The C-47, also known as “Gooney Bird,” is the military variant of the Douglas DC-3, widely considered one of the most important transport aircraft of all time.
Adapted from a commercial airliner, Douglas Aircraft Company developed the C-47B Skytrain in the 1930s for military use. The US Army Air Corps began using them in 1940 mainly to carry personnel and supplies. However, Airmen also used the C-47 to tow gliders, drop paratroopers, and evacuate wounded during both World War II and the Korean War. Additionally, they served in transport, gunship, and reconnaissance roles during the Vietnam War. After the US Air Force retired them in 1975, some C-47s continued to serve in various civilian capacities into the 2000s.
Members of Hill Field repaired C-47 Pratt & Whitney engines during World War II and later utilized the Skytrain airframe for a unique purpose. In 1949, cold winter weather conditions threatened Utah’s remote communities. Known as “Operation Hayride,” pilots used C-47 aircraft to deliver food, medical supplies, coal, and oil for heaters to these communities. C-47s also dropped bales of hay along the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains to feed hungry deer.
Douglas Aircraft manufactured the C-47B on display in 1944, after it served at bases all over the United States. It was later used by elite “Smokejumpers” (parachuted firefighters) to fight forest fires for the US Forest Service around the Intermountain West. After over 16,000 flight hours, the Hill Aerospace Museum acquired the aircraft for display in 1984.
Over the years, the C-47 has accumulated several affectionate nicknames.
The most popular of these names is the “Gooney Bird,” in reference to the albatross, a seabird known for its endurance and ability to fly great distances. Other nicknames include “Old Methuselah,” the “Placid Plodder,” the “Dowager Duchess,” the “Doug,” and the “Dizzy Three.”
This aircraft is a part of the USAF Heritage Program collection
Serial Number: 43-49281
Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft Company
Primary Function: Military Transport
Crew: Three to five
Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney R-1830-90C Twin Wasp radials; 1,200 hp each
Wingspan: 95 ft 6 in
Length: 63 ft 9 in
Height: 17 ft
Weight: 17,865 lbs (empty); 31,000 lbs (maximum takeoff weight)
Speed: 185 mph (cruising); 230 mph (maximum)
Range: 1,500 miles
Service Ceiling: 26,400 feet
Armament: None
Cost: $88,574 (average C-47 cost of unit as of 1944)
Years of Service: 1940 – 1975
Starting in the 1940s, Hill Air Force Base repaired the Pratt & Whitney engines used in the C-47 aircraft. However, the C-47 has another interesting history tie to this area. In 1949, cold winter weather conditions threatened Utah’s remote communities. Under the project name, “Operation Hayride,” pilots used the C-47 aircraft to deliver food, medical supplies, coal and oil for heaters to these communities. The C-47s also dropped bales of hay along the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains to hungry deer. The C-47B on display was manufactured in 1944 and served at bases all over the United States. In 1962, it was transferred to a storage facility, and in 1975, the aircraft was used by elite “Smokejumpers” (parachuting firefighters) to fight forest fires for the United States (US) Forest Service around Ogden, Utah. After over 16,000 flight hours, Hill Aerospace Museum acquired the aircraft for display in 1984.
The C-47, also known as “Gooney Bird,” is the military variant of the Douglas DC-3, widely considered one of the most important transport aircraft of all time.
The nickname derives from its less than glamorous appearance, resembling a large, lumbering bird similar to an albatross.
The Skytrain was widely used during the Vietnam War and was the first aircraft re-purposed as an airborne gunship, the AC-47 Spooky. This role is now handled by the AC-130W Stinger II gunship.