Post by flyboy on Nov 2, 2016 13:53:54 GMT
One of the most significant transport aircraft ever made the DC-3 was a twin engine, propeller driven metal monoplane which was a development of the earlier DC-2. It was fast, had a good range and could operate from short and basic runways.
Following a first flight on December 17th 1935 production continued until 1942 on the civilian airliner with 607 aircraft having been produced. However, military requirements saw the development of the same aircraft to be known as the C-47 by the USAF and R4D- by the US Navy. In total over 16,000 were produced with this number including 4937 Russian built Lisunov Li-2's and 487 Shona/Nakajima L2D's built in Japan.
Military and civilian DC-3 aircraft were frequent visitors to Blackbushe during the late 1940's, 1950's and early 1960's serving in a variety of roles, not least being with the US Navy operating from their base on the airfield and many USAF visitors. Frequent visiting civilian and military aircraft from across Europe would be seen throughout the years but especially during the Farnborough Airshow periods.
DC-3's continued to see service with many airlines and air forces world wide well into the 21st century with many aircraft now being over 70 years old. One unique visitor to the airfield was the Conroy Tri-Turbo-Three, a three engine conversion with two wing mounted Pratt & Witney PT-6A's and another mounted in the nose. Visiting during the 1978 Farnborough Airshow period the aircraft went on to see service in both the Arctic and Antarctic.
# I must just add that by a great coincidence I just glanced out of the window while typing this to see the splendid sight of DC-3 N147DC, at low level in full camouflage markings cruising majestically by.(13.20 GMT 2.11.16.)#
The list of visitors below represents only the recorded movements, there must have been many others over the years. Some of us are lucky enough to remember their appearances vividly, while the younger generation can only imagine the sights and sounds of those visitors many years ago. We hope that these records can help keep the magic of those times alive for all.
SPECIFICATION DC-3A
Crew 2
Capacity 21-32 passengers
Length 64' 8" (19.7m)
Wingspan 95' 2" (29.0m)
Height 16'11" (5.16m)
Weight Empty 16,865lb (7,650kg)
Weight Gross 25,199lb (11,430kg)
Max Speed 230mph (370km/h) @ 8500ft (2590m)
Cruise 207mph (333km/h)
Ceiling 23,200' (7100m)
Climb 1130'pm (5.7 m/s)
Power plants either 2x Wright R1820 Cyclone air cooled radial piston engines 1100hp (820Kw) each.
or 2x Pratt and Whitney R1830 Twin Wasp radial piston engines 1200hp (890Kw) each.
Terms used : del = delivery, LHR = Heathrow Airport, divn = diversion, -> = continued, ntu = not taken up,
ct = circuit training, GCA= Ground Controlled Approach, tr = training, CofA = Certificate of
Airworthiness, ret = return, flt = flight.
RECORDED CIVIL MOVEMENTS
AP-AED 20777 DC-3 Crescent Air Services 19.5.51 then to Thame, 6.9.52.
CF-GON 14354 --//-- ? 14.8.51 ex G-AKNM.
CF-ICU 19721 --//-- Spartan Air Services 30.10.59.
CF-ILW 4352 --//-- Eastern Canada Stevedoring Ltd 7.2.59,10.2.59,23.3.59.
CF-ITH 20228 --//-- Spartan Air Services 29.5.57 del. S.Africa to Canada
D-CADI 19795 --//-- Lufthansa 2.12.59 LHR divn.
EC-AET 13375 --//-- Iberia 30.5.50 ex Westminster Airways.
EI-AFB 20453 --//-- Eagles 10.1.58 Ex Aer Lingus for sale as VR-TBT.
F-BAOC 11711 --//-- Air France 25.5.54, 00.2.56.
F-BAXG 13142 --//-- Air Atlas 00.00.54.
F-BAXI 13667 --//-- Air France 9.9.53.
F-BAXP 19799 --//-- --//-- 00.00.54.
F-BEIJ 15806 --//-- Dassault 2.9.53,5.9.53,6.9.54,7.9.54,7.9.55,8.9.55 ->
--//-- --//-- --//-- --//-- 4.9.56-6.9.56,4.9.57,5.9.57,22.11.58.
F-BFCV 11700 --//-- SGACC 3.10.58,5.10.58.
F-OAIF 11711 --//-- Cie Aerienne de Tpts Indochinoise 15.4.55,1.5.55 for Air Kruise.
F-OAOR 11979 --//-- Air Outre Mer 8.4.55,23.4.55.
F-OAPH 12090 --//-- ? 14.3.54 also wearing G-ANNT ntu.
F-OBCT 20874 --//-- TAI 29.8.57.
G-AGHJ 9413 --//-- British European Airways 30.1.55
G-AGHL 9407 --//-- --//-- 11.4.56,2.12.58 LHR divn, 4.5.59.
G-AGIS 12017 --//-- Airwork 00.11.54.
G-AGIU 12096 --//-- BEA 18.11.57.
G-AGJV 12195 --//-- --//-- 00.9.51,4.11.57,12.2.58 ct.
G-AGJW 12199 --//-- --//-- 00.9.51.
G-AGKC 25591 --//-- Airwork 21.10.49 del, 3.12.50.
G-AGNG 26998 --//-- Britavia 00.1.53.
G-AGNK 15540 --//-- BEA 00.00.51,19.11.54.
G-AGYZ 12278 --//-- Airwork 00.5.53,7.4.54,18.6.55,10.7.55,3.4.56 ->
--//-- --//-- --//-- --//-- 27.5.56,7.4.56,19.4.56.
--//-- --//-- --//-- BEA 28.3.54.
--//-- --//-- --//-- Skyways 8.3.57 ex Airwork.
G-AGZC 12222 --//-- BEA 00.12.51,1.9.54,19.4.56,4.11.57,5.11.57.
G-AHCT 12308 --//-- --//-- 00.00.54,->
--//-- --//-- --//-- Fairey Surveys 28.3.54,7.4.54,4.9.54,7.9.55,21.12.55 ->
--//-- --//-- --//-- --//-- 4.11.57,9.4.58,19.8.58,3.4.59.
G-AHCV 12443 --//-- BEA 15.1.56.
G-AHCZ 11924 --//-- --//-- 4.11.57,20.12.58 LHR divn.
G-AIJD 9049 --//-- CIRO Avn 27.9.49,20.9.50 ->
--//-- --//-- --//-- --//-- maintained by Aviation Services.
G-AIRG 25288 --//-- Silver City 00.3.54.
G-AIWC 13474 --//-- Air Contractors 00.00.47.
G-AIWD 13475 --//-- --//-- 4.11.57.
G-AIWE 13479 --//-- --//-- 00.00.47
G-AJAV 12386 --//-- Silver City 26.2.48,27.9.49,26.3.50,20.9.50.
G-AJAY 13375 --//-- Westminster Airways 11.5.47 del,25.5.47,26.5.47,30.5.47 ->
--//-- --//-- --//-- --//-- 31.5.47,2.6.47,7.6.47,8.6.47,14.6.47, ->
--//-- --//-- --//-- --//-- 20.6.47 NAAFI charter to Nairobi, ->
--//-- --//-- --//-- --//-- 20.6.47 tr,9.7.47,14.7.47,15.7.47 at, ->
--//-- --//-- --//-- --//-- 25.7.47,10.8.47 with Lord Beaverbrook, ->
--//-- --//-- --//-- --//-- 29.8.47,6.10.47 GCA tr, 25.2.48, 2.3.48,->
--//-- --//-- --//-- --//-- 11.3.48,5.5.48 C of A test flt,,5.6.48.
G-AJAZ 10100 --//-- --//-- 29.4.47 del, 1.5.47 tr,2.5.47,7.5.47 tr,->
--//-- --//-- --//-- --//-- 25.5.47 tr,28.5.47 tr,4.1.48,10.1.48 ->
--//-- --//-- --//-- --//-- 20.1.48 NAAFI charter to Lydda, 23.1.48 ->
--//-- --//-- --//-- --//-- 4.4.48 CofA test,8.4.48 tr, 9.4.48 Winston ->
--//-- --//-- --//-- --//-- Churchill + Lord Beaverbrook to Nice, ->
--//-- --//-- --//-- --//-- 24.4.48,9.6.48,11.6.48,27.6.48.
G-AJBH 25460 --//-- Air Transport Charter 00.00.48.
G-AJDE 13182 --//-- BEA 00.8.51, 00.00.54.
G-AJHZ 12421 --//-- --//-- 19.4.59.
G-AJIA 12208 --//-- --//-- 00.1.54.
G-AJIC 9487 --//-- --//-- 00.8.51,00.00.54,25.11.57.
G-AJFF 13456 --//-- Silver City 18.1.51,20.1.51 del to Canada.
G-AJVY 12358 --//-- Westminster Airways 30.8.48 del for Lord Beaverbrook use,->
--//-- --//-- --//-- --//-- + SBA test,1.9.48,10.9.48,11.9.48,14.9.48->
--//-- --//-- --//-- --//-- 16.9.48,25.9.48,26.9.48,29.4.49 ret from
--//-- --//-- --//-- --//-- Carribean,1.5.49,28.5.49 tr,30.5.49,31.5.49->
--//-- --//-- --//-- --//-- 27.9.49,16.4.50.
G-AJZD 12333 --//-- Silver City 30.8.47 to Indian airlift,20.9.47 ret from India,->
--//-- --//-- --//-- --//-- 6.12.47 ->
--//-- --//-- --//-- Britavia 00.00.48
G-AKAR 26889 --//-- --//-- 20.12.50.
G-AKIL 25282 --//-- Air Transport Charter 00.00.48.
G-AKJH 13164 --//-- BEA 24.11.57,27.11.57,18.10.59.
G-AKNB 9043 --//-- --//-- 00.11.54.
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