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Bird & Sons
1961-1965

Formed by William H. Bird in 1961. Bought out by Continental Airlines for a reported $4.5 million for 22 aircraft and 350 people. Ceased operation September 1965.  Assets to Continental Air Services (CASI). Bird Air established by William Bird in 1975 when Air America and CASI were being shut down. See Bird Air.


Abbreviations: a/c - aircraft; BP - Battalion Parachute; b/u - broken up or scrapped; c/n - construction number; CIA - Central Intelligence Agency; lsf - leased from; r/n - registration number;  ufo - ultimate fate obscure/current state unknown; USG - US Government; w/o - written off (crashed or uneconomical to repair)

Registration Codes (initial 1 or 2 characters): CF - Canada; D - Germany;  N - US; RP - Philippines; XW - Laos. Numeric in Remarks is the USAAF serial number.

Blank fields indicate data not known or available; Sources: See source file.
 
 

Beech AT-11 Kansan

A/C Reg
c/n
Origin
Company
Registration
From 
To
Fate
Remarks
Source
Beech AT-11
poss 3330
    
N4***N, poss N4830N
1959?
1961
to Bird & Sons?
previously delivered supplies to 2 BP at Sam Neua 7/59 under US Embassy contract
A52,A110
Beech AT-11
3330?
sold to 
Bird & Sons
Bird & Sons
N4830?
1961
    
First Bird Aircraft
A52,A110

Beech Twin Bonanza

A/C Type
c/n
Origin
Company
Registration
From 
To
Fate
Remarks
Source
Beech Twin 
Bonanza D50C
DH295
US
Beech
          
A86
Beech Twin 
Bonanza D50C
DH295
from 
Beech
Bird & Sons
N9316Y
  
Sep
1965
to CASI
Retained by Bird after 1965?
A72,A86

Camair 480 (Ryan Twin Navion conversion)

A/C Type
c/n
Origin
Company
Registration
From 
To
Fate
Remarks
Source
Camair 480
I-066
  Camair (US)
Bird & Sons
N229
  Early 1961
Jul
1962
Disappeared between 
L08-L35-L44
3 persons
missing
Ref 72,90, 
A110

Curtiss C-46 Commando

A/C Type
c/n
Origin
Company
Registration
From
To
Fate
Remarks
Source
Curtiss C-46
  22232 or 33451  
 Bird&Sons
XW-EAA
      Sold to Royal Lao Government May 1964. leased to Bird &Sons; reregistered to XW-PBV or XW-PBW
Sold to USAID Laos Mar 1963
A46, A144
Curtiss C-46
  22232 or 33451  
 Bird&Sons
XW-EAB
      Sold to Royal Lao Government May 1964. leased to Bird &Sons; reregistered to XW-PBV or XW-PBW
Sold to USAID Laos Mar 1963
A46, A144
Curtiss C-46D-CU
22293 
US
Circle Airways
N9473Z
    1960
 
44-78470
 A46,A54, A110
Curtiss C-46D-CU
22293
from Circle Airways
Bird&Sons
N9473Z
  1960
 Sep 1965
 to CASI
 Bird assets to CASI
 A46, A110
 Curtiss C-46D-CU
 22410 
 US
 California Air Freight
 N4871V
    May 1963  
 44-78587
  A55, A72, A110
 Curtiss C-46D-CU
 22410 
 from California Air Freight
 Bird&Sons
 N4871V
 May 1963
 Sep 1965
 to CASI
 Bird assets to CASI
 A46,A55, A72, A110
 Curtiss C-46F-CU
22442 
US 
 Capitol Airways
 N4877V
    Nov 1961  
 44-78619
  A56, A110
 Curtiss C-46F-CU
  22442
from Capitol Airways
Bird&Sons 
N4877V 
 Nov 1961
Aug 1962 
 w/o 8/31/1962 Phou Fa (LS16), Laos
    A46, A110
 Curtiss C-46F-CU
 22512
US 
Lance Air Transport 
N67961 
 
1964
 
 44-78689
 A57, A110
Curtiss C-46F-CU 
22512 
 from Lance Air Transport
 Bird&Sons
N67961 
1964 
Sep 1965 
 to CASI
 Bird assets to CASI
A46,A57, A110
 Curtiss Super C-46C
22574 
Canada 
Pacific Western Airlines 
CF-CZJ 
 
 
 
 
A60 
 Curtiss Super C-46C
22574 
from Pacific Western AL 
Bird&Sons 
N9760Z
 
Sep 1965 
 to CASI
Bird assets to CASI 
A46,A60 

Dornier DO-28 Sky Servant

A/C Type
c/n
Origin
Company
Registration
From
To
Fate
Remarks
Source
Dornier
DO-28B-2
3013
  
Bird & Sons
N4223G
  
Sep
1965
to CASI
former D-IBAN;
Bird assets
to CASI
A01,A01a
Dornier
DO-28A1
3021
  
Bird & Sons
N4224G
Oct
1961
1963?
to Air
America?
  
A110
Dornier
DO-28B-2
3021
 from Bird & Sons
Air America
N4224G
    
to Bird & Sons?
reported as Air America asset in 1963; crashed at Ban Na (LS13); repaired; 
returned to Bird?
A01,A01a, Ref 188,A110
Dornier
DO-28B-2
3021
from Air America?
Bird & Sons
XW-PBJ
    
to XW-PKM
reregistered; serial also 
used by Bird Pioneer 2
c/n 564
A01,A01a,
A59,A72
Dornier
DO-28B-2
3021
from XW-PBJ
Bird & Sons
XW-PKM
  
Sep
1965
to CASI
Bird assets
to CASI
A01,A01a
Dornier
Do28A-1
3026
  
Bird & Sons
N4222Q
Dec
1961?
Sep
1965
to CASI
Bird assets
to CASI
A01a, A110
Dornier
Do28A-1
3029
  
Bird & Sons
N4225G
Jan
1962?
Sep
1965
to CASI
Bird assets
to CASI
A01a, A110
Dornier
Do28A-1
3046
  
Bird & Sons
N4228G
Feb
1963
Sep
1965
to CASI
Bird assets
to CASI
A01a, A110
Dornier
Do-28B-1
3062
  
Bird & Sons
N1153Q
Jun
1964?
  
ufo
damaged at Sam Thong, Laos 18 Feb 1965
A01a, A110

Douglas C-47 Skytrain/Dakota

A/C Type
c/n
Origin
Company
Registration
From
To
Fate
Remarks
Source
Douglas C-47
    
Bird & Sons
XW-PGJ
    
to CASI or 
Xieng Khouang 
Air Transport
  
A46
Douglas C-47
    
Bird & Sons
XW-PGK
    
ufo
  
A46
Douglas
C-47B-DK
25736
US
Ohio
Oil?
N7780C
    
to Bird & Sons
43-48475
A46,A66
Douglas
C-47B-DK
25736
from 
Ohio Oil
Bird & Sons
N7780C
  
Sep
1965
to CASI
Bird assets
to CASI
A46,A47
Douglas
C-47B-DK
26736
Spain
TASSA
EC-AQG
1960?
1962?
to Bird & Sons
43-49502
A45-26
Douglas
C-47B-DK
26736
from
TASSA
Bird & Sons
N7781C
1962?
Sep
1965
to CASI
Bird assets
to CASI
A45-26, A46

Lockheed PV-2/B-34 Ventura

A/C Type
c/n
Origin
Company
Registration
From
To
Fate
Remarks
Source
PV-2
15-1597
  
Bird & Sons
N7455C
1961
Jan
1963
shot down 5 Jan 1963 
E of 
Ban Houei Sai, Laos
4 crew - 3 survivors; 
1 died in parachute landing
Ref 263, A110
PV-2
15-1595
  
Bird & Sons
N7456C
Jan
1961
Oct
1961
crashed at Phou Fa (LS16), Laos
ex 37629
A110
Note: Former bombers acquired with USG assistance (CIA) and modified with cargo doors and internal rollers for supply drops in North Laos. One PV-2 modified for reconnaissance with belly camera.

Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer

A/C Type
c/n
Origin
Company
Registration
From 
To
Fate
Remarks
Source
Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer 2
564
  
Philippine
Air Lines
      
to Bird & Sons
cargo/rice drop configured
A59, A72
Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer 2
564
from Phlippine'Air Lines
Bird & Sons
XW-PBJ
  
Sep
1965
to CASI
Bird assets to CASI
A59, A72
Scottish
Aviation Twin
Pioneer 2
565
  
Bird & Sons
XW-PBN
  
Sep
1965
to CASI
Bird assets to CASI; suspect confusion with XW-PBD
A59
 Scottish Aviation
Twin Pioneer 2
566 
 
Bird & Sons 
XW-PBO 
 
Sep
1964
 w/o 24 Sep 1964
 crash Muong Heim (L48), Laos
 A59,A61
Scottish Aviation
Twin Pioneer 2
  567
Philippines
Philippine 
Air Lines
      
to Bird & Sons
PAL logo poorly painted over in photo A72
A72
Scottish Aviation
Twin Pioneer 2
  567
from Philippine Air Lines
Bird & Sons
XW-PBP
  
Sep
1965
to CASI
Passenger configured,
Bird Assets to CASI
A72
Scottish Aviation
Twin Pioneer 2
    
Bird & Sons
XW-PBD
  
Sep 
1965
to CASI
Bird assets to CASI;
suspect confusion with XW-PBN
A59,A72

 

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Created January 2002; Revised 19 September 2007
Copyright Thomas E. Lee 2002-2007; All Rights Reserved; This file uses copyright materials. Not for commercial use of any kind. Air Transport Data Base information used with permission of Alexandre Avare; PC-6 information used with permission of Markus Herzig; USAAF/USAF Serials used with permission of Joe Baugher. Martin Best information used with permission of Martin Best. Dr Leeker Air America information used with permission of University of Texas Dallas