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DC-3 / C-47
- Thread starter Tiki Tom
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Tiki Tom
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Golden Era adventure time! The dashing crew of this classic DC-3 is attempting to set a new world record. At 77 years old, this DC-3 Dakota will be the oldest plane to circumnavigate the globe. How I would like to take part in that jaunt. (Am in the market for a good mid-life crisis activity. 
)
http://komonews.com/news/local/iconic-dc-3-makes-stop-in-seattle-on-historic-world-record-attept
)http://komonews.com/news/local/iconic-dc-3-makes-stop-in-seattle-on-historic-world-record-attept
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Tiki Tom
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That is an amazing clip. I doubt they would allow such tight intervals these days.
Tiki Tom
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And another cool DC-3 clip...
nick123
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Took this photo in Upland, CA. Cable Airport.
The Reno Kid
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A few years ago, I was touring Boeing's gigantic parts warehouse on a business trip when one of my hosts remarked that they stocked a complete line of spares for every aircraft type they ever made which had at least one example still in commercial service. I asked about the DC-3 (McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing in the late '90s). Sure enough, they kept the DC-3 spares fully stocked. It's likely they will be carrying those parts after the aircraft passes its century mark.
The Mad Hatter
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With all due respects, the DC 3 pales in comparison to the DC 2 1/2.
The DC 2 1/2 was flown by CNAC, which basically was Pan Am in Chiang Kai-shek's China.
At a certain point, CNAC was in a tight spot, so they joined a DC 2 wing to the fuselage of a DC 3. It actually flew. Reportedly, this is how it happened:
This is part of a much longer yarn, recorded here http://cnac.org/aircraft02.htm
Here's a photo:
The DC 2 1/2 was flown by CNAC, which basically was Pan Am in Chiang Kai-shek's China.
At a certain point, CNAC was in a tight spot, so they joined a DC 2 wing to the fuselage of a DC 3. It actually flew. Reportedly, this is how it happened:
We had a DC-2 going through overhaul. As I looked at one of the wings, I couldn't help but wonder. it was certainly worth a try and a trial. we had a DC-3 on the line being serviced, so I ordered it into the hanger and directed that the right wing be removed. it was but a very short time later that we were fitting a DC-3 with a DC-2 wing to its center section. We bolted it in place, hooked up all the control cables, electric lines, etc. It seemed too good to believe! I called a meeting of our Chinese engineer,Loy Locke; our highest ranking American Supervisor, Arnold Weier
and our Chinese forman and lead mechanics. I explained to them that here we had a substitute wing, but no time to spare. I told them that I had Hal Sweet coming out to talk to him about flying the wing into Suifu. Eyes were big with disbelief and questions were many and varied. However, I had the whole thing planned in my head, and once I explained my plan, all agreed that it should work. Of course there were quite a few "bugs" to iron out. We removed the DC-2 wing from the DC-3, removed the tip and we had to remove the trailing edge to butt to the rear spar. As we did that, we made up a Kit so that it could be readily reassembled. I kept P.Y. informed of our plans and progress.
I might clear up a point at this time which has been very much disputed about the attach angle fitting the DC-2 and DC-3. By sheer accident and Donald Douglas' Scoth thrift, he used the DC-2 wing butt and center wing butt jigs, to form the DC-3 angles; however his design engineers called for a heavier angle with a wrap around plus double the attach bolts for the 3 -- so they drilled additional holes between the DC-2 holes; thus we filled all the DC-2 holes and skipped every other in the DC-3 center wing. Douglas built them strong.
and our Chinese forman and lead mechanics. I explained to them that here we had a substitute wing, but no time to spare. I told them that I had Hal Sweet coming out to talk to him about flying the wing into Suifu. Eyes were big with disbelief and questions were many and varied. However, I had the whole thing planned in my head, and once I explained my plan, all agreed that it should work. Of course there were quite a few "bugs" to iron out. We removed the DC-2 wing from the DC-3, removed the tip and we had to remove the trailing edge to butt to the rear spar. As we did that, we made up a Kit so that it could be readily reassembled. I kept P.Y. informed of our plans and progress.
I might clear up a point at this time which has been very much disputed about the attach angle fitting the DC-2 and DC-3. By sheer accident and Donald Douglas' Scoth thrift, he used the DC-2 wing butt and center wing butt jigs, to form the DC-3 angles; however his design engineers called for a heavier angle with a wrap around plus double the attach bolts for the 3 -- so they drilled additional holes between the DC-2 holes; thus we filled all the DC-2 holes and skipped every other in the DC-3 center wing. Douglas built them strong.
This is part of a much longer yarn, recorded here http://cnac.org/aircraft02.htm
Here's a photo:
Bugguy
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As I recall, the DC-3 was also a glider tow plane in Europe during WWII.
It was - at all of the major airborne operations (Normandy, Market-Garden, and Operation Varsity (Rhine crossing)).
Tiki Tom
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Another DC-3 in Action. Here she shows that she is still up for Modern adventure. (Scroll down the article for the photo.)
http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2018/04/11/amazing-discovery-under-high-arctic-ice/
http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2018/04/11/amazing-discovery-under-high-arctic-ice/
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Good catch and nice to see that the article isn't about the plane, i.e., the plane is just doing its job and not part of a historic flight, etc.
Flightengineer
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My favorite plane, I was lucky to fly in the C-47 and Li-2 cockpit . I wrote several articles about this nice bird. I love it so much that one of my cars was painted DC-3.
I'm flying big cargo plane (my job now), but my heart with DC-3 forever.
I'm flying big cargo plane (my job now), but my heart with DC-3 forever.
Flightengineer
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DC-2 and DC-3 from Lylestad Aviodrome Museum.
DC-2 in airworthy and can fly but for a number of reasons she does not fly for about 5 years
DC-2 in airworthy and can fly but for a number of reasons she does not fly for about 5 years
Flightengineer
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Another DC-3 from Lelystad.
Flightengineer
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Still flying as commercial aircraft
Flightengineer
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Pics taken from here http://www.oldjets.net/air-colombia.html#
Tiki Tom
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An article on Basler. I really admire these guys.
https://www.avweb.com/news/features/AirVenture-2018-Basler-DC3-Conversion-231173-1.html
https://www.avweb.com/news/features/AirVenture-2018-Basler-DC3-Conversion-231173-1.html
Tiki Tom
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Visiting the C47 at the D-Day museum in Sainte-Mère-Église, Normandy. Very good museum with lots of artifacts from June 6, 1944. The American Cemetery, just above Omaha Beach, is very moving.
