Everts Air Cargo, Anchorage, AK
Having visited Everts at Fairbanks earlier in the trip, it was time to pay a visit to their Anchorage operation. Although Everts operate some services from Fairbanks, particularly Everts Air Fuel, Anchorage is a much busier operation, evidenced by the presence of three DC-6s and a C-46 at the base. Anchorage is a purely operational base for Everts - no maintenance or storage here - and has a busy feel to it.
We were met by Pete on our arrival, and he took us through the busy distribution building, where cargo is sorted and packed for loading onto the aircraft, and out onto the ramp, where 4 aircraft were present, waiting operations.
The first aircraft we visited was N351CE, a DC-6A, which, in common with many similar aircraft, started life as a C-118A with the USAF. It was delivered in Sep 1954 as 53-3228, and served until June 1975, when it was placed in storage. This storage period did not last long, and the aircraft passed to the US Navy for further service. It was returned in 1981, and stored. Everts acquired the aircraft in 1989 - it flew for a while with Air Cargo Express, a branch of Tatonduk Outfitters, later to be renamed Everts Air Cargo.
Parked alongside was sister ship N251CE, an aircraft with a similar history. It was delivered to the USAF in Dec 1954 as 53-3241, and also spent time with the US Navy. It was acquired by Everts Air Fuel in 1985, and later transferred to Air Cargo Express in 1996.
Next up is a real classic, a Curtiss C-46 Commando, with the rather appropriate nickname ‘Dumbo’! This delightful aircraft is actually an early model C-46A, delivered in 1957 as 43-47202. It was upgraded to C-46R standard in 1957 by Riddle Airlines and later flew in Venezuela and Panama, before making the journey up North to Alaska in 1968.
It spent time with Interior Airlines and Fairbanks Air Service, before being acquired by Everts Air Fuel in 1973 as a fuel carrier, later becoming a freighter with Everts Air Cargo. The C-46 is a large aircraft, much larger than the similarly configured DC-3, and well designed for carrying freight. Unlike the DC-3, it has a flat area just inside the freight door, allowing easy loading of cargo, which can then be winched “up the slope” to the cargo compartment.
We were fortunate enough to see ‘Dumbo’ in the air twice during our trip, and on the second occasion, we were able to shoot the aircraft departing against a classic Alaskan background.
The other DC-6 on the ramp at the time of our visit was N9056R, which began as a DC-6A with Canadian Pacific Airlines, delivered in 1958. It later flew with Wardair Canada, Pacific Western Airlines and NWT Air, before a period of storage at Edmonton. It was acquired by Jet Way Inc in 1979, and re-registered N646DG, and later N555JW. It returned to Canada in 1988 as a fire fighting tanker with Conifair, and even spent a period in France with Securite Civile, again as a tanker. Acquired by Tatonduk Outfitters in 2000, and after a period of storage at Fairbanks, returned to active duty.
Not present on the ramp at the time of our visit, but see flying several times was N555SQ, a genuine DC-6B airliner, delivered to United Airlines in 1957 as N37585, and named “Mainliner Tacoma”. The aircraft still carries “Mainliner DC-6B” titles in honour of this past.
After airline service, it went through a variety of operators and identities, before being acquired by Tatonduk Outfitters in 1996, and leased to Air Cargo Express, who later became Everts Air Cargo. During the period of our visit, it was the most active of the Everts fleet, and we photographed it flying on several occasions.
To complete the series of Everts classics we photographed at Anchorage, here is N6586C, another DC-6B originally delivered to Northeast Airlines - see here for a photo of the aircraft in its original state. The aircraft arrived towards the end of out visit, after a period of maintenance at Fairbanks, and we photographed it on our ramp tour at Anchorage.
Along with the classic prop liners at Anchorage, Everts are also introducing the Embraer Brasilia into service. Although it perhaps lacks the charisma of the older aircraft, the Brasilia is still a very capable aircraft, in fact, potentially even more than its current certification will allow!
While lacking the capacity of the DC-6 or C-46, such aircraft perhaps represent the future for operators in Alaska, which will be a shame, but it seems certain that the classics will carry on for some time yet.
With thanks to out host, Pete, and all at Everts for being very accommodating and helpful, and allowing us to visit.
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