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Here is a retrospective of my photographs of Douglas DC-6 and DC-7 tankers.

Santa Barbara Airport, September 13, 1979

Sis-Q Flying Service Douglas DC-6B, N333SQ Tanker 54 taxis into the Goleta Tanker Station on September 13, 1979. It was fighting a fire in Winchester Canyon. Tanker 54's Douglas construction number is 44898. It was delivered to United Airlines as Mainliner Honolulu on April 20, 1956. Hall Transfer and Storage bought it on July 3, 1969. Sis-Q Flying Service of Santa Rosa, California bought it in April 1976.

Tanker 54 was sold to the French Securite Civile in June 1980 and registered as F-ZBAC. It flew as Pélican 61 from 1980 to 1990 and then went into storage at Marseilles in 1990. Photo courtesy Cedric Soriano.

Douglas DC-6B N333SQ Tanker 54 takes off from the Santa Barbara Airport on September 13, 1979 as jet-pack equipped Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar, N13742 Tanker 88 taxis out of the Goleta Tanker Station. In 1981, Tanker 88 disintegrated in mid-air while fighting a fire near Frazier Park, California, killing its crew of two. Failure of a control cable led to control surface flutter that overstressed the airframe in just a few seconds.

Santa Barbara Airport, July 30, 1980

The number-3 engine of Aerial Applicators Douglas DC-6, N90MA Tanker d21 at the Goleta Tanker Station on July 30, 1980. The DC-6 is powered by 2,100-horsepower Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp R-2800 radial engines with three-bladed propellers.

Aerial Applicators Douglas DC-6 N90MA Tanker d21 taxiing at the at the Santa Barbara Airport on July 30, 1980. Its Douglas construction number is 43128. It was originally ordered by Scandanavian Airlines System, but it was delivered to British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines as Discovery on September 30, 1948 and registered as VH-BPH. Tasman Empire Airways Limited bought it in May 1954, named it Arahia, and reigstered it as ZK-BFC. The Royal New Zealand Air Force bought it in May 1961 and assigned it tail number NZ3633. Lamb Associates Incorporated bought it on April 26, 1964 and sold it to National Interests Incorporated later that year. Pacific Western Airlines bought it on May 18, 1965, registered it as CF-PWQ, and sold it to Lamb Associates Incorporated on February 17, 1971, which registered it as N90MA. Mercer Airlines bought it on April 3, 1971 and sold it to Aerial Applicators in May 1973. After this picture was taken, Sis-Q Flying Service bought it in June 1981 and sold it to Macavia International Corporation in May 1985. It was stored at Santa Rosa and then sold to T&G Aviation of Chandler, Arizona in February 1991. The registration N90MA has been reassigned to a Cessna Citation.

TBM Inc. Douglas DC-7B, N838D Tanker e60 at the Goleta Tanker Station on July 30, 1980. Its Douglas construction number is 45347. It was delivered to Eastern Airlines on February 10, 1958. California Airmotive bought it on January 24, 1966. Airliease Incorporated bought it later that year and leased it to Skyway Travelers. It was repossessed by O'hare International Bank Associates in 1968. Thompson Flying Service bought it in 1968 and withdrew it from use in 1969. It was stored in Tucson, Arizona until Aero Leasing Corporation bought it in June 1970. TBM Inc. acquired it in April 1973. Tanker 60 is still flying for TBM Inc.

Link to the Aerial Firefighting Industry Association (AFIA) web page describing TBM Inc.

TBM Inc. Douglas DC-7B, N848D Tanker e61 landing at the Santa Barbara Airport on July 30, 1980. Its Douglas construction number is 45454. It was delivered to Eastern Airlines on May 14, 1958. California Airmotive bought it on January 31, 1966 and sold it to Mobile Aircraft Incorporated in January 1968. McCollum Aviation Incorporated bought it in March 1968, leased it to the Society of Sky Roamers in January 1969, and retired it in April 1970. Christian Flight Services bought it in May 1971. TBM Inc. acquired it in February 1975. Tanker e61 crashed while fighting a fire at Kyburz, California on October 1, 1992. The registration N848D has been reassigned to a Cessna Citation.

Fox Field, November 26, 1980

Douglas DC-6B, N444SQ Tanker 44 takes off from Fox Field near Lancaster on November 26, 1980. Its Douglas construction number was 45320. It was delivered to Northwest Orient Airlines as N579 on January 23, 1958. United Arab Airlines bought it on March 16, 1965, registered it as SU-ANO and leased it to Yemen Airways in 1966. Sterling Airways bought it in June 1968 and registered it as OY-STT. It was transferred to Sterling Sweden on July 10, 1971, which registered it as SE-ENZ, leased it to the United Nations in 1968, and retired it in March 1973. Concare Aircraft Leasing Corporation bought it in June 1973 and converted it to a DC-6BF. Sis-Q Flying Service of Santa Rosa, California bought it in March 1975 and gave it its current registration. After this picture was taken it was sold to Macavia International Corporation in May 1985 and then to T&G Aviation in February 1991. Since January 1998, it has been regstered to Nighthawk Air Systems Incorporated of Miami, Florida.

TBM Inc. Douglas DC-7B, N848D Tanker e61 takes off from Fox Field near Lancaster on November 26, 1980.

Santa Barbara Airport, November 28, 1980

Sis-Q Flying Service Douglas DC-6B, N999SQ Tanker 51 at the Goleta Tanker Station on November 28, 1980. Its Douglas construction number is 43274. It was delivered to Swissair as Zurich on June 24, 1951. Over the years it was renamed Schaffhausen and later Aargau. Sterling Airways bought it on August 23, 1962 and leased it to Trollair in January 1972. Concare Aircraft Leasing Corporation bought it in April 1973, registering it first as N515AO and then as N515EA. Seminole Aviation bought it in June 1973 and sold it to Sis-Q Flying Service in January 1976. After this picture was taken it was sold to Macavia International Corporation in May 1985 and then to T&G Aviation in February 1991. It was registered to Everts Air Fuel Incorporated of Fairbanks, Alaska on February 24, 1994. Its registraion was cancelled on October 7, 2010. Note the Boeing B-17 tanker in the background at right.

International Air Response Douglas DC-7C, N5903 Tanker 35 at the Goleta Tanker Station on November 28, 1980. Its Douglas construction number is 45071. It was delivered to Braniff Airlines on November 30, 1956. Club america Incorporated bought it on November 30, 1969 and leased it to Grand Funk Railroad from March 1971 to June 1971. Magic Carpet Air Travel leased it in August 1971. A. Ledya bought it in 1975 and sold it to T&G Aviation Incorporated in June 1976. After this picture was taken, it ditched following engine failure after take off from Dakar, Senegal on October 9, 1986. Three crew members were killed. The sole passenger survived.

The fuselage of the DC-7C was extended 3-1/2 feet compared to the DC-7B. The wing span of the DC-7C was increased by adding a five-foot section inboard of the engines. There are no DC-7Cs still fighting wild fires.

Link to the International Air Response web site.

Santa Barbara Airport, December 1980

Sis-Q Flying Services Douglas DC-6B, N999SQ Tanker 51 at the Goleta Tanker Station in December 1980.

Santa Barbara Airport, October 1981

TBM Inc. Douglas DC-7B, N838D Tanker e60 at the Goleta Tanker Station in October 1981.

Gila Bend Indian Reservation Memorial Airport, December 30, 1981

Douglas DC-7C, N90804 Tanker 28 at the Gila Bend Indian Reservation Memorial Airport on December 30, 1981. Its Douglas construction number is 45116. It was delivered to British Overseas Airways Corporation as G-AOIF on December 29, 1956. F. B. Ayer bought it in June 1964, gave it its current registration and sold it to Saturn Airways three months later. It was put into storage at Miami, Florida in January 1968. Fleet Leasing of America bought it in May 1969, immediately leased it to Sky Hoppers Travel Club, and then sold it to Great Lakes Aero Leasing in January 1970. Dodds Corporation bought it in June 1970, immediately leased it to Century 2000 Travel Club, and sold it to W. F. Monahan in September 1972. Aerial Applicators Incorporated bought it in June 1975 and sold it to Douglas County Aviation in July 1981. It has been registered to T&G Aviation since June 23, 1994. The Gila Bend Indian Reservation Memorial Airport is now known as the Chandler Memorial Airport.

Link to the visitingphx.com page describing Chandler Memorial Airport.

Douglas DC-7B, N51701 Tanker 31 at the Gila Bend Indian Reservation Memorial Airport on December 30, 1981. Its Douglas construction number is 44701. It was delivered to Pan american Grace Airways on July 18, 1955. National Airlines bought it on November 9, 1964 and sold it to Argonaut less than one month later on December 1. Travelaires bought it on May 25, 1966 and sold it to Skyway Investors Corporation on July 25, 1967. Citizens National Bank of Greater St. Louis repossessed it on August 3, 1971 and sold it to Young Aviation Corporation on November 16, 1971. Midcoast Aviation Resources repossesed it on November 16, 1972 and sold it to Maricopa Dust and Spray twelve days later. Air Tankers Incorporated bought it on July 12, 1973, leased it to the United States Forest Service in July 1974, and retired it in 1975. Mary P. Hine bought it on April 29, 1980 and transferred it to T&G Aviation the same day. Tanker number 31 was reassigned to an International Air Response Lockheed C-130A Hercules that was subsequently grounded.

Douglas DC-7C, N9734Z Tanker 32 at the Gila Bend Indian Reservation Memorial Airport on December 30, 1981. Its Douglas construction number is 45215 It was delivered to Scandanavian Airlines System as SE-CCF, Yngve Viking on December 13, 1957. It was badly damaged in a collision with an Ethiopian DC-6B at Khartoum, Sudan. Its nose was replaced with the nose of the former American Airlines DC-7, N317AA Flagship Indiana, which had been damaged in a landing accident at Norfolk, Virginia on September 26, 1961 while leased to Overseas National Airways. Lee Mansdorf and Company bought it in March 1962 and registered it as N9734Z. Consolidated American bought it in 1966, leased it to Facilities Management in 1969. Northwest Aero Industries bought it in September 1972, leased it to Starduster Air Travel in July 1973, and sold it to Sergio Tomassoni in January 1976. T&G Aviation leased it in February 1977 and bought it in November 1982. It was exported to Spain in August 1995. Tanker number 31 was reassigned to an International Air Response Lockheed C-130A Hercules that was subsequently grounded.

International Air Response Douglas DC-7B, N4887C Tanker 33 at the Gila Bend Indian Reservation Memorial Airport on December 30, 1981. Its Douglas construction number is 45351. It was delivered to Delta Airlines as N4887C on November 25, 1957. BMR Aviation bought it on March 31, 1968. Emerald Shillelagh Air Travel Club bought it in May 1968. C. M. Belew bought it in July 1972, leased it to Sun's Travel Club in May 1973 and sold it to T&G Aviation in May 1980. Tanker 33 is still flying for International Air Response.

Santa Barbara Airport, October 1982

TBM Inc. Douglas DC-7B N6318C Tanker 67 starts up its Number-4 R-3350 engine at the Goleta Tanker Station in October 1982. A flammable cloud of partially combusted oil droplets belches from the exhaust pipes.

TBM Inc. Douglas DC-7B N6318C Tanker 67 at the Goleta Tanker Station in October 1982. A Lockheed C-141B Starlifter is rolling on the runway in the background. Starlifters were regular visitors to the Santa Barbara Airport during the Reagan administration. They carried support vehicles that were used while Ronald Reagan was visiting Rancho Cielo near the top of Refugio Pass west of Santa Barbara.

Santa Barbara Airport, July 10, 1983

Butler Aircraft Douglas DC-7B, N6318C Tanker 67 taxis at the Santa Barbara Airport on July 10, 1983. Its Douglas construction number is 44282. It was delivered to United Airlines as Mainliner Kauai on October 26, 1954. It was later renamed Mainliner Bakersfield (how humiliating!). Douglas Aircraft Company bought it back on July 29, 1960. Aircraft Investment Corporation bought it on Valentines Day of 1964 and immediately leased it to Vance International Airways, which bought it in 1965. Argosy Travel Club leased it in 1971 and Butler Aircraft Corporation bought it in March 1973.

Butler Aircraft Douglas DC-7B, N6318C Tanker 67 takes off from the Santa Barbara Airport on July 10, 1983. After these pictures were taken it suffered damage to its wing spar and was grounded. Since at least 1996, it has been used as an engine test stand by Butler Aircraft Company at Redmond, Oregon.

Santa Barbara Airport, July 1985

TBM Inc. Douglas DC-7B, N838D Tanker e60 takes off from the Santa Barbara Airport in July 1985.

Reno Stead Airport, September 15, 1991

TBM Inc. Douglas DC-7B, N838D Tanker e60 at the Reno Air Races on September 15, 1991.

Santa Barbara Airport, May 12, 2002

Douglas DC-6, N90739 Tanker 68 cranks up number-1 engine at the start of the first mission of the day on May 12, 2002. It is operated by TBM Inc. and based in Prescott, Arizona. Its Douglas construction number is 43044. It was delivered to American Airlines as Flagship Georgia on October 10, 1947. F.B. Ayer and Associates bought it on November 17, 1966 and sold it to Miami Aviation Corporation on April 4, 1967. Dallas Aero Services leased it in October 1968, bought it in May 1969, and retired it in 1970. TBM Inc. acquired it in 1973. It is the only DC-6 still fighting wild fires.

TBM Inc. Douglas DC-6, N90739 Tanker 68

TBM Inc. Douglas DC-6 N90739 Tanker 68 landing at the Santa Barbara Airport on May 12, 2002.

TBM Inc. Douglas DC-6, N90739 Tanker 68 landing at the Santa Barbara Airport on May 12, 2002.

Santa Barbara Airport, September 26, 2003

Butler Aircraft Douglas DC-7B, N6353C Tanker 66 visited the Goleta Tanker Station in September 2003. It was delivered to United Airlines as Mainliner Lincoln on April 11, 1958. Its Douglas construction number is 45486. Acme Aircraft Inc. bought it on May 27, 1964 and sold it to International Aerodyne in 1965. Ports of Call Travel Club leased it in May 1966. TBM Inc. of Tulare, California bought it in March 1975. Butler Aircraft Company of Redmond, Oregon is a subsidiary of TBM Inc.

Tanker 66 is one of only four DC-7s still fighting wildfires. The DC-7B is powered by 3,250-horsepower Wright R-3350-18DA-4 turbo-compound radial engines with four-bladed propellers.

Link to the Butler Aircraft Company web page.

Fox Field, November 25, 2007

I read a report on Inciweb that 13 tankers, including the DC-10 and two SuperScoopers, fought the Corral Fire near Malibu on Saturday, November 24, 2007. I went to Fox Field near Lancaster on Sunday morning to photograph the tanker operations. When I arrived there were two Butler Aircraft Douglas DC-7s and four Neptune Aviation Services Lockheed P-2 Neptunes parked at the tanker station. The Santa Ana winds had died down, and the tankers were not flying.

The Fox Field Tanker Station on November 25, 2007.

Butler Aircraft Douglas DC-7 N401US Tanker 62 was delivered to United Airlines as N6331C Mainliner Kansas City on February 13, 1957. Its construction number 45145. C & J Aircraft Leasing bought it and gave it its current registration on January 21, 1964. It was leased to U.S. Overseas Airlines. Stanley D. Weiss bought it in 1965 and sold it to Nathaniel Hawthorne College in January 1968. Pacific Coast Airlines leased it in July 1969. Porter Aircraft Services bought it in January 1970 and sold it to A. W. McDonnell in December 1970. Hemet Valley Flying Service bought it in April 1973 and sold it to Butler Aircraft Company in March 1976.

Butler Aircraft Douglas DC-7 N6353C Tanker 66

DC-7 N401US Tanker 62 and DC-7 N6353C Tanker 66 and a really big Smokey the Bear hat.

DC-7 N401US Tanker 62

Lockheed P2V-5H Neptune N443NA Tanker 43, DC-7 N401US Tanker 62, DC-7 N6353C Tanker 66, and Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune N96278 Tanker 05.

DC-7 N401US Tanker 62, DC-7 N6353C Tanker 66, and Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune N96278 Tanker 05.

More Tanker Photos

Aerial tankers

Much of the information on this page was extracted from Piston Engine Airliner Production List by A. B. Eastwood and J. Roach, published by The Aviation Hobby Shop,

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Aerial Tankers

2020 Calendar

You can buy a 2020 Calendar featuring my photographs of aerial tankers in flight and fighting fires.

A dozen photos of aerial tankers:

Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress N17W Tanker 04, Santa Barbara, September 12, 1979
Douglas DC-7C N5903 Tanker 35, Santa Barbara, November 28, 1980
Douglas C-54E Cargomaster N460WA Tanker 151, Santa Ynez Valley, July 30, 1990
California Air National Guard C-130E Tanker 6, NAWS Pt. Mugu, April 25, 1998
Douglas C-54E Cargomaster N8502G Tanker 65, Santa Barbara Airport, May 5, 2004
Evergreen S-64E Skycrane N6979R Tanker 707, Santa Ynez Valley, May 7, 2004
Evergreen International Boeing 747 Supertanker, San Bernardino, May 31, 2006
Grumman S-2T Tracker N439DF Tanker 74, Santa Barbara Airport, June 19, 2006
Lockheed P2V-5 N1386C Tanker 44, Santa Barbara, June 19, 2006
Coulson Flying Tankers Martin JRM Hawaii Mars, Lake Elsinore, October 27, 2007
McDonnell-Douglas DC-10-30 10 Tanker Air Carrier Tanker 911, Mesa, Arizona 2011
BAE-146-200A N146FF Tanker 40, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, June 15, 2012

Put a copy of the Aerial Tankers: 2020 Calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $14.95.

Firefighting Aircraft of CAL FIRE

2020 Calendar

You can buy a 2020 calendar featuring my photographs of California Department of Forestry fire fighting aircraft.

This calendar is dedicated to the men and women of CAL FIRE and honors those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the citizens of California.

A dozen photos of California Department of Forestry fire fighting aircraft:

Grumman US-2A Tracker N416DF Tanker 96, Santa Barbara, September 13, 1979
Grumman F7F-3 Tigercat NX7195C Tanker E40, Beale Air Force Base, May 31, 1980
Grumman TS-2A Tracker N405DF Tanker 72, Santa Barbara, October 16, 1985
Grumman TS-2A Tracker N406DF Tanker 73, Santa Barbara, July 19, 1990
Grumman TS-2A Tracker N420DF Tanker 75, Santa Ynez Mountains. August 15, 2002
Bell UH-1H Huey N805EH, Santa Ynez Mountains. August 15, 2002
McDonnell-Douglas DC-10-10 Tanker 910, Victorville, June 17, 2005
Grumman S-2T Tracker N439DF Tanker 74, Santa Barbara, June 19, 2006
Grumman S-2T Tracker N436DF Tanker 76, Santa Barbara, June 19, 2006
North American OV-10A Bronco N403DF, Santa Barbara, June 19, 2006
Grumman S-2T Tracker N439DF Tanker 74, Santa Barbara, June 25, 2006
McDonnell-Douglas DC-10-10 Tanker 911, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, June 11, 2011

Put a copy of the CAL FIRE: 2020 Calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $14.95.

Day Fire Tankers at Santa Barbara

2020 calendar

You can buy a 2020 calendar featuring my photographs of Day Fire Tankers at Santa Barbara.

Aerial tankers fought the Day Fire from the Santa Barbara Air Attack Station for ten days, from Monday, September 18 to Wednesday September 27. Three Lockheed P-2 Neptunes and four Lockheed P-3 Orions visited the Air Attack Station during the fire. This calendar includes a dozen photos of those tankers:

Neptune Aviation Lockheed SP-2H Neptune, N4235T Tanker 09
Neptune Aviation Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune, N96264 Tanker 12
Neptune Aviation Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune, N1386C Tanker 44
Aero Union Lockheed P-3A-25 Orion, N920AU Tanker 20
Aero Union Lockheed P-3A-45 Orion, N921AU Tanker 21
Aero Union Lockheed P-3A-45 Orion, N922AU Tanker 22
Aero Union Lockheed P-3A-40 Orion, N925AU Tanker 25

Put a copy of the Day Fire Tankers at Santa Barbara: 2020 calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $14.95.

Firefighting Helicopters

2020 calendar

You can buy a 2020 calendar featuring my photographs of Firefighting Helicopters.

A dozen photos of firefighting helicopters.

Santa Barbara County Fire Department Bell UH-1H Huey N205FD Tanker 309
Santa Barbara County Fire Department Bell UH-1H Huey N205KS Tanker 308
Era Aviation Bell 212 N508EH
Marine Corps Boeing-Vertol CH-46F Sea Knight BuNo 155315 Tanker 906
Marine Corps Boeing-Vertol CH-46F Sea Knight BuNo 156426 Tanker 904
Columbia Helicopters Kawasaki-Vertol KV107-11 N184CH
Siller Brothers Sikorsky S-61N N15456
Evergreen Sikorsky S-64E Skycrane N6979R Tanker 707
Helicopter Transport Services Sikorsky CH-54B Skycrane N720HT Tanker 720
Erickson Air Crane Sikorsky S64E Skycrane N247AC 744

Put a copy of the Firefighting Helicopters: 2020 calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $14.95.

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