The End of An Era

That is sad to hear. I think the DC-3 is the coolest airplane ever built. If I ever hit the power ball, you can bet I am buying some up!
 
I took off for the U.S. Virgin islands right after graduating high school - Airline flight to Puerto Rico, and a DC-3 from San Juan to St. Thomas, before they chopped the top off the mountain and built a "real" terminal. The whole thing was sooo cool; almost Casablanca to a young guy - exotic location, cool airplane, ram-shackle hangar-terminal; spent the night on St. Thomas, then the ferry to St John, where I spent most of the summer. Some of the best days (and nights) of my life!

Went back after American (I think it was American) hit the gas station on the mountain; new, modern terminal, and most of the mountain was gone, and I'd been around the world. You can't go back, can you? Although St John hadn't changed so much. Anyway, heading back was was my second, and last, flight in a DC-3. It was already from a different time, and I knew it; I got to see, smell, and feel an airplane that was a real echo of what had been.
 
My very first airline trip was with my dad in a DC-3. In 1967, from College Station to Houston Hobby. The stewardess took me up front to meet the pilots. From the best I can remember they were both skinny as rails, wearing khaki uniforms and probably flew C-47s during the war. I got to eat a ham sandwich and a cold cream soda. It was the best I ever had.

I sure wish I had a picture. Everyone was dressed well. The airline was TTA. The stewardess checked our names off as we boarded. I did not get a set of plastic pilot wings though....
 
I instructed at LGB in 1971-72. It was a great place to watch a wide variety of interesting airplanes. Besides the new DC-9s and DC-10s being built at the McDonnell-Douglas plant across the field, and B-737-200s of PSA and Western Airlines, you had Grumman Geese of Catalina Airlines; Mercer Airlines' DC-3s, -4s and -6s on contract flights for the Navy, McCulloch's Electras, the occasional PBY, and many others.

In June 1972 I was fortunate enough to get four hours of FO time in a DC-3 out of LGB. I recently did some research on that airplane (N1213M, mfr c/n 4209) and found that like most DC-3s, it started life as a C-47 (USAAF s/n 41-7730, delivered 2/11/1942). Of the more than 10,000 C-47s built, this one was number nine, and the ninth airframe ever built at the then-new Douglas Long Beach plant.
 
Great airplane. Back in the early 80's, as a very young CFI, I was offered a summer FO job on DC-3's hauling cargo based in Soldotna, AK. The company had 3 DC-3's, the nicest one was 222RR, didn't get to fly that one much. Did it for 3 summers. Ended up with a DC-3 type rating at end. A lot of work, but a lot of fun, too. Lots of bumpy IMC with old instruments and radios. I'll never forget using a hand winch and pallet jack to winch 1500 lb totes of salmon up the sloping floor to the front of the cargo bay.
 
So sad.
They were still in use in S.E.A. while I was there.
I remember:
It rained as hard, inside the plane as it did outside.
The props were never completely in synch.
The crews (that I knew) that flew them had a huge attachment to them. They were a special aircraft.
I met one pilot who was flying the same aircraft his father flew during WWII.
 
Last edited:
Shepherd said:
So sad.
They were still in use in S.E.A. while I was there.
I remember:
It rained as hard, inside the plane as it did outside.
The props were never completely in synch.
The crews (that I knew) that flew them had a huge attachment to them. They were a special aircraft.
I met one pilot who was flying the same aircraft his father flew during WWII.
Click to expand...

Wow, I bet that would be a great story..!!
 
I knew that the DC-3 I flew, N1213M, had once been operated by Goodyear Tire & Rubber. But I was recently surprised to discover that it had been equipped with Goodyear's swiveling "crosswind" main gear.

Screen Shot 2017-06-17 at 8.57.10 AM.png

Screen Shot 2017-06-17 at 8.55.28 AM.png
 
Flew to my first job interview after graduation at Caterpillar in Peoria IL in a Lake Central Goonie Bird. I think Peoria was the third stop from Cincinnati. It's hazy but I don't think they had wicker seats:D.

Cheers
 
Thanks for the anecdotes, everyone. I took a Christmas light flight in the C-47 that's based at Meacham a few years ago.

Happy to have had the opportunity.
 
I just love DC planes. My country has a Lisunov Li-2 in working condition! (Lisunov's were built under DC license). I can't wait to visit her when I go home next month.
 

Attachments

  • Lisunov_Li-2T2.jpg
    Lisunov_Li-2T2.jpg
    177.2 KB · Views: 27
Hippike said:
I just love DC planes. My country has a Lisunov Li-2 in working condition! (Lisunov's were built under DC license). I can't wait to visit her when I go home next month.
Click to expand...

I had never heard of the Li-2. I had to look it up. Interesting history.

I hope you can take pictures when you visit and show them to us.
 
Hippike said:
I just love DC planes. My country has a Lisunov Li-2 in working condition! (Lisunov's were built under DC license). I can't wait to visit her when I go home next month.
Click to expand...

That's a great photo. What a beautiful bird!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top