28ZComeback Posted August 26, 2017 Share Posted August 26, 2017 Greetings! I read in a periodical that the French used at least one C-45 Expeditor as an electronic surveillance platform aircraft in Indochina during the hostilities 1945-1954. Can anyone shed some light on this claim? Unfortunately I have been unable to confirm this or uncover photos. With its ability to loiter, camera-carrying features on F-2 and manuerabiltiy the Expeditor would be a good candidate for such a mission. Thank you in advance for any leads or references. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panoz Posted August 26, 2017 Share Posted August 26, 2017 The only Armee de l'Air unit in Indochina that operated C-45 aircraft was ELA 52 (Escadrille de Liaison Aerienne) based at Tan Son Nhut from 1948 to 1954. AFAIK they had UC-45Fs , but I cannot find a photo online... There are photos of AdA C-45s in Indochina here: https://www.amazon.fr/Laviation-militaire-française-Indochine-Collection/dp/B000X6IUVW/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1503755486&sr=1-2 Maybe someone that has the book could help... HTH (somewhat)... PS I've also heard about this story; the aircraft had Radio Direction Finding gear fitted to monitor Viet Minh Radio Transmitters... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
28ZComeback Posted August 26, 2017 Author Share Posted August 26, 2017 Thank you sir! I have the first tome but cannot find the second. As you mentioned if anyone has the book I would appreciate a glimpse of the profiles and/or photos. Merci beaucoup! If you happen to recall where you read about the radio direction finders I would also appreciate that source. Thank you very much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panoz Posted August 26, 2017 Share Posted August 26, 2017 It's in here: https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Signals-Intelligence-During-Studies/dp/0714651761 But there is only one sentence; no further details about serials etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
28ZComeback Posted August 26, 2017 Author Share Posted August 26, 2017 Sir, this is a big help. May be only one sentence but may be references. I have ordered it and several others. Merci beaucoup! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT 876 Posted August 30, 2017 Share Posted August 30, 2017 Hi I have had a look at both my vol's and in Vol 1 there is just a colour plate of the photo that's in vol 2 on page 60, which is a Beech UC-45C ser 44-87145 (V) the photo shows better the E.L.A. 52 badge on the nose. In the text just a small bit about the radio snooping they also used Beech 18's for this as well. Hope helps , thanks as I have been looking for a different a/c to do my C45 and this one looks ok. I do know both Jean-Claude Soumille and Jean-Jacques Petit both nice blokes and will help out if they can. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
28ZComeback Posted August 30, 2017 Author Share Posted August 30, 2017 Hi Paul, Thank you very much for your informative and helpful response. I have Soumille's book Volume 1 and could never seem to locate Volume 2. (I have looked high and low for over 10 years!). After a brief round of correspondence with the author ten years ago (in which we discussed the use of Lodestar and Ventura aircraft in Indochina) I lost contact. The photos (both long shots) in Tome one and the beautiful color profile show a very clean plane in natural metal. I found another photo of a ELA.52 plane at Bien Dien Phu, again natural metal with curtains for VIP transport. No ELA.52 squadron markings. If you would provide your email I will gladly forward the photo to you. As for me I am focused on modification to the passenger compartment. A good friend who once flew C-45's tells me that the radio direction finder and other equipment was most likely installed over the main spar at a modified operator station, necessitating removal of the seats, but since there are no blueprints are available it's all speculation. Also I am adding resin exhaust and props, new engines, photoetch interior and P-61 radio components. I have yet to locate a suitable ELA.52 badge, however. I would like to correspond with Mon. Soumille so if you have his address and/or email, I would appreciate it if you would share it with me offline. My email is: 34Drive"at"gmail.com Thank you again Paul for your help and very interested in your project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panoz Posted September 20, 2017 Share Posted September 20, 2017 On 30/8/2017 at 2:53 PM, PaulT 876 said: Hi I have had a look at both my vol's and in Vol 1 there is just a colour plate of the photo that's in vol 2 on page 60, which is a Beech UC-45C ser 44-87145 (V) the photo shows better the E.L.A. 52 badge on the nose. Here is the photo in question: BTW the aircraft is a UC-45F... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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