DC-3 Flight

[cwyckham]

A couple weeks ago, I went for a flight over Auckland in a DC-3. It's a regular tourist flight used to raise enough money to keep the local DC-3 (actually, a Dakota) flying.

For you fellow glider types: This one was reinforced for use as a towplane to tow assault gliders during D-Day. Biggest towplane I've ever seen!

I thought I'd share a few photos and some short video clips I shot of the flight.

Takeoff
Over Auckland
Landing at Ardmore
Takeoff seen from outside

I'm scheduled to fly on the local PBY Catalina tomorrow, so I'll post some shots of that too for anyone who's interested.

Chris

 

[Diana]

I thought I'd share a few photos and some short video clips I shot of the flight.

Nice! Thanks for posting them. Is that a towel under the compass in one photo? Hearing that DC-3 taking off makes me long for Oshkosh.

I'm scheduled to fly on the local PBY Catalina tomorrow, so I'll post some shots of that too for anyone who's interested.

That sounds like fun! Please post them.

 

[tonycondon]

thats awesome Chris.

The C47 towplane woulda been a pretty cool thing to see. They pulled the gigantic Waco CG4's on dual tows. Also there is some stuff on the web showing how they had a system set up to retrieve a landed glider. It involved a couple poles with the rope strung between them, a hook on the end of the rope of the C47, a low pass, and a lot of stress on the glider. Apparently the glider was pretty much ripped apart quite often.

Matt and I got to poke our heads in a restored CG4 at the WWII glider museum in Lubbock, TX. another friend of ours was a rule breaker and crawled up to the cockpit and just to see what it felt like pulled the release. Well the connection was a big steel cylinder that fit into the nose, and it was in the nose until he pulled the release and it clattered to the concrete floor. In a big open room it made quite a noise but no museum people were around so he scurried out and stuffed the mechanicsm back into the glider the way it was supposed to be. Those things were heavy too!

 

[cwyckham]

Matt and I got to poke our heads in a restored CG4 at the WWII glider museum in Lubbock, TX. another friend of ours was a rule breaker and crawled up to the cockpit and just to see what it felt like pulled the release. Well the connection was a big steel cylinder that fit into the nose, and it was in the nose until he pulled the release and it clattered to the concrete floor. In a big open room it made quite a noise but no museum people were around so he scurried out and stuffed the mechanicsm back into the glider the way it was supposed to be. Those things were heavy too!

I do not condone touching or tampering with a museum exhibit, but that's a pretty hilarious story. Straight out of a sitcom as the clanging noise reverberates through the hangar and everyone turns to look. Your "friend's" heart must have stopped!

Chris

 

[tonycondon]

yes the only bad part about it was that we only heard the story from him. He did it during a different trip and we werent there to see it for ourselves

 

[wby0nder]

The really funny thing to me is that our pal in the above scene is a mature respected surgeon who just can't seem to resist risky michief which is quite endearing.

Also, Tony forgot the part about how he couldn't get the hook fitting back in the nose by himself and had to get museum staff to help so someone could hold the release handle in the cockpit while he held the fitting up in the receptical.

As he admitted each phase of this sophomoric adventure over dinner we experienced waves of hysterics. The museum atmosphear is very solomn, serious, historic and honorable. He came in there and created a cartoon.

Great stuff.

 

[colomtnflyer]

Wow! What a great experience...

I sure am impressed with the panel in that old bird... they were sure way ahead of their times back in WWII, weren't they?

There are quite a few "airplane on a stick" DC-3's around NZ. In Taupo, there is one which is elevated, and is part of a restaurant. Further South, towards Wellington, one is a part of a McDonald's ( what a disgrace!). Another is on a stick outside the AFB between Palmerston North and Wellington. Those are just 3 that I remember seeing ...

If anybody ever has the opportunity, NZ is an amazing place to visit and fly... Take advantage if the opportunity does come around!

 

[JasonCT]

If anybody ever has the opportunity, NZ is an amazing place to visit and fly... Take advantage if the opportunity does come around!

One of my "things I must do before I die" is to visit NZ.

Great pics.

 

[gprellwitz]

If anybody ever has the opportunity, NZ is an amazing place to visit and fly... Take advantage if the opportunity does come around!

I can second that, and can even recommend an outfit on the South Island where you stay on a sheep station (ranch) with its own planes and runway and head out over the South Island for day- or over-night trips. Matt and Jo run Flyinn New Zealand (www.flyinn.co.nz). They're at Oshkosh about every year. Pictures from our trip to NZ and our stay with them are at http://www.prellwitz.org/pics/vacation/NZ/

 

[Steve]

The airport at my hometown of Grenada, MS (GNF) was used as a WWII glider towing school for C-47s. The original massive wooden hangar is still in use. It should be on the national registry for historic buildings or engineering marvels, imho.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

Is that a towel under the compass in one photo?

That's the first thing I noticed, too. Think the wet compass leaks? Or is it for those hot flying days (wipe the forehead)? Or those moist mornings (wipe the inside of the windows, like I had to do in my first automobiles)?

 

[gprellwitz]

That's the first thing I noticed, too. Think the wet compass leaks? Or is it for those hot flying days (wipe the forehead)? Or those moist mornings (wipe the inside of the windows, like I had to do in my first automobiles)?

Actually, it looked more as if it was there for cushioning, but that makes no sense, because the compass must be afixed securely to the aircraft. So, I dunno?

 

[cwyckham]

Actually, it looked more as if it was there for cushioning, but that makes no sense, because the compass must be afixed securely to the aircraft. So, I dunno?

I have two theories. It's jammed in there pretty good, so it doesn't seem to be for use elsewhere in the aircraft or on the brows of the pilots.

1. There were some rain showers that day. Is it possible that there's a leak in the windows there? Maybe not even a water leak, but a gap that gets drafty?
2. The bottom of the compass seems to be tied on with two black strings (oddly enough). Maybe it rattles in flight and they jammed the towel behind it.

Chris