EC-47 Serial Numbers and Data

Table Headings Explanations

S/N: The original U.S. Army Air Forces serial number.* The first two digits indicate the fiscal year in which the order for the aircraft was placed. The numbers following the dash represent the numerical sequence of aircraft ordered in that fiscal year. For example, 45-0925, the original HAWK EYE aircraft, was the 925th aircraft to be ordered in fiscal year 1945.

Last 3: The last 3 digits of the S/N. An aid to identification of the complete S/N when only the last 3 digits are known.

Model: The model number of the aircraft after conversion to EC-47. (The aircraft were originally redesignated RC-47, the R standing for Reconnaissance. The designation was later changed to EC-47, the E standing for Special Electronic Mission.) EC-47N models rolled off the WWII assembly line as A models; EC-47Ps were originally B models. (O is not used to avoid confusion with zero.) EC-47Q models were earlier models retrofitted with more powerful R-2000 engines. (Click here for further explanation of EC-47 model designations.)

Mission Configuration: Mission equipment installed as of August, 1969. Aircraft carrying only the X (ARDF) and Y (collection/support) positions were generally referred to as “straight birds” while those fitted with Z1 and Z2 positions were called “Z birds”. The five aircraft fitted with the QRC-346 electronic warfare suite were informally tagged as “Q birds”. These should NOT be confused with the EC-47Q model noted above, although at times these were also called Q Birds. The QRC-346-equipped "jammers" were in fact all EC-47N airframes.

Built as: C-47 was the basic designation of the aircraft, the C indicating that this was the forty-seventh “C” (cargo, or transport) design to be accepted by the Army Air Corps. The initial model designation of USAAC/USAAF aircraft did not include an alpha suffix. Thus the C-47A was actually the second model to be produced. Fairly significant design changes resulted in the B model. Following the model designator is the “block number”. Each block number represented relatively minor variations from the previous block, but not significant enough to warrant a model change. The last two letters represent the manufacturer and plant location. DL indicated Douglas Long Beach, CA, while DK indicated Douglas Oklahoma City, OK.

Delivery date: The approximate date of delivery or acceptance by the USAAF in World War II. (The two events might be separated by a few days.) 

NOTE: This listing will be gradually updated to include links to photographs and additional information.

  Last 3 Model Mission Configuration  Built as: Delivery date:                                                  Notes
42-23520 520 N ALR-34, Y C-47A-20-DL 04/20/43  
42-23882  882  N ALR-35, Y, Z C-47A-35-DL 06/21/43  
42-24300  300  N ALR-35, Y, Z C-47A-50-DL 09/01/43  
42-24304  304  Q -- C-47A-50-DL 09/02/43  Crashed in Alaska en route to SEA, 25 Oct 1968. 
42-24313  313  N ALR-34, Y, Z C-47A-50-DL 09/03/43  
42-93161  161  N ALR-34, Y C-47A-20-DK  04/16/44  
42-93166  166  N ALR-34, Y C-47A-20-DK  04/17/44  
42-93704  704  Q ALR-35, Y, Z C-47A-25-DK  06/19/44  
42-93735  735  N ALR-34, Y C-47A-25-DK  06/21/44  
42-93814  814  N ALR-35, Y, Z C-47A-25-DK  06/29/44  
42-100513  513  N ALR-34, Y, Q C-47A-65-DL  10/25/43  
42-100665  665  N ALR-34, Y, Z C-47A-70-DL  11/23/43  
42-100950  950  N ALR-34, Y, Z C-47A-75-DL  01/12/44  WWII vet (Italy) 7th TCS, 62d Transport Group.
42-100984  984  N ALR-34, Y, Q C-47A-75-DL  01/15/44  WWII vet (England) 53d TCS, 61st Transport Group.
42-108980  980  N ALR-34, Y, Z C-47A-25-DK  06/19/44  
43-15112  112  N ALR-34, Y C-47A-80-DL 02/04/44  
43-15133  133  N ALR-34, Y, Z C-47A-80-DL 02/08/44  Destroyed, ground attack. Pleiku, 19 May 1970.
43-15204  204  Q ALR-38, Y, Z C-47A-80-DL 02/18/44  
43-15603  603  N ALR-34, Y, Q C-47A-85-DL 04/15/44  
43-15668  668  N ALR-34, Y C-47A-85-DL 04/22/44  
43-15681  681  Q -- C-47A-90-DL 04/26/44  
43-15979  979  N ALR-34, Y, Z C-47A-90-DL 06/02/44  
43-15980  980  N ALR-34, Y C-47A-90-DL 06/02/44  
43-16029  029  Q ALR-35, Y, Z C-47A-90-DL 06/09/44  
43-16055  055  N ALR-34, Y, Q C-47A-90-DL 06/12/44  
43-16095  095  N ALR-34, Y, Z C-47A-90-DL 06/19/44  
43-16123  123  N ALR-34, Y, Q C-47A-90-DL 06/22/44  
43-30730  730  Q 38-Mini, Y, Z C-47A-60-DL 10/04/43  
43-48009  009  Q -- C-47A-30-DK 07/07/44  
43-48072  072  N ALR-35, Y, Z C-47A-30-DK 07/12/44  
43-48087  087  Q -- C-47A-30-DK 07/13/44  
43-48153  153  N ALR-35, Y, Z C-47A-30-DK 07/19/44  
43-48158  158  N ALR-34, Y, Z C-47A-30-DK 07/21/44  
43-48402  402  P ALR-35, Y, Z C-47B-1-DK 08/18/44  WWII Operation VARSITY. Lost as CAP 53. 2 KIA
43-48480  480  P ALR-34, Y C-47B-1-DK 09/05/44  
43-48636  636  Q -- C-47B-5-DK 12/14/44 Downed  02/05/73 (BARON 52) Crew KIA.
43-48702  702  P ALR-34, Y, Z C-47B-5-DK 09/30/44  
43-48767  767  P ALR-34, Y C-47B-5-DK 09/16/44  
43-48871  871  P ALR-34, Y, Z C-47B-5-DK 09/27/44  
43-48886  886  P ALR-34, Y C-47B-5-DK 09/??/44  
43-48933  933  P ALR-34, Y C-47B-10-DK 10/03/44  
43-48947  947  P ALR-34, Y C-47B-10-DK 10/04/44  
43-48959  959  Q ALR-35, Y, Z C-47B-10-DK 10/11/44  Crashed at Phu Bai, 09/30/69 (CAP 54). No casualties.
43-49009  009  P ALR-34, Y, Z C-47B-10-DK 10/18/44  
43-49013  013  P ALR-34, Y, Z C-47B-10-DK 10/11/44  
43-49100  100 P ALR-34, Y C-47B-10-DK 10/18/44  Crashed after in-flight fire, 0/08/69 (PRONG 33). Crew KIA.
43-49126  126  P ALR-34, Y C-47B-10-DK 10/21/44  
43-49201  201  P -- C-47B-10-DK 10/30/44  Presumed downed by enemy fire, 03/09/67 (TIDE 86)
43-49208  208  Q 38-Mini, Y, Z C-47B-10-DK 10/30/44  
43-49260  260  P ALR-35, Y, Z C-47B-10-DK 11/03/44  
43-49491  491  P ALR-34, Y, Z C-47B-15-DK 11/28/44  
43-49547  547  P -- C-47B-15-DK 12/01/44  Crashed on takeoff, Ubon RTAFB, 07 June 1969. (CAP 09). Injuries, no fatalities.
43-49570  570  Q ALR-35, Y, Z C-47B-15-DK 12/12/44  
43-49679  679  P -- C-47B-20-DK 01/05/45  Written off after ground collison with China Air C-46, 18 Feb 1967. Parked at time.
43-49703  703  P ALR-34, Y, Z C-47B-20-DK 01/22/45  
43-49771  771  Q 38-Mini, Y, Z C-47B-20-DK 01/02/45  
43-49865  865  P ALR-34, Y C-47B-20-DK 01/28/45  
44-76304  304  Q -- C-47B-25-DK  02/07/45  
44-76524  524  P ALR-34, Y TC-47B-25-DK 03/19/45  
44-76668  668  P ALR-34, Y C-47B-30-DK  04/05/45  
44-77016  016  P -- C-47B-35-DK  05/29/45  Downed by enemy fire, 11 Mar 1968 (BREW 41) No casualties.
44-77254  254  P ALR-35, Y, Z C-47B-40-DK  06/30/45  
45-0925  925  P ALR-34, Y, Z C-47B-45-DK  07/17/45  The original HAWKEYE aircraft. To VNAF, 1972.
45-0937  937  P ALR-35, Y, Z C-47B-45-DK  07/24/45  
45-1044  044  P ALR-34, Y C-47B-45-DK  08/09/45  
45-1046  046  P ALR-34, Y C-47B-45-DK  08/09/45  
45-1102  102  P ALR-35, Y, Z C-47B-45-DK  10/09/45  Destroyed in rocket attack, Danang, 13 Apr 1972.
45-1131  131  Q ALR-35, Y, Z C-47B-45-DK  11/20/45  
45-1133  133  Q -- C-47B-45-DK  11/15/45  Downed by enemy fire, 05 Feb 1969 (CAP 72).

 

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     * The term was in fact Air Forces, plural. The AAF (20 June 1941) did not replace the old Air Corps, which remained as an administrative and training arm. Air Force Combat Command (AFCC) would control the war fighting units. The AAF as a whole remained subordinate to the U.S. Army/War Department until the establishmenet of the USAF (singular) under the Department of Defense in 1947.