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Ercoupes Still Flying for Uncle Sam!
compliments of Col. M.E. Reeves, Commander, 491st Aviation Regiment

 

.....as emailed to the Ercoupe Fly-in List (click here for more info on Ercoupers.com mailing lists)

Hello fellow Ercoupe owners. I am a new member to this listserve. I have some interesting information that I would like to share with fellow-members. I am the Commanding Officer of the 491st Aviation Regiment, ASDF, Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

What I believe you'll find particularly interesting is that my regimental aircraft are 1946 Ercoupe C and D model aircraft. We however refer to them as PQ13's, the military spec number. The Alaska State Defense Force (ASDF) is part of the Alaskan National Guard, reporting to the States Adjutant General, MG Campbell. Our Commander is BG Thomas Westall. The 491st Aviation Regiment has eight aircraft, seven PQ 13's and one L16.

Our mission is direct support to the 49th Military Police Brigade. We conduct transportation flights to move MP's from various locations, we fly aerial photography missions using digital camera equipment, we fly aerial observation and control missions, and we are often used for communication platforms for multiple ground units. As you are all very much aware, the Ercoupe is very inexpensive to operate. The costs of sending one of my unit's aircraft for a mission mentioned above is astronomically less expensive than launching a C-130 or Blackhawk. Because we are so costs effective, our Governor and Adjutant General have assigned our parent unit a Homeland Security mission. I wanted to share with those who know and appreciate the Ercoupe the fact that although these little gems are old in years, they are still doing the job.

We attended a military air show at Elmendorf Air Force Base about a year ago and placed five of our aircraft under the right wing of a Galaxy C5. We caught a lot of ribbing about their size, but no one failed to appreciate the benefit of their operating cost. We're weekend warriors who don't leave our State; however, the 491st with their PQ13's (Ercoupes) are doing their part.

Colonel M.E. Reeves, Commander, 491st Aviation Regiment.

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Col. Reeves and his plane N3490H - Banjo 90

For more information on the Alaska State Defense Force, click here