s/n 33245 rolls out of the factory in 1945
After serving in the war effort, #33245 was transferred to the War Assets Administration and sold by the Acting Zone Administrator to Associated Air Transport (Charles F. Blair Jr.)
Charles F. Blair Jr.'s
Manufactures s/n 33245
Identification no. 44-77849
CAB Reg, No. NC92855
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Curtiss P-46 Commando and P-40 Warhawk
photo from World War Photos
photo license from GL Archive / Alamy Stock Photo
photo from NASM Hans Groenhoff Collection
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photo credit Scott Slocum/Aero Media Group
"Red Ball in the Sky"
is great read. Charlie Blair tells of his many adventures as an aviator in those early days. Chapter 6 - The Tramp tells the story of "Excalibur II" for those two years and the struggles to keep it flying...profitably. The book brings you up to the early 60's and you think of the additional stories he may have written, if his life was not cut short in 1978.
Copies are hard to acquire at a reasonable price but you should look to find a cheaper copy, so you can read all the adventures of this pioneer of aviation.
Associated Air Transport, Inc. 70 Broadway, NY., N.Y.
Associated Air Transport, Inc.
Frigorifico Cooperative Los Andes
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Frigorifico Ballivian was the owner and leased CB-47 to Frigorifico Cooperative Los Andes
The above photo of C-47 in La Paz, Bolivia was taken by Michael Prophet. Michael is a seasoned aviation photographer who has traveled the world including the USVI where he took many photos of the Virgin Islands Seaplane Shuttle aircraft back in the day.
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Thank you to Anthony Gagliani for his assistance with research of records and other material posted above.