Help Return Placid Lassie to the Sky!

Placid Lassie is an authentic WWII C-47 that is operated by the Tunison Foundation based out of Oxford, CT. Placid Lassie is a veteran of D-Day, Operations Market Garden (aka A Bridge Too Far), Repulse, and Varsity. We are a small 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization that operates Placid Lassie to remind and educate people about WWII and to honor all veterans. You can find more about Placid Lassie, and how we operate at: https://tunisonfoundation.org/ 


Above Placid Lassie taxiing in after a display at Duxford Aerodrome, United Kingdom after a commemorative flight for the 75th anniversary of D-Day. 


            We accomplish our mission by appearing at air show events across the nation, and by leading flights that commemorate significant episodes of WWII history, such as our commemorative flight to Normandy to honor the 75th Anniversary of D-Day in 2019. Unfortunately, during a scheduled, but lengthy annual inspection, metal was found in the right engine’s oil screen indicating a risk of imminent failure. The engine has been removed and Placid Lassie has been grounded. The engine needs to be sent out for a complete overhaul.

            We are now a month into an inspection that was expected to take a week as we face the complicated process of replacing the right engine. We have removed the failed engine and components and are in the process of installing a spare engine so we can relocate Placid Lassie to winter storage in Schenectady, New York.
 
In order to continue operating Placid Lassie and return her to full operational status, we need your help!

The cost to return Placid Lassie to the sky can be broken down and estimated as follows:

            Pratt-Whitney 1830-92 overhaul: $70,000
            Oil cooler overhaul: 3,000
            Oil tank overhaul: $1,500
            Required lines, hoses, gaskets, bushings: $2,500
            Oil, spark plugs, consumables: $3,500
            Technician labor: $6,500
            The estimated total cost of repair: $87,000.00
         
            All funds raised will be directly received by the Tunison Foundation and used for the costs of replacing the right engine. Since the Tunison Foundation is a 501(C)(3) all donations are tax-deductible.

            Thank you for taking the time to read our story. Please know that any donation is greatly appreciated and will assist in returning Placid Lassie to full operational status so that she can continue to tell the World War II and classic age of aviation stories to the public.


Placid Lassie has her failed engine removed during the inspection. 



Placid Lassie in formation with Spirit of Benovia (C-53) and  Hap*Penstance (C-41A) over Venice-Lido Airfield, Italy.