Beaver Tails master index

 previous  next click on arrows to navigate page by page.

c/n 259
No image yet.
Photo:

c/n 259

51-16491

x

51-16491 USAF #1074. L-20A No: 75. Command AF-1. Delivered 16-May-1952. Built as L-20A.

Recommended for reclamation - Fate unknown

USAF History

51-16491 was made available on 02-May-1952 and accepted by the by AMO 6600th Air Depot (Air Material Overseas Unit), at Downsview, Ontario, on 09-May-1952 and delivered to St.Johns AFB, Newfoundland on 16-May-1952. It was assigned to the North East Air Command and was deployed to Goose Bay AFB, Newfoundland and the 6603rd Air Base Wing from 16-May-1952 reportedly as a special missions aircraft although the exact nature of their designation is unclear, but perhaps associated with cold weather testing. The unit was re designated as a Group later in 1952.  It joined the 6615th Air Transport Squadron for a period between 09-Mar-1954 and 15-Jun-1954 before returning to the base host unit which had by now been re designated 6606th Air Base Wing.

The aircraft remained here until 14-Jan-1956 when it returned to Downsview until 14-Jul-1956 for maintenance. It was then back to Goose Bay and its previous unit. On 01-Apr-1957 the Strategic Air Command took over responsibility from the North East Air Command and the Goose Bay host unit became the 4082nd Air Base Wing. The aircraft joined the 22nd Helicopter Squadron between 01-Sep-1957 and 30-Oct-1957 and supported the squadron helicopters re-supply the ACW sites in Newfoundland and Labrador. None of the sites had a landing strip for fixed wing aircraft. The AC&W sites were on the coast and most had a bay where an L-20 (on floats) could land in summer to bring in supplies. Sometimes in the winter when the choppers were grounded for weather, the L-20 would land on the ice with skis. A few of the 22nd pilots at Goose got checked out in the L-20. In the summer the L-20's were on floats and were used to support the R&R fish camps. Wheel-skis were installed in the winter as they would sometimes do supply runs to the sites.

After this short assignment the aircraft returned to the 4082nd Air Base Wing from 30-Oct -1957 but its record card shows it as being “Recommended for reclamation”, but currently we have no record of it being involved in an incident or accident.