I flew the C-47 across North Texas. It was fun to fly but
a real pain when the black clay was plowed for cotton or crops.
Heat thermals rising on the black and normal off grass/trees.
We were hauling cargo from air base to air base. Sometimes just a runway.

When living in the south Pacific, C-47's were used to take workers
from our island to others 50 and 70 miles away. Years later, the 50
mile were done with copters and the planes picked up longer ranges.

Martin

On 7/5/2015 9:07 AM, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Sat, 4 Jul 2015 11:01:04 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Ed Huntress" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 4 Jul 2015 07:28:17 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:
...
This is the sort of accomplishment that has real significance:
http://airminded.org/2009/10/23/the-great-air-race/

In what sense?

"Could any more striking contrast be imagined than the weariness and
exhaustion of Scott and Black and the pleasant excitement of
Parmentier's passengers, who flew in the world's most notable race
as
tourists?"

First place went to a custom British racer, second to a standard US
airliner which stopped for passengers. The DC-2 was an early version
of the classic DC-3, the 247D its similar Boeing competitor. The
British winner was made of wood.


--
Ed Huntress

Are you really unable to see the significance of an American
commercial airliner nearly beating a purpose-built British racing
plane?

Not since the dementia hit him several years ago, no.


I'd love to watch some of today's commercial passengers _attempt_ to
walk up and down the aisle to their seats in a grounded Gooney Bird.
And I'd love to fly as a crewman in a Spooky version.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAFVuG2KQqk Arr, arr, arr!

Dad flew Gooney Birds (somewhere) and C-123s (over Nam) in the 60s,
just before retiring.

--
Another belief of mine: that everyone else my age is an adult,
whereas I am merely in disguise.
-- Margaret Atwood