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DC-3s and The Last Time

Mon Jul 26, 2010 7:27 am

No update yet seen on WIX so a quick one...gathered at Rock Falls, IL, this past weekend were 28 (I think) DC-3/C-47/R4Ds and one DC-2...

A good diverse group of airplanes, crews, owners, veterans, and guys with some involvement with the type through the years, plus a good general public attendance and good weather.

A massed flyover is planned for Monday late morning with most or all DC-3s participating.

Re: DC-3s and The Last Time

Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:29 am

We stopped in yesterday on the way home from Kenosha. As Scott mentioned, it seemed to be a very good gathering. I counted 26 but don't know if any others were in the air at the time.
I also posted this in the "What airplane did you see flying today" thread.
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It was interesting to compare the DC-2 to the others side by side
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Re: DC-3s and The Last Time

Mon Jul 26, 2010 5:57 pm

I was there Saturday. Posted three pics so far. It will be months before I get more done. I'm so far behind this year.

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Re: DC-3s and The Last Time

Mon Jul 26, 2010 6:33 pm

22 (ish) flew over to land at OSH today

Re: DC-3s and The Last Time

Mon Jul 26, 2010 7:25 pm

I'm one of the few, the proud ...... who can spot a DC-2 a mile away and know it ain't no DC-3 I'm lookin' at. But I just thought of something. Wonder why the boarding door was on the portside on the -2, and to starboard on the the -3?

Thanks for the photos, y'all, as always! They're wonderful to see!! :drink3:

Re: DC-3s and The Last Time

Mon Jul 26, 2010 7:37 pm

Pogo wrote:I'm one of the few, the proud ...... who can spot a DC-2 a mile away and know it ain't no DC-3 I'm lookin' at. But I just thought of something. Wonder why the boarding door was on the portside on the -2, and to starboard on the the -3?

The door was on the port side on most DC-3s, and starboard on the DST

Re: DC-3s and The Last Time

Tue Jul 27, 2010 12:45 am

The entry door could be ordered on either side. American and a few other airlines ordered their DC-3s (and DSTs) with right hand doors.

Scott

Re: DC-3s and The Last Time

Tue Jul 27, 2010 4:52 am

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Thanks for posting the photo of the highly polished EAL aircraft from Eddie Rickenbeckers "Great Silver Fleet" our museum at Moorabbin in Australia has a DC-2 that was one of the first 10 aircraft used by him to establish that brand, and which were later sold to the RAAF for service in Australia.

Our DC-2 still retains its port entry passenger door, while most of the other surviving RAAF DC-2's were modified to C-39 type cargo doors.

http://aarg.com.au/DC2.htm

we also have an original pre-war DC-3 that was impressed off the production line off American Airlines orders and served as a C-50 with the USAAC and later the RAAF, it was built with a starboard entry passenger door and retained it as a C-50 all through its military service, however on demobbing into post war Australian airline service it was converted to portside entry passenger door along with all the former C-47s that had their cargo doors removed and modification to passenger "DC-3s".

http://aarg.com.au/DC3.htm

I understood the DC-2 universally had port doors to maintain compatibility with the operations of the earlier wooden/biplane airliners it was replacing, but that the DC-3 operators such as American Airlines opted for starboard doors, which I understand are now quite rare as most C-47 conversions around the world fitted the port door as part of the removal / conversion of the Cargo doors?

Regards

Mark Pilkington
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