2020 PIX: Douglas C-54 tornado-damaged, BAHF buys replacemen

[Stratofreighter]

https://www.facebook.com/BerlinAirliftH ... 9453328521
has photos of the damage

Official Statement Regarding the C-54 Tornado Damage

To our loyal and dedicated support group:

It is with a heavy heart we announce our Douglas C-54, the Spirit of Freedom"
was severely damaged early in the morning of Monday April 13, 2020
by tornados that ravaged the Carolinas causing wide spread destruction and loss of life.

Our Douglas C-54 was parked at the Walterboro, SC airport on December 18, 2019
for the installation of a new Stratus Transponder
to comply with the FAA mandate for transponders meeting the ADS-B requirements by January 1, 2020.

Thanks to Swamp Fox Avionics at the Walterboro Airport, our C-54 is now in compliance.

It is too early to assess the extent of the tornado damage, however,
photographs reveal the leading edge of the right outerwing and the rear left center wing flap area received substantial damage.

Due to the many restrictions now in place regarding the Covid19 virus epidemic,
it will take some time to reach a full evaluation.

Our concerns and prayers go out to the families who lost loved ones due to the tornado outbreak.
A sincere thank you to everyone for your continued support over the years to the Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation
to help keep the Douglas C-54 and our Boeing C-97
flying on their missions of history, education, and remembrance about the great Berlin Airlift of 1948 and 1949.

If you want a way to help, as some have asked, go to http://www.spiritoffreedom.org/donate.html

Thank you.

Pictures of the damage thru
https://www.facebook.com/BerlinAirliftH ... 9453328521

[f4phantom]

more pictures available now http://www.proplinerinfoexchange.com/1- ... PR16A-2020

[f4phantom]

The Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation announced today that it has signed a purchase agreement for DC-4/C-54 N9015Q, which has been based at New Smyrna Beach Airport, Florida for a number of years. N9015Q will replace C-54E N500EJ, which was severely damaged by a tornado on April 13, 2020 in Walterboro, South Carolina. While the group would have preferred to repair N500EJ, it wasn’t economically feasible and the decision was made to acquire a replacement aircraft with proceeds from the insurance settlement. As part of the settlement, BAHF will be allowed to strip N500EJ of her engines, props and other useful spare parts, which should go a long way to keep the new airplane airworthy for many years. For more information about the tornado, check out the April 13, 2020 and April 16, 2020 posts on this website.

http://www.proplinerinfoexchange.com/1- ... AUG26-2020