And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Forest Service put turboprops on them and use them for their smoke jumping machines. Trouble is, av-gas is very expensive nowadays so The plane would have to have kerosene burners.
A company called Basler Turbo Conversions in Oshkosh WI remanufactures/converts them and calls them BT-67s. It's basically a brand new, slightly lengthened, turboprop DC-3.
Once back in the 90's when I was an international arms dealer in the Mid East (people think I'm kidding when I say that) I saw the DC-3 that FDR gave to the King of Saudi Arabia as a gift sitting abandoned in a hangar in Riyadh gathering dust. Looked like it had not moved in a long time. Probably still there.
When I was a kid in the 60's, there was a cargo route serviced by a DC-3. It went directly over our house. I would watch it lumber overhead every day. I looked forward to it. I knew its distinct sound and would know it was coming long before I looked for it. I don't know who it was hauling for and was sad when they finally retired it.
As a kid in the 60's, I'd get off the school bus in the afternoon, hop on my bike and race the three miles to the airport to see the Hughes Air West DC-3 land and take off again. Love the sound of those big ol' round motors.
Just lacks an APU for some comfort features
ReplyDeleteDidn't one of the Nelson boys burn up in just such a craft outfitted as you suggest?
DeleteEven with modern turboprops, like a brick aerodynamically, only pays low and slow cargo.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking zero....
ReplyDeleteForest Service put turboprops on them and use them for their smoke jumping machines. Trouble is, av-gas is very expensive nowadays so The plane would have to have kerosene burners.
ReplyDeleteBasler in Oshkosh does a good business refurbishing them. Lengthens them a bit and changes the motors to turboprop.
ReplyDeleteA company called Basler Turbo Conversions in Oshkosh WI remanufactures/converts them and calls them BT-67s. It's basically a brand new, slightly lengthened, turboprop DC-3.
ReplyDeleteBet they'd sell all they could make-even given the modern (?) day bullshit fuel problems mentioned above.
ReplyDeleteOnce back in the 90's when I was an international arms dealer in the Mid East (people think I'm kidding when I say that) I saw the DC-3 that FDR gave to the King of Saudi Arabia as a gift sitting abandoned in a hangar in Riyadh gathering dust. Looked like it had not moved in a long time. Probably still there.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid in the 60's, there was a cargo route serviced by a DC-3. It went directly over our house. I would watch it lumber overhead every day. I looked forward to it. I knew its distinct sound and would know it was coming long before I looked for it. I don't know who it was hauling for and was sad when they finally retired it.
ReplyDeleteAs a kid in the 60's, I'd get off the school bus in the afternoon, hop on my bike and race the three miles to the airport to see the Hughes Air West DC-3 land and take off again. Love the sound of those big ol' round motors.
ReplyDeleteAll of them.
ReplyDelete