Nats

H

Helldiver

Charter Member 09
The Navy ran the Naval Air Transport Service up to 1948. In typical Navy fashion, it was ship-shape, highly scheduled and always gave prompt service.
I grabbed many of them for a hop when going on leave or going to my new station.. I rode from NAS Jax to NAS Weymouth with sixty-five cents in my pocket. Then the Coasties gave me a ride to Winter Island, Salem, Mass. I walked to home from there.
The Air Force Transport Command was a shambles. As a result they asked the Navy in 1948 to run what became the Military Air Transport Service. All the airplanes I see have MATS on them without any mention to NATS, Naval Air Transport Service, the one that started it all.
 
The Army ran the Transport Service is WWII - see 'Fate is the Hunter"
 
There is always the dependable MAAM-Sim R4D if you want to fly NATS... very nice if slightly dated model!
I agree though... seems there is a lack of NATS planes in general...
 
Here's a good history on Navy air transport (no pictures, just text):
http://vrc-50.org/nats.htm
As late as 1968-70 I flew on USN C-118's (R6D's) that still had MILITARY AIR TRANSPORT SERVICE (pre-MAC) above the windows where you usually see UNITED STATES NAVY in photos from the 1970's to present.
 
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