Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation Has Restored The Airplane

The Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation is reportedly ready to fly the world's only certified and airworthy C-97 Stratofreighter.

The foundation acquired the aircraft in 1996 with the intention of creating a flying exhibit dedicated to the Berlin Airlift and the Cold War. This aircraft has been a long term project due to its complexities, the BAHF said on its website, owing much of that to its 28 cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-4360 engines.

Warbird News reports that the airplane was ferried to Greybull, WY for restoration. The FAA signed off on the airplane in 2000, and it was painted in to represent the only C-97 to be used in the Berlin Airlift. She is currently being housed at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, NY.

The first engine runs took place in October of last year, and crew training got underway. But the program ran into a snag due to FAA requirements on crew currency requirements. While rules require that pilots need to be current in type, there are no such pilots on the planet. BAHF is currently waiting for the FAA to confirm acceptance of pilots and engineers with multiple type ratings to fly the airplane.

(Public domain image from file)

FMI: www.spiritoffreedom.org