DC-3: The unbelievable airliner that just won't quit

I remember as a kid in the mid 50's, my dad taking me out to the airport at KFSM and the old Central Airlines flew out of there and had one there overnight. Dad knew the airport night watchman and he took us up inside of it and was even able to explain part of it to a 5 year old, wide eyed boy. About 3 or 4 yrs later in 1958, I made my first flight on one belonging to Braniff, from LIT to MEM, changing there to another one that went from MEM, BNA,KTYS, KDCA, then KJFK. I was an Army brat headed overseas to Germany at the whoppin' age of 9.

Love them old birds - can't stop riding in them either.

Lots of them here in SW Florida as part of the "Lee County Air Force" used to keep us alive from the ravages of nature's version of the Zero: the lowly mosquito and the diseases it carries. We are treated to watching them fly in formation just above tree tops leaving trails of adult insecticide behind them followed by the smell of the diesel fuel used as part of the aerosol.

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=220839&nseq=10

I rode in one in South Africa in 1979. Question on the leaded fuel front… how many DC-3’s have been converted to turboprops?

I remember flying a DC-3 from Ohare to Champaign on Ozark Airlines (that dates me doesn't it) in 1967. Then in 1972 I had two navigation training flights in a TC-47 built in 1943. I later won a drink at the Officers' club when I had the oldest aircraft in my log book. DC-3 a classic airplane that I hope we are able to keep flying for many more years.