BT-15, s/n 42-41689

Manufactured by Vultee Aircraft, Downey CA and received by the USAAF on 29 March 1943

Mar 1943 To AAF Basic Pilot Training School (Air Training Command), Gunter AAF AL

May 1943 To 554^th AAF Base Unit (AAF Ferrying Command), Love Field, Dallas TX

Aug 1944 To 4117^th AAF Base Unit (Air Materiel Command), Robins AAF, GA (storage)

Sep 1944 Dropped from inventory as salvage

 

The BT-15 Aircraft being restored by Wings of the North Volunteers and Mike Rawson has a Minnesota History. Its military serial number is 42-41689 and a Vultee Manufacture’s serial number of 9536.

After being released as excess inventory by the War Assets Administration by C. Christian, it was purchased by LaVern Pfeifer of Stillwater, Minnesota in June of 1946, for $200. LaVern resold the aircraft in July of 1946 to Harold G Sommers, a student pilot born in 1896, and living in Lake Elmo, Minnesota. Harold paid $600 and registered the BT-15 as NC69987. He then sold the aircraft in March of 1947 to Thomas H North of North Aviation, Co. in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. It was next sold to C.V. Meline of Isanti, Minnesota, in January, 1948. It was sold again to Brant Aero at Holman Field, St. Paul, Minnesota in June of 1950. This made six civilian owners in 4 years and ends its first Minnesota stay.

In March of 1952, 69987 was sold to John Giles of Madison, Wisconsin. The next owner was Glenway Enhert of West Bend, Wisconsin, who purchased it in June of 1952. Two years later in October of 1954, Glenway sold the BT-15 to Edward and Chester Pachnik of Chicago, Illinois. These were the owners until after Edward’s death, when the aircraft was sold to Mike Rawson of Minneapolis, Minnesota in May of 1992.