C-54 Flying Out of FBF

[moose135]

I was down at the HARP hangar at Floyd Bennett today, and they were working on the "Berlin Airlift" C-54. I was told they are planning to fly her out of FBF this Wednesday, at about 2pm.

[cancidas]

thanks for the heads-up moose. i'm off from work, gonna take a drive down there.

[Gerard]

I was down at the HARP hangar at Floyd Bennett today, and they were working on the "Berlin Airlift" C-54. I was told they are planning to fly her out of FBF this Wednesday, at about 2pm.

Hey John which runway will they use? Last I was there the two large runways that criss-cross had obstructions and were
being used for PD driver training.

http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?T ... Y=5616&W=3 (http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?T=1&S=12&Z=18&X=743&Y=5616&W=3)

[jran225]

Hey Moose,

were you able to gather any information as to the progress of the C-97 restoration? Is it still being worked on?

Greets,
-Omar S.

[markg]

The Berlin Airlift C-54 is based at Miller Air Park in South Toms River, NJ.

It's usually parked in an excellent position for photos.

Miller Airpark is off exit 81 or 74 on the Garden State Parkway.

This time of year is the best time to catch it, until the airshow season starts.

[moose135]

Not sure which runway they are going to use - it looks like most of the barriers they have up can be moved without too much trouble. When they had the airshow there a couple of years ago, they used Rwy 6 on the north side of the field, as marked below. The HARP Hangar is marked on signs as "Hangar B", follow the red path off of Flatbush Avenue.

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/491380451_F8ezj-L.jpg

Here are a few shots of her in the hangar today:

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/491391130_LkgHa-L-1.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/491391666_XFhTe-L.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/491392062_jjbd8-L.jpg

Omar, there was a guy working on the C-97 when I was there - he was cleaning the cockpit in preparation for painting the seats and such. He said it will probably be 12-14 months before it is flying, but they do expect to get it back in the air.

[Gerard]

[quote="moose135"]Not sure which runway they are going to use - it looks like most of the barriers they have up can be moved without too much trouble. When they had the airshow there a couple of years ago, they used Rwy 6 on the north side of the field, as marked below. The HARP Hangar is marked on signs as "Hangar B", follow the red path off of Flatbush Avenue.

Back in the 90s when I was at FBF just about every weekend :D there was a giant blue hangar right along Flatbush Avenue
between the Tower and the hangars that are now Aviator Sports. There were crews that worked on warbirds in that hangar
and in the then dilapidated hangars Aviator now uses. Are these the same people? I believe the HARP hangar use to be used
by the Dept. of Sanitation. And I also saw them use Rwy 6 to bring in planes back then. Just watch out for the radio-controlled
aircraft!! LOL!!

[moose135]

I would suspect they are the same group, Gerard. The HARP Hangar is right next to the current Sanitation Dept facility.

[Gerard]

I would suspect they are the same group, Gerard. The HARP Hangar is right next to the current Sanitation Dept facility.

Thanks.

[moose135]

Fred, Matt, Tom T and I met up at the HARP hangar to watch this old gal take to the skies after her winter maintenance was complete.

Final preparations
http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/494253650_fVtEA-L.jpg

Out in the sunshine
http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/494254439_CrPVt-L.jpg

Smoky startup
http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/494254871_megMB-L.jpg

Checking the fuel level
http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/494255100_d8xwL-L-0.jpg

She was towed away from the HARP Hangar, out onto one of the old FBF runways. After engine start, she taxied to Rwy 24 (a different Rwy 24) for departure
http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/494255385_2uVmC-L-1.jpg

US Park Police escort to the runway
http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/494255739_TgEgQ-L-2.jpg

NYPD Aviation made several *low* passes
http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/494258200_2VgbW-L-1.jpg

Engines running...what a sweet sound!
http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/494255976_45TWj-L-1.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/494257200_9zkbT-L-1.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/494256641_iyuQu-L-1.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/494257699_biM2r-L-1.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/494256991_Qr8Fh-L-1.jpg

[markg]

Excellent shots Moose!

[Matt Molnar]

Did she come back or fly somewhere else?

[MarkLawrence]

Awesome shots John!!! what an experience to witness!

[mirrodie]

Very cool! Nice to see that you covered it all! Where was it headed?

[cancidas]

moose, that last shot is right where my camera skipped a hearbeat and stopped recording. i did get a few great shots, including the ones of N414PD! the best part of it all was the fact i had the day off and was able to meet up with you and fred. it's now midnight though and i'm beat and going to bed, have to get up with the dawn patrol...


btw, my fav shot has got to be fred with his samurai hair.

[Gerard]

Wow, great coverage!!

[cancidas]

ladies and gents, a few more:
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o161/cancidas/DSC_2343.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o161/cancidas/DSC_2268.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o161/cancidas/DSC_2335.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o161/cancidas/DSC_2347.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o161/cancidas/DSC_2345.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o161/cancidas/DSC_2443.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o161/cancidas/DSC_2379.jpg

[moose135]

Nice shots, Matt! Glad you were able to join us yesterday. And to the questions up thread, I believe the C-54 returned to Toms River yesterday.

[Derf]

When I got there early, it was just me and the goldfish that have been living
under the hangar for years.
http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/494519979_FxgzR-M-1.jpg

I wanted to be their early to get some shots before all the foreground clutter arrived
http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/494518675_raRAZ-M-1.jpg

soon it was time to roll her out
http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/494520878_BAGiZ-M-1.jpg

The engines were all a little smoky as they had not been started all winter,
but number 4.... Number four killed the West Nile desease as I think it also
wiped out the entire mosquito population
http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/494526396_vAQLm-M-1.jpg
http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/494528074_LzGpB-M-1.jpg

Us getting buzzed
http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/494529738_VpAmm-M-1.jpg

This shows how close it was to touching the small trees!
http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/494536879_RkvcJ-M-1.jpg

REALLY OFFICER.... I JUST CLEARED IT!
http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/494538655_Y4utg-M-1.jpg

http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/494538168_ThvVR-M-1.jpg

http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/494539589_a4qpD-M-1.jpg

It just felt like a different time
http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/494558561_XYBRZ-M-1.jpg

http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/494559052_DBox7-M-1.jpg

A C-54 Backtaxing down runway 24!!!! HOW FREAKING COOL IS THIS!!
http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/494559255_EYmUB-M-1.jpg

Nose is up
http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/494560707_8HsP6-M-1.jpg

http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/494560910_wvcrv-M-1.jpg

http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/494561169_5Cv24-M-1.jpg

http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/494561506_E78bT-M-1.jpg

http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/494561396_Mh6sx-M-1.jpg

See you on the flip side!
http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/494561598_v8XXR-M-1.jpg

[cancidas]

fred i love your "different time" shot!

[MarkLawrence]

Great shots Fred and Matt!