Civilian Aviation

I thought the Douglas propliners would be a good theme to build a thread on. Douglas was a powerhouse of the era and aircraft class and, I think, there's very few sounds as evocative as a group of big radial engines growling in unison.

I'll suggest as a guideline that we keep as close to how Douglas intended the aircraft to be. In other words, non Douglas variations are allowable as long as the original Douglas lines of the aircraft are clearly visible. So a basic Lisunov Li-2 or Basler BT-67 would be fair game as the DC-3 is clearly visible in them while the ATL-98 Carvair would be out as the DC-4 is not so easily discernable in it.

At that, I'll kick it off with a few shots of the Red Bull DC-6 as it was seen at Pardubice, Czech Republic in early summer of 2014. This was not long after it had been been put on the Austrian civil register as OE-LDM:







Here's the same plane at Zeltweg, Austria in 2013 still wearing its previous American registration, N996DM:

Very good choice of subject ! ...... one of my favourites ..... I will start with a few from a trip to Opa Locka some time ago.

The two DC-4's at North weald from some time ago, one recently broken up, and the other for sale !!!!

Douglas DC-6 swingtail by Niall Grant, on Flickr
DC-6 Swingtail, N434TA, Northern Air Cargo at Fairbanks, Alaska, USA, June 2002 - scanned from Fujichrome slide.

Air Cargo Express, N888DG, Douglas DC-6 by Niall Grant, on Flickr
Fairbanks, Alaska, USA, again this time, Air Cargo Express, N888DG, Douglas DC-6

Douglas DC-6, Spirit of America by Niall Grant, on Flickr
Fairbanks, Alaska, USA, June 2002, Everts Air Fuel, N444CE, Douglas DC-6, "Spirit of America"

Conifair, N3050P, Douglas DC-6 by Niall Grant, on Flickr
Conifair, N3050P, Douglas DC-6 (c/n 44073/406). Started out in 1953 with Flying Tigers before moving on to Northwest, Zantop, Satum, Conifair and finally to Everts for parts.

Brooks Fuels, N44911, Douglas DC-4 by Niall Grant, on Flickr
Brooks Fuels, N44911,Douglas C-54 Skymaster sitting at its base at Fairbanks in 2002. Destroyed in ground fire in 2004.

Air to Air with Classic Air, HB-ISC, Doulgas DC-3 by Niall Grant, on Flickr
Classic Air's DC-3 high above the Alps. 11th September 2004.

Beautiful stuff, guys! Thanks for sharing.

Caught this one at Newquay 28/07/13

N431HM by Phil Salter, on Flickr
N431HM by Phil Salter, on Flickr

Phil

A DC-3 in the Calgary Museum 2005.

DC3 Northwest CF-BZI Calgary

A DC-3 at Duxford show July 2005.

DC3 ICELANDAIR TF-NPK 3 Duxford

A DC-6 at Biggin Hill airshow 2006.

DC6 Air Atlantique G-APSA 7 Biggin Hill

The same DC-6 at Biggin Hill airshow 2008. Still owned by Air Atlantique.

DC-6A British Eagle G-APSA 4 Biggin Hill

Finally, a scan DC-6 at Gatwick in 1977 doing enthusiast flights.

DC-6 IFA OO-IFA Gatwick

DC-6 G-APSA at Coventry May 2010.

We came across this DC-3 Dakota at the Cerbaiola Aviation Museum near Rimini, Italy.

The information board says "This DC-3, built in 1944 for the US Navy, belonged from 1954 to 1961 to American actor Clark Gable (Gone With The Wind fame). On this plane also flew Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, JF Kennedy, Ted Kennedy and Ronald Reagan". The museum contends that they are in possession of logs to back this up.

Two pictures showing the exterior and interior.


Dakota of actor Clark Gable by Marius Bekker, on Flickr


DC-3 Dakota interior by Marius Bekker, on Flickr

A few from my flight in DC-7B N836D some time ago .....

1949 Douglas DC3 @ Historic Flight Foundation's Vintage Aircraft Weekend, Payne Field September 4/15

Parked at Coventry airport and known as the "DC-6 Diner" this DC-6 (G-SIXC) has a colourful history. Pictures taken May 2015.

"DC-6B G-SIXC, built in September 1958, spent most of its life in Southeast Asia, and now resides at Coventry Airport, England. After serving with the CIA and Royal Air Lao, it was bought by Air Atlantique Group in 1987. Its last commercial flight was on October 26, 2004. It featured in the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale. No longer flying, it was converted into a static restaurant at Coventry airport, the "DC-6 Diner". (Source: Wiki)


Douglas DC-6 'Diner' by Marius Bekker, on Flickr


DC-6 Air Atlantique by Marius Bekker, on Flickr

Here's G-AMRA Air Atlantique DC-3 at Waddington 2 July 2005.



Scanned this in from an old negative..have cleaned it up best I can. Air Atlantic G-AMPY at a Coventry airshow in the 1980's

G-AMPY in her RAF colours at Cosford 10th June 2007

Some of the Millardair fleet at rest, Toronto October 1980..................

Does this count?

C-47 , Dakota, Kwicherbichen by Ian Sheppard, on Flickr

C-47 , Dakota, Kwicherbichen by Ian Sheppard, on Flickr

DC-6 G-APSA at Gan 1964 in British Eagle colours.. earlier flights she had been in Cunard Eagle colours. I think all they did was just change the word Cunard to British

Here's the Brietling DC-3 at Pardubice, Czech Republic at the end of May, 2016:

Coventry in the mid 80s home to the Air Atlantique fleet DC-3s

03_21_58 by Nigel Marsh, on Flickr

HB-IRJ Douglas DC-3A Dakota Breitling RIAT Fairford 20 July 2015

HB-IRJ RIAT Fairford 20 July 2015 by ACW367, on Flickr

G-ANAF Douglas DC-3C-R-1830-90C Air Atlantique Coventry 19 April 2015

G-ANAF Coventry 19 April 2015 by ACW367, on Flickr

G-APSA Douglas DC-6A British Eagle Coventry 19 April 2015

G-APSA Coventry 19 April 2015 by ACW367, on Flickr

G-SIXC Douglas DC-6B Air Atlantique, now the "DC-6 Diner" restaurant Coventry 19 April 2015

G-SIXC Coventry 19 April 2015 by ACW367, on Flickr

N57123 Douglas DC-3 Dakota Basler Turbo Conversions Oshkosh 9 September 2011

N57123 Oshkosh 9 September 2011 by ACW367, on Flickr

N61981 Douglas DC-3 Dakota Behind, N88874 42-92847 Douglas AC-47A Spooky in front, Basler Turbo Conversions Oshkosh 9 September 2011

N61981 N88874 42-92847 Oshkosh 9 September 2011 by ACW367, on Flickr

XA-RPN Douglas DC-3 Dakota ex-Aero Libertad Basler Turbo Conversions Oshkosh 9 September 2011

XA-RPN Oshkosh 9 September 2011 by ACW367, on Flickr

N21728 Douglas DC3-G202A Henry Ford Museum Dearborn 4 December 2015. Displayed in Northwest livery, but never flew for that airline

N21728 Henry Ford Museum Dearborn 4 December 2015 by ACW367, on Flickr

N47060 Douglas DC-3 Dakota Basler Turbo Conversions Oshkosh 9 September 2011

N47060 Oshkosh 9 September 2011 by ACW367, on Flickr

N843MB Douglas DC-3 Dakota Basler Turbo Conversions Wittman Field Oshkosh 9 September 2011

N843MB Wittman Field Oshkosh 9 September 2011 by ACW367, on Flickr

N21BF Douglas DC-3 Dakota Basler Airlines Oshkosh 9 September 2011

N21BF Oshkosh 9 September 2011 by ACW367, on Flickr

N61981 Douglas DC-3 Dakota Basler Turbo Conversions Oshkosh 9 September 2011

N61981 Oshkosh 9 September 2011 by ACW367, on Flickr

N683LS foreground, XA-RPN ex-Aero-Liberlad background. Douglas DC-3 Dakota Basler Turbo Conversions Oshkosh 9 September 2011

N683LS XA-RPN Oshkosh 9 September 2011 by ACW367, on Flickr

N7772 42-23835 Douglas DC-3 Dakota EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 9 September 2011

N7772 42-23835 EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 9 September 2011 by ACW367, on Flickr

NC1945 Douglas DC3-G202A Trans World Airlines Save-A-Connie National Airline History Museum Kansas City Downtown 29 September 2012

NC1945 National Airline History Museum Kansas City Downtown 29 September 2012 by ACW367, on Flickr

210084 N147DC Douglas DC-3 Aces High RIAT Fairford 14 July 2011

210084 N147DC RIAT Fairford 14 July 2011 by ACW367, on Flickr