VINTAGE FLYING MACHINES
FLYING MUSEUM
Douglas DC-3
Vintage Flying Machines DC-3 was delivered to United Airlines as a DC-3-197E in April 1941, NC33644 was briefly impressed into the military after Pearl Harbor before being sold to Western Air Express in August 1942. While it never received a military serial number, documents filed with the Civil Aviation Authority in 1942 say that was being returned from military service with no interior as it was used as a freight airplane. Western Air Express apparently operated it on military cargo contracts throughout the war because further paperwork was filed with the CAA for approval for the installation of
an airline interior.
Western Air Express was eventually renamed Western Airlines and used the DC-3 for 16 years as ship #102 until 1958, and the original call sign is still in great shape on the overhead console in the cockpit. The rest of the interior is still in Western motif, with
embroidered Indian heads on each seat.
After its service with Western Airlines, it was briefly owned by Shaikh Duaij Salman, of the ruling Sabah family of Kuwait, with a British registration of G-APKO, but the transaction was never completed. Instead, it was sold to Catalina Pacific Airlines who held it for a year or so, before continuing on to Standard Airways. From there it bounced around between several owners until Golden State Air Lines began operating it in 1972. It remained with them until 1979, and at the end looked rather derelict at Van Nuys Airport, California sans engines. A few more ownership changes ensued before ex-Western Airlines pilot Mike Kimbrell of Oakwood, Washington purchased it. He returnedit to its 1940s Western markings and operated N33644 from 1992 until 2016. Duringthat time, he flew with his large family regularly to Oshkosh.
Following Kimbrell’s guardianship, Arkansas Round Motor operated the NC33644 for a
couple of years before the founders of the Mountain Flying Museum purchased it in
2019. The Missoula, Montana-based museum was scrambling to get their C-47, Miss
Montana, ready to fly to Normandy for the D-Day Squadron’s 75 th Anniversary trip. It
became apparent that the C-47 would not be available in time to train the crews
necessary to make the Atlantic crossing. Thus, NC33644 would enable to the team to
make the date, and it served that role well.
While the museum has a very large facility, two
DC-3/C-47s take up a lot of space. Since Miss Montana is very historic to the area, it was always the intent to retain it for the museum. With the Western bird surplus to requirements, it was placed on the
market.
Museum President Tim Savage purchased NC33644 with the express purpose of
participating in the 80 th Anniversary of D-Day by joining the D-Day Squadron in taking
the airplane to Europe. Savage picks up the story. “I first went to Normandy with my
son on a D-Day to the Rhine tour in 2014. I remember seeing the National Warplane
Museum flying their C-47 over the beach during that trip. I thought it would be cool to be
able to do that. We went back to Normandy for the anniversary again in 2015, and I saw
some of the European-based C-47s flying over St. Mère Eglise, and I thought again …
how cool would that be? I started casually looking around for an airplane to take in
2019, but I was busy with my business and didn’t have time to dedicate to it. My son
and I made the trip by airline again in 2019 and were able to go to the drop zone and
watch the D-Day Squadron do its thing. I figured I had missed the opportunity to
participate in such an epic event. However, I sold my business in the fall of 2019, which
freed up my time to pursue such a venture. I kept my eye out for a suitable airplane, but
nothing appeared on the market. When the Western DC-3 came up for sale, I went out
and looked at it and decided that while C-47s were pretty cool, having a fully decked-out
airliner in its original markings was a better long-term acquisition. I made the deal
through Mark Clark at Courtesy Aircraft, and we brought the airplane home in
November 2023. While I was disappointed in not being able to do it in 2019, holding off
for five years has turned out to be a great opportunity. Since 2019 my twenty-two-year-
old son, Job, had become an accomplished aviator and had obtained his DC-3 type
rating.”
In order to prepare for the trip, the VFM team installed all new avionics, replaced an
engine, and all hoses firewall forward. During the forty-seven-day trip to Europe and
back, the team participated in flying events at Aero Legends, the Shuttleworth Collection
and the Imperial War Museum, Duxford. Moving on to Cherbourg, NC33644 was
involved in numerous commemoration flights over the Normandy beaches and on
several occasions were able to offer rides to World War Two veterans. The tour
culminated in Wiesbaden, Germany where the U.S. Army hosted the 75 th Anniversary
ceremonies for the Berlin Airlift. VFM carried the station commander and the daughter
of Gail Haleverson, the “Candy Bomber” for the opening ceremonies, including a water
cannon salute during the taxi to the ramp.
Upon return to the United States NC33644 was pressed into service hauling relief
supplies from Virginia to victims of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. During multiple
flights we delivered 30,000 pounds of supplies to small airports in the affected areas,
delivering relief in the fastest way possible.
Today, the Western Airline DC-3 continues to participate in events around the country.
As part of the mission to inolve and grow the pool of young people interested in historic
aviation we have trained a number of individuals under the age of 35 to fly the airplane
and receive their pilot in command or second in command rating.
VFM also operates www.dc3experience.com for those wishing to learn to fly the DC-3, either as a co-pilot or pilot in command.