Restoration Scene A Night To Remember A famous Douglas C-47 Skytrain at Coventry is being restored to fly, and will eventually return to Membury, its wartime base. Steve Beebee spoke to proud owner Charlie Walker

was sat in the office last year when I got a phone “Icall from a producer at North One Television. They said they were looking to make a programme with Guy Martin about the big D-Day 75th anniversary, focusing on someone that’s restoring a C-47. Did I want my aircraft to be the subject of that? You bet I did!” Charlie Walker, owner of Douglas C-47A Skytrain 42-100521 Night Fright, is remembering a conversation that brought his restoration project – a labour of love in the truest sense – into the with bullet holes after a second left After it is completed at Coventry, public eye. The resulting mission, this time towing gliders. the Skytrain will be based at Membury. documentary, Guy Martin’s Night Fright went on to fly in ended up in a scrapyard in D-Day Landing, was broadcast virtually every major Skytrain Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, USA, on Channel 4 last June and campaign of World War Two which is where Charlie and his featured the engineer and – see the panel for more on its father discovered it in 2012. broadcaster enthusiastically remarkable history. It had been listed on eBay for getting his hands dirty at Nobody involved in the Night a while, but luckily had no Coventry Airport, where the Fright C-47 Restoration Project bidders. Following a survey of storied Skytrain is being is in any doubt – it is absolutely the airframe, carried out by returned to flight. imperative that the aircraft Florida-based Frank and Glen In the end it didn’t matter must fly. So significant is its Moss, the Walkers purchased that Night Fright wasn’t ready history and so determined is its it for a reasonable price. to participate in last year’s owner that any other outcome “We then found out about commemorations. The footage would be disappointing and, in its history, which was truly was enough to illustrate the any case, the point of no return amazing,” marvels Charlie. strength of passion that will soon has long since passed. “It just kept getting better return the C-47 to its natural “The idea was to acquire a and better. We then made environment, the sky, and to C-47 that flew from Membury, created a spreadsheet showing top Douglas C-47A Skytrain 42- contact with the families of the its wartime home of Membury which is where my family every single Skytrain that 100521 ‘Night Fright’ is taking shape wartime crew and got hold of at Coventry. ALL KEY-JAMIE EWAN in Wiltshire. It was from here hails from and where our operated with the 436th Troop UNLESS NOTED old photos and lots of that the 79th Troop Carrier business, Walker Logistics Ltd Carrier Group from there. We official documentation.” Squadron machine took off is based,” explains Charlie. narrowed down the list and above left Rapid progress is being to drop US paratroopers over “With the help of some local eventually found Night Fright.” made on the C-47’s cockpit. Back to Blighty northern on D-Day, and historians, Tom Woodhouse After a long post-war career, above Charlie Walker with ‘Night Typical of the rugged DC-3 to here that it returned riddled and Roger Day, we actually the well-travelled machine Fright’ on January 31. ‘breed’, 42-100521 survived a

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Night Fright A potted history

It’s impossible to detail the extraordinary service of Douglas C-47A Skytrain Night Fright in so small a space. What follows is a greatly abridged account of a long and varied career. See the project’s excellent website for a more fulsome version: www.night-fright.com Built at Long Beach, California in October 1943 and allocated the serial 42-100521, the aircraft was assigned to the 436th Troop Carrier Group’s 79th Troop Carrier Squadron. It was flown by 1st Lt William K Watson The original ‘Night Fright’ crew prior to departing the US. throughout its time in the European theatre. After a short Left to right: 1st Lt William Watson (pilot), 2nd Lt Frank stay at Bottesford in Nottinghamshire it moved to Station Bibas (co-pilot), TSgt Owen Voss (crew chief), and SSgt 466 (Membury, Wiltshire) on March 3, 1944. Robert McKnight (radio operator), with Hap the Cocker Spaniel. The crew’s four-legged friend flew on many From there Night Fright flew paratroopers from the missions and survived the war. VIA CHARLIE WALKER 101st Airborne Division to their drop zone near Saint- Germain-de-Varreville during the early hours of D-Day. A second mission followed, this time towing gliders. The Skytrain sustained around 100 hits and took four days to repair. Its next major mission was Operation Dragoon – the invasion of southern France – in which it again towed gliders. During Operation Market Garden, the costly bid to seize strategic bridges in Holland, Night Fright dropped more paratroopers and was subsequently involved in numerous resupply and medevac sorties. With the Battle of the Bulge raging, it flew several sorties during Operation Repulse – the aerial resupply of troops defending Bastogne. During the final major allied airborne offensive of the war, 1945’s Operation Varsity (see Silent Wings Over the Rhine in April’s issue), Watson and his crew once more towed gliders to the combat zone. Night Fright began its journey back to the US on July 10, 1945. Initially joining the US civil register as NC65384, it flew for several operators and was procured for further military use in 1963 by the French Navy. Returning to the US in 1985, it ended its flying days as a freighter.

“He advised me to scrap Night Fright and look for another example. It might seem long and hard ‘life’ – but there crazy, but I still was no guarantee that it could ever be made airworthy again. wasn’t put off” Charlie’s goal was to establish a living tribute to the frequently overlooked 9th Troop As a mark of respect, images of the was able to compare the Carrier Command, focusing wartime crew are kept on display position of bullet holes in the on Membury’s essential within the aircraft. airframe with original wartime contribution to the war effort. photographs. It’s now certain He toyed with the idea of face of obstacles that would top Inside the aircraft, looking towards airframe, crate it and transport to go ahead, to finish what we that this is the real 42-100521, rebuilding it to static display have led many to abandon the the cockpit. it home. The news that came started. It’s about the aircraft’s a veteran of every major World status and erecting it on a dream – or at least look for an back wasn’t good. Clive phoned history, its links to Membury, War Two campaign involving above In March 1963, ‘Night Fright’ re- pole – but the lure of a flying alternative. The initial plan was entered military service with the French Charlie and his tone was grave. and our determination to tell the type. “That’s why we’ve machine, a ‘living, breathing’ to restore the aircraft in the US, Navy where she joined Escadrille 56S “He seriously advised me to that story.” gone to such lengths with this to aircrew and soldiers, and then fly it back to Wiltshire. as ‘18984’. VIA CHARLIE WALKER scrap Night Fright and look Another, smaller, obstacle restoration,” adds Charlie. “It’s was too much to resist. This didn’t come to fruition, for another example,” Charlie was proving to doubters that not just to fly it, but to make Indeed, Charlie and his team so a team led by type expert right The team has three zero-timed recalls, with a rueful smile. this machine genuinely was it as authentic as possible, Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp engines are to be congratulated on Clive Edwards was dispatched in hand. “It might seem crazy, but I Night Fright. Among much and packaging it with that stoically continuing in the to the States to dismantle the still wasn’t put off. I just had other evidence, the team incredible history.”

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it’s ready,” says Charlie. “I’d “It has actually turned out to found throughout. “I’d never percent of the structural work Flying memorial being funded purely from our previously been spending large be a much bigger project than seen anything like it,” Charlie is complete – an inspection of Sadly, there are now no living family business, although we sums of money per month I ever could have imagined. If reflects. “People often ask the wings will follow. “Right links to Night Fright’s wartime have had some very generous to have it done for last June, you were to ask me if I’d do it all why it’s taking so long, but it’s now, we’re looking at things past, but Charlie did have the donations, including from and we had around 15 people over again, the answer would because you can’t predict what like the horizontal tailplane opportunity to speak to two Indestructible Paint, which has working on it full-time. When probably be no. However, the lies ahead and often you have and other items such as the of the aircrew by Skype prior kindly supplied all of the paint we discussed the situation, it devotion to this project grows to strip parts out, replace and brackets that World War Two to their passing. He remains for free.” was apparent that we couldn’t ever stronger and there is no rebuild. It all amounts to a radio equipment would have in regular contact with the The next venture is an tell exactly how long it would doubt that we will now see it significant period of time.” sat on,” notes Charlie. “Then men’s families – several who important one: to build a take to finish, so with that in through to its conclusion.” Along with a new set of we’ll get the fuel and oil tanks have visited the project have suitable hangar at Membury. mind we decided to ease The biggest challenge has propellers, the project has installed. We could have started been clearly moved by the Night Fright’s history is back slightly. undoubtedly been dealing with three zero-timed Pratt & on the wings already and made experience. “Keeping those intertwined with that of “We’ve separated the schedule corrosion. Although virtually Whitney Twin Wasp engines it look more complete, but we’re connections alive is a huge the airfield and it’s vital to into sections – things like inevitable on a 77-year-old in hand. Two were overhauled just trying to go about it in a part of what we’re doing,” Charlie that both machine and structural work and systems, aircraft, the true extent of the by Global Radial Engines in logical order. The hydraulics are he nods. location are commemorated. fuel, hydraulics, electrics, and issue wasn’t realised until Clive Oklahoma, with Anderson virtually done and currently Unsurprisingly he is reluctant The C-47 team will look to then there’s all the original delivered his report from the Aeromotive of Idaho taking the one big unknown is the to speculate on a final have discussions with other detailing and painting to do. US. On arrival at Coventry, the care of the third. Around 95 electrics.” completion date for the project organisations and clubs based We’ve broken it down into team conducted a thorough but explains that with enough at the airfield to potentially Restoring the hydraulics panel involved fabricating new tubes while bite-sized chunks and we’re inspection of the fuselage, personnel involved it could fly facilitate access and benefits every filter, valve and accumulator managing those on a monthly centre section and tail, and in as little as six months. Next for all. They’re also set to create was stripped, inspected basis, but slightly reducing the spent upwards of six months spring, he reveals, is a more a small museum at the site and refurbished. overall input. addressing the corrosion realistic target. – free to visit and curated by

To this end, Charlie is working unbelievably well, and we Wartime pilots 2nd Lt James Hardt with Neil Jones – a serving literally couldn’t have done it and 1st Lt William Watson flew ‘Night “This aircraft is a sergeant in the RAF, part of without him.” Fright’ through every airborne campaign in the European theatre. veteran of every the C-17 Delivery Team and a The two men also collaborated VIA CHARLIE WALKER leading authority on troop- with the production team major World War carrying C-47s and World War behind the Channel 4 The aircraft arriving at Coventry in Two gliders. Neil has taken on documentary, and not just on Two campaign 2016. VIA CHARLIE WALKER – and almost completed – the scenes involving their own Herculean task of acquiring aeroplane. “It was like having a involving the period parts, returning all second job for several months type” sections to 1944 spec, starting – but great fun and I would do with the cockpit. He has it all again,” smiles Charlie. “I sourced all original radio and am sure Night Fright benefited above The project has sourced navigation gear, first aid kits from the publicity. Guy Martin an extensive cache of wartime Charlie, Neil, Tom, Roger and and many other items, most of came here on a number of equipment which will be installed other local individuals. which are currently in storage, occasions and was fantastic. in due course. “We’ll be able to use the aircraft waiting to be fitted. It was hands-on, he really got as the showpiece and hopefully “Another C-47 came up involved and worked with us above right Among the parts due attract people to the museum to be fitted are sets of original for sale on Facebook in on various aspects; it wasn’t just paratrooper benches. and educate them about the ,” says Charlie. “We staged for the cameras.” area’s wartime past. Most people purchased it in order to left With the lower access panels don’t even know what Troop strip it for spares. We spent Steady progress removed, the flying control linkages Carrier Command was, or a week in temperatures of Restoration work at Coventry, and cables can be seen. that there were five important around -30° removing things which is being led by Ben Cox airfields within the area. Neil like paratrooper benches, and his team from Heritage “If I went back to putting 15 and I have already established bulkheads, the cockpit floor Air Services, began in earnest guys on it, it’d fly this summer, an education programme, and and first aid brackets. It was around three years ago, after no question,” he considers. “I we’re going around local schools certainly an adventure. It an aircraft destined for the doubt we’ll do that, because I giving presentations.” helped enormously, but we’ve ’s Vintage do of course have to manage Charlie’s passion to honour been to the ends of the earth Squadron was rolled out. the cash flow on an ongoing the memory of those who flew, to source parts – as well Having not completed Night basis. Also, that plan does come and especially flew in Skytrains, as Canada we’ve acquired Fright in time for last year’s with complications – if you get shines as brightly as his love for bits and pieces from the US, anniversary, the team had a that many people working on the aircraft itself: “Of course it’s Bolivia, on eBay and via social rethink and decided to relax a project at once, they can get about the machine, but it’s also media. That’s been a full-time the pace a little. on top of each other. It’s easier about history and our heritage. job for Neil, and it’s more than “We opted to take our time to manage with fewer people. It’s about trying to pass this 99% there now. He’s done and get it ready for whenever We don’t have sponsors; it’s along to future generations.” FP

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