Placelowerplace Report This Comment Date: November 17, 2006 02:07AM
C46 Dakota aka Gooney Bird
Nigel_Knowital Report This Comment Date: November 17, 2006 08:04AM
Actually, I think this is supposed to be an AC-47, a.k.a. Spooky.
I remember sometime in the late 1960's, standing on the roof of a house in Laos
and watching a couple of these doing what they do (did) best, namely making the
ground a most unhealthy place to be on. Talk about "Sound and Vision"!
Anonymous Report This Comment Date: November 17, 2006 04:17PM
Yeah, I think you're right that it's an AC-47 or C-47, which is in itself a
DC-3 in uniform. Fantastic plane.
quasi Report This Comment Date: November 17, 2006 11:54PM
Yes, it was known as the C-47 by the US Army Air Corps, the Dakota by the
British, and also nicknamed the Gooneybird. Also correct, in civilian life it is
known as the DC-3 and built by Douglas Aircraft. This was the first modern
airliner, dating back to the mid 1930's, and though there have been no new ones
built since WWII there are still many of these rugged airplanes being used
today. I live about four miles from our local airport and I see them flying
about often. Even more often I hear them - those two big radial engines working
in unison are like music to a dweeb like me.