In total, more than 16,000 variants of the venerable DC-3 were built. The DC-3/C-47 is the only pre-World War II aircraft that is still operating commercially today.
To pay tribute to this beautiful airplane, the first Flabob DC-3/C-47 Fly-In took place at the historic airport in Riverside, Calif., May 19-21, 2017.
The fly-in included rides, tours and a film festival, a pancake breakfast hosted by EAA Chapter One, as well as seminars on what it takes to maintain and train to fly the DC-3.
And what gathering would be complete without some hangar flying? Sunday included a lecture on the use of DC-3 by Pan Am in Africa and the Flying Tigers.
If you have a soft-spot for the DC-3 and you missed the fly-in this year, mark your calendar now for 2018.
Scenes around the fly-in
The DC-3 continues to serve, as Greatest Generation Aircraft volunteers fly supplies to victims of Hurricane Harvey:
http://www.star-telegram.com/news/article171668642.html
The aircraft is often stationed at the Fort Worth Aviation Museum and the effort is being organized by Operation Airdrop. Support this group!
http://www.operation-airdrop.com/
Hey my 1929 Travelair E-4000 biplane takes exception being flown commercially in the air tour business since 1992.
I think all pilots love the DC-3. When it roars by either flying or taxing you have to watch it. It’s a classic. What a thrill it would have been to be on a flight of those long ago DC-3’s. Ahh the good-ole-days.
JR
One could make the argument to include the C-46 in the company of pre-WWII aircraft still active.