Historic Planes

[Zishelix]

After years of effort to restore this historic airplane, Polikarpov Po-2 gracing the Croatian sky again!



(Admin, feel free to (re)move this thread if it doesn't belong here)

[Savoia]

Very nice.

Some Soviet footage showing various uses of the Polikarpov Po-2 which was (apparently) the second most popular mass-produced aircraft in history and the most produced biplane ever. Over 40,000 aircraft were manufactured between 1928 and 1953.

[Zishelix]

Are you sure about this "the most produced biplane ever"? I think it's Antonov An-2.

[Savoia]

Are you sure about this "the most produced biplane ever"? I think it's Antonov An-2.

No I am not but, the figures I've been able to source indicate that production of the An-2 reached about 18,000 units.

This of course (the An-2) is how flying should be .. the pulling (and pushing) of many levers and the flicking on and off of numerous switches .. lots of manual labour!

Or, for a little more fun ..

[Zishelix]

An old veteran waiting for a better times…



Douglas C-47B-5-DK, 48835 (c/n 14651/26096) delivered to RAF as Dakota IV reg. KJ926.
Attached to No.357 Squadron RAF and based at:
- Digri, Bengal, British India
- RAF China Bay, Ceylon
- RAF Redhills Lake, Madras, British India,
- RAF Meiktila, Burma
- RAF Mingaladon, Burma
During it's Far East career took part at operations: "Bullfinch", "Blast", "Broke", "Barge", "Nation", "Binge", "Consquence", "Manual", "Hainton", "Grain" & "Bittern".
Detached to Military Aircraft Assistance Group (MAAP) in April 29th, 1953. Transfered to Yugoslav Air Force in October 1953 and serialled 71312/312, later 71203. WFU during 1970s. LDZD.

… currently trying to "convert" this wreckage into a static display airframe... we'll see.

[Savoia]

That is an interesting aircraft Zis, and has had an interesting career!

Good luck with the restoration project, it will make a great piece.

In Italy we have a number of DC3's on display including this one which is part of an outdoor 'air park' near Rimini:


Douglas DC-3 N242AG SW of Rimini, Italy (Photo: Michele Pedrazzini)

This aircraft is a piece at the Parco Tematico dell'Aviazione situated on the Northern border of San Marino towards Rimini.

In 1956 this aircraft was purchased from the US Navy by the American actor Clark Gable .. who owned it until 1963. Among the gusts who flew in this aircraft while it was under Gable's ownership were: John F. Kennedy and his brother Bob, Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Ronald Reagan and numerous others.


Clark Gable and his wife Carole Lombard in 1939

Carole Lombard married Gable in 1939 but was killed on 16th January 1942 at the age of 33 in a Transcontinental and Western Air DC-3 travelling from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada to Burbank Airport in Los Angeles where Gable was to meet her.