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Flying the Dakota: The oldest Douglas DC-3 in the world

 
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747-237
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:02 am    Post subject: Flying the Dakota: The oldest Douglas DC-3 in the world Reply with quote

I was fortunate enough to have the oportunity to fly aboard the oldest Douglas DC-3 in the world : the Flagship Detriot Foundation's 1937 built former American Airlines "Flagship Detriot".

This was my first DC-3 ride, finally fulfilling a boyhood dream of flying the Dakota, an airplane which my father once flew for the Indian Air Force, and derelicts of which at Santa Cruz airport I admired. I was lucky enough to fly the oldest flyable one - she is also the second oldest airliner I have flown, after the 1929 Ford 4-AT-E Trimotor
( report here : Flying the Oldest Airliner: 1929 Ford 4-AT-E Trimotor http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=12205 )

I'll let the pictures do the talking ........


November 04, 2013
Witham Field
Stuart, FL
SUA - SUA




















More to come .........
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747-237
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 05, 2013 3:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pre-flight briefing by one of our pilots for the day.




Boarding the Flagship Detroit.





Lucked out and got bulkhead seats.




Always good to have the air sickness bag close at hand.




View from those distinctly square (but a little dirty) windows.



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PostPosted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 1:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Firing up those engines one more time .....




And taxiing out .....




Another classic on the ramp


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PostPosted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 12:52 pm    Post subject: Re: Flying the Dakota: The oldest Douglas DC-3 in the world Reply with quote

747-237 wrote:
I was lucky enough to fly the oldest flyable one - she is also the second oldest airliner I have flown, after the 1929 Ford 4-AT-E Trimotor
At this rate Deb, the National Air and Space Museum at Washington DC will refuse you admission, even though their Wright Brothers' Flyer is a replica Razz
Great going, and lovely pictures. Thanks for sharing this with us.
And wow...a Lockheed Electra. Any plans of flying on this one?
Cheers, Sumantra.
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747-237
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 6:27 pm    Post subject: Re: Flying the Dakota: The oldest Douglas DC-3 in the world Reply with quote

sumantra wrote:
At this rate Deb, the National Air and Space Museum at Washington DC will refuse you admission, even though their Wright Brothers' Flyer is a replica Razz

Haha ! I'm glad I've already been there, then Smile

sumantra wrote:
And wow...a Lockheed Electra. Any plans of flying on this one?

Someday, perhaps ... you never know !
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 6:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

And it's time to lift off .....







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PostPosted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 6:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Brilliant stuff!
Do you have videos by any chance? Would be great to see a few of them, and hear those propellers go!
It such a pleasure to see this beauty fly in a modern day scenery, as your pictures have shown. We sure do look forward to more of the upcoming parts! Very Happy

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747-237
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 6:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

jbalonso777 wrote:
Do you have videos by any chance? Would be great to see a few of them, and hear those propellers go!

Unfortunately, I do not - I had too many things going on, to carry a handycam with me. But I agree, videos would have been good - those engines do sound great.
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 9:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Climbing out over the Treasure Coast of Florida






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PostPosted: Thu Nov 07, 2013 1:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

And finally, views from the cockpit as we fly over the edge of the Atlantic.







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PostPosted: Thu Nov 07, 2013 4:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Flying over Tiger Woods' mansion in Jupiter, Florida. Sadly, no mistresses were spotted from the air.




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PostPosted: Thu Nov 07, 2013 7:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Amazingly Rare TR there Sir. I hope you enjoyed each and every moment in that Old lady. Incidentally, the pilot did look as old as the plane itself. Wink

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PostPosted: Thu Nov 07, 2013 7:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

shivendrashukla wrote:
Incidentally, the pilot did look as old as the plane itself. Wink


LOL .... yeah, that guy looked like an old 70s movie star Razz
All the pilots at the Flagship Detroit Foundation that fly the DC-3 are former AA pilots, who do this as a hobby.
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 07, 2013 7:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't recall the last time I saw the flight deck door wide open on any airliner !



We even had a Stewardess on board .... not a Flight Attendant, but a Stewardess as we were told; who handed out candy (sweets) on a tray.



Lisa is a current serving AA FA who does this as voluntary work for the Flagship Detroit Foundation. She had to work a regular flight later that evening, but was nice enough to be there that morning.


Truly, a window into the past.


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PostPosted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 4:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Views from the starboard side.








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PostPosted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 5:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lovely pictures. Thanks for posting this TR. I have been inside a Dak twice but never had the opportunity to fly.
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 6:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice one! And great pictures, you're quite the photographer!

But, how does one get to fly on these flight? I'd love to fly on the DC3 someday!

Thanks for sharing this, I really enjoyed your photos!

Cheers!

Adi,

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PostPosted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 7:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Theairplaneguy4ever wrote:
But, how does one get to fly on these flight? I'd love to fly on the DC3 someday!

Well, to fly aboard this particular DC-3, you have to be a member of the Flagship Detroit Foundation. Membership gets you flights on board this old bird.
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 7:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Before landing, I was given my membership documents and other membership paraphernalia, by the crew. Technically, I now own a part of this airplane, though that might be just a rivet !



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PostPosted: Sat Nov 09, 2013 5:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

And finally, we make our way back into SUA.....




And in for a (rather bumpy) landing.




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PostPosted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 9:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Many thanks for delivering yet another unique TR!
It's mind boggling to see that the vintage aircrafts like this one still lift off the ground!

Not very far from the place where I live, every summer I see vintage single seater aircarfts do the rounds to spray fertilizers/pesticides on vast prairie fields that grow wheat, corn etc.
One farmer told me those are leftovers from WWII and modified for that purpose.

Quick question from a layman: What is that GPS-type blue color navigational piece? Was that added later on or was it part of the original frame?
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 9:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

PAL@YWG wrote:
What is that GPS-type blue color navigational piece? Was that added later on or was it part of the original frame?

Added to this particular airframe in 2004 when the Flagship Detroit was restored.
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 9:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Back on terra firma, the good captain thanks us for flying aboard the Flagship Detroit.



(is it me or does he not look like Ricardo Montalban) ?!!

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PostPosted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 5:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

One last look around the old bird....





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PostPosted: Mon Nov 11, 2013 3:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The classic view upon deplaning the taildragger at the end of the flight.



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PostPosted: Mon Nov 11, 2013 4:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lovely pictures - thanks for posting. Sounds like a real fun flight!
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 11, 2013 4:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

One final look at her sitting outside the terminal building at SUA, getting ready for her next flight - a ferry to Tulsa, Oklahoma.




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PostPosted: Tue Nov 12, 2013 12:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

PAL@YWG wrote:
Not very far from the place where I live, every summer I see vintage single seater aircarfts do the rounds to spray fertilizers/pesticides on vast prairie fields that grow wheat, corn etc.
One farmer told me those are leftovers from WWII and modified for that purpose.
Mr. Pal, can these lines fertilise the idea of a photo-report on such vintage aircraft? We would to see them through your camera lens, and read your lovely descriptions!
In eager anticipation, Sumantra.
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 12, 2013 2:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Last couple of pics to wrap this up....

In 1953, my father flew DC-3s over north eastern India with Squadron 11 of the Indian Air Force.
60 years later, in 2013, I was lucky enough to fly aboard the DC-3 as well.




Here's to a great little airplane, and all the men (& women) who've flown her over the years!


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PostPosted: Wed Nov 13, 2013 1:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow must have been some experience ..... lucky lucky lucky!!!!!
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 11:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Amazing pictures.......nice to note the door was leashed open
Very Happy

A video would have been great, just to hear the sound of the powerplant.


Nice TR.
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 08, 2013 3:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great Report and lucky that you could ride on one of these old beauties.
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 08, 2013 6:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you for the great TR and pics , 747-237. Lucky that you got to ride on the gooney bird.

I have been aboard several DC-3s but have never flown on one. I will change that sometime.


That dedication to your dad was very touching. I'm sure he would have loved to fly with you on that airplane. It would have brought back so many of his memories.
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