Warbird Information Exchange

This link/org states it was 1942 that it was put in military service-
http://www.cnapg.org/dakota_part1.htm
Rich

Our aircraft was originally built by Douglas in July 1941 as a right hand door DC-3 277D with Wright Cyclones, for delivery to American Airlines as NC33657, but was instead impressed direct from the production line by the U.S. Military as a C50 "41-7698".

Along with two other C50's, it was delivered to the 5th Air Force in Australia in October 1942 for use as a Troop Carrier, and flew with the 21st Troop Carrier Squadron of the 374th Troop Carrier Group, carrying the call sign "VHCDJ" (not a civil registration).

Following the re-equipment of the 21st TCS with fifty-two new C-47's in early 1943, "VH-CDJ", along with another C50 and three C53 aircraft, were transferred to the RAAF for service with No36 Transport Squadron, where it carried the name "Waltzing Matilda". In 1944 it was transferred to Guinea Airways operating passenger flights under military auspices.

In July 1946, the aircraft was purchased by Australian National Airways, registered as VH-ANH and given the name “Tullana", and as part of their C47 conversion program, was changed from right to left hand passenger door . When ANA was taken over by Ansett in 1957 the aircraft remained with the company, flying with Ansett subsidiary, Airlines of New South Wales.

In 1970 the aircraft was retired, having flown a total of 45,030 hours.

On the 27th of August 1972 VH-ANH made it’s last flight to Moorabbin Airport to join the Museum collection, initially being leased to the Museum for $1.00. The DC3 has since been donated to the Museum.

Our aircraft is the third oldest DC-3 surviving in Australia, and is one of 3 original factory built civil airliner DC-3's existing in the country, the remainder being converted from, or remaining configured as military transport C47's, with a number still remaining airworthy for charter and tourist flights..

I believe that above info is not right, as for NC1945 The Airline History Museam here in KC is restoring NC1945. And all the records we have Show she was not sent to the Army at all and was used for VIP service with TWA during the war and was with TWA untill 1952.

Here are some shots From the KC airshow last year. The billboard over the windows is the one she had during WWII "Cool" Yes??? She is coming out again for this years show too. Aug. 23-24

Douglas C-49-DO DC-3-384 aircraft impressed by USAAF before delivery to TWA. Civil registrations NC1945 thru
NC1949 were assigned but never taken up.

7685 c/n 3270 to USAAF Feb 6, 1941. To 5th AF, Australia. To RAAF for ADAT Sep 4, 1942
as VH-CDA. SOC Dec 12, 1944

7686 c/n 3271 to USAAF Feb 8, 1941. To 5th AF, Australia Sep 1942. Loaned to RAAF Jan 1943
as VH-CDG *Mucky Minnie*. Loaned to 36 Sqdn RAAF Jan 20, 1944. To USAAF Apr 19, 1944.
To civil reistry as VH-CDG for ANA Apr 24, 1944. RR VH-ANQ *Dromana* May 22, 1946.
To Ansett ANA Oct 1957, Victoria Air Coach Dec 17, 1961 and Airlines of NSW Jun
1966. WFU Nov 20, 1967, scrapped Essendon Nov 6, 1969.

7687 c/n 3272 to USAAF Feb 23, 1941 - 5th AF, Australia Sep 01, 1942 - RAAF for ADAT Dec 1942
as VHCDB -*Lady Eve* Dec 1942 - Loaned to 36Sqdn RAAF Jun 24, 1943. To civil registry as
VH-CDB for ANA Feb 23, 1944. Rr VH-ANN Jan 25, 1946, lsd Jul 20, 1953 to Guinea Airways
*Morobe* Rr VH-GAH Aug 1958, returned to Ansett-ANA Jan 25, 1960 as VH-ANN *Ranana*. Sold
to Airlines of South Australia Dec 12, 1964. Scrapped Essendon Jul 25, 1967, nose displayed
at Moorabbin Air Museum. Later purchased by Darryl Gibbs, now stored Clyde North,
Vic, loaned to the Clyde North Aeronautical Preservation Group. Now stored at Wagga Wagga.

7688 c/n 3273 to USAAF Feb 16, 1941, to Philippines Jul 1941. SOC Jan 1942, supposedly
destroyed by Japanese attack

7689 c/n 3274 to USAAF Feb 21, 1941 - 6th AF (20th TS), Panama Mar 27, 1941 - To RFC
Nov 29, 1945. To civil registry as NC88872 for lease to Eastern Air Lines *397* until
crashed Galax, VA. Jan 12, 1947.

Is it possible your airframe is a later s/n that was actually issued the registration "NC1945" and entered service in TWA, is your a/c s/n 3270?

Douglas Commercial DC-3
NC1945


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The legendary Douglas DC-3 is the latest restoration project by the AHM. This Douglas DC-3-362, registration number NC1945, serial number 3294, was built in Santa Monica, California, in February 1941. It was delivered to Transcontinental and Western Airlines (TWA) at Kansas City, Missouri on March 4, 1941.

About sixty percent of all DC-3 aircraft went to war in WWII as transports; this one did not. In fact, NC1945 is one of the very few existing DC-3s with the rare 24-passenger, 8-window configuration. Most remaining DC-3s are of the 21-passenger, 7-window configuration. This airplane flew with TWA as ship 386, from 1941 until 1952. In fact, some of our members logged hours in this plane as TWA crewmembers. It then spent 14 years with North Central Airlines. In 1968 it went into charter operations, and later was a travel club airplane with Coronado Airlines, in California.

The airplane ended its life as an electronic test bed in Torrance, California. It then sat in the desert west of Palmdale for a few years in storage, as part of an estate. The airplane was flown to Roswell, New Mexico in the mid-1980's for storage.