In 1932, Douglas Aircraft Company Inc. started the development of a twelve-seat, two-engined, all-metal mono-plane with retractable
landing-gear. The prototype of this first Douglas Commercial, the DC-1 flew first on 1 July 1933 and was delivered to Transcontinental
& Western Air. However just only one DC-1 was built, this aircraft became the start of a succesfull series of airliners.
TWA ordered twenty production aircraft, which were designated DC-2. The Douglas DC-2 had a larger engine and seated 14 passengers. The plane made
its maiden flight on 11 May 1934 and entered service with TWA on 18 May 1934. Due to its performance in airliner service a growing number of
orders were placed by airlines all over the world, including by K.L.M. Due to the succes of the DC-2, Douglas developed and built what
many consider to be one of the greatest planes ever: the DC-3. The prototype Douglas DC-3 flew first on 17 December 1935, and this transport
aircraft was built in larger numbers than any before or since. In its initial form, the Douglas DC-3 was powered by 1.000 hp Wright R-1820-G2
Cyclones and accomodated twenty-one passengers. In 1936, the DC-3 was joined in production by the DC-3A with two 1.050 hp Pratt and Whitney
R-1830-SC-G Twin Wasps, and maximum accomodation in this model being increased over the years to twenty-eight passengers. The DC-3B entered
production in 1937. This version was similar to the DC-3A apart from 1,100 hp Wright GR-1820-G102A engines. The bulk of the aircraft producted
became the Douglas C-47, a military transport version of the commercial DC-3 airliner. A 7500-lb. cargo load or twenty-eight troops may be accomodated.
With the breakout of WW II, a fast growing number of the C-47 and its variants were ordered. The C-47 entered service service with the U.S.A.A.F. in 1941
and became the world's most widely-used general-purpose military transport aircraft. When production termintated, 10,926 C-47s and its variants having
been built in the U.S.A. Licence manufacture also having been undertaken in Japan and the U.S.S.R. The Russian licensed copies of the DC-3 were built near
Moscow and in Tashkent and designated Lisunov Li-2 (4,937 built). Licensed copies of the DC-3 built in Japan were designated Showa L2D (487 built).
The Douglas DC-3 / C-47 and their variants were known under more than two dozen nicknames; wellknown nicknames were Skytrain, Gooney Bird, Dakota and Dak.
After the war ended, large numbers of C-47s and its variant entered the civil market, a number of these C-47s were remanufactured and known as Douglas DC-3C.
In September 1943, Douglas DC-3C (C47) N47E “Miss Virginia” was built by Douglas at Long Beach, California, as the Douglas C-47A-60-DL with the military
serial number of 43-30665. In 1943, the aircraft was delivered as Douglas C-47A '43-30665' to the United States Army Air Force. During its military life,
the aircraft served numerous units all over the United States, including the Training Command at Pope in 1944 and 1945. After WW2 had ended '43-30665'
served with the Air Material Command at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ. In the 1950's the '43-30665' served with the National Guard in Oklahoma City and then on
to the U.S. Army proving ground as a test platform until 1966. That year, the aircraft went into storage at the aircraft boneyard at Davis-Monthan. In
1975, the aircraft was sold by the U.S. Government, and on 21 May 1975, registration N48065 was assigned for the airframe by the Summer Institute of
Linguistics at Waxhaw, NC. On 27 May 1975, a ferry permit was obtained and the airplane was flown from Davis-Monthan AFB to Waxhaw. On 4 August 1977,
Douglas C-47A N48065 was transferred from S.I.L. to J.A.A.R.S. - Jungle Aviation And Radio Services at Waxham. In 1978, when the aircraft was converted
for commercial use, the N48065 was called a DC-3C and with number 13816 a new construction number was assigned. On 5 November 1980, registration N48065 was
cancelled and the Douglas DC-3C was exported to Colombia, where it was registered as HK-2540P with Institute Linguistico Verano on 17 July 1981. Over
the years, the aircraft was re-registered HK-2540W with the same operator/owner. On 6 December 1988, registration HK-2540W was cancelled and on 12
December 1988, the DC-3C was restored to the US-register, this time as N7043N and as before the aircraft was registered with J.A.A.R.S. - Jungle
Aviation And Radio Services at Waxham. After the aircraft was operated a short period by California Air Tours, the N7043N was acquired by K&K Aircraft,
Bridgewater, VA, and on 16 April 1990 registered with this company. However the aircraft should be be used as a spray airplane for a Gypsy Moth spray
contract, it remained operating for JAARS. On 1 August 1996, the DC-3C was re-registered N47E with K&K Aircraft. In 1997, K&K changed the company name
to Dynamic Aviation; at that time the DC-3C was still operating for JAARS. The aircraft was retired from 1999 through 2010 when work began on its
restoration. On 23 July 2010, Douglas DC-3C N47E was registerd to Dynamic Avlease, Bridgewater,VA. Since her restoration completion, Douglas DC-3C N47E
shines as "Miss Virginia" in U.S. Air Force '0-30665' colors and is a beloved guest at events like the 75th anniversary of the Arsenal of Democracy
flight over downtown Washington DC; Daks over Normandy and Die Rückkehr der Rosinenbomber over Berlin. On 13 June 2019, Douglas DC-3C N47E was seen at
Fassberg AFB in Germany.
Luchtvaart déjà vu
