c-47 door/hatch

In the Air Force Muesum at Dayton there is a display of wreckage from a c-47 called  The Flying Dutchman that  crashed in New Guinea.In the display is a door/hatch that has the names of the men who stayed at the crash sight and the order that they died.This door is flat and is about 20" x 40"(approximately).The display implies that this door is visible in the picture of the crash but the picture appears to show the large,curved cargo loading door aft by the tail.I walked over to the c-47 but could not see a small, flat door on the outside of the aircraft.Is there such a door on the c-47 somewhere or did I misinterpret the display?It will be a while before I make it up there again so I hope somebody can help solve my curiosity.

That is probably the small door located on the port side just aft of the pilot window on the C-47 type airplane.  The 20" x 40" dimensions sound about the size of that door.  I am pretty familiar with C-47 type airplanes but would have to see the door to be able to postively identify it and its location on the aircraft.  Do you have a photo? 

The C-47 rear cargo door was a three-piece door (two large cargo doors with a removable paratrooper door that was part of the forward large door of the two rear cargo doors).  Maybe the door was deformed and not complete because of the airplane crashing into the mountain. 

According to page 37 in "FORTY OF THE FIFTH  The Life, Times and Demise of Forty US Fifth Air Force Aircraft" by Michael J. Claringbould, the names were written on a "rear" cargo door.  So the mystery continues.


TonyM.

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Anthony J. Mireles
FATAL ARMY AIR FORCES AVIATION ACCIDENTS
IN THE UNITED STATES, 1941-1945
www.warbirdcrash.com

 
You should be able to make out the small door that is behind part of the Z

That sounds like the door for mail sacks installed on the DC-3 and probably still on many C-47 models.

David Wilma
Son of 1LT Francis R. "Dick" Wilma (1920-2005)
Air Transport Command, Chabua, India, '44 - '45
www.DavidWilma.com

Here is a closer shot of the small door behind the cockpit; it is open in this photograph.  If it is not that door, it must just be a piece of one of the cargo doors.



Regards,

Andy

gogs


 
 
You should be able to make out the small door that is behind part of the Z

WWII Airborne Demonstration Team
www.WWIIADT.org

Sorry,no picture.It was flat and rectangular.After I asked the question here I read on the Pacific Wrecks websight that it was the toilet door.Does that ring a bell with anybody familiar with c-47s?

Yes, there is a restroom door on the far aft bulkhead on the C-47.  Our C-47 has the rest room door but no one goes back there.  We use the gator aide bottle method when the need arises. 
TM

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Anthony J. Mireles
FATAL ARMY AIR FORCES AVIATION ACCIDENTS
IN THE UNITED STATES, 1941-1945
www.warbirdcrash.com

Here are a couple of pictures of the rear bulkhead, one with the door open, and one closed. 





Regards,

Andy

lucky52


Sorry,no picture.It was flat and rectangular.After I asked the question here I read on the Pacific Wrecks websight that it was the toilet door.Does that ring a bell with anybody familiar with c-47s?

WWII Airborne Demonstration Team
www.WWIIADT.org

Andy,thanks for the pictures. That tan and gray section looks like it.I would guess that actually leads back to the aft portion of the fuselage where the tail wheel  and horizonital are.

You are correct, that is the access panel in the back of the restroom area, leading to the tail wheel strut, all the rigging for the tail surfaces, etc.  It is certainly about the size you described in your initial post, and is totally flat, so that is probably it!

Regards,

Andy

lucky52


Andy,thanks for the pictures. That tan and gray section looks like it.I would guess that actually leads back to the aft portion of the fuselage where the tail wheel  and horizonital are.

WWII Airborne Demonstration Team
www.WWIIADT.org