CNAC 53 is a special plane.
Here is a link to my last trip July 2008 to Pienma.
Every CNAC plane had a serial number to identify it. CNAC 53 was one of
the unfortunate planes that didn’t make it across the Hump. While
on a trip from
The Story (short version).
In 1943, three planes took off from
Unfortunately they still found bad weather. Jim Fox’s plane crashed in the mountains near Pienma. Pete Goutiere saw it go into the mountainside (there’s plenty of footage with Pete telling his account).
Red Holmes, Fox’s best buddy from high school times, and a training instructor himself, joins CNAC with the main purpose of finding out what happened to his friend. His personal account of the event can be found in one of the "Wings Over Asia" books done for the CNAC Association members. If I get permission, I will post his story.
Red Holmes, Fletcher Hanks and Steve Kusak walked to the
crash site in 1944. My father almost lost his life in the expedition. Red and
Fletcher saved his life, but, partly as a result of that, the plane was
not found.
Red’s account of the walk is worth reading. Fletcher has written a book and made a documentary about the story. He uses footage from my father’s 8 mm film in that documentary.
One of the mules in the expedition ran
away, taking with it several rolls of film. Only one roll survived,
because it was in the camera and not in the mule-pack.
Sometimes I dream of stumbling upon the bones of a long-dead mule in the
eastern spurs of the
Fletcher's Odyssey
Fletcher Hanks has devoted the last two decades to searching for and
finding that plane, which culminated in 1996, when he finally got to the
crash site. He had his share of adventure on his quest. It is not up to
me to narrate his story, but I strongly recommend both his
book and
documentary, both of which are excellent. I will try to find the links
to the story online.
The plane, sadly, survived in the jungle much better than it has fared
since its return to civilization. It was partly been dismantled and sold to private
owners. It is my hope that some of these gentlemen will return the pieces to the
original plane in Pienma.
The Memorial
There is a museum and memorial in Pienma with CNAC 53 reconstructed with some original pieces.
September, 2007 Fletcher and I were treated like kings during
the unveiling ceremony.
Most accounts on this last part will be here soon.