet in training with the USAAF at the end of WWII but did serve in Germany during the U.S. occupation in the immediate post-war period, where he had the opportunity to fly a wide variety of types that flew in WWII. After returning to the States, Bob became a multi-engine aircraft sales manager and, as such, flew a wide variety of aircraft; Randy frequently accompanied him on these flights. Furthermore, Randy’s cousin, Einar Axel Malmstrom, flew P-47 Thunderbolts with the 356th FG from RAF Martlesham Heath. He was commanding this unit at the time he was shot down over France on April 24th, 1944, and spent the rest of the war as a prisoner of war. Following his repatriation at war’s end, Einar continued his military service, attaining the rank of Colonel. He was serving as Deputy Wing Commander of the 407th Strategic Fighter Wing at Great Falls AFB, MT, at the time of his death in a T-33 training accident on August 21, 1954. The base was renamed in his honor in October 1955 and continues to serve in the present USAF as home to the 341st Missile Wing. Randy’s innate interest in history in general, and aviation history in particular, plus his educational background and passion for WWII warbirds, led him down his current path of capturing detailed aircraft walk-around photos and in-depth airframe histories, recording a precise description of a particular aircraft in all aspects.
