Warbird Information Exchange

What the Corona, Calif. Press-Enterprise calls the local airport's "signature airplane" is headed to South America's largest aviation museum. The DC-3, owned by John and Betty Pappas of Mission Viejo, left Saturday on a 5,300-nm trip over the Andes and across the Amazon jungle to be featured in the museum at Sao Carlos, Brazil. Boeing purchased the aircraft, nicknamed Rose, for an undisclosed price from the Pappas to place in the museum, which is described as being comparable to Seattle’s Museum of Flight. "It is the best place for a wonderful old airplane to finish off her days," said John Pappas. Like all DC-3s, this one has a storied past. Built in 1943 for the military, it was used to drop paratroopers on D-Day. The Pappas have owned it for 10 years and it's become an icon in Corona that will be missed. "I hate to see it leave. The saddest part is it sounds like it's not gong to fly again," local pilot Dave Stevenson told the Press-Enterprise. A pancake breakfast farewell was held Saturday morning before Rose's scheduled departure of 11 a.m.