Warbird Information Exchange

Is there a site out there listing all the surviving DC-3's & C-47's? Thanks

I thought the new Warbird Digest article was pretty interesting. I had no idea there was a C-53 variant.

Also C-41,48,49,50,51,52,68 and 84 signifying the source (airline) of impressed examples.

C-32,33,34,38,39 and 42 were DC-2s.

Some sources give the C-41 as a DC-2, the C-41A a DC-3. Seems to be an ancient clerical error since both are still flying and are DC-3s without a doubt.

Our aircraft was originally built by Douglas in July 1941 as a right hand door DC-3 277D with Wright Cyclones, for delivery to American Airlines as NC33657, but was instead impressed direct from the production line by the U.S. Military as a C50 "41-7698".

Along with two other C50's, it was delivered to the 5th Air Force in Australia in October 1942 for use as a Troop Carrier, and flew with the 21st Troop Carrier Squadron of the 374th Troop Carrier Group, carrying the call sign "VHCDJ" (not a civil registration).

Following the re-equipment of the 21st TCS with fifty-two new C-47's in early 1943, "VH-CDJ", along with another C50 and three C53 aircraft, were transferred to the RAAF for service with No36 Transport Squadron, where it carried the name "Waltzing Matilda". In 1944 it was transferred to Guinea Airways operating passenger flights under military auspices.

In July 1946, the aircraft was purchased by Australian National Airways, registered as VH-ANH and given the name “Tullana", and as part of their C47 conversion program, was changed from right to left hand passenger door . When ANA was taken over by Ansett in 1957 the aircraft remained with the company, flying with Ansett subsidiary, Airlines of New South Wales.

In 1970 the aircraft was retired, having flown a total of 45,030 hours.

On the 27th of August 1972 VH-ANH made it’s last flight to Moorabbin Airport to join the Museum collection, initially being leased to the Museum for $1.00. The DC3 has since been donated to the Museum.

Our aircraft is the third oldest DC-3 surviving in Australia, and is one of 3 original factory built civil airliner DC-3's existing in the country, the remainder being converted from, or remaining configured as military transport C47's, with a number still remaining airworthy for charter and tourist flights..

I was however interested to discover there is a C-41 that still exists and fly's, listed as:

C-41 N41HQ, Next Century Aviation Inc/Otis Spunkmeyer Air, Sausalito CA

http://www.centercomp.com/cgi-bin/dc3/gallery?893

The C-41 was a one off order by the USAAC, it was used as General Hap Arnard's VIP aircraft during WW2, this s/n 2053 listed as a DC-3-253 by Pearcy.



Quote:
C-41

In 1938, the Air Corps bought a single DC-2 type aircraft. The plane, designated C-41, was very similar to the C-39 with only a few differences. The C-41 was powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-1830 radial engines with 1,200 horsepower each. The upgraded engines were more powerful than the 975 horsepower Wright radials of the C-39 and gave the C-41 a top speed of 225 mph — 15 mph faster than the C-39. The cruising speed of the C-41 was nearly 50 mph faster than the C-39.

The other significant difference between the two types was the interior. The C-41 was bought as a senior staff transport, so the cabin was finished to allow in-flight staff work and meetings in addition to being more luxurious than the standard troop transport.

The C-41 was used by Gen. H. H. "Hap" Arnold, Army Air Corps Chief of Staff beginning in 1939.



The C-41 is described as a DC-2 Derivative above however it does not have the distinctive DC-2 slab sides? and internal photos suggest a three abreast cabin so it is assumed to be a standard "round" DC-3 fuselage, and with the C-39 DC-3 Centre Section and fin/rudder, it would appear the C-41 is more correctly a DC-3 derivative than a DC-2 Derivative as there seems little of the distinctive DC-2 features left?

Interestingly the USAFM website quotes the C-39 as designated by Douglas as a DC-2-243 and Pearcy quotes the C-41 as designated by Douglas as a DC-3-253 so perhaps they are more different than the USAFM website suggests.

of further interest is that Pearcy records the single Douglas C-41A as also existing at time of publication as s/n 2145 DC-3A-253A/C-41A N132BB


Quote:
DOUGLAS C-41A
The Air Corps purchased a commercial Douglas DC-3A in early 1939 and designated the plane as C-41A. Although the earlier C-41 was based on the DC-2 (C-39) the intended missions of the aircraft were similar so the new plane was given the -A model.

The C-41A was fitted with a 21-seat VIP interior designed for use by the Secretary of War and his staff. The 1,200 horsepower Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp radial engines gave the plane a cruising speed greater than 200 mph.

The C-41A made its first flight on Sept. 11, 1939, at the Douglas plant. Three days later it was delivered to the Air Corps at Bolling Field, Washington, D.C. The plane was initially assigned to the 1st Staff Squadron and was flown on average about 25 hours per month for the next several years.

The C-41A remained in service throughout World War II first as a VIP transport for the Secretary of War, then as a regular staff transport until December 1945 when the plane was declared surplus.


Type Number built/
converted Remarks
C-41 1 Modified C-39
C-41A 1 Modified DC-3
Serial Numbers: C-41: 38-502; C-41A: 40-70



http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/shared ... 4P-003.jpg

Clearly a round DC-3 fuselage with perhaps even remanent DST slit windows evident in the forward fuselage?

N1332BB was registered to Robert J Bond but the registration number is now allocated to a Lancair so I am unsure if this C-41A aircraft still exists? and is flying under another registration? Does anyone know?