By Jim Richardson
The state of Oklahoma has a rich history in aviation and one of the most famous airplanes to ever ascend into the wild blue yonder — the DC-3 — was manufactured at the old Douglas Aircraft Company plant in Oklahoma City.
Of the few remaining DC-3’s that are still flying, the 1945 production registered by the Federal Aeronautics Administration as “N34” has been declared the official Oklahoma Centennial plane.
In honor of Pauls Valley’s Sesquicentennial celebration, N34 Co-pilot, Mike Ahern, said the fixed-wing, propeller-driven vintage aircraft will be making a stop in Pauls Valley on Sept. 29.
“We’ll fly into the Pauls Valley Municipal Airport on Saturday the 29th to take part in the city’s 150th birthday festivities. We’ll be there from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and we’re inviting everyone to come out and take a close-up look at this historic aircraft,” Ahern said.
“They are welcome to climb its steps, tour the interior and learn a little DC-3 history and discover the complexities of maintaining the National Airspace System.”
Fellow N34 pilot, Stan Cole, said the Douglas DC-3 is considered by most aviation historians to be the key aircraft that made commercial air travel financially viable and its military designation, the C-47, was considered to be one of the primary factors that led to allied victory during World War II.
“General Dwight D. Eisenhower is often quoted as saying, ‘Four things won the Second World War — the bazooka, the Jeep, the atom bomb and the C-47,’” Cole noted.
“The C-47, or Gooney Bird as it was known, helped to win World War II by fulfilling its mission as a transport, flying hospital and even a make-shift bomber.”
Along with its contributions to commercial air travel and the war effort, the N34 holds another unique place in American history. In 1997 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and, along with San Francisco cable cars, now holds the distinction of being one of only two entries on the register that are mobile in nature.
Parked on the tarmac, the Oklahoma Centennial aircraft is truly an impressive sight to behold. From wingtip to wingtip it measures more than 95 feet and from nose to tail it stretches 63 feet.
The powerful Pratt & Whitney 1,200 horsepower radial engines mounted on each wing not only thrusts the large aircraft into the air but enables the DC-3 to cruise the skies at 130 knots, or 150 miles per hour.
The public is strongly encouraged to come to the Pauls Valley Airport on the 29th and view this magnificent American icon, since the rare opportunity may not present itself again any time soon.
Back in 1995 the U.S. Congress ordered the DC-3 to halt all flight operations, but temporarily lifted the restrictions so the historic aircraft could take part in the 2002-2003 Centennial Of Flight and this year’s Oklahoma State Centennial celebrations.
But, according to N34 pilots Ahern and Cole, the future of this vintage aircraft lies in question. Without further authorization from U.S. officials, it is very possible after this year that N34 will once again go into non-flyable status and be confined to storage that complies with the National Register of Historic Places guidelines.
