Amazing Flight on a Vintage DC-3 (HD Video)

Recorded December 31, 2012
Flight was from Orlando Executive Airport to Punta Gorda, Florida.
We were going to a New Years Eve party near Punta Gorda so a relative arranged for us to fly on his friend's DC-3. Even though my interest is mainly in modern commercial airliners, I must admit this was one of the most beautiful airplanes I have ever seen. It is meticulously maintained inside and out. The pilots flew at only 4,500 feet so that we could get a nice view of the central Florida landscape. It was a great once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Camera: My new Sony HDR CX760V

[@ad356]

no sound on earth like two pratt and whitney 1830's on a DC3. legendary aircraft absolutely legendary

[@turbocompound]

Like it, too. But what about the sound of Curtiss-Wright R-3350- engines? 👍

[@ad356]

well all have their own sound. i would like to hear a 4360. there aren't very many of those operating any more either. the angle of deliverance had one C97 that is being restored to flight. that could very well be the only example of an airworthy aircraft powered by that engine

[@billfitzpatrick6910]

Bottom line, There is no sound like a "round"

[@chalogonzales8985]

Yes, on the Super Connie 1049 @@turbocompound

[@fortcrafterbossbehold9027]

@@ad356 4360s are cool but unreliable as fuck while the 1830 is known for the opposite

[@pauljw7697]

A remarkable aircraft kept even more remarkably airworthy. A dedication to the fine engineering & manufacturing performed by Douglas Aircraft back in the 1930's. You've got to love the powerful harmony of those two Pratt & Whitney radial engines. A sound of precision & power from an era long gone. Long live the DC-3.

[@Ringele5574]

That is one gorgeous aircraft.

[@Newbruceufication]

Amazing airplane and video. Clearly this is perfect example of what is meant by "better than new" condition.

[@Cougar333]

Most beautiful airplane I've ever seen!

[@suhardighazali2487]

agreed

[@robdog7915]

yup

[@TWTR4EVER]

WITHOUT A DOUBT, the DC3/C47/Dakota is the backbone of post WW2 development of the commercial aviation grid we know today! The "Grand Dame", the old reliable invincible workhorse!

[@charliechaplin3383]

Like some classic people...

[@goldenretriever6440]

The sound of those Pratt and Whitney engines tells the story of a time when America built great big things and encouraged prosperity instead of condemning it This plane is what took the American dream to the sky

[@GasIPass]

Golden Retriever instead of *condemning it 👍🏻

[@fnfal308Rhino]

What fun

[@fnfal308Rhino]

Work horse!!!

[@markwarren7116]

@@maximillianrodriguez5631 ...Wrong site dude...Hillary videos are somewhere else.

[@peteacher52]

Pratt and Whitney or Wright Cyclones? - I must have missed seeing the insignia.

[@PeterNGloor]

Actually, the purring sound inside a Pratt powered DC-3 is the absolutely best.

[@charliechaplin3383]

It is like a thousand Tibetan monks chanting......

[@herroberst4675]

This truly is the plane that changed the world....

[@anggahartoto]

True

[@indridcold8433]

It still inspires and awes people today. Forget the status quo Golfstream G6. If I ever make it big, which is doubtful, I want a vintage DC-3. I do not care they must fly lower and slower. The elegance and beauty is worth it. Even today, as a lowly peasant, I drive an old automobile because I enjoy the yesteryear of all steel cars and the beauty of stainless steel, glass headlamps, manually operated knobs and switches, and vintage instrument clusters.

[@carltrotter7622]

@@indridcold8433 Here Here!

[@johnnyohness]

Just amazing...I have loved the DC3 for ever. Have never seen one that beautiful. What an outrageous resto job. So beautiful.

[@propellerhead9197]

This plane isn't restored, It is the only DC 3-d model that is still flying in vintage condition. It's Is and has been corporate owned from Douglas since built in 1946.

[@charliechaplin3383]

Me too !

[@petebiddle7900]

Having flown the Dc-3 many times, as a pilot I can tell you that it is a most forgiving aircraft. I loved this old bird.

[@adrianaclark8498]

My father flew DC-3's for years and loved that plane. He said it was amazing what a beating that plane could stand. Flying on one engine....not a problem. He was flying a C-47 in Laos north of the Plaines des Jars when he was shot down. His first and last problem with the DC-3. God rest his soul....he literally did die doing what he loved to do.

[@robertedwards2453]

The restoration and modernization of that plane is astounding. Absolutely gorgeous.

[@JOSESANTOS2612]

el avion esta como nuevo absolutamente su extructura y motores en especial p-W impecable

[@DerredmaxTRIAX]

Man that's the best DC-3 I have ever seen. Really really good. Love the interior. Love the sound of those 14 cylinder radials. Thank you for sharing. I think I will watch it again.....

[@josemonteiro833]

The beauty haven´t no age. I flew this marvelous aircraft and I miss it all my life.

[@jerryel2]

The first airplane I ever flew in was an Eastern Air Lines DC-3 but I was an infant and don't remember that flight. Didn't have a chance to fly in another DC-3 until I was in the Army and on leave. I took a flight on a Southern Airways DC-3 in 1964. Sort of strange having to walk "uphill" to my seat but what a wonderful airplane. Later on after getting my pilot's license I saw many DC-3s at airports and just wished I could fly one just one time at least.

[@sanniepstein4835]

My DC-3 ride was sitting on the floor next to various cargo in Northern Quebec. These planes served everywhere.

[@timmhg]

One of my dreams is travel on this one, the most beautiful airplane ever built. Thanks for shared your experience.

[@charliebowman785]

My dream is to have and fly one on daily basis! I couldn't get enough of this pretty thing! DC-3 is a poem with wings.

[@indridcold8433]

Forget the status quo Golfstream G6 that the wealthy have. If I ever make it big, which is doubtful, I want a Douglas DC-3. I know they fly lower and slower than the Golfstream. But there is the charm. The trip is half the enjoyment in a DC-3. You can see where you are going and enjoy the ride. The Golfstream only sees cloud tops for the majority of the ride.

[@UnknownPersononGoogle]

I love the quality of the video, the sound is so crisp.

[@SDMullis]

Thanks !

[@abdulqadeer7774]

UnknownPerson onGoogle

[@tomglover4211]

SDMullis and j

[@hilman94]

@@SDMullis I really appreciate you didn't add some cheesy BGM, and let us hear the beautiful sound of RR Wasp engines...

[@deksea]

Really nice video. Those engines sound so relaxed in cruise mode . That plane sounds like it could fly forever. And what a nice landing!

[@alrss593]

It is more than sixty years that I am always fascinated with this gorgeous plane.

[@Treetop64]

Thing looks absolutely brand-new. Amazing.

[@thaiexodus2916]

The original queen of the skies. Love it when they get it throttled just right and this vibration walks back and forth from wingtip to wingtip.

[@tomglover4211]

Ryan

[@sonyjacob5776]

Wonderful airplane would love to fly on one.

[@FrederickWilhelm]

The humming take-off sound! Amazing

[@Hanger33]

I would love to spend a few hours watching those engines through the window in flight. Great sound.

[@joeylantis22]

Chigg It would get old in a few minutes... trust me prop planes are miserably loud. Often louder inside that is even legally allowed in a modern jet liner due to the damage it can cause to your ears.

[@indridcold8433]

The good thing is, you can see the plane is well isolated from excess sound and vibration inside. So, you can enjoy the beauty and engine purr of the Pratt & Whitney engines without having them completely muffled out. This is no C-47 strip down model. It is eligance. Whoever did the interior did great.

[@abdslamsoussi7037]

QSDXGHH

[@mikehagan4320]

What a Beautiful airplane. A Classic. Thanks for uploading the ride. Best Wishes! M.H.

[@charlesgreer7245]

The DC 3 is to me one of the most beautiful planes ever especially when polished on the outside like this one. Ive seen where some are being restoreed and converted to turbo prop to give them a new lease on life. Its like a combo of old and new even when they came out. It was a prop plane with a airliner modern look and still a tail dragger. Best of everything. It truely did usher comercial flight into modern era. And its record on the battle feild as a military plane is unmatched.

[@danielledykgraaf6483]

What a magnificent airplane.......simply gorgeous.

[@tracer740]

What an impeccably maintained and clean beauty!

[@wholeNwon]

I'm not an aircraft enthusiast but once flew on a DC-3 and loved it.

[@ricardoadamian9335]

É muito lindo esse avião! Já voei várias vezes qdo era criança, pela VARIG BRAZILIAN AIRLINES.

[@royalanania3306]

Wow !!!!! They landed her like glass ,not a bump. It's stunning all chrome ,but those engines are bigger than her OEM engines.

[@johnadams2313]

So very cool! My first flight was on one in the early 50's

[@rnicholasmartin1335]

As a former Navy aircraft structural mechanic I am thoroughly impressed with the attention to detail and a meticulous upkeep on that aircraft! Bucket list flight one of these days!🤞 That literally is the plane that help achieve victory in World War II and save the airline industry thereafter!

[@liquidmidnight1]

My first time flying I was 10 years old, 1957, SF to LA, a night flight in a DC 3. Swept my heart away, it did. Magic.

[@luisalbertogranados9650]

Maravilloso.. Me llamo luis alberto y vivo en Barranquilla. Colombiano..mi padre era mecánico de estos lindos aviones... Dios los bendiga.. Por tener uno de estos en conservación.. Mil gracias.. A los que hicieron este vídeo

[@Everest1054]

Ah the drone of the DC-3 radial engines, priceless. Used to fly to and from Nantucket in the 70's and from Tampa to Naples. Great vintage plane.

[@paulyork2115]

They used 2 fly from LA 2 Chicago in the 60'.... I know because I flew 1 on that route on my way back 2 Toronto....with my parachute & reserve parachute strapped over my shoulder with my overcoat slung over 2 hide them......couldn't afford the extra baggage fair. Half way 2 Chicago bad weather....put on gear & Sat in small pull down jump type seat by exit door. Caused quite a commotion......but that's another story.....that's how I knew they flew into Chicago.......man what a ride..... ....

[@gunsaway1]

Beautiful Beautiful ship. Love those round motors!

[@gunsaway1]

Aircraft back in the day of the piston powered airlines were referred to as "ships" and as also as females. She is a beautiful ship. Military still using the term in some parts. American Airlines called airplanes Flagships.

[@ricardosales864]

yeahh!!.. lindo Douglas DC-3, esse é o Famoso Cadillac dos céus

[@albertogarciaarango2411]

BEATIFUL FLIGHT, IN THE MOST IMPORTANT PLANE IN THE AVIATION HISTORY...

[@kenster865]

Traveled on DC-3's numerous times when a kid in the 50's & 60's. Always memorable. As others have noted, these guys are legendary and soldier on in many parts of the US and other spots in the world. May they always be with us. 🙂

[@ronaldrobinson9517]

The D C -3 Is one of the greatest planes that was ever built,,, Thank you so very much for a super flight .

[@matthewp.5291]

One amazing DC-3!

[@whetedge]

Very nice! Classy DC-3 and well filmed.

[@danielledykgraaf6483]

What pride this pilot must have landing where he did....he gets to fly the sexiest airplane at the airport...whatever airport this bird is at is the center of attention! A guy can shave his face in the reflection of the....was gonna say cowling but the whole dang thing. Brilliant...just brilliant

[@tomasfell1453]

I flew in one when I was a kid, 55 years later I still remember it! In love with the DC-3 forever!

[@idasmith8644]

Yesterday over Portland I saw the Aurora DC-3. Direct above our house.

[@charliebowman785]

This is not an airplane but a Poem with Wings........ great video. Those P&W run so smoothly......

[@pedroguillermojara9557]

¡Qué emoción recordar mi embarque en los Douglas DC-3 desde Balmaceda a Chile Chico, en Chile, década de los 70!

[@NYC1927]

Thank you for sharing this. It was wonderful to see the details of the interior.

[@snidepete5700]

Man, that is one pretty old bird! 8-)

[@Dunstire]

In days past,if you were in pretty much any country other than America and were in trouble,a LandRover would be your saviour if whatever you needed had to be delivered by road.I'm English and quite proud of that.If however,whatever you needed had to be delivered by air,chances are,it would be delivered by a DC3 and i have no doubt that most Americans are equally proud of that,and rightly so.Brilliant aircraft

[@hawkdsl]

Man... The hours that thing soaked up with that polish job.. holy cow. Incredible plane. Thanks for the vid!

[@theshamegame2787]

One of the most dangerous but yet most majestic planes like Boeing 747 and Airbus A380

[@peteacher52]

A superb, nostalgic flight for this WW2 "Baby-boomer"!

[@devonguy02]

Totally beautiful video what a stunning plane, love the chrome and the inside,

[@kdubb81]

That was really nice, I'd like to fly on that plane one day.

[@Ringele5574]

The C-47/DC-3 played such an important role during WWII and the early years of the cold war. This is probably my most favorite airplane of all time. I'm not trying to take away from the P-52, P-38, or Spitfires of the time, but I believe this aircraft was more important overall.

[@whetedge]

Just the numbers of them produced alone says they were the backbone of WWII. PBY Catalina in a similar class of importance, esp in the Pacific. A long range workhorse. But nothing compares to the DC-3 all around...a total classic.

[@dj33036]

My father was a pilot in the Berlin Airlift and flew DC-3's. He accrued over 17,000 pilot hours before he retired.

[@richardblaupunkt]

these is one of best plane on my childhood memories....dad working on indonesian airlines...garuda....and back to year early 1970's we used to travel on....

[@yamascott]

Someone put a lot of love into that restoration. The glass panel doesn't look like original equipment though. Lol

[@65marlin327]

How lucky you are! I've always felt the DC-3 is the greatest airplane EVER built. It's reliable to a fault, has the most beautiful lines of any other plane built, is so durable it's still in use commercially to this day! I had the opportunity to fly on one, but it was SO long ago I don't remember it. I was a child and flew to Boston on it at night. The only thing on my bucket list is to fly one of them. I've flown small planes, but the DC-3 is the dream plane. Thank you for an amazing flight experience. I actually live about 30 minutes from the PG airport.

[@WTEMedia]

an iconic and beautiful plane

[@hawkdsl]

Who ever polished that thing never got paid enough.. no matter how much they got. holy cow.

[@kimmer6]

Lucky you! Nice well done video. That's a superb restoration and the interior is awesome. I got to ride on the AC-47 Puff the Magic Dragon and stick my head out the cargo door a few times. The interior was rather sparse except for the guns and ammo cans. Your video brought back memories! Thank you!

[@s0nnyburnett]

Some friends you got. I can only dream.

[@MrSillyMouth]

Wow...What a beautiful Bird...👍👍👍

[@71tarheelfan]

I got goosebumps watching this...such a BEAUTIFUL plane.

[@robertcieslak1861]

My first flight in an airliner was in a DC-3: 1953, Chicago & Southern Airways, St. Louis to Memphis. The stewardess' name was Miss Roberts and she brought me forward for a look at the flight deck. My return flight was in a Connie.

[@tucky342]

Muy bonito, Dios mío. Un DC-3 icono de la aviación mundial.

[@DarrenBates]

Wow they done such an amazing restoration here. Looks fresh out of the factory on the outside and 21st century in the inside. Serious amount of TLC.

[@peteacher52]

Superb! I even saw one used as an agricultural fertiliser spreader in the early 1970s and wondered then how the engines and airframe withstood twenty or more take-offs loaded to the max, and landings each day. A truly magnificent design that became iconic. Col, NZ.

[@haljordan5609]

I've had the opportunity to see this plane up close in person in Southern Oregon. The video just doesn't do it justice.

[@carolllama6018]

Esther Mae...a million dollar restoration.

[@mitchreed5000]

No doubt

[@joselobo4444]

Hermoso paseo Orlando punta gorda a bordo de un legendario y muy bien conservado DC-3, creo el mejor que existe de este tipo de aeronaves, que ricura de viaje, inolvidable e inconfundible.....Animate no te pesará....

[@VALENTINAFINKENSTEIN]

So schön, diese legendere Maschine!

[@MrVinney96]

Now that's a nice looking interior.

[@MrMorlan502]

What a magnificent bird! Thanks for helping preserve the magic!

[@easttexan2933]

nothing quite like the rumrumrumrum sound (3:40) of a large radial engine on T/O. And the squeaking brakes. 3 eargasms on that one lol. And the hot little black haired beauty on the ramp and at 10:54. Awsuuuum!!....Great video. Very nostalgic. Gorgeous aircraft.

[@Olebrucanism]

Thank You!

[@STEVEHARLEY1956]

Just epic !! That's one superb DC-3...Almost an undistinguishable landing...so smooth....Nice video...Steve.

[@davidhunt3808]

beautiful aeroplane looks fantastic !

[@JesusTorres-qr1gz]

Impressive the outstanding retrofitting of that work of art old aircraft, give me such of wild desire to see it in person, too bad I am in Puerto Rico, several miles away from your location, to each and everyone that one way or another colaborate on every aspect on bringing to us an outstanding documentary my most expensive thanks, please keep up the good work, enjoy.

[@OHAREAVIATION]

A beautiful job.... thanks so much for taking the video so we can all enjoy for years to come.

[@clydesuckfinger7097]

Flew in one of these many years ago. It wasn't nearly so pretty. Someone spent a lot of time polishing the aluminum exterior. The one I flew in didn't have a very comfortable interior. Just bench seats along both sides, doors on either side, and a cable overhead that we hooked up to. Jump master was not very polite when he told us it was time to get off. Hope these folks had a more pleasent experience.

[@LCMNUNES1962]

VERY GOOD DC3 from Brasil 👍👍

[@keithallver2450]

The DC-3 is a flying work of art.

[@larryreece1427]

Wow what a beautiful dc 3 !!

[@dryan8377]

Thank you for making this video. My dad had many hours flying the dc-3/c-47 in the air force. Wonderful!

[@EdWhisenantAviation]

I love DC-3’s, and this is in excellent condition, I had the privilege of doing a walk around and take pictures up at Aurora State Airport in Oregon in 2005 and again saw her at Oshkosh in 2010. Thank you for sharing this great video.

[@mikehagan4320]

Thanks for posting. And Wow what a Well kept plane.

[@moneylab2860]

Beautiful aircraft and video! Well done

[@outlander-x]

very nice video. DC 3 is one of my favourite planes.

[@timothyip6199]

such a luxury liner, I imagine back then when 20-30s people flying in comfort at the golden age of flying. and I was interested in portable-door staircase

[@terrysullivan1992]

Beautiful plane with that deep throated radial engine. Noisy as heck to fly in. Even more fun to jump from.

[@rwbishop]

Yes, good jump plane.... made hundreds of jumps out of N19915 at Lake Elsinore CA c. mid 70's to early 80's. Biggest issue was money; by that time maintenance was a headache... and DC-3's are in a license category requiring requiring a co-pilot... meaning no partial loads as the drop zone only barely turned a profit from full loads. A little later most drop zones including Elsinore went to turbine aircraft; mostly Twin Otters. Heard a while back that N19915 is now on static display at the aviation themed Proud Bird restaurant near Los Angeles International airport.

[@lorenzodunn3226]

Excellent film footage and sound.

[@anggahartoto]

I wish I can ride one, my dad use to ride this all the time when my grandpa is in the Navy...

[@marlonisaac1]

To think pieces of this model of plane is still near the top of Potosi mountain in Vegas after 75 years is just crazy! Seems like people would have brought it down to put in a museum by now considering one of the passengers that died that day in it was Clark Gables wife.

[@grmey78]

One beautiful ship.

[@margaretroselle8610]

The sound of my childhood......super video!

[@barmer479]

Oh what a Beautiful sound theses planes made,Thank you

[@100equus]

Spectacular view of a spectacular aircraft.

[@steersman-zv2ng]

Wow what a shiny beauty