Any turbine DC3's operating out there?

[Trae 1]

Here's a piccy of a turbine DC3.

Pity this idea didn't take off .. even two turbines instead of the threee in the jpg could have been skydiving history changing.

Why didn't this turbine DC3 idea get going for skydiving?

[jbrasher 0]

Money

Red, White and Blue Skies,

John T. Brasher D-5166

[markd_nscr986 0]

***Money


No...........BIG money!

Marc SCR 6046 SCS 3004

[skybytch 259]

Don't know if it's still dropping jumpers or not, but I jumped a turbine DC3 at Perris a few years ago.

[airtwardo 6]

I jumped a few BRAND NEW ones years ago...

At the Oshkosh airshow...The conversions were being done at Basler Aviation there in Oshkosh and they wanted to get then into the airshow as a promotional thing.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[mx757 4]

We have the AA DC-3 with right hand door "Flagship Detriot" in the Hanger right now sitting next to the 777 She looks so small next to the thriple seven.

Flagship Detriot has been restored inside and out to way she looked when delivered to AA (15th of 32 orginal order) I forgot her birthdate.. but she is beilived to be the oldest DC-3 still flying. she looks Brand new. she has been completely overhauled / primed in side and new headliner being installed right now. AA Flagship Knoxville is in C.R. Smith meusum now not flying any more. but Flagship Detriot is due to hit airshow circuit.

I'll try to get a photo of her this weekend next to the 777

[ZigZagMarquis 8]

I jumped a twin turbine DC-3 at Cal City once years ago, but the current owner doesn't operate it as a jump plane... it was just a one time good deal jump for us then.

Anyway, it was really really weird taking off in a DC-3 and it being all quiet and turbine sounding as opposed to all the shakin' and rumblin' of a "normal" twin radial DC-3... at least we didn't have to worry about that distinctive "BANG"..."CLACK CLACK CLACK"... of a jug blowing off...

[BillyVance 34]

I've only jumped Mr. Douglas, when it was in Tullahoma, TN and at Skydive Chicago.

It's been sitting at Tullahoma for several years now unflyable...

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[rapter 0]

There's one out at Cal-City, it's the same one that was at perris awhile back, it hasen't flown jumpers in a long time. flown by Jan, the same guy who own "Our Douglas" years back. I saw Skip's DC-3 "Tango Whiskey" at the Edwards Air Show last week, it's all shiny and pretty, I remember when it was painted purple,.... Love them goony birds.

Only the good die young, so I have found immortality,

[Hooknswoop 19]

Is that photoshopped? I've never heard of adding a 3rd engine in the nose of a DC-3.

Edit: Found this, "Another DC-3 turbine conversion is the "Tri-Turbo Three" with three 1,174 eshp Pratt and Whitney of Canada PT-6A-45s driving five blade propellers. This conversion was by Aircraft Technical Service Corp. of Camarillo, Calif., on behalf of Specialized Aircraft Co. The airframe used was the old Conroy "Turbo Three" with the additional engine in a lengthened nose. First flight was Nov. 2, 1977. In spite of three engines, the lighter weight of the PT-6 powerplants plus other changes resulted in a great reduction in empty weight and a payload increase of 660 pounds to nearly 12,000.

And in spite of its three engines, the "Super" was only a part-time tri-motor, with the center engine used mainly for takeoff, climb and high-speed cruise. With three, it cruises at 230 mph at 10,000 feet. With the center prop feathered it cruises at 180.

Unfortunately, as in the case of the Conroy, the tri-motor did not find an eager market. A civil operator did buy the demonstrator, but in spite of a variety of options offered (including the ultimate tricycle landing gear) there were no other buyers. The Tri-Turbo Three very like will remain another one-only.

THE LONG-NOSE TRIMOTOR DC-3: Called the "Tri-Turbo Three," it still has the old military cargo doors, but the cabin windows have been modified. This photo was taken on Boeing Field in May, 1981.

CLOSEUP: Because of the nose engine, it was not necessary to move the side engines as far forward as on the two-engine turbo conversions to maintain the center of gravity location. Note the unique five-blade propellers."

Derek

[mjosparky 3]

The DC-3 that you, Tim and Lisa are talking about is the same one. I was on its first load with jumpers at Cal. City, along with you and Tim I think, and then jumped it again at Perris. The door is so damn big that Hank H. couldn't reach the outside floater bar.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[strange 0]

While hiking in the Gila Wilderness of southern NM a few years ago during a fire over the hill, looked up and here comes a beautiful twin tubine DC3 full of Smoke jumpers. Never wished harder than that moment about being with them insted if on the ground with my heavy backpack. Beautiful!!!!

[Ashtanga 0]

First Turbine DC-3 Fire Jump.

[mjosparky 3]

Quote

First Turbine DC-3 Fire Jump.

What the hell kind of canopy is that?

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[steve1 5]

I was wondering the same thing. Some new type of cargo chute, I figure....Steve1

[JerryBaumchen 1,048]

Sorta looks like the type of stuff that Para-Flite builds.

[Hammitt 0]

I spent a week in McCall Idaho this last summer. It also happens to be the home of one of Idaho's smoke jumper schools. Naturally I took the opportunity to take a tour.
They have a beautiful Turbo Prop DC-3 for the bigger fires. 20+ Jumpers For small fires they use one of their two Twin Otters. 10 or less jumpers. It was also the first time I had seen a slider on a round parachute. I talked to some of the riggers. Everyone seems to like to hear about the old days.

[mjosparky 3]

Quote

Sorta looks like the type of stuff that Para-Flite builds.

I think you mean this one.

http://www.paraflite.com/PDF/XT-11&R.pdf

Attached is a picture of me testing one built by Irvin to compete against Para=Flite in the ATPS program.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[airtwardo 6]

a picture of me testing one built by Irvin

***

But but but..it's full of HOLES!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[mjosparky 3]

Quote

a picture of me testing one built by Irvin

***

But but but..it's full of HOLES!

Maybe thats why they lost the competition? At 250 lb. it had a decent rate of under 16 fps.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[airtwardo 6]

Quote

Quote

a picture of me testing one built by Irvin

***

But but but..it's full of HOLES!

Maybe thats why they lost the competition? At 250 lb. it had a decent rate of under 16 fps.

Sparky

***

That slow into a hot LZ, wouldn't the operator also be full of holes!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[mjosparky 3]

All up they are around 300 pounds plus and they get out at around 350 agl.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[Trae 1]

Pardon the tardy reply.

.....was having DC3 dreams and woke up.

The triple turbine is not photoshopped but is lifted from a book.

Here's a photo (just refound) more like what I was used to . It's in Oz at Rutherford in the early 80's.
This one started blowing smoke on the runway but it wasn't picked up till after TO. The load (55+stowaways) hopped and popped. From memory the brakes had gone as well and the pilot ground looped it to stop it .

Every-one I jumped with loved the thing even though it was always breaking down. After cessnas the rest of the time it was like going to height in a cruise ship. The DC3 was the first aircraft ( not the last) that I saw some-one pack in while it taxied out( coil of death and a real trash pack ). The naughty wild boys had a semi-permanent party going on in the dunny down the back.

If you were a bit sneaky it wasn't too hard to stowaway occassionally at risk of a biffin'.

[riggerrob 558]

Last thing I heard the South African Air Force and some Central American Air Force were operating Basler-converted turbine DC-3s.

[fergs 0]

Quote

Pardon the tardy reply.

Here's a photo (just refound) more like what I was used to . It's in Oz at Rutherford in the early 80's.
This one started blowing smoke on the runway but it wasn't picked up till after TO. The load (55+stowaways) hopped and popped. From memory the brakes had gone as well and the pilot ground looped it to stop it .

.......................................................................

Trae,

Are you sure it was Rutherford in early 80's? My log has us all getting out of DC-3, VH-EWE, over Corowa after it blew a massive oil leak. That was 30 July 1977. But it then landed uneventfully.

In those days, the Corowa weekends gave us Australia's biggest aircraft to jump and so jumpers would travel for whatever time it took to get there.

And yes, I do recall packing on board. That was when the free pack was all the rage - side flake, roll both ends to center, pull up slider, coil lines in pack tray, s-fold canopy on top of lines, close container, stow P/C in belly bank pocket, jump. All took only cpl minutes so was easily done as DC-3 taxied.

Blue Skies,

fergs

• Quote