By Wayne Bailey
May 2009

NEW FEATHERS FOR AN OLD BIRD

We have all heard it said, and it’s true I’m sure, "there is nothing broken, that can’t be fixed".

The Dak restoration crew, lead by Eric Welin, are replacing the panels in the flap well areas,Hwith new aluminum skin, held in place by a large number of new rivets, using the old holes in the surrounding support structure. Bob McElman, Doc McKeil, Chuck Calder and Eric are repairing damage in centre section, incurred in transit to Greenwood. It can be exacting, tedious work marrying large new panels to structure first assembled in 1944, but they are getting it done. The next major step will be to attach the fuselage to the much modified and travelled centre section, and way down the restoration road, in static display mode, all will appear back to normal.

Other projects being worked on by Russell Keddy and Bill Flinn such as the landing light assembly, and ice shield hardware are progressing and looking much improved.

Some history on the DC3/ C47.

1. It has been a luxury airliner, transport plane -bomber-flying gun platform (called "puff the magic dragon") - flying hospital and introduced millions of people to the concept of air travel.

2. Indeed, at one point 90 percent of the worlds air traffic was operated by DC3s.

3. More than 10,500 DC3s have been built since the first prototype was rolled out of Douglas’s Santa Monica factory in 1935.

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