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Wanna buy a DC-3?


old man emu

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Four of them, just up the road from Molong. 32 57.891 S 148 52.873 E. I think there may have been five. One was sold, overhauled & set off for the UK but only made it to somewhere in Asia.

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Four of them, just up the road from Molong. 32 57.891 S 148 52.873 E. I think there may have been five. One was sold, overhauled & set off for the UK but only made it to somewhere in Asia.

 

They are only 47nm from me, have been meaning to have a look for along time.

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on 2 separate occasions I have been lucky to sit in the right hand seat while aerial topdressing (nz). On the second occasion the relaxed pilot (ag pilots usually are) allowed me top fly it back to the airfield - a distance of say 20 miles - and to finals

 

the DC3 topdressers were single pilot operation and carried 5 tons of phosphate from provincial airfields

 

Provincial airfields saved the cost of transporting the fertilizer to an isolated farm strip - I don't know if that was sound economics

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I think there were about 10,000 built and all metal strong construction. and certainly some will be 100 years old within the next 20 years. Have to be a strong contender for the most significant aeroplane ever built award. Nev

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We were in Merimbula for a weekend when one was visiting. Belonged to Jack Curtis. Took the kids down to have a look as Jack's wife told the small crowd that they were doing circuits to familiarise a new pilot. She invited us to join them so we all shared a very generous treat. I noticed that as the tail came up it yawed slightly. Afterwards the young pilot told me that because of the effort to push the yoke forward, he had to take his feet off the rudder pedals and plant them on the floor. Wonderful circuit of Merimbula.

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The one I saw was on the corner of Larras Lee road just north of Molong. I snuck in and took a photo. the property owner seems to like Rail wagons as he has a lot of them.

No idea were it was moved to.

spacesailor

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I'd really like to inspect the Wrigley familys DC-3 (that's the chewing gum billionaires). Their DC-3 is the lowest hour DC-3 in the world, something like 3400 hrs TT, I've been told.

 

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They are only 47nm from me, have been meaning to have a look for along time.

I believe one was purchased a couple of years back and trucked to Walcha for restoration.

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I believe one was purchased a couple of years back and trucked to Walcha for restoration.

Not bought for restoration, just to sit on the side of his airstrip. The fellow has a (All flying) Moth Minor, Beaver, 180, 170 and a Bell 47. He spent all his working life flying mostly Beavers on AG and now retired.

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Not bought for restoration, just to sit on the side of his airstrip. The fellow has a (All flying) Moth Minor, Beaver, 180, 170 and a Bell 47. He spent all his working life flying mostly Beavers on AG and now retired.

That would be David and Caroline Salter; truly lovely folks. Probably the most experienced Beaver pilot in the world; he did a lot of Ag development with de Havilland back in the early Beaver days.

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That would be David and Caroline Salter; truly lovely folks. Probably the most experienced Beaver pilot in the world; he did a lot of Ag development with de Havilland back in the early Beaver days.

Yes, David Salter's, a true gentleman.

Check Google Earth 31 07 37 S 151 23 39 E It's parked beside the hangar.

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Probably the most experienced Beaver pilot in the world; he did a lot of Ag development with de Havilland back in the early Beaver days.

David came into AG when Beavers were established as Ag machines, his early flying was in Callair's at Kununurra on cotton when it was tried first up there. While David is a very experienced pilot he might be the highest time Australian Beaver pilot still alive :oh yeah: The likes of Doc Lynch/Kenny Beardon/Peter wood (Peter still going as far as I know) were flying well before David started flying Beavers.

I forgot he has a Tiger Moth as well to add to the list.

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There's one alongside a McDonalds somewhere in New Zealand - it's been converted to a 'diner', complete with a Perspex wall where the cockpit wall should be so you can see what remains of the dashboard - might have some pics of it somewhere.

 

Kiwi can probably tell you what town it's in

 

BP

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There's one alongside a McDonalds somewhere in New Zealand - it's been converted to a 'diner', complete with a Perspex wall where the cockpit wall should be so you can see what remains of the dashboard - might have some pics of it somewhere.

 

Kiwi can probably tell you what town it's in

 

BP

There's a DC-3 on poles outside the Amaroo Tavern in Moree NSW. I believe it was rescued from PNG and the owner got clearance to fly it back to Moree. It's been there for quite a few years now.

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I think the storeman at Tamworth tafe vechicle refinishing in 2000/01 when I was there was one of the pilots that bought that back. My teacher had told us a bit about it, I think his name was David.

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I read some where , I think it was at Mareeba airport, that the Russians copied and made more dc3 s than the original manufacturer never paid a cent for license or copyright .

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I read some where , I think it was at Mareeba airport, that the Russians copied and made more dc3 s than the original manufacturer never paid a cent for license or copyright .

Yep, there's one outside Petropavlovsk airport on the Kamchatka peninsula at 53' 10' 09" N 157' 25' 25" E.

The only thing that looked different about it was the engine cowls.

1597092364930.thumb.png.67690445da6cdc824e761a5659828fd8.png

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