French Skytrooper returns to the air

Since a number of years Douglas C-53D Skytrooper F-HVED has been under restoration at the Musée Aéronautique de Bretagne, based at Aéroport Rennes-St. Jacques. The restoration is now completed as it has recently made its first flight. It is finished in its original wartime colours as 42-68810 , with code T3-003, and named ‘Gruesome’

The plane was built in June 1943 in Santa Monica (CA) as a C-53D, the troop carrying version of the well-known C-47 Skytrain/Dakota. In contrast with the C-47 with its cargo door, the C-53 Skytrooper had only a passenger door.

The first wartime sortie of 42-68810 was during Operation Giant bringing 82nd Airborne Division troops to Salerno, Italy, in September 1943. In August 1944, it flew wounded service men from Coleville to the UK.

On 27 December 1944 the C-53 was used as tug for a Waco glider delivering supplies to the US troops around Bastogne, Belgium. Shortly before detachment of the glider the Douglas was hit by Flak, causing a man-size hole in the port wing. Despite this, the Skytrooper safely returned to its base. The crew was highly impressed by the ruggedness of their ship and nick-named it ‘Gruesome’

After the war, the Skytrooper was flown as an airliner by TWA, then as a company transport by Volkswagen USA, an Oil Company, then again as airliner with Air Americana, North American Airlines and Air Dakota. After a short interval at Melun-Villaroche, F-HVED finally touched down at Rennes.

Thanks to the people of the Musée Aéronautique de Bretagne, a next generation will be able to fly and enjoy a ‘Gruesome’ Skytrooper.

Photo by Yvon Cozannet (Andover2010) on Flickr