Finding visuals...
  • The Locator
  • Airframes Database

    Social media...
    Follow AV on facebook
    Follow AV on Twitter @aerial_visuals
    Follow the AV YouTube Channel

    Site navigation...
  • Home
  • Desktop Calendar
  • The Racers
  • FAQs
  • About Aerial Visuals
  • Comment on this Dossier

  • Search For Airframes Now
    Search - Index - Gallery - Reports - Lists - AV Needs You!

    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Douglas DC-1 / DC-2/R2D / DC-3 Dakota / C-47/R4D Skytrain / C-53 Skytrooper
    Latest Model:C-53C Skytrooper
    Last Military Serial:43-2023 USAAF
    Construction Number:04979
    Last Civil Registration:N56NA
    Compressed ID:Douglas C-53C sn 43-2023 USAAF cn 0...
    Latest Owner or Location:Musee Europeen de lAviation de Chasse, Montelimar-Ancone, France, Ancone, Montelimar, Drome

    EDIT THE HISTORY HERE
    If you can add to the history or would like to submit a correction please use the editor to do so.

    UPLOAD A PHOTO
    If you have a photo of this airframe to share then use the photo upload tool.

    The Airframes Database depends on user contributions to stay current.
    If you have any news about this airframe or photos which you would like to share please do so
    by using the links above.
    The more you and others share the better the database becomes!

    Dates

    Event

    Constructed as a DC-3A-453.

    Civil registration NC30026 reserved but not taken up.

    Converted to a C-53C.

    Circa 1943

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 43-2023.

    Transferred to 7th AF ATC.
    Used as personal aircraft of General Montgomery 8th Army in North Africa and Italy during WWII.

    To unknown owner with c/r NC19934.
    Sold to United and then Northern Airlines as a DC-3A after WWII.

    To unknown owner with c/r N93C.

    To unknown owner with c/r N81R.

    To unknown owner with c/r N400RS.

    14 June 1986

    Certificate of airworthiness for N56NA (DC-3A-S1C3G, 4979) issued.

    15 October 2001

    To unknown owner with c/r N56NA.
    Registration pending to a new owner in Casablanca.

    November 2001

    Placed on display with Musee Europeen de lAviation de Chasse, Montelimar-Ancone, France, Ancone, Montelimar, Drome.
    View the Location Dossier

    21 April 2006


    Photographer: Robert Nichols

    7 June 2012

    To unknown owner with c/r N56NA.

    7 June 2012

    Civil registration, N56NA, cancelled.
    Registration pending to a new owner in Casablanca.

    4 August 2013


    Photographer: Reinhard Jost
    Notes: N56NA Missing its outer wings at Montelimar, France

    1 January 2014

    Certificate of airworthiness for N56NA (DC-3A-S1C3G, 4979) issued.

    1 January 2014

    To unknown owner with c/r N56NA.
    Registration pending to a new owner in Casablanca.

    15 May 2019


    Photographer: John Bennett
    Notes: Taken at Montelimar-Ancone, France

    18 July 2023


    Photographer: Gunther Debiscop


    This dossier is waiting for review by an editor.This airframe dossier is based on
    unreviewed imported data.
    If you can verify the documented history or add to it with additional text and/or photos please feel free to do so by using the upload tool and the history editor.

    Credits
    Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...

    Print Sources
    European Military Out of Service 2018 by Otger van der Kooij and Andy Marden

    Internet Sources
    Airbus, Boeing, Convair and Douglas Production List
    Federal Aviation Administration in the United States of America

    Individual Contributors
    John Bennett
    Robert Nichols

    Tell Others About this Airframe Dossier
    Forum Link: [URL=https://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=69080][IMG]/home/users/web/b1393/nf.aerialvisuals/public_html/AV/Support/Logo_20x20.jpg[/IMG]Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - Douglas C-53C Skytrooper, s/n 43-2023 USAAF, c/n 04979, c/r N56NA[/URL]
    Direct Link: https://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=69080

    Copyright 1993-2025 www.m.AerialVisuals.ca
    The Aerial Visuals pages are best viewed with a screen at least 800 pixels wide.
    In case you are wondering Aerial Visuals is a huge fan Google Chrome. If you do not have Chrome installed why not?
    Aerial Visuals requires cookies and Javascript to function correctly. Please ensure these features are enabled in your browser.
    Aerial Visuals is powered by Netfirms.