C-47 Formation

I recently had the opportunity to organize a formation ferry flight that primarily was a photo op for a C-47 that had been ramped at Hillsboro OR for many years. Planned to undergo restoration in the near future, this aircraft was built for the RCAF in 1941, she crossed the Atlantic at least twice before the end of the war. She spent the next 35 years working almost continually in the far northern reaches of the Canadian arctic. Sold into civilian ownership in the late 1970s, this aircraft has worked for a living until very recently.

Rather than just a photo ship and the subject aircraft, the restoration business and I agreed that, since she was a former warbird, that a formation flight around her might be a interesting and fitting thing to do. It's not everyday that you get to fly formation with a 70 year old piece of flying history... So we organized the flight, six RV's and one C-47. The flight yesterday was well briefed and was very successful in all regards. The flight was conducted at sunset for best photography, the smoke from the wildfires in the region added additional color to the scene. More info and pics later on as this project as the restoration continues...

Pilots: C-47 Paul Bazeley, Alpha Lead: : RV-8 Steve Payne, Bravo Lead: RV-4 Pete Forsyth, Wingmen: RV-8 Dan Miller, RV-3B Dan Benua, RV-8 & photo Wendell Foltz, RV-6 & photo Joe Blank, Photographer & Vans employees extroidenaire: Adam Burch & Lindsey Mast. Thanks to Adam for planting the seed on this whole idea. You are to blame... ;-) As you may know Adam is a bit (gross understatement) of a graphics artist. His work can be seen here:

http://adamburch.carbonmade.com/





More info HERE on this particular aircrafts role in history:
http://www.classicaircraft.org/DouglasC-47A.html

Joe that is so cool! I love the DC3. Looks like a fighter escort!

Sweet!!! I thought that's what that was. It looked great from my view (sitting at my younger brother's soccer game).

Neat to see it finally in the air again.

Where did you ferry it to?

Great work on the escort guys! It's great to see this bird in the air. She's a real veteran, having flown glider tows and low level supply drops in Operation Market Garden, as well as in Operation Varsity, the airborne invasion of Germany.

Some renderings and additional shots below. Special thanks to the aerial photographer, Lindsey Mast, who did a great job despite a bout of airsickness.

And a bit more info about the Dakota in a video, here: http://vimeo.com/33772896

AWESOME!!!

Outstanding!

To form up to a Market Garden vet.
How cool is that! Great job guys!

Pretty cool!

Joe,

I traveled around the north a lot in a DC-3 back in 1979. The airline I worked for had half a dozen of them, maybe even this one . One of the pilots was a Polish gentlemen who flew with the British in the Battle of Britain. I was too young to appreciate it then, I'd like to have a chance to do it again now.

DC-3

AH the DC-3

This was the first ever twin I ever had control of...( Nice when you have a brother who was a capt on one...Love every second of it..

Bruno

I am curious about why the DC-3 had the gear down. Is that so it would not feel out of place with the RVs?

n5lp said:

I am curious about why the DC-3 had the gear down. Is that so it would not feel out of place with the RVs?

Click to expand...

Larry,

Good catch. Since this was a maintenance/ferry flight all of about 20 miles, Paul didn't want to risk stowing the gear and then having to crank them down if they decided not to unstow... The primary mission objective was to move the aircraft the 20 miles (HIO->UAO). All else was secondary. Once we knew things were running well, then we could form up on her and get some pics. Cruise speed with the gear down was only about 120 KTS max...
Gear up or down, I think KG587 felt right at home in formation with RV's...