Happy 75th Birthday DC-3

[Rubenandres77]

This post is to celebrate the 75th anniversary of a legend.

Her maiden flight was on December 17th, 1935. Since then, she has been a protagonist of the skies all over the world… and she’s still flying.

Let’s raise our glasses and toast to her honor!

Long live the DC-3!!!


Adding more words to the legend is useless. So I will refrain from repeating what is widely known about this beautiful bird.

And while we celebrate, let’s remember some nice DC-3/C-47 related threads and galleries in this forum:

My Father's Wings

Douglas C-47 Skytrain 1/50 Scale

C-47 from FG it is

Wilhelmshavener DC-3

FGMM AC-47 repaint and tweaks

DC-3 (Again)

http://www.papermodelers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=532&ppuser=145

http://www.papermodelers.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1536

http://www.papermodelers.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1537

(If I missed something, please add the links in your comments)



And finally, a nice video of the C-47 in action. An excerpt from the movie “A bridge too Far”:


YouTube - Douglas C47 and Horsa Gliders

[Rubenandres77]

As for myself, I’ve made a couple of tributes to the Gooney Bird.

First, I made a wallpaper. Originally thought for personal use, I decided to expand the scope and make it available for anyone interested in it:



It is a rar file containing the wallpaper already formatted to fit several devices. You only have to download it (green button on the right side), uncompress it, and select the size that best fits your needs.
DC-3 wallpaper pack by ~Rubenandres77 on deviantART


The second tribute I made was the creation of a group in DeviantArt. It is called “DC-3 fanclub” and the URL is:
#dc-3-fanclub deviantART gallery
The purpose of this group is to collect artwork of the DC-3/C-47 produced by members of the DeviantArt community. You will find great photos, and interesting digital art.

It’s a small group, with some 50 images only (in 2 days after being created), but hopefully it will grow bigger. There is also a section devoted to scale models, though sadly no paper models of the DC-3 have been found in DeviantArt (yet) :(

Anyway,
have a great day!!!

[whulsey]

Thanks for posting the info. One of the all time greats.

[APA-168]

Thanks for reminding us to celebrate this magnificent aircraft, a beautiful and historic bird that still cruises the skies today. Not many aircraft have the distinction of being in service for all of 75 years. Progress has marched on but the DC-3 has never been replaced.

[DEATH ANGELS]

Excellent!

[2Kamser]

i wonder how many B737's or Airbuses or what have you will still be flying after 75 years
this is one of my all time favourites, more so after i got to ride in one some 7 years ago around Malmö (my "home" town - i was not born here but i live here) and the fondest memory of that was we we came in sideways for the landing and i was fortunate enough to be on the side which had the runway in our windows - a real treat

[Ashrunner]

During my days at the "Working Aircraft Museum," I would occasionally be sent out with an L-6 Oil Truck, or one of the R-2 Refueling Truck loaded with AVGAS. Sometimes the destination were one, or both of the "Ol' Shakeys) (C-124 Globemaster for those who don't know).

But sometimes it was to service one or both of the Reeve Aleutian Airways. The airline was contracted to resupply some of the remote sites in Alaska. The aircraft which were stationed at Elmendorf AFB for that purpose were a DC-3 and a CW-20, or C-46 Commando. It was always a pleasure to work on either of those aircraft, as I knew I was working history.

When I returned to Elmendorf 11 years later, one of the first things I did was head to the area where the Reeve's birds were parking. I wandered around the area for 30 minutes or so, not seeing either of the aircraft. I soon came across a civilian employee and asked him about the aircraft.

He informed me both aircraft were reassigned with Reeve Aleutian Airways lost the contract in the mid 70s. Talking further, we realized that it was quite possible that he and I refueled the birds together, as he was just starting his employment at the time I had arrived at the base.

The aircraft may be gone, but I still have fond memories of both, and scar on the back of skull which was caused by the DC-3's prop (I learned that day to keep my eyes on a 360 swivel on the flightline).