most well-known of all C-82 aircraft, Steward-Davis' workhorse N6887C can
arguably make the claim to leading the most interesting of C-82 careers. After a lengthy
and varied service in the USAF, the aircraft was briefly registered as N6989C then
CC-CRA-0507 for Chile before being registered as N6887C. Under Steward-Davis
ownership N6887C saw several flights to Surinam for a Dutch gold-mining company,
USAF test flights and up to three Hollywood film leases - one a starring role over the
sand dunes of Imperial Valley. N6887C worked out the later half of the 1960's as a Flying
Repair Station servicing or salvaging aircraft in remote areas, especially down in Mexico.
It was impounded by Mexican authorities about this time for an illegal flight into Mexican
airspace. The aircraft was held at Hermosillo Airport for over 10 years before being gifted
to the city as a park display item for children. There N6887C stayed for 22 years before
city officials deemed it too unsafe and corroded for further display and scrapped the airframe.
Converted to SC-82A standards.
Deployment to Williams AFB, AZ. 11 January, 1951.
Converted back to C-82A standards.
of sending C-82A s/n: 44-23027 / reg.: N5095V.
mining company based on the Lawa River, Surinam. The aircraft transported a bucket-line
dredger and associated equipment from Long Beach to Paramaribo, Surinam where it was
then transported by land through jungle to be assembled. Pilots were Cecil Johns, Ted
Whaley and Bob Thayer as loadmaster. The flights finished in late 1961.
of C-82 Jet-Packet performance. Tests concluded on 2 September, 1961.
Las Vegas, Nevada after the newspaper suffered the loss of their printing presses due
to fire. C-82A s/n: 45-577807 / N74127 was also involved in this lease.
in Humboldt County, California.
evident on nose and port tail fin.
Phoenix (1965). Pilots were Earl Bellotte, Ted Whaley and FAA rep. Bob Thayer. The
aircraft was based out of Yuma Intl. Airport, Arizona from 1 July to about mid July. For
the film it was painted in the fictional livery of the Arabco Oil Co.
or replace airliner piston or jet engines. This became the aircraft's main role up to 1970.
Bay on the island of St. Lucia in the Caribbean for the production of Doctor Dolittle (1967).
unclear but its likely to be the I Spy TV series (1965-1968).
Departing Long Beach, the C-82 developed an oil leak in one of the engines so the pilot
elected to land at Hermosillo, Mexico for repairs. When Mexican customs officials found
the aircraft had no permits or flight-plan for Mexican airspace the aircraft was impounded
on the spot and the crew returned to the US. After much legal wrangling, N6887C was
abandoned by it's owners and the aircraft remained at Hermosillo Airport for the next
12 or so years. Pilots were Ted Whaley, Don Dinoff and Tim Mulligan as flight engineer.
NOTE: Currently the date of this incident looks to be around early 1970.
Popular Infantil, a science-based outdoor park for children where it was known as
the "Plane of Science".
A very rare photo in Rivaereo Co. Chilean markings with the original
US registration of N6989C on the upper starboard wing. Probably
photographed over the ocean off Long Beach in June, 1958.
Photo: via Juan Carlos Velasco.
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An early shot of N6887C in a bare-metal finish with the registration
on the booms. Torrance Municipal Airport, CA., January 21, 1959.
Photo: Gary Killion.
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Fantastic shot of N6887C in the livery of Lawa Goudvelden of Surinam, a lease
company which used the C-82 to fly dredge equipment from the US to Surinam
in 1961. Photographed here at Long Beach Airport, CA. in March, 1963.
Photo: Eddie Coates.
A still from the Hollywood motion picture The Flight of the Phoenix (1965), showing
N6887C in flight over Imperial Valley simulating an Arabco Oil Co. Skytruck
crossing the Sahara Desert. Note the removal of the jet-pak.
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N6887C back at Long Beach Airport, California soon after filming in mid-1965.
Note the re-installation of the J1600 Jet-Pak and blanked out Arabco Oil logos.
photo: John P. Stewart.
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N6887C at Long Beach, CA. still painted in it's Phoenix film livery but now
with Jet-Packet stencilled on the booms and Steward-Davis on the nose.
Note the replaced engine cowling which is in bare-metal and dirty booms
which may indicate some dirt-strip operations. The date of this still is
unknown but will be between 1966 and 1969.
Photo: Andre van Loon Collection.
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another angle on N6887C with very worn markings at Long Beach, CA.
probably around 1968-1969. The C-82 directly behind N6887C is fellow
Phoenix movie-star N53228.
Photo: Andre van Loon Collection.
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At some point Steward-Davis cleaned up N6887C back to bare-metal obviously
intending further use of the aircraft. It's seen here at Chino Airport, CA.
around 1969-1970. Note the different shaded ventral fins.
Photo: Andre van Loon Collection.
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An interesting livery for N6887C, now with black painted exhaust areas, blue
Steward-Davis logos, fin and cowling trim plus a speedy looking jet-pod.
Photographed at Long Beach, CA. around 1970, probably not long before
it was impounded in Hermosillo, Mexico.
Photo: Richard Vandervord Collection.
A Google-Earth picture of the Parque Popular Infantil in Hermosillo,
Mexico around 2004-2005 clearly showing the "Plane of Science".
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The unfortunate remains of N6887C during it's
removal from the Children's Park in Hermosillo
on November 20, 2005.
Photo: Pepe Avila / Mexican Expreso Newspaper.
A model of N6887C in Arabco Oil livery owned by fellow C-82 enthusiast Andre van Loon.