c/n 167

55-3307

FAN-1013

• 55-3307 United States Army. Delivered 26-Oct-1956. Designated U-1A.

Initially assigned to 3rd Aviation Company, Fort Riley, KS.

Jul-1957. Deployed with 3rd Aviation Company to Illesheim, Germany.

Nov-1959. Assigned to 245th TAAM (Transport Company Army Aircraft Maintenance) at Coleman Barracks, Mannheim, Germany.

Date unknown. 2nd Aviation Company in France. Location unknown.

Jan-1963. 582nd Transportation Company, Coleman Barracks, Mannheim, Germany.

Oct-1963. US Military Mission to the Congo (the former Belgian Congo), supporting the US Embassy.

Apr-1964.Returned to the 582nd Transportation Company at Coleman Barracks, Mannheim, Germany.

Nov-1964 it re-joined the 2nd Aviation Company in France.

Jul-1966 it was flown to the Depot at Coleman Barracks for overhaul and storage.

July 1967 Joined the US Army Europe Aviation Safety & Standardisation Detachment, Munich, Germany.

Oct-1967. Returned to USA.

Aug-1968. 388th Transportation Company, Vung Tau. Vietnam.

Aug-1968. 54th Signal Battalion, Nha Trang, Vietnam.

Oct-1969. 79th Transportation Company, Nha Trang, Vietnam.

Nov-1969 18th Aviation Company, until it was disbanded.

Mar-1971. Placed in storage with the 388th Transportation Company at Vung Tau, this unit being responsible for the storage and disposal of all the US Army Otters in Vietnam.

Jun-1971 Shipped to Panama and then towed on the road, sans wings, to Albrook AFB., where was re-assembled by the Army's 590th Maintenance Company, refurbished, re- painted and then handed over to the Fuerza Aérea de Nicaragua (FAN).

• FAN-1013 Government of Nicaragua under a Military Aid Program for the Fuerza Aérea de Nicaragua (FAN).

Accident: Nicaragua. Details unknown.

• Written off •

Otter 167 was delivered to the United States army on 26th October 1956 with serial 55-3307 (tail number 53307). It was assigned to the 3rd Aviation Company, Fort Riley, Kansas and deployed with the Company to Illesheim, Germany in July 1957. The 3rd Aviation Company disbanded in November 1959 and 53307 then joined the 245th TAAM at Coleman Barracks, Mannheim, Germany where it crashed, but was repaired and was then assigned to the 2nd Aviation Company in France. In January 1963 it was assigned to the 582nd Transportation Company at Coleman Barracks until   October 1963, when it headed south to Africa for a posting to the US Military Mission to the Congo (the former Belgian Congo), supporting the US Embassy. In April 1964 it returned to the 582nd Transportation Company at Coleman Barracks and in November 1964 it re-joined the 2nd Aviation Company in France. It was noted visiting Abbotsinch (Glasgow) Airfield in Scotland on 18th June 1966 while in service with the 2nd Aviation Company.

In July 1966 it was flown to the Depot at Coleman Barracks for overhaul and storage and in July 1967 joined the US Army Europe Aviation Safety & Standardisation Detachment, Munich, Germany. This Detachment acted as a test unit for all new types of aircraft received for use by US Army Europe and also trained Army pilots newly posted to Germany in the flying procedures applicable to aviation in Europe. The Otter was noted visiting Liverpool Airport, England on 19th September 1967, flying that day to Burtonwood.

The following month, October 1967, 53307's long stay in Europe came to an end. It was transported back to the United States and then onwards to Vietnam, where it was received by the 388th Transportation Company, Vung Tau. In August '68 it joined the 54th Signal Battalion until October 1969, when it went to the 79th Transportation Company, Nha Trang. In November '69 it joined the 18th Aviation Company, with whom it made history, as the following extract from the unit's history records: “At 11.15 hours on 25th March 1970, the 18th Aviation Company logged flying hour number 105,264 to break through the ten-million-mile mark. The aircraft was tail number 53307 and the crew consisted of the newest aviator in the Company, the aviator with the most Otter time in the Company and the crew chief with the most time in the Company. The pilot was 1st Lt. Mackey McDonald, who arrived at the 18th on 22nd March 1970 for his first Vietnam tour, and the flight Qui Nhon-Nha Trang-Qui Nhon was his first in-country flight as a pilot. The Instructor Pilot was CW2 Norman R. Toler who is currently serving his second tour with the 18th and has a total of 1,580 hours on the U-1A. The crew chief was SSG “Benny” Garrett who has served 33 months with the 18th Otters. While flying ten million miles is an accomplishment in itself, the 18th has also flown 25,294,400 pounds of cargo and 407,710 passengers on combat support missions from the Delta to the DMZ. With the passing of the ten million mile, we of the 18th Otters have added still another page to our proud heritage”.

53307 continued in service with the 18th Aviation Company until it was disbanded, and in March 1971 was placed in storage with the 388th Transportation Company at Vung Tau, this unit being responsible for the storage and disposal of all the US Army Otters in Vietnam. 53307 was one of five Otters in Vietnam selected by the Army for transfer to the Government of Nicaragua under a Military Aid Program. The five Otters were shipped from Vung Tau in June 1971, arriving at the port of Balboa in Panama. From the port the five Otters were towed with wings removed to Albrook AFB where they were re-assembled by the Army's 590th Maintenance Company, refurbished and re- painted and then handed over to the Fuerza Aérea de Nicaragua (FAN). With the FAN 53307 received serial FAN-1013. It was destroyed in a crash in Nicaragua, details unfortunately unknown.

Full history courtesy of Karl E. Hayes © from DHC-3 Otter: A History (2005).