PP-AXQ  Douglas DC-4                              (c/n  18338)

                             

                                  Aerovias Brasil operated three DC-4s (although a fourth was acquired when REAL took over
                                  in 1954).  The three originals were former Chicago & Southern Airlines machines and were sold
                                  to Brazil in 1951.  The above image was received from Fred Hanke (see the connection under
                                  PP-AXR) and was first published in FLAP Internacional magazine.  This DC-4 was built as a
                                  C-54B-5-DO for the USAAF with serial 43-17138.   It flew with Chicago & Southern as
                                  N88708 from 1947 until 1951.  The badly cropped second shot below shows it white-topped                              
                                  after the take-over by REAL in REAL-Aerovias Brasil livery.  In 1960 it was sold to Loide,
                                  and re-registered PP-LEY.  The image on the foot of the page is from the Jennifer Gradidge
                                  collection and is rare in that it shows PP-AXQ in Loide livery just before this re-registration
                                  occurred.  The aircraft was repatriated back to the USA in the early 1970s and wound up as
                                  the "Flying Down to Rio" cafe in Rio Vista, California.  I understand that it was rescued from
                                  that fate but am uncertain as to its current whereabouts.