Collegedale Municipal Airport is going to be the site of an aviation experience that is not likely to be repeated anytime soon. One of the oldest airworthy DC-3s in existence, the “Flagship Detroit,” manufactured in 1937, was one of American Airlines’ fleet of 84 Douglas DC-3s operating from 1936 to 1947.
A commercial aviation icon, war hero, and an aerial workhorse, the Flagship Detroit DC-3 is coming to the Collegedale Municipal Airport. It will be arriving on the morning of October 5 with a low-altitude fly-by before landing at the airfield at 10am.
Sponsored by the Collegedale EAA150 (Experimental Aircraft Association), this vintage DC-3 will be on display at the Collegedale airport through Sunday, October 7.
With a range of 1,300 nautical miles and a 143-knot cruise speed, the DC-3 effectively displaced all previous airliners as the aircraft the public was comfortable to fly. The aircraft carried 21 passengers, a captain, a copilot and a stewardess (registered nurse). The plane’s low-speed handling and toughness along with its ability to land in less than 3,000 feet and take off again in less than 1,000 feet, made it the go-to airplane for innumerable jobs including military special operations. Though just 647 DC-3s were built, over 10,000 were built as C-47s during World War II.
Visitors will have the opportunity to experience history and take a flight back in time on the legendary plane with the purchase of a $100 ticket which automatically enrolls them as one-year members of the “Flagship Detroit Foundation” or a $5 ticket for a ground tour. Local rides on the “Flagship Detroit” will be given on Friday from 2 until 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Also, active members are eligible to ride along on ferry flights as the plane is repositioned.
For flight tickets or more information on this unique and historical event, contact Morty Lloyd at 423.593.3043 or go to www.flagshipdetroit.org.