By: RedRedWine - 17th June 2017 at 22:44
Yes, the I do recall a reference to Viscount nacelles in the piece. Amazing how some things stick.
I am humbly educated re DC-3, and will remember in future. Thank you sir!
By: J Boyle - 17th June 2017 at 13:27
Yes, you’re correct, it was BEA, not BOAC. They were preceded by a RAF Dakota with the engines.
In the 70s, Conroy (builders of the Guppy series) put Darts on a DC-3, as did TAMCO who envisioned a more modified airframe.
At the time there were many Darts available in North America due in part to the retirement of United and Continental airline Viscounts. Many forget how popular Viscounts were in the U.S.
And to raise you one on the pedant sweepstakes, it’s DC-3, not DC3.
A small thing, but akin to writing a Spitfire Mk. 1 or Seafire Mk. XLVII.
By: RedRedWine - 16th June 2017 at 19:18
I think there was also a conversion in the late 1960’s/early 70’s that used Darts. I’m relying on a memory of a photo in a mag nearly 50 years ago, and can’t remember if it was a prototype or actually made it to service. And to get my pedant’s award, wasn’t the early conversion BEA not BOAC?
As an aside, I once flew Air Atlantique from Coventry into RIAT on a DC3. Highly enjoyable, you could see what was going on below. And it wasn’t slow at all. One of the 2CVs that passed only managed it going downhill. Mind you, it would have been a better flight if gin and tonics had been served on the return.
By: J Boyle - 16th June 2017 at 06:05
Back in the 50s, there were a couple of BOAC conversions/ dart testbeds used as freighters. At that time, few would have thought the airframe would outlast the new engine.
The soundness if the design is shown by the success of the current turbine conversions. People are willing to spend millions for an airframe that is pretty much guaranteed to be older than its pilots.
By: wally-to - 15th June 2017 at 20:43
They are just so sllllllllloooooooooowwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!
I do agree with the sentiments posted above, great aircraft that would be sadly missed. The type in general I mean, there was one with a pair of dart turboprops kicking about for a while.
By: J Boyle - 14th June 2017 at 21:39
About time. The DC-3, because it is as so ubiquitous, is in danger of being taken for granted.
If they’re abused or neglected they’ll eventually be scrapped with the attitude of “there are plenty around”…until one day there aren’t.
By: Fouga23 - 14th June 2017 at 18:32
Nice 🙂 Seems to be a renewed interest in DC-3’s 🙂
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June 14, 2017 at 1:45 pm