531

C-GJEA getting maintenance at Schwatka Lake base, Whitehorse.

Photo: Ab Gobets © 16 July 1987 - via Coert Munk - Aird Archives

C-GJEA at Whitehorse, Yukon.

Photo: Kenneth I. Swartz © June 1981 - Aird Archives

Photo: Gary Vincent © August 1980 - Aird Archives

C-GJEA wntering at Whitehorse, Yukon.

Photo: Bob Cameron © Date unknown

N17391 at Rapid City, South Dakota.

Photo: Jay Sherlock © May 1973

52-6139 20th TFW 55 TFS

Photo: Unknown photographer © Unknown date - via Peter Schinkelshoek - Aird Archives

Photo: Henk Scherringa © Aviationwebshop

531

52-6139 • N9824F • 52-6139 • N17391 • C-GJEA

CF-HYT

• 52-6139 USAF #1301. Delivered 04-Sep-1953 L-20 No: 302 Command AF-3.

• N9824F Operated by Bentwood USAF Flying Club (Bentwaters & Woodbridge) at RAF Woodbridge. Dec-1960 – Aug-1962.

• 52-6139 California ANG.

• 52-6139 Struck off charge from USAF inventory on 17-Dec-1971 having been stored at Warner Robins AFB.

• N17391 South Dakota Schools. Jan-1972.

• N17391 Southwestern Civil Preparedness District, Custer, SD. Dates currently unknown.

• C-GJEA Imported into Canada 1979.

• C-GJEA Klaas Heynen, Whitehorse, YT. On CCAR at May-1981. Canx 17-Dec-1985.

• C-GJEA Aerokon Aviation Ltd., Whitehorse, YT. Regd 03-Jul-1987. Canx 26-Oct-1995. Canx 30-Aug-2023.

• CF-HYT Matthew O'Brien, Whitehorse, YT. Regd 30-Aug-2023.

Note: Aircraft being worked on at AP Aviation Services Ltd., Courtenay, BC.

• Being rebuilt •

USAF HISTORY:

52-6139 was made available on 30-Jun-1953 and accepted on 16-Jul-1953 by the 6600^th Air Depot AMO (Air Material Overseas Unit), at Downsview,ON. However it suffered category 2 damage (minor/medium) when it suffered a ground loop in a takeoff accident at Toronto, ON., on 27-Jul-1953. It is likely that this was at the start of the delivery flight to Newark, NY., after being accepted but prior to delivery to the US Air Force, as this tied in with delivery dates of the previous and subsequent aircraft for the US Air Force. The actual delivery date of 04-Sep-1953 would seem to indicate that it was taken back into the de Havilland Canada workshops for repair.

The delay might have been longer as it is shown as only leaving Newark on 04-Jun-1954 on its way to Chateauroux in France and the 7373^rd Maintenance Group where it was prepared for service with Air Force Europe. It was initially sent to Sculthorpe in Norfolk and attached to the47th Bombardment Wing in Jul-1954.

Emblem of the 47^th Bombardment Wing

After this it was quickly sent to Wethersfield in Essex, UK., and attached to the 20th Fighter Bomber Wing where it stayed until 01-Dec-1955 before returning to Sculthorpe as the 20^th was deployed there until 01-Mar-1956.

Emblem of the 20^th Fighter Bomber Wing.

Now it was back to Wethersfield until 26-Sep-1956 when it returned to France and Chateauroux and the 3131th Maintenance Group where it resided until 03-Nov-1956.

It returned to its previous unit at Wethersfield now re designated as the 20^th Tactical Fighter Wing until 26-Feb-1960 after which it went to the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing at Lakenheath in Suffolk remaining until 25-Nov-1962. Its last deployment in England was at Bentwaters with the 81^st Tactical Fighter Wing up until 05-Dec-1963.

The record card now shows it at Hagerstown, MD., with the Air Depot of the Fairchild Aircraft Company. This was between 22-Feb-1963 and 16-May-1963 when it was dispatched to be assigned to the Strategic Air Command and the 9^th Strategic Aerospace Wing at Dyess AFB., TX.

The aircraft was struck off charge from the USAF inventory on 17-Dec-1971 having previously been stored at Warner Robins AFB.