Evening all
Thinking about the Air Atlantique Classic Flight Daks, and the couple of Daks here in Victoria doing pleasure flying* I got to wondering about that venerable old girl the DC-3 / Dakota.
It’s one of those few vintage aircraft that a) exists in large enough numbers to spoil any serious attempt at a cencus b) still can and does earn a living and c) is unarguably one of the most important types in the history of aviation.
Roy Blewett’s handy little guide “Survivors 2002” lists 1,309 survivors of the DC-2/3 Dakota family, or 12% of the production run, and gives 418 active, 301 preserved, 25 in restoration, 17 ground instructional, 310 stored, 1 fire trainer 237 derelict. Any way you cut it, that’s a lot of historic aircraft, and beats Spitfires, Mustangs and in some aspects T-6s. Any other warbird in the same league?
In terms of ‘vintage’ transport aircraft it outranks Roy’s next entrant nearly three to one (1,309 – 482) and that’s the Fokker F-27 Friendship, important, but not in the same league. It’s also the most active survivor, with that 418 being seconed (again) by the Friendship at 275, but that 400+ being only 4% of the production run of Douglas’ machine.
So over to you:
How do you see the Dak? Important? Worth getting a flight on? Does it count as a Warbird? When did you last see one? When did you last see one fly? (When did you last see half a dozen or a dozen fly?)
Any Daktacular pics?
And using the power of the forum, how many Daks do we think are out there earning money? How many flying regularly?
Post away, pictures welcome too…
Cheers
James
*I’m assured by the AACF folks that it’s never ‘joy riding’; as that’s done with young people who should know better. ‘Pleasure flying’ is perpatrated by young people who should know better with a ATPL.
By: Will J - 24th April 2005 at 20:59
‘SV under more helpful photographic conditions…
I have often looked at the T-6 imagining how working on a Dak would be ideal practise for the smaller more fiddly version!
By: TEXANTOMCAT - 24th April 2005 at 19:45
I always liked the fact that Dutch Kindelberger had a hand in designing both the DC3 and the T-6 – evidenced buy the wing and centre section in plan form…identical…well almost…
Wonderful aeroplane no doubt about it!
By: Will J - 24th April 2005 at 13:24
The end of an era, the beginning of a new one….
An interesting Dakota milestone, that ought to be recorded for posterity…
The Classic Flight Experience Day on Saturday (24/04/05) was probably the final public event featuring a former Air Atlantique C-47 in full ‘Pollution Control’ spec. G-AMSV, now firmly under the wing of the Mustang Restoration Company took a starring role in the static display at the event, along with a display of Mustang information and artefacts.
The 1:72 scale models on show demonstrate the transformation that is about to take place. The aircraft, whilst outwardly a ‘warbird’ will still be able to undertake a wide variety of tasks and like so many other Dakotas, will continue to ‘earn its keep’.
Visitors on Saturday were able to inspect the interior, with its fascinating array of tanks, pipes (and dipsticks 🙂 ), I took the chance to record the interior of a truly historic, working aircraft.
The last flight, to date, of ‘SV was at the Coventry Classic Airshow of 2003, the next flight, after some inspection and refurbishment, should not be too far into the future.
By: STORMBIRD262 - 22nd April 2005 at 16:25
G’ day Jame’s
I have crawled over a few Dak’s in my time, but have not gone for a flight as yet, but may one of these day’s :rolleyes: .
I watch Essendon’s Aerodrome’s Dc-3’s fly over nearly every day and night 😀 and just love that droning noise as it reverberate’s right though my flat as they take off to the south.
I wonder if the one at Wobbie’s world kid’s park is still there :confused: , as my Step kid’s are grown up now, and I have not been over that way for a long while.
I see in the future a DC-2, here in Melbourne may fly again hopefully 😎 .
So here’s a few from Axl’s I still had around on floppy’s, and some I don’t remember where they came from.
I have to agree Jame’s, the record speak’s for it self on the DC-3/C47, one of the greatest plane’s ever built.
Cheer’s all 😀 , Tally :dev2: Ho! :dev2: Ho! Phil :diablo: .
By: SINE MORA - 22nd April 2005 at 15:11
without doubt THE best plane ever built, period
By: Will J - 22nd April 2005 at 15:07
For starters there are some nice pictures here:
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=38699&page=3&pp=30&highlight=dakotas
If we call that thread part one, this can be Daktacular part two!
There should be some good pictures for this part of the thread coming up tomorrow.
Fingers crossed for good weather 😎
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April 22, 2005 at 2:47 pm