Jun 6, 2003, 8:13 AM
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DC-3's
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Years ago in the mid 1980's I made many skydives out of Bill Dause's DC-3 at the Parachute Center near Lodi, California. It was loads of fun! It would be a great help to know what drop zones are still using DC-3's to drop jumpers?
I need to find a DC-3 to jump out of again.. its been 22 years since I had a DC-3 jump... and I dont have a single oil spot on my Infinity or my jumpsuit. Being a front floater on a DC-3 load was usually a "spotty" place to jump from.
I loved the one at Elsinore years back... I'm 6'4" and is sooooo nice being able to actually stand up in and arrow-plain. Anyone remember jumping John Travoltia's at Perris?
They have one they jump occasionally in Hawaii. It climbs at an ear-popping 200-300 fpm. But I have done dirt dives in it on the climb to altitude. Gotta like that.
I got to jump Travolta's DC3 at Cooledge at one of the Haloween Boogies in the mid 80s. IIRC, it still had some of the executive interior in it with a lamp on the table.
I got to jump Travolta's DC3 at Cooledge at one of the Haloween Boogies in the mid 80s. IIRC, it still had some of the executive interior in it with a lamp on the table.
I, for myself have around 150 DC-3's jumps and all of them were made in the late 80's at Z-Hill. At one easter boogie there was 3 of them flying; Mister Douglas, Southern Cross, and Our Douglas. I wonder what happened to those 3 wonderful planes..?
My first 15 or so jumps were out of a Phillipine Air Force C-47 and it took like 10 fo those to figure out that if you pivoted of your right foot out the door, you could actually leave stable. What ever happened to the DC3 called Sugar Alpha that flew in Georgia in the 80's?
I, for myself have around 150 DC-3's jumps and all of them were made in the late 80's at Z-Hill. At one easter boogie there was 3 of them flying; Mister Douglas, Southern Cross, and Our Douglas. I wonder what happened to those 3 wonderful planes..?
Our Douglas is based out of Cal. City, CA and is flying hunters into Mexico. We sometimes use it to do drop test. Sparky
I remember that Green County in Xenia Oh had a DC-3 in the mid 70's but I cant remember it having a name. Does anyone know where that plane went to? They also had a Beech 18 at that time .
years ago there was at least 1 at Ortner Field near Wakeman Ohio. I dont even know if the field is still active since Dean Ortner crashed at an air show. Man, he sure was a good pilot....and crashing to his death....it wasnt an accident....
I just renmembered...there is a flying DC3 at the airport at Brantford, Ontario, Canada. Its used to haul freight, I sometimes see it flying past where I live. It makes trips to the USA. Im sure if they can make some $$$$ with it, they'd fly jumpers.
PhreeZone (D License)
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Jun 12, 2003, 2:24 PM
Post #18 of 164
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Xenia had "The Legend" as its DC3. It was still at the DZ until the mid/late 90's when it was finally sold. The girl that was the manifest lived in it for a while I guess.
Greene County still has a Beech 18 and the airframe of another.
I had lots of fun jumpin out of DCs, including Mr Douglas and the one at Z with the rainbow paint job - What was that called?
But one of the most fun to jump out of was Canucks Unlimited of the Canadian Warplane Heritage... We used to jump out of it quite a bit at the Hamilton Airshow and other venues around Southern Ontario, often in formation with the foundations Beech 18 as well... One of the most fun jumps was one into the National Aviation Museum in Ottawa for the 50th anniversary of D-day in 1994...
Attached is a pic of the Hamilton team and Canucks Unlimited in her WWII Burma patrol paint job at the Muskoka Airshow...
I'm not sure about "Agent Orange", it sounds right, but I am sure that the DC-3 we called Kool-Aid (because it formerly belonged to Guyana Airways) was at Bigfoot. The Herd flew out in it and flew back commercial airlines after it blew an engine. I think Sugar Alpha was one of Bob Branch's planes, but I could be wrong. I thought that was the one that crashed at the Nationals. Anyone have any help here? Alzheimers is starting to set in big time.
Up until two years ago... The Christian Rescue group "JARS" ...jungle avaition..something, something...
Brought their DC3 up to Oshkosh for EAA's AirVenture airshow / fly-in. They worked out a deal in which they would give rides for donations, and also agreed to let us (Liberty Parachute Team) use the 3 as a jump platform for the week of the airshow... Without a doubt the cleanest...best maintained DC3 I've EVER laid eyes on!! It looked and ran like it just left the factory...
It was really neat to have it for our use...6-8 guys on the load... working head in the back... Carpet, Leather, music...we were spoiled!
It's positioned somewhere in South America now... I really hope the "Old Girl" and I meet up again some day...
Not complaining though...even if we do have to suffer those awful cramped feelings we get from the ship we now use there..
I'm not sure about "Agent Orange", it sounds right, but I am sure that the DC-3 we called Kool-Aid (because it formerly belonged to Guyana Airways) was at Bigfoot. The Herd flew out in it and flew back commercial airlines after it blew an engine. I think Sugar Alpha was one of Bob Branch's planes, but I could be wrong. I thought that was the one that crashed at the Nationals. Anyone have any help here? Alzheimers is starting to set in big time.
Elaine NNFS #3 D-7863
Alzheimers is RIGHT, for me..not you!
I bet "Sugar Alpha" was what I was thinking....
I do know I've jumped Agent Orange...
If they ever come up with a way to replace all those brain cells I killed in the 70's...
Isn't everything at Green County call "The Legend" Well except for "The Boss"
Its been 25 years since I was there but....I wonder if the airframe that is there is the one we were jumping out of in 76... Still I dont remember them having names back then.
Amazon
Tonto (D 515)
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Jun 13, 2003, 7:11 AM
Post #25 of 164
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