One of the most famous and long serving aircraft in history, the iconic Douglas DC-3 is a legend of the skies in both civilian and military guises. First flown in 1935, the DC-3 became the most successful airliner in the formative years of air transportation. More than 13,000 DC-3s, both civil and military versions, US and foreign built, were produced. The airlines liked the aircraft because it was reliable, inexpensive to operate, and therefore profitable. Pilots liked its stability, ease of handling and excellent single-engine performance. During WWII hundreds served as transports and spearheaded the airborne invasions, laden with paratroops.
Image: DC3 - Photo by Gavin Conroy
Numerous names and numbers were assigned to the DC-3 over its life. The UK and Commonwealth labelled it the Dakota or Dak, the Americans called it the Skytrain, Skytrooper, Doug, or Gooney Bird. The US military's official titles were C-47, C-53, C-117 and R4D. Of all these, the affectionate title Gooney Bird lingers longest.Many are still flying today, some still earning their keep in the transport role, others employed as a nostalgic passenger aircraft. The DC-3 displayed at CF 25 is one of the latter and was flown all the way from England to NZ back in 2012, retracing the 22,000 kilometre flight made by Kiwi aviatrix Jean Batten in 1936. Owned by Paris based Kiwi Mark Oremland, the aircraft has had much maintenance work done on it by Omaka based JEM aviation over the years and she is now in the best shape she has been in for decades.
About Marlborough Lines Classic Fighters Omaka: The airshow is the main fundraising event for the Omaka Aviation Heritage Museum, located in Blenheim, Marlborough NZ.
