The largest formation flight of Douglas DC-3 and C-47 vintage aircraft is set to fly in formation to open the 2010 EAA Airventure Air Show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin on Monday, July 26, 2010. This exciting historic event will include nearly half of the U.S. fleet of these highly-popular aircraft, and is sure to be a big crowd pleaser when the 40-plane formation flies over Wittman Regional Airport.
The formation flight is being staged prior to the flight during the weekend of July 24 and 25 at Whiteside County Airport (KSQI) in Sterling/Rock Falls, Illinois. There, these wonderful large restored airliners and military aircraft will be on public display, possibly for the last time.
Included in this flight will be 40 of the finest vintage airliners in existence in the United States and Canada. Here are some highlights of aircraft registered to fly in the formation:
- An extremely rare 1934 DC-2, one of only two remaining in the world, will be in the formation. It is owned by the Seattle Museum of Flight and is based at Van Nuys Airport (VNY) in California. The Captain scheduled to fly N1934D is Clay Lacy.
- The only C-41 (N41HQ) and C-41A (N341A) aircraft ever made are scheduled to appear. Both are 1938 models and were built for Major General Hap Arnold as command staff transports. The C-41 is based in Oakland, California while the C-41A is flying in from Cape Girardeau, Mi.
- One of the big “stars” of the formation will be C-GDAK – The Burma Star – a 1939 C-47. This rare aircraft underwent a major restoration in 1981 at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum and has been a past winner of the “People’s Choice Award” at the EAA Airventure show.
- The bright yellow “Smile in the Sky”, N1XP, also known as Duggy the DC-3 will be in the formation. This very popular aircraft is a 1943 model, and tours the country teaching kids about flying and how to achieve their dreams.
- N143D, a 1938 DC-3 with over 57,000 hours on the airframe! This well-known aircraft is owned by Dan Gryder and is operated out of Griffin, Georgia. When not at air shows around the country, this aircraft is used as a flight training aircraft and for pilots to earn their DC-3 type rating.
The host Fixed Base Operator (FBO) at KSQI, the staging airport, will be M & M Aviation, who is offering formation flight crews and passengers free transportation, food and beverages. Other “hero FBOs” have agreed to help crews in the formation offset direct operating costs, including Carlson Aviation at Chan Gurney Airport (YKN) in Yankton, South Dakota, Clemens Aircraft located at Stearman Field Airport (1K1) in Benton, Kansas and Montgomery Aviation at Grissom ARB (GUS) in Peru, Indiana. These Hero FBOs are helping formation flight participants with such incentives as discounted prices on fuel free meals, possibly free lodging for all DC-3/C-47 pilots and crew and other free products and services to be determined.
The formation flight is being organized by The Last Time, a group that is staging this event, which they believe will be the last time that 40 of these vintage aircraft will be flown in formation at one time.
Author and professional photographer Dan Pimentel owns a advertising agency in Oregon that specializes in aviation campaign development. He has been an professional photographer since 1980 and displays galleries of his work online. He also blogs about aviation groups such as The Last Time.
