The Skytrain that became a ‘Spooky’ Gunship
Welcome to our latest edition of CORGI Die-cast Diaries, your fortnightly blog review bringing collectors all the news, updates and topical stories from the captivating world of CORGI die-cast model collecting.
This latest edition of Die-cast Diaries is being produced as the CORGI team are preparing for our latest impending roadshow event, our Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow weekend. We’re looking forward to taking this opportunity to show some of latest exciting model projects to enthusiasts and collectors ‘in the metal’, including new and impending model releases, as well as some exclusive show reveals. If you’re intending to head down to Duxford this coming weekend, please do make time to come and find us in the American Air Museum and say hello – we should be easy to spot, because we’ll have an SR-71 Blackbird over our heads.
In this latest blog update, our main subject brings you a report from a recent tooling modification project which was linked to an Aviation Archive tooling which was already regarded as something of a classic, but work which not only enhanced that offering, but also allowed us to immortalise a very specific variant of the aircraft in question in die-cast metal. We are, of course, talking about the Douglas AC-47 Gunship, an aircraft which launched D-Day, but was still needed to perform a very specialised task in a new, hi-tech conflict more than two decades later.
We also have the small matter of our final range launch for 2026 to look forward to, so we’d better strap ourselves in for an exciting few days to come.
A war winning aircraft that just kept on winning!
Having served with distinction during the Second World War, the services of the Douglas C-47 were called upon once more in a new war, two decades later.
Even though we all have our particular favourite aircraft, and can articulate more than credible arguments as to why these should be considered most important in terms of aviation heritage, there are some aircraft that just quietly get on with being iconic, aircraft which don’t need supporters, because they have effectively written their own pages in the annals aviation history. One aircraft which always slips under the recognition radar, but is unquestionably deserving of more recognition than most is the Douglas C-47 Skytrain, an aircraft which proved so useful that it had absolutely no intention of retiring, it just kept on flying.
As America watched Europe and the Far East descending into conflict during 1939, they quickly realised that they themselves would be in need an effective aircraft with which to transport troops into combat areas, and resupply their forces wherever they may be operating. It was decided that a military version of the rugged and reliable Douglas DC-3 would be the ideal solution to this significant problem and should be developed as a matter of urgency.
As these new military aircraft started to roll off the production lines, they were also proving to be of great interest to the British and following the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor and America’s entry into the war, the Douglas C-47 was subsequently made available to British and Commonwealth air forces under the Lend-Lease programme, and in quite significant numbers. Indeed, the demand for this war-ready variant of the Douglas DC-3 proved so great, that the established manufacturing facilities in Santa Monica simply could not cope, resulting in the government immediately starting construction on a new facility at Long Beach.
Unfortunately, there was no let-up in demand for this vitally important aeroplane, meaning that even this increased capacity was struggling to cope, so a third factory, this time in Oklahoma City, was constructed specifically for the production of military variants of the Douglas DC-3.
The proposed military variants of the DC-3 were thought so important to America’s military success, that an army engineering team was assigned to the Douglas Factory throughout development of the aircraft, ensuring that all alterations to the standard DC-3 (Douglas Sleeper Transport) adopted made the aircraft as militarily effective as it could possibly be.
In October 1941, the US Government decided to adopt the British system of identifying their aircraft with a name – the main reason for this was to conceal the development of new aircraft from prying enemy eyes, and prevent information falling into their hands until as late as possible. The Douglas C-47 was given the rather fitting name of ‘Skytrain’, the first US Army aeroplane to be given a name in this manner. The first flight of the C-47 Skytrain took place on 23rd December 1941 and between 1941 and 1945, the Douglas Corporation built over 9,200 examples of this incredibly important aeroplane.
The military variants of the Douglas DC-3 differed from their earlier civilian airliner forebears in several ways, but perhaps most noticeable of which was the addition of a large two piece cargo door located at the rear port side of the fuselage. It also had reinforced flooring to cope with the rigours of military service, and the main cabin floor was also tilted upwards slightly, making this area parallel to the ground during the critical loading process.
Previous release AA38211 ‘Night Fright’ underlined the popularity of the Douglas C-47 Skytrain as an Aviation Archive collectors model.
The fuselage seating arrangements consisted of fold down metal and canvas benches fixed down both sides of the fuselage, and most windows had a rubberised rifle grommet installed, allowing the aircraft’s occupants to provide suppressing fire, should such a situation arise.
To aid with navigation, the aircraft also benefited from the inclusion of an astrodome on top of the fuselage, just behind the cockpit area. Other differences from the original airliner configuration included a slightly increased wingspan for military variants, and a reduced internal fuel capacity, down from 882 gallons to 804 gallons, although the Skytrain could be fitted with as many as eight 100 gallon ferry tanks internally, when required for long distance flights.
An inclusion which would prove invaluable during operations in support of D-Day, most Skytrains were also equipped with a robust glider towing hitch, positioned centrally at the very back of the fuselage and usually hidden behind a removable protective heavy canvas tail cone. A specialist paratrooper variant of the aircraft was designated C-53 and named ‘Skytrooper’, and aircraft operated by British and Commonwealth air forces were referred to by their operators as Douglas Dakotas.
Even for an aircraft which possessed impressive pedigree such as this, it wasn’t all plain sailing. The Skytrain attracted a number of less than flattering nicknames during its military service career, such as Gooney Bird, Dumbo and Old Fatso – not very complimentary for an aircraft which proved so important. Perhaps the most poignant nickname it attracted was ‘Vomit Comet’, a name given to the aircraft by the paratroopers it transported, presumably due to the severe buffeting they were forced to endure in the moments immediately prior to leaping out of a perfectly serviceable aircraft over their designated drop zone.
For an aircraft which occupies such a significant position in aviation history, and was even described by General Dwight D Eisenhower as one of the five most important tools that helped the Allies prevail during the Second World War, in will come as no surprise to learn that the Douglas C-47 Skytrain has always been one of the most popular subjects in the Aviation Archive range. In fact, the C-47/DC3 was one of the very first toolings produced to launch the range back in 1998, but it was the release of our 1/72nd scale version that really appealed to collectors, becoming a consistent top performer ever since.
A recent development with the 1/72nd scale DC3/C-47 tooling has not only seen us enhancing the overall appeal of this already popular model, but has also allowed us to introduce a long requested, specific variant of this aircraft to the range, whilst at the same time, breathing new life into an existing classic. Significantly, we’re now preparing for the imminent release of the first two models from this modified tooling.
New tricks for an old aviation dog
Thanks’ for your service, but as far as the Douglas C-47 was concerned, the Vietnam War meant that that service wasn’t over.
For an aircraft that made its first flight at Christmas 1941 and had already been in service for more than two decades, it seems almost unbelievable that when US military planners needed a very specific form of aerial support weapon during the Vietnam War, they came calling on this old warhorse once more. The Vietnam War is synonymous with the deployment of the latest American aircraft and weapons systems, but also how these technologically advanced assets weren’t always the most effective weapons for dealing with guerrilla forces operating from jungle strongholds.
With US and Allied troops deployed on the ground and fighting in some of the most inhospitable locations on earth, those vital boots on the ground desperately needed the support of an effective airborne gunship, bringing heavy, accurate firepower down on enemy forces who were determined to overrun their positions. The AC-47 was developed to assist ground Special Forces Camps when they came under enemy attack, with aircraft equipped with side firing gatling guns orbiting an identified target area, raining lead down on the unfortunate troops intent on attack.
This incredible image shows the impact of a patrolling AC-47 Gunship hitting targets in Saigon. Image in the public domain.
The concept of these gunships was tested in late 1964 and into the middle of the following year, with the C-47 being officially selected as their gunship of choice. The aircraft were adapted to accept three General Electric GAU-2A 7.62mm six barrelled, electrically operated mini guns, accurate sighting equipment, a ballistic cloak to protect the crew from small arms fire, and a network of ammunition racks, feedlines and drive wiring.
There was also some inbuilt flexibility when it came to the positioning of the new armament, but all intended to make these gunships some of the most important in USAF inventory. Over 50 Douglas C-47 aircraft would eventually be modified to this configuration, with the first being offensively deployed from December 1965, and once crews had perfected their flight patterns to ensure the maximum impact of their gun’s effectiveness, the ‘Spooky Gunships’ would become an invaluable firepower asset to be brought to bear against Viet Cong forces. Each gun’s six spinning barrels could fire around 6000 rounds per minute, a rate which could be multiplied by three if all guns were working effectively. You definitely wouldn’t want to be in the way of that.
In the dark night skies over Vietnam, a terrifying new weapon had been introduced by American forces trying to protect their troops on the ground, a combination of older aeroplanes and cutting edge technology that resulted in the creation of fire spewing dragons capable of laying down 6,000 rounds of suppressing fire every minute. The venerable Douglas C-47 Skytrain had been modified to become one of the most feared weapons of the conflict, however, ‘Spooky’ crews wouldn’t always have it their own way.
On the night of 24th February 1969, the crew of gunship 43-49770 ‘Spooky 71’ had been called to provide fire support for troop under attack at Long Binh, but whilst doing so, their aircraft had taken a direct mortar round hit in the right wing, resulting in a gaping hole and the aircraft being peppered with 3,500 shrapnel holes. The aircraft lurched violently and the fire crew were thrown off their feet, all suffering from multiple shrapnel wounds. Bleeding profusely, Airman First Class John Levitow could see one of his crewmates was in danger of falling out of the open cargo door, and fought through the pain of his wounds to drag him to a safer position.
Unfortunately, he also saw that the flare his colleague had been trying to throw out of the aircraft prior to the mortar hit had blown back into the cabin and was smoking, about to detonate. He threw his body on top of the flare and slowly ushered it towards the open door using his last reserves of strength, rolling it into the night sky seconds before it detonated. For his heroic, selfless actions which saved both his aircraft and crewmates, John Levitow was rightfully awarded the Medal of Honor.
Despite the drama and devastation in the night sky above the Long Binh US Army post, the aircraft did manage to make it back to its home base safely, where ground crews were able to assess the damage from the mortar strike, and count every one of the 3,500 shrapnel holes which peppered the wings and fuselage of the aircraft.
Moving on to our second release from this modified tool set, this model is the first of an exciting association with our good friends at the Commemorative Air Force, and is a representation of the latest high profile aircraft addition to their impressive organisation. With a collection of airworthy aircraft that really is the envy of the historic aviation world, The Commemorative Air Force aim to acquire, restore and preserve in flying condition a complete collection of combat aircraft which were flown by all military services of the United States and selected aircraft of other nations for the education and enjoyment of present and future generations of Americans.
We can’t match those lofty ambitions, but we can help them with the creation of some stunning collectable model representations.
When it comes to allowing the public to interact with historic aeroplanes, nobody does so quite like the Commemorative Air Force (CAF). Honouring the heroes of yesterday by inspiring the heroes of tomorrow, those involved with CAF are dedicated to this vital mission, inspiring millions of people by educating them about their aircraft and the people who built, flew, and maintained them.
One of the latest aircraft to join the CAF fleet is a Douglas AC-47 Gunship, known as ‘Spooky 086.’ The aircraft is assigned to the CAF’s Texas-based Gulf Coast Wing, where members have worked hard to prepare it for its debut on the US historic aviation scene. The AC-47 is a beautiful example of the fire support platforms that served with distinction during the Vietnam War.
This aircraft was originally built as a C-47B in 1944 and later assigned to the US Navy as an R4D-6. Although this aircraft didn’t serve in Vietnam, the CAF intends for this project to highlight the aircraft's adaptability, which enabled its conversion into an airborne fire support platform 25 years after it was originally built.
Spooky gunships could loiter over a battlefield, circling and concentrating fire, making them an effective early counterinsurgency aircraft. The code markings worn by “Spooky 086” do not designate a specific AC-47 that served but rather pay tribute to 86 individual AC-47 crew members who lost their lives whilst serving during the Vietnam War.
The first two releases from our 1/72nd scale AC-47 modified C-47 Skytrain tooling are expected in our warehouse imminently, so it won’t be long before we can all add one of these incredible fire breathing night dragons to our aviation model collections, proudly displaying them beside our existing, war winning C-47 Skytrains.
We haven’t quite finished with the Commemorative Air Force and new models just yet though.
Operation ‘Choose your North American B-25 Mitchell’
Our friends over at the Commemorative Air Force are excited to have their new CORGI models available on their impressive website.
For most aviation enthusiasts here in the UK, the chance to see just some of the incredible airworthy aircraft operated by the Commemorative Air Force would be a dream come true, the world’s largest flying museum. A collection of aircraft which includes the magnificent Boeing B-29 Superfortress ‘FIFI’, the mission statement of the Commemorative Air Force is to ‘Educate, Inspire, and Honor through flight and living history experiences’, something they do with pride and enthusiasm across America throughout each Airshow display season.
Despite having around 182 historic airworthy aircraft at their disposal, one of the most exciting ongoing projects the Commemorative Air Force team has on the go at the moment is a poll project intended to allow their followers to choose which of their B-25 Mitchell aircraft should be immortalised as a CORGI Aviation Archive model release in 2027, and it’s going great guns! As you might imagine, the CORGI team are incredibly excited to be connected with such a world renowned organisation, and to have our models involved in such a high profile project, and we’re really looking forward to finding out which Mitchell crosses the finish line first.
The CAF team have put this exciting poll together in order to give enthusiasts and CAF members the chance to help them decide which of the historic B-25 Mitchells they have under their banner should be considered as the next officially licenced CORGI die-cast model collectable, in this easy to enter poll vote. Whilst on the project page, you can find out a little more about the history behind each or the six B-25 Mitchell contenders prior to casting your vote, and once you have, you can see how your selection stacks up against the competition.
With over 4000 votes already cast, we have two front runners that are literally streaking ahead – Miss Mitchell and the Devil Dog, but there’s still time to have your say. Please support our CAF friends by heading over to their Choose the next CAF B-25 collectable model project using this link and after casting your vote, take a little time to discover their excellent website and some of the impressive aircraft they operate as part of their unrivalled collection.
We wish them every success with the poll and can’t wait to get cracking on the winning model. You can rest assured that we’ll be keeping DCD readers fully informed as the project proceeds to release.
Are you ready for new models?
It’s nearly that time again folks! As the CORGI events team will be making their way back to HQ following attendance at this weekend’s Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow, we will have everything crossed that all our planning and preparation results in a smooth launch for the September – December model range, a collection of new models that will be hoping to boldly take us where no die-cast model collection has ever gone before.
As confirmed in the previous edition of DCD, the place to be this coming Monday is definitely at your computer screen, or mobile device, and the time at which to synchronise our watches is 10am – H hour! Even though we’ll still be travelling back to HQ at that time, those of us not in charge of a vehicle at that time will be checking our own phones to ensure everything has gone to plan, and the new models are revealed in all their glory.
We would be delighted if you could join us at some point on Monday, to check if any of the models we have scheduled for release over the coming few months might be vying for display space amongst your own model collection in the run-up to Christmas, and maybe if we might have just provided you with a few gift ideas for the model loving loved ones in your life.
We look forward to showing you what we’ve got planned for the rest of 2026.
Warehouse sweep brings some web returns
Some CORGI rarities were uncovered during our latest warehouse sweep.
The result of an operation which only happens a couple of times each year, a recent warehouse sweep has resulted in the discovery of several models which had previously been marked as unavailable on the CORGI website. Models such as the Vanguards Rover 3500S VA06521 and Aviation Archive Billy Fiske Hurricane AA27609 proved particularly popular following release, so their return to the website in small numbers might be of interest to some DCD readers.
The models have been added back to website inventory, but have just taken their place back amongst the current listings, as opposed to being in a section of their own. That being the case, a little web sweep of the CORGI site might bear rare model fruit over the coming weekend, that is if you aren’t already planning to come and see the CORGI team down at Duxford.
Many are only available in limited quantities, so it’s probably advisable to have a quick look sooner, rather than later, but you might just manage to snap up a model which you’d been hoping to add to your collections for a while?
Time is always of the essence with these things, but a slim chance is always better than no chance – good luck with your search.
We’re afraid that’s all we have for you in this latest edition of our CORGI update blog, but we will be back as usual in two weeks’ time to bring you a further exclusive selection of updates. As always, if you would like to drop us a line in the meantime to comment on anything CORGI model related, or to suggest a future blog topic you’d like to see covered here in DCD, you’d be more than welcome, and we’re always happy to hear your views.
As ever, our diecastdiaries@corgi.co.uk address is always the one to use.
If you can’t wait for the next blog, you will find plenty of CORGI model collecting discussions taking place on our official social media channels, access to which can be obtained by clicking on the respective links at the foot of the CORGI website homepage.
Link access to CORGI social media sites.
Thank you for continuing to support your CORGI Die-cast Diaries blog, as we head into our eleventh year of production. Our next edition is scheduled for publication on Friday 25th September.
Until next time, once again, thank you for your continued support.
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