Yesterday, a Fairchild C-123K Provider (N709RR), operated by All West Freight, was destroyed in an accident in Alaska, about a mile from the headquarters of Denali National Park. The accident took the lives of all three people who were on board.
It turns out that the accident aircraft had been a movie star. According to information on the website Old Wings, N709RR, (ex 54-0709 msn 20158) was featured as 'Jailbird' in the 1997 action film Con Air, where it was used for all the flying scenes.
For more information about this historic airplane, visit C-123 Providers starring in "Con Air" on the Old Wings website. Also on Old Wings, you will find a photo of the accident aircraft, parked at All West's airport in Delta Junction, AK in 2006, and a wonderful close-up shot of the aircraft's Large Marge nose art.
More information about the Fairchild C-123K Provider:
UPDATE: The owner of the Old Wings website has kindly given me permission to post the two photos I linked to above. Note, these are copyrighted photos, used here by express permission from Aad van der Voet, the copyright holder.
Here is N709RR, photographed by Aad at All West Airport, AK on June 11, 2006.
OldWings.jpg)
Here is the close-up photo of the "Large Marge" nose art on N709RR.
OldWings.jpg)
By way of explanation, the photographer says:
All West Freight's C-123K Provider N709RR is adorned by this "Large Marge" nose art, armed with gun, badge and handcuffs. The signature at the lower left says Steven Pinder, and the red sticker at the upper left is a left-over from the annual air races at Reno, NV. The small print says "Scarlet Screamer IF1 Pylon Air Racer #50" and refers to Birch Entriken's Ivie Cassutt III M air racer (N135R). Reno is where this Provider was based before it came to Alaska in 2004. Photo taken at All West Airport, Delta Junction, AK on 11 June 2006.Thanks again to Aad van der Voet for these wonderful photos of this historic aircraft. So sad to know the aircraft will never fly again.
