Normandy Veteran DC3 For Sale

NA | 07-02-03 | SELF

[Robe]

A US registered, Normandy Invasion participant and still painted in the Normandy scheme, operated under a FAR Part 135 certificate, has come up for sale due to bankruptcy.

She is a documented vet of the Normandy Invasion ( part of the GLIDER GANG) as well as the Belgium (A Bridge Too Far)drop.

I flew this aircraft many years ago, and the thought came to me.... Would any freepers out there like to get together and purchase this a/c, either as a Foundation, or form a flying museum?

The ac is located in the southeast.

I would hate to see her hauling live stock in South America...

JUST A THOUGHT....

Ya never know till you ask

ROBE

[El Sordo]

I can't imagine that an aricraft with that kind of pedigree would escape a good air museum.

Who's selling it? What's the asking price?

[Prof Engineer]

ping

[SouthParkRepublican]

Do you know what the price is?

[Robe]

Don’t know the price yet.....or who will be assisting in the sale... I'm going through the Aircraft sales web sites now.

I hesitate to name the company as I wouldn't want someone else to jump on it just now.

[grobdriver]

Who's selling it? What's the asking price?

And how many spare engines come with her?
;)

[Robe]

Don't laugh.....this was a money making aircraft till the aircargo industry took a dive....

I know that the company had at least two spares on hand at any given time and neog.
them in the deal is certainly possibility

[grapeape]

This is the type of thing that makes me wish I realy had a lot more money. I would really like to take on a project like this.

[narby]

I would love to get involved in such a thing. The problem is where/when/how much.

I spent a couple of the most fun years of my life working in aircraft restoration at "Fighter Rebuilders", at Chino Airport in California. Mostly in airframe restoration on P-38s. And some other generic stuff and a bit of engine stuff.

I'm a licensed A&P mechanic, but I don't claim to be a pro. My day job pays too much to wrench for a living. I own a Lancair 235, with Commercial/Inst/Multi licenses. I had a CFI/ME, but let it expire. TT about 2000/3000 (enough that I haven't bothered to log it in years). I don't have any time in big stuff (a few minutes right seat in a B-25), but I know plenty of people who do.

The "where" is important to me. I'm in Phoenix. AZ is an awfully good place to keep airplanes.

It's possible to make a flying museum out of one or two airplanes, and make a living for a couple of people turing and giving rides. The Collings foundation does that with a B-17 and B-24. A DC-3 wouldn't bring as many bucks per ride, but you'd carry more people.

Someone is using one to give "sunset" rides in San Francisco, I think.

[AdA$tra]

One might contact the Combat Air Museum in Topeka, Kansas. I do not know how flush with cash that they are but they do maintain and operate one C47 already. They may have ideas, advice, storage space or other information that might be useful. (785) 862-3303

[AdA$tra]

One might contact the Combat Air Museum in Topeka, Kansas. I do not know how flush with cash that they are but they do maintain and operate one C47 already. They may have ideas, advice, storage space or other information that might be useful. (785) 862-3303

[Robe]

No kidding......Me too.....I have sent most of my life flying various and sundry aircraft.. from F4s to J3s.. and my most favorite airplane was the "3".

I always felt she would get me home, (no DC3 has ever had a inflight structural failure, or so I have been told)no matter what.

I guess I'm still a dreamer...sigh

[patton]

I could toss a grand at this, if someone comes up with a business plan.

[narby]

Where/When did you fly F-4's?

I was a crew chief on F-4C's at Luke, and F-4E's a Hahn Germany. 1975-1979

[AdA$tra]

Sorry I posted twice, but FR is flying like a DC-3 with one engine today :)

[Robe]

Narby has it right.....here in the southeast (cant give any better location right now) there
are numerous possibilities. for tourist rides , we have a D-Day oriented museums in
Fayetteville, Savanna and North Florida (I think) not to mention the D-Day museum in
New Orleans. If you set her up near by a known WWII attraction you may have a nice
chance of making it a go.
There're a bunch of 82nd and 101st Reenactors that would jump (pun) at the chance to
jump out of this bird, also there're constant demands from the movie/TV industry

[Robe]

Gotta go for now.. if anyone have any suggestions or an outline of a business/foundation plan. Jump on in

Be back in a bit..
ROBE

[narby]

A possible business plan might be to tour various airshows hopping rides. I got a ride in a Ford Trimotor (Bushmaster) at the Copperstate airshow a few years ago. Paid 50 bucks, or so for a 10 minute ride. There's another trimotor that must fly 50 sorties full of people at Oshkosh every year.

A good friend of mine is with some WWII re-enactors in Ca. I'm sure they'd love to mess with a 3', but there's probably no real money there.

The movie business is very lucrative, when you can get the work. The guy I worked for at Chino is a regular in that business. He was the aerial coordinator (boss) for the recent "Pearl Harbor" movie. There is a listing of aircraft that is maintained for producers to pick from. Movies might bring in a rare buck, but don't count on it.

The touring idea might work. But you'd have to find people who could handle the airplane on a full time basis all over the country. A couple of retired guys (which I'm not) might be the ticket.

Doing rides is NOT a part 135 operation. It's under part 91, so things like TBO's etc. don't apply. The only exception is drug testing for the pilots under part 135 rules.

[patton]

B 3/325 82nd ABD (11B2PLGMH) myself.

I want to fly it, and I want a jump. Not on the same flight.

Also SEL, since the seventies.

[Robe]

Preliminary Info.......asking price is $250,000 with spares neog.

I think this is about $100,000.00 too high.. although the engines go for about $55,000
each..
Still searching.....