Yes, based off of that Annex, I would agree about a 72nd TCS aircraft being the tug for Glider 1. I presume that the HQ ships carried heavy drop items.
Looks like I am going to have to admit defeat and go to an alternate here. Since I can’t determine the identity of the airplane Whitacre flew after contacting the Glider Museum staff and the person they recommended, Patrick Elie, I am going to put the markings of a C-47 from the 73rd squadron on my C-47. In one of the personal histories in Elie’s site this airplane is identified as 43-16052, CN fuselage code, Radio call sign O on the tail. Flown by 1st Lieutenant John R. Devitt. Elie says the Whitacre was flying Chalk 1, an HQ ship, which conflicts with a document I found on his site, so it appears some aircraft switching went on at the last minute. I’d rather keep the facts straight than have a model to represent the one that towed the Fighting Falcon with markings that are guess.
Well here is a 72nd TCS C-53 that flew on D-Day and was restored to its WWII markings.
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WME38Y_Douglas_C_53D_Skytrooper_AMC_McClellan_CA
here she is in late WWII
Sorry the guys at the NWWIIGPA couldn’t help you, John. I am surprised you got an answer this quickly, as this is the Thanksgiving weekend and everyone is probably busy with family stuff. I am going to the Historic Aviation Memorial Museum out in Tyler, Texas soon. They have a small aviation library and I’ll check to see if they have any books on glider operations there. I’ll keep checking, just for curiosity more than anything. Might just be one of those details that are lost to history.
Gary
PS> Mr. Day has an interesting article on “The Fighting Falcon” at the museum site, here:
Stik, that is a somewhat familiar airplane to me, as in the past I volunteered as a docent at McClellan which is about 20 miles from where I am sitting. According to the museum’s history it flew paratroopers on D-Day, but now I am beginning to wonder if it might be possible that it is the airplane I am looking for. I’ve given tours of the airplane but the main airplane I was associated with was an F-101B. Here is a photo of me sitting in Ruby Ann.
My goodness, that’s about 20 mins from my sister’s house. I had no idea there was a museum there.
Nice pic, btw.
Yes, I saw that bird when I went to a MOS school outside of Sacramento nearly 20 years ago. Seeing how that bird was assigned to 72nd TCS, 434th TCG, I doubt it carried paratroopers on D-Day. Especially after looking at the mission taskings of each Group. Even if it did not tow the Falcon, it was most likely part of Mission Chicago and that lift.
The one thing I really enjoyed about the McClellan museum when I was there was the thorough history on each airframe there at the time.Except the Mig-17, and we can’t be too choosey when it comes to ex commie warbirds…