*The Plane That Changed The World* screen title.

Documentary (1985)

Production:
Marty Ostrow (Writter/Producer/Director)
Don Wescott (Narrator)
Jeff Lass (Music)
Jed Schwarz (Animation)
Linda Garmon (Science Editor)

The creation and story of the DC-3 airplane the most amazing, reliable and long-lived plane in entire history of aviation.

Introduction

Registration N2298C, c/n 33201. Delivered new to the USAAF in May 1945, registered 44-76869. Transferred to the US Navy as Douglas R4D-7, registered BuNu 99835. Transferred after WWII to the US Department of Defense, registered N7631C. Bought by the FAA-Federal Aviation Administration in August 1966, registered N48. Transferred to the US Department of Agriculture in January 1976, registered N31179, then re-registered N211GB in May 1977. Sold to Salair Air Cargo in August 1983, registered N2298C. Sold to Catalina Flying Boats Inc. in August 1996. Bought by Preferred Airparts LLC in July 2017. Re-registered N576PT in June 2018.
Seen again 2, 3, 4.

Boeing 767-232

Seen from the cockpit of McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 mentioned right below. Far background behind this 767 are tail fins of other Delta Air Lines planes including Boeing 727 .

McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10

Douglas C-48B

Registration N43PB, c/n 1953. Delivered to United Air Lines as Douglas DST-A-207 in July 1937, registered NC18105. Taken up by the USAAF in 1942, converted to C-48B , registered 42-56100. Returned to United Air Lines in 1944, registered N18105, named State of Ohio. Sold to TTA-Trans Texas Airways in April 1954. Renamed as Texas International Airlines in April 1969. Sold to Air Mid America in 1970. Sold to Air New England in 1971. Sold to Cryderman Air in 1977. Sold to PBA-Provincetown-Boston Airlines in 1979, registered N43PB. Sold to Peter D. Graff, Tuscaloosa AL in July 1997. Bought by Aero Libertad in December 1997, registered XA-RPO. Now preserved in Huatulco International Airport, Mexico (Oaxaca) (MMBT/HUX) painted like an "Alebrije".
Seen again 2.

McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30

Douglas C-49H-DO

Continuity error with N43PB seen previously.
Registration N40PB, c/n 2167. Delivered new to American Airlines as Douglas DC-3-277A in September 1939, registered NC21768, named 68 Flagship Toronto. Taken up by the USAAF during WWII, converted to C-49H, registered 42-65580. Bought by TTA-Trans Texas Airways in November 1948, registered N21768. Sold to Florida Air Lines. Sold to PBA-Provincetown-Boston Airlines, registered N40PB.Transferred to Eastern Express in 1988. Sold to Aero Libertad in 1989, registered XA-RPN. Sold to Basler Turbo Conversions Llc, Oshkosh WI in July 2000. Canibalized to restored N133D at Shell Creek Airpark FL in 2015.

McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10

Ready for take-off.

Rotation.

In full power climb, raising the landing gears.

A DC-3 Operator Today: Salair Air Cargo

Douglas VC-47J Skytrain

N2298C at Anchorage International Airport (Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC/PANC) nowadays since 2000). See discussion tab (1). Seen again 1, 3, 4
Salair Air Cargo (SALAIR) was created in 1980, at Seattle, Washington, USA, originally to fly fresh fish to market from Alaska. The company have operated 14 aircraft of the type in various liveries.

Captain Hartmann, retired pilot from United Airlines on Boeing 747, appreciates to fly DC-3 again for SALAIR nowadays. A plane he flew at the start of his career for United in the late 40s.

Douglas C-47A-90-DL Skytrain

To the left:
Registration N3FY, c/n 20562. Delivered new to the USAAF in 1943, registered 43-16096. Sold to DNL-Det Norske Luftfartselskap in April 1946, registered LN-IAN, named Nordvind. Transferred to SAS-Scandinavian Airlines System after merge in 1948, re-named Gunnar Viking. Sold to Les avions bleus in March 1949, registered F-OADR, operated with markings Françoise. Transferred to Compagnie des Travaux et Services Aériens/Les Avions Bleus in June 1949. Based at Algiers. Sold to Cornell Dubilier Electric Corp, NJ in 1951, registered N9989F. Sold to Huber Homes in January 1968, registered N335HH. Sold to H. M. Dunn, Lexington, KY in January 1970. Sold to K-C Aviation in June 1970. Sold to Aviation Sales International in June 1972, registered CF-ABA, then to Albig Aviation Ltd, Lorette, PQ re-registered C-FABA. Sold to Sigfusson Transport Ltd of Winnipeg, MB in April 1973 then to Superior Airways, Ontario Central Airlines, Reindeer Air Service. Sold to Wright Enterprises Ltd, Edmonton, AB in 1974. Sold to Ilford Riverton Airways in 1978. Sold to Wright Enterprises in January 1979. Sold to Yukon Air Service in 1980, registered N3FY, then to SALAIR. Sold to Rocky Mountain Helicopter, Provo, UT in 1990. Sold to Living Water Teaching Inc, Caddo Mills, TX in 1993. Stationed in Guatemala and operated as - Mercy Wings. Crashed while on approach at Quetzaltenango Airport (MGQZ), Guatemala in November 1st 1998.
Same aircraft in other movies at Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).
Convair 240/340/440 in the background right. Listed below.

Lockheed L-188A Electra

To the right.

Lockheed L-188 Electra of Zantop International Airlines.

Convair 240/340/440 or Convair 540/580/600/640

Unidentified one to the right.

Douglas C-47B-50-DK Skytrain

In the background and also seen below.2, 3;
Registration N2025A, c/n 17108. Delivered new to the USAAF in October 1945, registered 45-1105. New construction number, 34375, assigned to the airframe. Bought by Mark Engineering Co. Burbank CA in 1953, registered N2025A. Sold to West Coast Airlines in August 1955. Substantial damage in hard landing in December 11th 1963 at Juan Casiano, Guapi Colombia (Cauca) (SKGP/GPI). Repaired. Transferred after merge to Air West in April 1968. Sold to Aerodyne Corp. Renton WA in April 1969. Sold to SALAIR in April 1984. Bought by Business Air of Bennington VT in March 1989. Sold to Air Taxi International Miami FL in December 1994. Sold to Legion Express Opa-Locka FL in March 1995. Bought by Skyways Ltd, Kenya in 1995, registered 5Y-BMB. wfu in April 2001 at Lokichoggio Kenya.
It shares this livery with N107AD c/n 12438, another aircraft of the company Douglas Douglas C-47A-10-DK Skytrain (1983/86).
Douglas C-47-DL Skytrain registered N8061A of SALAIR in the foreground. See description below 2 and other view 3.

Boeing 727-100F/C of Flying Tigers in the background right (see description below 2).

Douglas C-47-DL Skytrain

In the foreground, also seen above 1 and further 3.
Registration N8061A, c/n 6085. Delivered new to the USAAF in December 1942, registered 41-18679. Bought by Canadian Pacific Air Lines in December 1945, registered CF-CPX, named 174. Sold to Harrison Airways in 1971, named KLUANE. Sold to Futura Airlines in 1979, re-registered C-FCPX. Sold to Stannelco Inc. Anchorage AK in October 1979, registered N8061A. Bought by SALAIR in October 1982. Withdrawn from use. Bought by Jim Hankins Air Service Inc. Jackson MS in 1996 for cargo contract with UPS. Wfu in 2001. Sold to Preferred Airparts Llc, Kidron, OH in March 2017. Bought by Majestic Enterprise, Mapleton, UT in May 2018. Written off in September 2021.

Paul Salerno, father of Joseph and Bruce Salerno founders of the company.

In the background, N2025A already mentioned above 1 and below 3.

Douglas DC-8-73CF

Background.
Registration N791FT, c/n 46045/441. Delivered new as Douglas DC-8-63CF to Flying Tiger Line in March 1969. Leased to American Flyers Airline in May 1969. Returned to Flying Tiger Line in April 1970. Chartered to SATA-SA de Transport Aérien in July 1975. Returned to Flying Tiger Line in November 1975. Chartered to El Al Israel Airlines in March 1979. Returned to Flying Tiger Line in April 1979. Bought by National Funding Corp., converted in March 1984 to DC-8-73CF with 4x CFM56-2C engines. Bought by Rosenbalm Aviation in April 1984. Leased to Emery Worldwide. Leased to Air India Cargo in August 1994. Bought by Emery Worldwide in August 1995. Wfu in August 2001. Bought by AeroTurbine Inc, Miami, FL in October 2003. Broken up at International Air Center Roswell, NM (KROW/ROW).
Douglas C-47-DL Skytrain registered N8061A already mentioned above in the foreground 1, 2 .

Douglas VC-47J Skytrain

N2298C seen again on a move to a rural Alaskan airfield for salmon cargo. Other views 1, 2, 4.

Taking off from an unidentified Alaskan airfield.

Boeing 727-100F/C

In the background right and already seen above 1. Flying Tigers operated many 727 Series 100F/C second hand aircraft from US (American Airlines, National Airlines, etc... ) and Lufthansa.
N2025A already mentioned above in the foreground. 1, 2.

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

Various Aircraft

At Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington DC.
1 - Douglas DC-3-201 of Eastern Air Lines ( see description below).
2 - Boeing 247D of United Air Lines ( see description below).
3 - Dassault Falcon 20DC of Federal Express.
Registration N8FE, c/n 199. Delivered new to Pan American World Airways in April 1970, registered N4388F. Sold to Federal Express (1st aircraft of the company) in May 1972, registered N8FE, named Wendy (Fred Smith's daughter). Wfu in 1983. Preserved at Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in November 1983.
4 - Boeing 747-100.
5 - Unidentified Aircraft.

Pitcairn PA-5 Mailwing

In the background.
Registration NC2895, c/n 1. Built in 1927, prototype for a series of Pitcairn mail planes. Delivered to Pitcairn Aviation, would became Eastern Air Transport Inc. in 1930. Sold to Harris George, Miami, FL in May 1933, registered N7152. Registration N7152 cancelled in February 1934, back to new registration N2895. Served several private owners, survived a crash, and saw use as a crop-duster. It was repurchased by employees of Eastern Air Lines, restored in 1975 by veteran Eastern pilot Capt. Joseph Toth. Donated to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
In the foreground, underside of the Douglas DC-3-201 already mentioned.

Boeing 247D

Below the Douglas DC-3-201 already mentioned. Same aircraft seen in other films IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).
Registration NC13369, c/n 1953. Delivered new to United Air Lines in September 1934, registered NC13369. Leased in October 1934, registered N5257Y, placed third in the 1934 MacRobertson Trophy Air Race piloted by Roscoe Turner and Clyde Pangbor, named 57. Returned to United Air Lines in December 1934, re-registered NC13369. Leased to WAE-Western Air Express around 1935/37. Sold to Union Electric Company, Saint Louis, MO in 1937, used as an executive transport. Sold to Department of Commerce Air Safety Board (CAS) in 1939. Transferred to CAA-Civil Aeronautics Authority in September 1941, re-registered NC11. Acquired in July 53 by Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, re-registered NR257Y, on display since July 1976.
Seen further back at the time of its commercial exploitation. 2.

Douglas DC-3-201

Registration NC18124, c/n 2000. Delivered new to Eastern Air Lines in December 1937, named 344. Withdrawn from use in May 1953. Preserved at Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
Same aircraft seen in other films IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

Pioneers and Experimenters

Unidentified Aircraft

One of the many attempts at flying man (or woman sometimes).

Helene Aberti's wings

Opera singer Helene Alberti believed humans can fly by their own strength after learning to use Ancient Greek laws of cosmic motion. Her attempts at flight in Brookline, Massachusetts USA in 1930 proved unsuccessful.

Pitts Sky Car

See IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Rotary-Wing).

Unidentified Aircraft

IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Human Powered Flight / Ornithopter).

Unidentified Aircraft

IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Rotary-Wing).

Gray Goose

Different from Gray Goose, with motorcycle central basis.

Gerhardt Cycleplane

Same aircraft IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Human Powered Flight / Ornithopter).

Unidentified Aircraft

Unidentified Aircraft

Another attempt at flying man.

Wright Flyer III

Same aircraft in other movies at Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

Wright A

Same aircraft in other movies at Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

The Beginnings of Military Aviation

SPAD S.XIII

Same aircraft seen in other films IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Military Fixed-Wing).

Unidentified Aircraft

Illustration of the firsts air battles.

Keystone B/LB Bomber Family

Saying the variant is rather difficult with these pictures.

View from rear.

Unidentified Aircraft

Reconnaissance aircraft similar to this one but not matching exactly.

Curtiss JN-4 Jenny

Travel Air 2000

Unidentified Aircraft

Too blurry for identification.

The Beginnings of Civilian Air Transport

Unidentified Aircraft

Airco DH.16

DH.16 of AT&T-Aircraft Transport and Travel Ltd.

Fokker F.VIIb/3m

Registration lasting by Z. There is SE-ACZ but it's a not matching Fokker F.XII.

Fokker F.VIIa

Registration H-NADP, c/n 4990. Delivered new to KLM-Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij in March 1927, as H-NADP. Converted to Fokker F.VIIb/3m with new c/n 4992 in April 1927, re-registered H-NADR, then PH-ADR, PH-OTO, PH-ALY, OY-DEV and FE-2. Accident in Stellingen Germany on October 18th 1928. Cancelled in February 1929.
The registration H-NADP was used again in the 1980's for another F.VIIa c/n 5054. Preserved at Aviodrome, Lelystad Airport, Netherlands. See discussion tab (2).

Fokker F.VIII

Registration PH-AEF, c/n 5043. Delivered new to KLM-Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij in February 1928, registered H-NAEF. Re-registered PH-AEF. Sold to British Airways Ltd in November 1936. Withdrawn from use in May 1938.

Airco DH.4B

Curtiss JN

Douglas M-4

Ryan NYP Spirit of Saint-Louis

At Roosevelt Field departure from New-York of Charles Lindbergh on May 20, 1927.
Same aircraft seen in another movie at IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft.

Lockheed Vega 1

Registration NX913, c/n 1. First flight on April 7th 1927, named Golden Eagle. Sponsored by Hearst Newspapers, went missing with pilot Jack Frost and Gordon Scott, navigator, during the Dole air race. Departed Oakland Airport 16/8/27 at the start of the race, but never reached Honolulu.
Same aircraft seen in other films IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

Lockheed Vega 5

Registration NX4769, c/n 7. First flight on July 4th 1927, named Yankee Doodle. In 1928, it was used to break transcontinental speed records. On August 19–20, Hollywood stunt flier Arthur C. Goebel broke the coast-to-coast record of Russell Maughan by flying from Los Angeles, California, to Garden City, New York, in 18 hours and 58 minutes, in what was also the first nonstop flight from west to east. On October 25, barnstormer and former mail pilot Charles B.D. Collyer broke the nonstop east to west record set in 1923 by the U.S. Army Air Service in 24 hours and 51 minutes. Trying to break the new West-to-East record on November 3, Collyer crashed near Prescott, Arizona, killing him and the aircraft owner, Harry J. Tucker.

Lockheed Vega 5C

Registration NR496M, c/n 219. First flight in 1928, Delivered to Crosley Radio Corp. named The New Cincinnati. It broke several world records with pilot Ruth Nichols. Renamed Akita in 1931. Destroyed by fire at Louisville, Kentucky 26 October 1931.
Same aircraft seen in other films IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

Reg. NR496M Lockheed Vega 5 *The New Cincinnati*.

Lockheed Vega 1

Variant of Vega 1 with tail modified as Vega 2/Vega 5.
Registration NC7044, c/n 11. Built in July 1928 for Maddux Airlines, Inc., Burbank, CA. Sold to Curtiss-Wright Flying Service, Inglewood, CA in March 1930. Sold four more times up to December 1935 when it was purchased by Loren L. Miles who was associated with Grand Central Charter Service, Glendale, CA. Named Miss Patricia, then Miss Patsy while owned by Miles. In August 1945, the aircraft came out of storage and was purchased by Leo Yoder of Los Angeles, CA. He had an accident with it “sometime in 1945” and the fuselage was damaged from engine to passenger door. It was repaired. Over the next four years it sold three more times, moving from the west coast to the midwest. Bought by Fletcher C. Handley, Kingfisher, OK in May 1949. Sold to Page Aviation, Oklahoma City OK in 1952. The engine was removed and sold, the aircraft stripped and destroyed. In March 1955 it was reported “permanently retired from service”. It had been exposed to weather (it was made of wood).
Same aircraft in other movies at Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

Lockheed Vega 5C

Registration NR105W, c/n 122. Built in 1929 as Lockheed Vega 5B. Delivered to Independant Oil and Gas, registered NC898E. Sold to Cia Red Aerea Mexicana, registered XA-DOK. Sold to L. Struck/Mexico DF, registered XB-MAA. Returned back to USA, registered N174D, then N105D, then N105W bought by Florence C. Hall in 1930. Converted to Lockheed Vega 5C , registered NR105W and named Winnie Mae after F.Hall's daughter. Set the record in 1931 for a flight around the world, taking 8 days in the hands of Wiley H. Post and Harold Gatty. Post repeated the feat solo, taking only 7 days in July 1933. In March 1935, Post flew this Vega high enough from Burbank to Cleveland to be operating in the jetstream. Preserved at Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
Same aircraft seen in other films IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

Lockheed Vega

Original and innovative design of the Lockheed Vega.

Ford Trimotor

Comparison with competitors techniques of corrugated aluminum alloy used on the Ford Trimotor and some germans Junkers aircraft of the era.

Lockheed Vega 5

Example of Lockheed Vega maneuverability. It is doubtful that passengers will like it.

Curtiss T-32 Condor II (Interior)

By the 1930s, public confidence in flying began to grow. Aviation heroes and advances in aircraft began to convince people that flying was reliable, practical, enjoyable, and even safe.

Curtiss T-32 Condor II

American Airways routes in the 30s.

Fokker F.10A

Crash of Flight TWA599 in March 31st 1931.
Registration NC999E, c/n 1063. Delivered new to Western Air Express in 1929. Transferred to T&WA-Transcontinental & Western Air in 1930. Crashed near Bazaar, Kansas on March 31st 1931 after taking off from Kansas City Municipal Airport due to wing spar failure.
Same aircraft seen in other films IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

Boeing 247D

A revolutionary design at the time, the all-metal Boeing 247 would take a considerable lead over its competitors, but would prove short-lived...
Already mentioned above 1.

Initial version of Boeing 247 from United Air Lines in the background.

Taxiing in front of United Air Lines's halls.

Lockheed L-10 Electra & Boeing 247

Top left to right.

Lockheed L-10 Electra of Eastern Air Lines and Boeing 247 of United Air Lines.

Ford 5-AT Trimotor

The accident of the flight TWA599 mentioned above have been a turning point of new regulations in inspection of wooden aircraft so that they no longer had a future in commercial aviation. The all-metal Ford Trimotor was the answer found by T&WA for the sequel, not being able at the time to claim the purchase of the brand new Boeing 247 developed in collaboration with their competitors from the future United Air Lines.

Coast to Coast in 48 hours

Ford Trimotor

Some pictures from the film Coast to Coast in 48 hours are already present on this site like the screen title seen here.
Same aircraft seen in other films IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

Ford 5-AT Trimotor

Boarding of passengers at Port Columbus Airport (John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH/KCMH) nowadays).
Same aircraft seen in other films IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

At Port Columbus Airport. See discussion tab (3).

Ford 5-AT-C Trimotor

Registration NC9648, c/n 5-AT-57. Delivered new to TAT-Transcontinental Air Transport in November 1928, named City of Wichita. Transferred to T&WA-Transcontinental & Western Air after merge in October 1930. Sold to Republic Oil Co. Crashed at Anchorage in August 1937 used by Wien Airways of Alaska.
Same aircraft seen in other films IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

Ford 5-AT Trimotor

Same aircraft seen in other films IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

Ford 5-AT-B Trimotor

Registration NC9651, c/n 5-AT-34. Delivered new to TAT-Transcontinental Air Transport in January 1929, named City of Philadelphia. Transferred to T&WA-Transcontinental & Western Air after merge in October 1930. Sold to RCA Manufacturing Co, then Aircraft Exporting Corp, Star Air Lines and K Weeks. Changed registration to NX9651. Accident in LaLande, NM in May 30, Ground looped Fairbanks August 1943. Stored and restored in June 1964.
Same aircraft seen in other films IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

Ford 5-AT Trimotor

Same aircraft seen in other films IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

The Revolution Douglas Commercial One

Douglas DC-1 (model)

In August 1932, T&WA-Transcontinental & Western Air launched a consultation with Douglas for a new airplane. Ten days after the Douglas Commercial One project was presented to the airline. See discussion tab (4)

Douglas DC-1 (model)

Wind tunnel test.

Douglas DC-1-109

In construction hall, the first and single aircraft Douglas DC-1 on the the line. It will have the registration number NC223Y, c/n 1137.See detail further in this work 2, 3.
Same aircraft seen in other films IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

Assembly of one of the two engines considered at the beginning: Wright Cyclone and Pratt & Whitney Hornet See discussion tab (5).

Assembly of the Pratt & Whitney Hornet.

Douglas DC-1-109

Test phases and first flights. 1, 3.

Douglas DC-1 prototype with T&WA livery.

Douglas DC-1-109

Commercial exploitation.
Registration NC223Y, c/n 1137. First flight on 1st July 1933, with T&WA colours, registered X223Y. The airplane was operated by this company until 1936, registered NC223Y, named City of Los Angeles. T&WA loaned it to the U.S. government for high altitude research. In May 1938 NC223Y was sold to The Right Honourable Viscount Forbes at Croydon, 27 May 1938, and registered G-AFIF, 25 June 1938. It was re-sold to France, in September 1938. The DC-1 was again sold in 1938, this time to Spanish Republican government, and operated by Lineas Aéreas Postales Espanolas, also known as LAPE, registered EC-AGJ. Finally in April 1939, after the defeat of the Spanish Republican Armed Forces that marked the end of the Spannish Civil War, the planes belonging to LAPE's fleet were expropriated by the Francoist government and repainted with the Iberia livery. The airplane made a forced landing at Malaga, Spain, in December 1940. It was damaged beyond repair.
Same aircraft seen in other films IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).
Seen above 1, 2.

In front of Grand Central Airport terminal.

Promotional photo.

The DC-2

Douglas DC-1 & Douglas DC-2

On September 4, 1933, T&WA had confirmed an initial option for 20 Douglas DC-1. Two months later, 20 additional twin-engine aircraft were ordered, a contract that for the first time mentioned the aircraft's new designation, Douglas DC-2. Externally similar to the prototype, including the passenger access door on the left side of the fuselage, it nevertheless had a fuselage length 61 cm longer, which allowed for 14 passengers to be accommodated on board.

Douglas DC-2-112

Production line at Douglas Aircraft Santa-Monica plant, California. See discussion tab (6).
Fleet number 301 seen on the vertical stabilizer. It's the first DC-2 built.
Registration assigned NC13711, c/n 1237. Delivered new to T&WA in 1934. Sold to Cox & Stevens Aircraft Corp. Mineola NY in July 1940. Bought by Royal Air Force as DG679 for service in Iraq and later India. Scrapped in 1947. Seen again below 2.

Fleet number 304: Registration NC13714, c/n 1240. Delivered new to T&WA in 1934. Bought by Royal Air Force as DG479. Scrapped in 1947.
Fleet number 305: Registration NC13715, c/n 1241. Delivered new to T&WA in June 1934. Sold to Braniff Airways in 1937. Transferred to USAAF as Douglas C-32A, registered 42-70863. Sold to Calvert John Magnolia Park CA in November 1947. Written off in July 1948.

Douglas DC-2-112

Same NC13711 seen above in full T&WA livery. 1.

Douglas DC-2-112

Later livery with lettering The Lindbergh Line.

Douglas DC-2-120

American Airlines operated 18 aircraft of the type.

Douglas DC-2-115A

Registrated PH-AJU, c/n 1317. First DC-2 exported via Fokker company in 1934. Delivered to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, named Uiver. After its participation in the MacRobertson Air Race London-Melbourne in October 1934 with n°44 (ranked 2nd) it crashed in Rutbah Wells,Iraq on 20 December 1934.
Same aircraft seen in other films IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

Crew K.D. Parmentier, J.J. Moll, B. Prins,C. van Brugge arrival at Melbourne. [ See discussion tab (8)].

View of the same aircraft in normal livery without 44 number.

Reg. PH-AJU Douglas DC-2-115A *Uiver* of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.

Douglas DC-2-115E

Registrated PH-AKT, c/n 1366. Delivered new to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines in May 1935, named Toekan. Damaged at Amsterdam Schipol in October 1938. Requisitioned by Deutsche Luft Hansa in May 1940, registered D-AIAV, then to Luftwaffe, registered NA+LA. Written off in August 1940.

Douglas DC-2-171

Registration NC14970, c/n 1373. Delivered new to EAL-Eastern Air Lines in December 1935. Sold to the British Purchasing Commission in 1940. Assigned to RAAF-Royal Australian Air Force, registered A30-13. Written off in an accident at Cooktown Airport, QLD (CTN) (Australia) while in the initial climb, the pilot executed a go around the airport. The aircraft then stalled 10 feet above runway, causing the starboard wing to contact the runway first, resulting in a groundloop.

Boeing 247

A Boeing 247 ranked 3 at MacRobertson Trophy Air Race (NR257Y), but it was Boeing 247D.

Douglas DC-2-118B

Registration NC14268, c/n 1301. Delivered new to Panagra-Pan American Grace Airways in August 1934. Named Santa Ana . Damaged beyond repair at Arajuno, Ecuador, on 31 July 1944.

Douglas DC-2

Same aircraft seen in other films IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Military Fixed-Wing).
Not in CNAC-China National Aviation Corporation livery. Remain unknown airline.

Douglas DC-2-115B

Registration HB-ITI, c/n 1321. Delivered new to Swissair in 1934. Written off on February 27th 1936. Damaged beyond repair in emergency landing at Dubendorf airfield en route to London.

Douglas DC-2

As 14-passengers carrier, DC-2 was still not enough for one trip to make profit without the continuity of airmail services. Something bigger yet was needed and search for the Douglas DC-3 was on.
Unidentified DC-2 in the sky.

The DC-3

Curtiss T-32 Condor II

There were 3 passengers carriers flying along the transcontinental routes in the early 1930s and American Airlines was one of them. See discussion tab (7). Using Curtiss Condor biplane, low and old-fashioned, the company asked Douglas to study an improvement to the DC-2 to replace the Condor on night transport services.

Douglas DC-2 & Douglas DC-3

The new aircraft should be able to carry 14-passengers in sleeper configuration and 21 on daytime configuration by increasing the wingspan of the plane and width of the fuselage with 3 seats per row. This first specification will lead to the first DC-3s which will be manufactured under the designation DST-Douglas Sleeper Transport.

21-seat fuselage of the DC-3 on daytime configuration.

Douglas DST (drawing)

Douglas DST and Douglas DC-3

Production line in Santa Monica.

No upper porthole specific to the DST, it's a 'normal' DC-3.

Douglas DST-144

Registration X14988, c/n 1494. Sleeper Transport prototype. First flight on December 17th 1935. Delivered to American Airlines in July 1936, registered NC14988, named 115 Flagship Texas. Involved in an incident at Forrest City, AR when a propeller struck the ground. The wings were replaced. Sold to T&WA-Transcontinental & Western Air in March 1942, registered N14988, named 361. Transferred to USAAF in August 1942, converted to Douglas C-49E, registered 42-43619. Destroyed in a crash in October 1942. At least three occupants were killed.The airframe was written off.
Note the tail fin shape, temporarily similar to those of the Douglas DC-2.

Douglas DST-144

The fin has the definitive shape.
Douglas DC-2 in the far background.

Douglas DC-3

In the background right, it must be PH-ARY seen and described further in this page.2

Douglas DC-3

Douglas DC-3 of American Airlines taxiing in the foreground beside the control tower of an unidentified airport. 5x other Douglas DC-3s in the far background.

Unidentified Douglas DC-2s in the background.

Sean again 1.

Douglas DC-3 (American Airlines interior)

Douglas DST-217A

Same aircraft seen in other films IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

Douglas DST (interior)

Douglas DC-3-178

Registration NC16016, c/n 1554. Delivered new to American Airlines in October 1936, named 130 Flagship Pennsylvania. Sold to Capital Airlines in August 1950, registered N16016, named 541. Converted to Douglas DC-3S (Super DC-3) in 1952, new c/n 43192, assigned to the airframe. Re-registered N541S. Bought by United States Steel Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA in January 1953. Crashed while landing at Bluefield-Mercer County Airport, WV (BLF)USA. Damaged beyond repair. Written off.
Here at Chicago Municipal Airport (Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW/KMDW) nowadays). See discussion tab (8).

Douglas DC-3

American Airlines flight attendant team. See discussion tab (9).

Douglas DC-3B-202

President William John Frye, known commonly as Jack Frye, at the control of a brand new Douglas DC-3B-202 of T&WA.

Douglas DC-3-194D

Registration PH-ARY, c/n 2021. Delivered new to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines in April 1938, named Ijsvogel. Crashed near Amsterdam Schiphol on 14 November 1938 on a flight from Berlin Tempelhof. Two of the fourteen passengers and four of the five crew were killed. Written off.
Already mentioned above 1.

Testing N°2 Engine stop in flight.

Douglas DC-3-194D

Registration PH-ALO, c/n 1937. Delivered new to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines in March 1937, named Ohoe. Transferred to KNILM-Koninklijke Nederlandsch-Indische Luchtvaart Maatschappij in June 1940, registered PK-ALO. Involved in an incident at Broome Airport, WA (BME) (Australia) in March 1942, while landing. Written off. Summary: The airframe was written off. The event occurred . Narrative: The DC-3 was fired at by Japanese A6M fighters during landing. The pilot (E. E. Hulsebos) landed safely but the fighters attacked again and the DC-3 caught fire and burned.
Same aircraft seen in other films IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

Douglas DC-3A-191

DC-3A version was fitted with Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp engines on request of United Air Lines.
Registration NC16060, c/n 1900. Delivered new to United Air Lines in December 1936. Sold to Western Airlines in May 1938, re-registered N16060 in April 1941. Written off at Fairfield UT, in December 1942.
Same aircraft seen in other films IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

Douglas DC-3 (United Air Lines interior)

Douglas DST-144

Douglas DC-3-178

Douglas C-49J

Registration NC15567, c/n 6342. Built in 1942 as Douglas DC-3-454 for Delta Air Lines, registered NC30045 but not taken up. Converted to Douglas C-49J and assigned to USAAF with registration 43-1986. Bought by Eastern Air Lines February 1952, registered NC15567, named 382. Bought by Wolfe Industries in the 1960s, registered N12F, then to an unknown owner as N12FL. Sold to Tursair in the 1970s, registered N211TA. Crashed on January 21st 1982 at Opa-Locka Airport, FL (OPF/KOPF) during pilot training. Written off.

Douglas DC-3-209A

Famous picture by Clyde Sunderland of a T&WA's DC-3 flying over the French SS Normandie ocean liner leaving the New-York bay in 1938.
Registration NC18951, c/n 2015. Delivered new to T&WA in December 1937, named 377. The airframe was written off after a mid-air collision with USAAF Douglas C-53-DO (cn 4886) reg. 41-20116, 5 miles NE of Kansas City Municipal Airport. The C-53 (pilot Loyal T. Penn) landed safely. The DC-3 (TWA 377) made a forced landing, injuring the crew (pilot Lawrence K. Welch).

Douglas DC-3-357

Registration NC28340, c/n 3277. Delivered new to Delta Air Lines in November 1940. First DC-3 of the company. Sold to Robinson Airlines in April 1953, re-registered N28340, renamed Mohawk Airlines in 1956. Re-registered N409D in 1958. named Air Chief Mohican. Sold to Houston Aviation Products Corp. in November 1962. Written off in July 1969.

Douglas DC-3A-191

Wearing the 1940s 'new' livery.

Douglas DC-3A

Douglas DC-3

Probably a special flight from promotional film.

U.S. at war with Axis

See discussion tab (10)

Douglas A-20 Havoc

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

One of the B-17 production plant: Boeing Plant 2 in Seattle (6,981 planes), with the rest built under license by Lockheed (2,750, under the name Vega), and Douglas (2,995).

Douglas C-47 Skytrain

More than 10,000 aircraft were produced in Long Beach and Santa Monica, California, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Between March 1943 and August 1945, the Oklahoma City plant produced 5,354 C-47s.

Douglas C-47A Skytrain

Douglas C-53 Skytrooper

Douglas C-47A Skytrain

With markings Little Screaming Face.

Douglas C-47A Skytrain

Another one on the ground.

Douglas C-47-DL Skytrain

Registration VH-CFD, c/n4664. Delivered new to the USAAF in September 1942, registered 41-18539. Assigned to 5th AF 374th TCG 6th TCS, Australia in October 1942, then to 5th AF, 317th TCG, 40th TCS in January 1943, operated as VH-CCL, later VH-CFD Estelle. Sold to civilian G. Batchelor registered NC68180. Sold to Armada Argentina in 1948, registered 0296. Re-registered 2-GT12, TA-24, 3-T-24, 4-T-24 and eventually CTA-15. Preserved at MUAN - Museo de la Aviación Naval, Base Aeronaval Comandante Espora, Bahía Blanca since 2002.

Post WWII Era

Douglas R4D-8

Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Douglas DC-3

Boeing 377-10-26 Stratocruiser

Registration N1022V, c/n 15922. Prototype built as 377-10-19, first flight in July 1947, registered NX90700. Brought up to 377-10-26 standard and delivered to PAA-Pan American World Airways in October 1950, named Clipper Nightingale. Sold to RANSA and Converted to 377F (Freighter) in April 1961, registered YV-C-ERI. Broken up in July 1969.
Same aircraft in other works at Frequently Seen Aircraft (Civil Fixed-Wing).

Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation

Too blurry to say what airline it's from.

Douglas DC-7C Seven Seas

Boeing 737-100

Boeing Aircraft livery or other airline?

McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10

50 Years Old And Still Active

Douglas C-47 Skytrain

Unidentified livery.

Beechcraft 18 to the right background.

Unknown airfield.

Douglas VC-47J Skytrain

N2298C already mentioned 1, 2, 3.

Douglas C-47A Skytrain

Basler started airline services in 1956. Charter and cargo transport as Basler Airlines, and maintenance with Basler Flight Service which offers fully reconditioned Douglas DC-3s. In 1990, the company will create Basler Turbo Conversions to produce the Basler BT-67 built on a retrofitted Douglas Douglas DC-3 airframe.

A motorless example is waiting in the background.

Douglas C-47DL Skytrain

Registration N25641, c/n 9059. Delivered new to the USAAF in 1943, registered 42-32833. Bought by Reginald J.Robbins, Houston, Texas in October 1946, registered NC25641. Sold to Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation in September 1948. Civilianized in 1949 as an Executive aircraft featuring removal of cargo doors, addition of panoramic windows, elongated nose and fully enclosed undercarriage doors. Re-registered N25641. Sold to Page Airways, Rochester NY, in September 1970. Bought by Dee Howard Company, San Antonio, Texas in April 1971. Sold to Kearney and Trecker, Milwaukee WI, in October 1973. Sold to Basler Flight Services in November 1983, refurbished and sold to Dexter D.Coffin Jr, New England in October 1988. Sold to Fleming Corporation in June 1992. Transferred to Legend Airways after a new major upgrade by Basler in January 1999. Transferred to Legend Airways of Colorado (Jack Air LLC) in July 1999. Bought by JB Air Services, Brighton, Colorado in 2018, but still retains Legend Airways livery for the Legend Airways Foundation. Was still airworthy in 2021.

Douglas C-47A-25DK Skytrain

At Oshkosh - Wittman Regional (OSH/KOSH), Basler Flight Services base.
2 ex-Aéronavale (French Navy) C-47A-25DK from Escadrille 9.S Base d'Aéronautique Navale de Tontouta (Nouvelle Calédonie) in the foreground, followed by 2 others C-47, awaiting refurbishment and sale.

Douglas C-47 Skytrain

Restoration/Refurbishment by Basler Flight Services.

Douglas C-47 Skytrain of Basler Airlines.

Douglas DC-3A

Cessna 402C Utililiner

DC-3As from PBA in the background.

Douglas DC-3A

At Barnstable Municipal Airport - Hyannis (HYA/KHYA). See discussion tab (11).

Registration N136PB, c/n 1997. Delivered new as Douglas DC-3-201 to Eastern Air Lines in May 1937, registered NC18121, named 341. Transferred to the USAAF as Douglas C-49G in June 1942, registered 42-56630. Back to civil use in June 1944, converted to a Douglas DC-3A by Leeward Aeronautical Service. Returned to Eastern Air Lines in July 1944, as NC18121, then re-registered in June 1953 as N18121. Sold to TTA-Trans Texas Airways in December 1953. Sold to Tradewinds Airmotive, San Antonio, TX in October 1968. Sold to PBA-Provincetown-Boston Airlines in March 1974, registered N136PB. Operated for and with livery Eastern Express in July 1988. Bought by Irvine Robert J C, Vancouver WA in September 1993. On display at the Pearson Air Museum, Vancouver, WA in March 2007, in its original Eastern Air Lines livery and marking THE GREAT SILVER FLEET. Sold to Blue Skies Air Llc, Portland, OR/Aerometal International in Aurora, with same livery. Now based at Aurora Airport, Oregon. Marked with USAAF registration and star in May 2023. Seen again 2 3.

Reg.N136PB Douglas DC-3A of PBA-Provincetown-Boston Airlines.

Rockwell Commander in the far background left.

Douglas DC-3A

PBA-Provincetown-Boston Airlines operated 12 DC-3 for 17 years.

N136PB already mentioned above in the foreground.1 3.

Douglas DC-3A

Registration N139PB, c/n 2239. Built as Douglas DC-3-314A . Delivered new to Braniff Airways in June 1940, registered NC25666. Converted to DC-3A, sold to TTA-Trans Texas Airways in April 1953, re-registered N25666. Sold to Tradewinds Inc, San Antonio, TX in February 1969. Sold to Air Mid America in September 1970. Sold to Air New England in 1971. Sold to Cryderman Air Services Inc, Pontiac, MI in 1977. Sold to Century Airlines in 1978, then to PBA-Provincetown-Boston Airlines in June 1978, re-registered N139PB. Transferred to southern division of PBA, Naples Airlines, Naples, Florida in 1979. Returned to PBA in 1980. Transferred to Bar Harbor Airlines after merge in February 1987. Operated for Eastern Express in 1987. Withdrawn from use and placed in storage at the Naples Tamiami Airport in Septemeber 1988 until 1991. Bought by Starflite Corporation in April 1991. Sold to Alexander Aeroplane Company/Ron Alexander in July 1991, then Alexander Promotions Inc, Griffin, GA in April 1992, registered N28AA. Restored keeping ALEXANDER AEROPLANE markings. Sold to N28AA Inc, Griffin, GA in September 1999 with no title. Sold to Alexander Consulting Services Inc, Griffin, GA in September 2003. With POLY-FIBER title in 2005. New title Candler Field Express in 2011, changed to ALA in 2012. Returned to Candler Field EXPRESS with modified markings in 2015. Sold to unknown owner in February 2017, then sold to James O. Sells, Peachtree City, GA in May 2017. Bought by Shannon Air Museum Llc, Fredericksburg, VA in March 2021.

Douglas DC-3A

N136PB seen again for a flight to Boston.1 2
Pre-flight routine inspection of the airplane by the Captain.

Cessna 402C Utililiner of PBA in the foreground.

Visual check that the landing gear is properly lowered.

Close to land at Boston Logan International Airport.
Boeing 727 followed by 2 Fokker F27 Friendship on stand-by to the left background.

Douglas C-48B

Continuity error, the plane which have just landed and is taxiing now at Boston Logan International Airport is another one registered N43PB, already seen 1.

Seen through the cockpit of N43PB, the Control Tower of Boston Logan International Airport in far background behind an unidentified jet airliner from United Airlines and a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar of Delta Air Lines. See discussion tab (12).

Grumman VC-4A Gulfstream I

Taxiing in the background.

McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10

Douglas C-47A-70-DL Skytrain

Final images of the film with a sad ending for this plane which will be destroyed 11 years later in an accident killing the 32 occupants.
Registration PH-DDA, c/n 19109. Delivered new to the USAAF in 1943, registered 42-100646. Sold to Aero O/Y-Finnish Air Lines in October 1946, registered OH-LCB, named Kuikka. Sold to Ilmavoimat/Flygvapnet (Finnish Air Force) in 1963, registered DO-7. Bought by Dutch Dakota Association in January 1984. Written off on September 25th 1996, crashed into North Sea Waddenzee Netherlands.

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