Vintage Eastern DC-7 approved for flight

BRAVO! What a beauty!

Bob Prior

EAA # 777238

AOPA #01180518

Flight mechanic, B-17G Aluminum Overcast

That is a beauty, it is great to see projects like this undertaken. Time to add that to my experiences which include a Stinson Tri-Motor ride and Ford Tri-Motor rides. I still haven't done the Connie yet either :-( . Know of any others like this in the South Eastern US?

That is simply gorgeous! The folks in Florida and Minnesota who participated in the restoration are to be heartily congratulated. I look forward to seeing it one day.

Beautiful airplane!  I hope they bring it to AirVenture!!

Working on it!

Does anyone know if it will make Sun-N-Fun? I love those older jobs dressed up in Eastern Airlines livery!

That big red eagle on the tail and all!...or was it a hawk...or a Falcon...you know, I'm not really sure. But those airplanes were beautiful. I DO know that.

I would love to see her at SNF. I'll be there.

And if she makes it to AirVenture...that much the better!  It would give me a good reason  to make it to AirVenture...so I can see it again!

I remember as a kid about 8 years old, my Grand Mother and I would take my Grand Father to old Imeson airport in Jacksonville, Florida and he would fly to Atlanta for biz. Sometimes The timing was just right and either a "7" or a "Martin 404" would be parked just outside the terminal and I could see it from just a few feet away. They would spot those things "Straight In",  in front of HUGE plate glass windows,  with that huge nose only 20' away. I was in AWE!

And then...it happened!

The propeller began to turn...it belched smoke and I could hear the deep throaty rumble of the engine. Then...a repeat performance on the other side. The sun reflecting off the prop arc disc absolutely mesmerized me...It's ALIVE!!! It was MAGNIFECENT!

Then...what happened next,  left me in absolute STUNNED disbelief!

It backed up...BY ITSELF!!!  WOW !!!... "GrandMa...GrandMa...COME LOOK"!!!

That big beautiful bird backed itself out of the spot. The walls shaking and vibrating. The windows bowing in and out and flexing. The terrazzo floor beneath my feet rumbling...it was something to behold!  I'll NEVER forget that day!

I hope the old girl is at Sun-N-Fun...AND AirVenture.   I'd love to stand nose to nose with her again...maybe give her a little "peck on the cheek" and thank her in my heart for a wonderful childhood memory that I have never forgotten, that, which was my first introduction to this wonderful thing we know as...aviation...and I've been "hooked" ever since.

Eastern Airlines..."The Wings of Man"...and "wide eyed" eight year old kids as well.

David the airplane won't make it to Sun n' Fun.    The desire is there on all sides to make AirVenture happen. Obviously it's a big and costly thing to do.  But we have some thoughts and your enthusiastic words make me feel it's worth making every effort!

Thank You Adam for the kind words.

I'm disappointed she cant make SNF...but I understand.

But Hey!!!...It's a good reason for me to make it to AirVenture. Like there is only tens of THOUSANDS... Plus!... reasons to make AirVenture!...Right?...not to mention...I've never been, I'm ashamed to say. It's just a long way from Florida and the schedules just dont seem to workout but I'm ready to change that.

I'm hoping 2010 will be my first...but certainly not my last.

So...I hope she'll be there, if at all possible. Thank you for your efforts. If she is able to be there...that would be wonderful.

Best of luck to you and everyone that makes this wonderful event take place!

...and THANK YOU!

Dave

Adam, thanks and good luck in your negotiations.  It would be wonderful to see the DC-7 at AirVenture this year.  I'm pretty sure the -7 is the first airplane I ever flew on.  Personally, I'd rather see it than an A380 any day.

On the Historical Flight Foundation web page the FAA guy says, "DC-7B aircraft represents the only U.S. based, four engine, passenger prop-liner in operation today."

What about the Constellation I saw at Oshkosh not too many years ago?  I also saw one, perhaps the same one, in Tucson a few years earlier.  Is it not "in operation"?  Or is it somehow not "U.S. based"?

Ohhhhh my...What a beautiful photo of the 7 turning up at night!

Absolutely stunning!

THANK YOU for sharing that with us Adam!

Dave

Mike,

There are 2 possibilities for the connies that you ask about. There were 2 operational in the U.S. for a while, sadly one (MATS) is no longer in the states (Korea, and NOT flying....) and the other is simply not flying. The second one is owned by the Airline History Museum as you probably have seen it around (TWA red / white) and I think it is currently in Kansas right now. Here is info below on both aircraft and the story of the MATS connie that was ferried over to Korea. That website was good info on surviving connies and has hope for a couple airworthy connies in the future!

http://www.conniesurvivors.com/1-mats_connie_korea.htm

http://www.conniesurvivors.com/N6937C.htm

This one is awaiting a ferry permit!

http://www.conniesurvivors.com/N548GF.htm

I had to second guess that claim of the only 4 engine operator, but after a little research, the C-54 is still truly a cargo airplane. However, they do have Oshkosh as a tenative for 2010. Wouldn't that be graceful to see together in the air!

http://www.spiritoffreedom.org/

BTW, I think this year is shaping up to potentially be the best year in a LONG time....Great addition (hopefully) to the lineup!

Hi Adam,

I remember that when the Do24 came to AirVenture 2005 an exemption was apparently made from the rule that no commercial activities are allowed on the flightline, and it made a couple of flights with passengers who had made a specific donation (I was one of them!). Now IIRC those donations were for the benefit of UNESCO, so that may be different, but could the DC7 not make a few sightseeing flights from Oshkosh with passengers who make a similar specific donation? I'd make that donation here and now if that were the case (in fact I also remember that the DC7 was announced in late 2008 or early 2009 as attending AirVenture 2009 and making such sightseeing flights - it was one of the reasons I booked flights to AirVenture 2009 right away. Of course this was before the restoration got delayed to beyond AirVenture 2009).

Just imagine: all those DC3's (and DC2!), the Berlin Airlift DC4 (let's hope they find a sponsor for the fuel), and the DC7 - you would just need to convince Mr Gomez to bring his DC6 as well and you could have a complete extant Douglas propliners line-up! :-)

(Of course if that would then convince Boeing to send their 247 to show the world why/how it all began, I cannot see how any airshow this century could become more monumental than this year's AirVenture!)

Roger

Thank you for the info.  Sad indeed to lose a Connie to non-flying status on another continent.  Yes, those were the two Connies I remember, the MATS at Avra Valley Airport (now has another name) near Tucson, and the TWA/SAC at Oshkosh.  I hope the third one gets flying soon.

Really looking forward to seeing the DC-7 and the other fine aircraft mentioned in this thread flying at Oshkosh this year.

With Warbird Heritage Foundation bringing the A-4 and the Skyraider add all these DC-3's, its going to be a Douglas Extravaganza!

Hello Roger,

Thanks for all the supporting comments we have received and heard. It has been a long project, and the future looks great.

We are coming with the Eastern DC-7B with "Mr. Gomez" as FE. Our big bird burns about 500 GPH. There will be no flying at Airventure as it will be on static display in AeroShell Square.

After Airventure,  we depart to YIP for Thunder Over Michigan, seats will be available.  We are encouraging folks to sign up for any/all of the repositioning flights. Your souvenir shirt (among other goodies) from that trip will say, "I flew to Oshkosh on the DC-7B." The trip will be about 5 hours, 40 minutes, and will be great fun.

There have been a few inquiries from folks that want to meet the airplane in route to shoot air to air. We will post the routing information before we leave Opa-locka.

Best regards,

Roger

Historical Flight Foundation, Inc.

Andy,

Re The Lockheed Constellation.  In 1944 I was stationed at the Lockheed Factory School in Burbank and there was the early version of this airplane.  It was at the school, as I understood, for suggestions on how to stop the leaking fuel. This was a "wet wing" at the time. Howard Hughes had a standing offer of a life time job if you came up with the fix on the fuel problem.

Next,  on Sept 23, 2000  my wife and I drove out to the Santa Fe, NM airport to see what was on the ground. Lo an behold there sat a VC-121 Connie with the nose painted with the Columbine flower. I asked about this aircraft and was told that in was the "Columbine III"? Out of all of the photos that I have of it, no serial number is shown.

Does any one know what aircraft this is and where it is located at the present time?

Brooks

Brooks, this web page tells the story.

http://www.conniesurvivors.com/1-santa_fe_connie.htm

Columbine was the name of President Eisenhower's transport aircraft.