c/n 329

N2SF at Renton, Washington.
Photo: Todd Boettcher © 21 August 2015
N2SF warming up with N67DN at Toronto on Lake Ontario.
Photo: Kenneth I. Swartz © 10 September 2008
N2SF departing the Ottawa River.
Photos: Neil Aird © 08 September 2008
N2SF docked safely on the Ottawa River
Photo: Ian Macdonald © 07 September 2008
N2SF, camera ship, and one of the adventurous Great Arctic Air Adventure Beavers.

Fuel stop at Baker Lake, Nunavut.

Photos: Jeff Henderson © 28 August 2008
N2SF pictured at Bamfield, BC.
Photo: Arwen Hunter © 20 August 2007
N2SF ready in new scheme at Sealand.
Photos: John Caswell © 01 May 2006
N2SF on Renton ramp.
Photo: David Lednicer © 26 November 2005
N2SF of Sound Flight at Renton floatplane dock.
Photo: Kenneth I. Swartz © 14 August 1999
N2SF at Renton - KRTN, Washington.
Photos: Radek Palicka © February 1997
51-16536 at Ramstein AFB in 1967
Photo: Günter Grondstein © 1967
51-16536 with 7272nd TFW at Wheelus AFB, Libya.
Photo: Jack M. Friell © September 1965 - Steve Hill Collection
51-16536 on display at RAF Hullavington.
Photo: Dave Newnham © 1963
51-16536 of 66 TRW at Laon.
Photo: Unknown photographer © May 1963 - Robin A. Walker Collecton
51-16536 of 21st FBW at Chambley AFB., France.
Unknown photographer © 1950's - Al Christensen Collection - via Fabrice Loubette

c/n 329

51-16536 • N5163G

N2SF

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51-16536 USAF #1139. L-20A No: 140. Command AF-1. Delivered 30-Jul-1952. Built as L-20A and re-designated U-6A in 1962.

N5163G Civil Air Patrol Inc., Maxwell AFB., Montgomery, AL. Regd May-1971.

Airworthiness Cert: 01-May-1973.

N5163G Patrick P. Green, Burnsville, MN. Regd Apr-1978.

Accident: Chippewa Falls Wisconsin. 28-May-1978. Following parachute drop wings buckled whilst recovering to ground in a spiral descent through break in clouds Substantial damage to aircraft and pilot uninjured. CHI78FEP37

N5163G Kapowsin Air Sports Inc., Kapowsin, WA. On USCAR at 02-Mar-1990.

Accident: Kapowsin, AK. 17-Sep-1989. During initial climb engine stopped at approximately 200 ft. Tanks changed and engine restarted but again cut out. During subsequent forced landing airplane nosed over. Substantial damage to aircraft, Pilot and six passengers suffered either no, or minor injuries. SEA89LA174

N2SF (1) Airlease Inc., Renton, WA. Regd Jun-1990.

N2SF (1) Sound Flight Inc., Renton, WA. On USCAR at Feb-1992 &01-Oct-1994. Regd 27-Apr-1995. Canx 07-Apr-2003

Note: Rebuild at Kenmore Air, Kenmore, WA. Late 1995.

N2SF (1) Airlease Inc., Kenmore, WA. Regd 16-Apr-2003. Sound Flight Markings in June-06, so presume leased back.

Note: Repainted at Sealand Aviation Ltd., Campbell River, BC. Apr-2006.

Note: Shown on Southeast Aviation website as operating with them.

• Note c/n 329 was being rebuilt by Kenmore Air Harbor, noted and photographed in early stages on 12-Sep-1995. Interesting story still being researched relates to c/n 565 which is now N6653K.

Current

USAF History

51-16536 was made available on 16-Jul-1952 and accepted on 22-Jul-1952 by the 6600th Air Depot AMO (Air Material Overseas Unit), at Downsview, Ontario after which it was delivered to the Tactical Air Command at Donaldson AFB, Greenville, SC  where it was assigned to the  to the 4th Liaison Squadron on 31-Jul-1952.

In preparation for transportation to Europe it was assigned to the Air Material Command and the 2847th Transportation Control Depot (TPC) Wing at Newark NJ from 13-Dec-1952. It arrived in Germany at Neubiberg and was assigned to Air Force Europe from 23-Jan 1953 being initially allocated to the 86th Fighter Bomber Wing at Neubiberg remaining until 18-Feb-1953. It was then allocated to the 85th Air Depot Wing at Erding remaining until 24-Mar-1952 after which it passed to the 4th Liaison Squadron at Furstenfeldbeck until 04-Feb-1954. It then was allocated to the 7030th Headquarters Squadron at Landstuhl remaining until 06-Jun-1954. It then moved to France joining the 7002nd Air Base Squadron at Chambley Bussieres until remaining at the same location it passed over to the 21st Fighter Bomber Wing on 24-Dac-1954. Here it remained until 04-Jan-1958.

Back to Germany now and it saw service for six months at Sembach with the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing and then until 25-Jun-1958 with the 7127th Support Wing. Meanwhile the 66th TR Wing had nominally moved to Laon, in France, to supposedly accommodate the requirements of its new RF-101 Voodoos and our Beaver, 51-16536 moved as well to support them. However the Laon runway was deemed unsuitable and the Voodoos and they were therefore deployed to Phalsbourg-Bourshied. The Beaver operated from Phalsbourg between 01-Jul-1978 and 04-Aug-1958 and again 24-Jan-1959 and 02-1960 otherwise operating from Laon and finally stayed there until 17-Feb-1964 when it returned to Sembach in Germany and was allocated to the 3rd Medium Transport Wing.

66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing

The aircraft’s further USAF history is still to be researched.

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