298

c/n 298

58-1689 serving in Vietnam.

Photo: John Michael Black © Date unknown - 11th RRU website - via Dennis Newell

c/n 298

58-1689

FAP-304

• 58-1689 United States Army. Delivered10-Nov-1958. Designated U-1A.

Initially delivered from Downsview to the Sharpe Army Depot, Stockton, CA.

Subsequently assigned to the 17^th Aviation Company, Fort Ord, CA.

May 1963: To Vietnam supposedly for the 18^th Aviation Company.

May-1963 Actually assigned to the 339^th Transportation Company at Nha Trang, Vietnam.

Feb-1966.Transferred to the 54th Aviation Company.

Oct-1966.Transported back to the United Statesto the Army Aeronautical Depot Maintenance Center (ARADMAC) Depot, Corpus Christi, TX.

Jan-1967 To the Panama Canal Zone where held as a maintenance float. Actual location unknown.

Aug-1967 issued to the Inter American Geodetic Survey (IAGS) operating in Central and South America.

Oct-1970 Flown to Fort Carson, CO., where it served in the Operational Support Airlift role.

June 1972, Returned to Panama to the US Army's Logistics Support Command.

• FAP-304 Fuerza Aérea Panameña Sep-1972.

Accident: Crashed in FAP service. Details unknown.

• Written off •

Otter 298 was delivered to the United States Army on 10th November 1958 with serial 58-1689 (tail number 81689). It was assigned to the 17th Aviation Company, Fort Ord, California. It was delivered from Downsview to the Sharpe Army Depot, Stockton, California before continuing on to Fort Ord. It was one of eight Otters from the 17th Aviation Company transported to Vietnam in 1963 to augment the 18th Aviation Company. On arrival in Vietnam in May 1963, and re-assembly by Air Vietnam at Tan Son Nhut airfield, Saigon, 81689 instead of joining the 18th Aviation Company went instead to the 339th Transportation Company at Nha Trang, as a replacement for their Otter 76119 (249), which had been damaged in an accident on 25th May 1963. In service with the 339th Transportation Company, 81689 was painted in overall gloss olive drab with high visibility markings, yellow main wheel covers and it carried full colour unit insignia on a white panel on the nose. Later noted in overall low visability OD army paint.

81689 continued to fly for the 339th Transportation Company until February 1966 when it was transferred to the 54th Aviation Company. In October 1966 it was transported back to the United States, arriving at the ARADMAC Depot, Corpus Christi, Texas. In January 1967 it flew south to Panama, where it was held as a maintenance float, until issued to the Inter American Geodetic Survey (IAGS) in August 1967. It flew on survey duties in Central and South America until May 1970, when it was returned to storage in Panama. In October 1970 it was flown to Fort Carson, Colorado. The lengthy ferry flight routing was from Panama-Guatemala-Vera Cruz, Mexico-Brownsville, Texas- Dallas-Fort Carson. It served in the Operational Support Airlift role at Fort Carson until June 1972, when it was returned to Panama and prepared for hand over to the Air Force of Panama by the US Army's Logistics Support Command.

81689 was one of five Otters handed over to the Fuerza Aerea Panamena in September 1972, with whom it took serial FAP-304. It crashed and was written off in service with the FAP, details unfortunately unknown.