Any fans of the Douglas DC-3?

bigwheelzip

bigwheelzip

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A recent thread showing the modern "Glass Cockpit" points out our technical progress in comfort, speed, and safety. All good things.

But sometimes, I wish I still had the option of a DC-3 for a regional hop. Yes they were loud, and they vibrated, but they refused to be ignored. They were integral to the experience of travel, not incidental to it.

It's like when we have to go somewhere, and hubby looks at the weather and says "Let's take the motorcycle". The journeys always more fun on the bike, than the car. :)

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YECHxEOyY8[/ame]
 
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LOVE that sound. Reminds me of my childhood. We used to go sit at the airport sometimes and just watch the planes takeoff. It was even more enjoyable at night, when the rest of the world was asleep.

As for the DC3, great plane. Probably the only commercial tail-dragger still in use somewhere today. Classic plane. Same catagory for me as the B52 and C130. Still in service today. :D
 
Back in '74/'75 I was considering going to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; Their pilot training syllabus included the multi-engine rating done in a DC-3. Cost: $150/hour for the DC-3 time. Today a lowly Cessna 172 is knocking on $200/hour, and I doubt there's a DC-3 for rent anywhere.
 
The last time I flew on one of these was island hopping down in the Caribbean. I don't know if they're still in use down there or not.
Jim
 
They are still heavily in use around Alaska, mostly used to haul cargo and transport fish across the State from the various canneries and processing plants. Amazing planes.
 
we had two C-47's at Rhein Main AB in Germany. when they were rotated back to the states one of them made it all the way back and the other made it as far as the airport in Iceland. there was a debate as to whether it was worth fixing it or not to finish it's trip back to the states and never heard anything more. there are probably damn few airports that haven't had a C-47 land on them at one time or the other. just a basic airplane that worked very well
 
My first flight in airplane was on a United DC-3 in 1954 when I was 10 years old. Eleven years later I flew on a Navy R4D (DC-3) from Osaka to Kobe, Japan. It was the only Navy transport I ever flew on that had parachutes on the back of every seat!

Here is another video that is also pretty interesting:

EAA Video Player - Your Source for Aviation Videos
 
There is still at least one I think 2 still flying out of Houma, Louisiana A DC 4 also. I hear them overhead every once in a while, it is a unique sound I'll never forget. I used to fly in them overseas often when I was still working. I remember one in Panama, on a local flight through a rainstorm rain was streaming into the cabin, they used to call it "La Llorona" "The Crybaby" because it dripped engine oil all over the runways.
They are Noble machines for sure to still be flying after so many years.
Steve W
Here is a link to the flying operations in Houma
Airborne Support, Houma, Louisiana
 
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Yep, we also had R4Ds (the "Skytrain" or "Gooney Bird") in the Marine Corps. As an aircraft electrician I worked on them at the DaNang AB in 1966 and have quite a few flight hours on board.

Of special note, among other things, is the fact that the steel landing gear pins are up in the landing gear well. In order to get in to that area to insert those pins (before takeoffs and after landings) you absolutely have to come in from the sides or from behind those spinning propellers. IF you forget and come straight forward after the pins are inserted or removed, you're going to have a really, really bad day!

The Douglas Aircraft Company built a really fine aircraft some of which are still in service today.
 
to understand why it got it's name the "gooney bird" all you have to do is watch a rookie pilot land one. tail draggers are a little different. it does an amazing imitation of a real gooney bird
 
Traveled many a mile on DC-3s when they were still the airliner in this country.

A C-47 is the only plane I have ever, briefly, flown myself. It was a rush--I was eighteen at the time.

The C-47/DC-3 is, in my opinion, one of the most versatile and important aircraft ever designed. Next in line is the C-130.
 
bigwheelzip said:
A recent thread showing the modern "Glass Cockpit" points out our technical progress in comfort, speed, and safety. All good things.

But sometimes, I wish I still had the option of a DC-3 for a regional hop. Yes they were loud, and they vibrated, but they refused to be ignored. They were integral to the experience of travel, not incidental to it.

It's like when we have to go somewhere, and hubby looks at the weather and says "Let's take the motorcycle". The journeys always more fun on the bike, than the car. :)

HISTORIC Swissair Douglas DC-3 Start Up & Take-Off - Great Sound! - YouTube
Click to expand...
It's ironic that you mention that plane. I don't know if you were referring to my pic of the B767 cockpit from "our old jobs", but if so, I became a pilot because of my Dad who flew C-47s in WWII, which is a DC-3.
It's still one plane I have not flown yet but really want to before my time is up.
 
First plane I ever flew in. It had to be about 1951 or 1952. It was the Minneapolis Tribune's company plane. My father was a columnist. I do not remember the occasion, but it was a pretty short flight, less than an hour.
 
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