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| Gambo Flying Service |
Aircraft History Built by Aeronca as Aeronca K series model 65TC Tandem. Purchased by Gambo Flying Service and registered as NC33768. This aircraft was painted orange with "Gambo Flying Service" with a dark stripe on the fuselage spanning from the cowling to the tail. The registration number NC33768 was painted on the lower side of the wing and the upper tail above a large tail number 5. This plane was based at John Rodgers Field (Honolulu Airport) and available for rent by private pilots. Wartime History On December 7, 1941 in the morning took off from John Rodgers Field (Honolulu Airport) piloted by Roy L. Vitousek Sr. and his 16 year old son Martin Vitousek on a sight-seeing flight over Hawaii. Over Molokai (Molokaʻi), the first wave of Japanese aircraft began attacking Pearl Harbor and Oahu. Spotted and fired on, this plane managed to evade and escape without serious damage and landed safely at John Rodgers Field (Honolulu Airport). This aircraft survived the Japanese attack without damaged. Restoration This aircraft was restored by student volunteers from Kapi'olani Community College in Honolulu on Oahu. Display Since the early 2000s, displayed at the USS Missouri Memorial on the dock at the edge of Ford Island overlooking Pearl Harbor. Later, moved to the Pacific Aviation Museum (Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum) and displayed in Hanger 37 suspended from the ceiling over the diorama of Niihau Island (Niʻihau) with the wreckage of A6M2 Zero 2266. Memorials Vitousek grew up to become a geophysicist and inventor and University of Hawaii researcher. He owned a 72' schooner that was featured in the Hollywood movie The Wackiest Ship in the Army (1960) carry transport supplies and replacements to Palmyra, Jarvis and Fanning. He passed away February 13, 1999 at age 73 in Kealakekua, Hawaii and was cremated and his scattered at sea at sundown. References Pacific Aviation Museum (Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum) - Aeronca Model 65TC FindAGrave - Martin J. Vitousek Honolulu Star-Bulletin "Martin J. Vitousek obituary" February 17, 1999 Contribute
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