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More, but Smaller Windows

Owner Robert Randazzo and his company PMDG Flight Operations further restored the Douglas DC-3C with serial number 34378 in 2016 to a more original appearance by having the large panoramic cabin windows replaced by single-width types. Updated propellers with polished metal blades befitted the meticulously maintained exterior paint finish.

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Windows and Nose Cones and Tail Cones, Oh My!

Software mogul Robert Randazzo purchased and restored the Douglas DC-3C with serial number 34378 in 2011 and applied many modernizations while going retro with her appearance. Painted to resemble a DC-3 in the Pan American World Airways fleet in the early 1940s, she attended aircraft gatherings for many years.

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The Last Time

Airliner regulation changes made after the 9/11 hijackings forced Era Aviation to halt its scheduled flights --the last to occur in the United States. The ownership of the Douglas DC-3C with serial number 34378 went to Courtesy Aircraft Sales of Rockford, Illinois. A holding entity named N1944H LLC was formed in 2008, but Courtesy continued to attract potential buyers by attending several fly-in events as late as 2010.

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On the Clock

Era Aviation of Anchorage, Alaska, purchased the Douglas DC-3C with serial number 34378 in 1995. After a thorough equipment modernization, the installation of two additional “Viewmaster” windows, and a registration change, 34378 entered scheduled passenger service for the first time in her 50-year life. Operating as Era Classic Airlines, they flew twice-weekly low-altitude joy rides around Mount McKinley (Denali) and Prince William Sound.

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New Coat

Rosier Incorporated of Pawnee, Oklahoma, became the owner of the Douglas DC-3C with serial number 34378 in 1992. Formed in 1987, state records suggest that the company (still in existence) is involved with oil, gas, and mineral extraction. The intended use of 34378 is unknown, and she appeared with a sanitary paint scheme in 1994, but was never used.

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An American Sight to See

In 1988, the Douglas DC-3C with serial number 34378 was acquired by California AirTours (CAT), refitted with 30 cabin seats, and equipped as was required for non-scheduled passenger service. Operated by the subsidiary National Park Airways, but doing business as Air Grand Canyon Yosemite, CAT catered to Japanese tourists with flights from Burbank to the Grand Canyon National Park for a 3-hour layover and back. A planned expansion of service to the Yosemite National Park never materialized.

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The Wizard of Osh

By September 1987, Warren Basler, the founder of Basler Turbo Conversions had purchased the Douglas DC-3C with serial number 34378. Besides converting DC-3s to turbine-powered BT-67s, Basler also did a brisk business in buying, refreshing, and reselling many airframes. Minor updates were applied to 34378 and her blue paint was showing evidence of fading —except where her rudder was repainted.

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Going on an Air Venture

Serial number 34378 was donated to the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) in 1978 by the Outboard Marine Corporation. She was used to fly EAA staff, EAA merchandise, and later gave scenic rides. The EAA hosts the AirVenture fly-in convention at Oshkosh, Wisconsin each year, which happens to be commencing in less than two days. The flashy new paint job applied to 34378 was perhaps inspired by the sun and sky, a bird, and/or the Swedish heritage of Wisconsin.

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More Boatin'

The Outboard Marine & Manufacturing Company had serial number 34378 re-registered as N80M in 1964, soon followed by the company renaming itself to the Outboard Marine Corporation (OMC). Several upgrades were applied to the airframe, including a new nose radome, modern antennas, and the enlargement of the rearmost cabin windows. OMC applied a new paint scheme, adding new titles to the nose, and a revised corporate logo to the tail.

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Motorboatin' Mockup

The Douglas DC-3 with serial number 34378 was acquired by the Outboard Marine & Manufacturing Company, maker of Evinrude and Johnson boat motors, in 1955 to continue her role as an executive transport. She received her first significant application of paint, reflecting the company's colors and trademark.

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What's Inside?

By 1948, serial number 34378 was converted from her former C-47B specification to that of a customized DC-3C. Most significant was that the large double cargo doors were replaced with a single "airstair" fold-down portal. The interior was fitted with the furniture and accessories befitting the executives working for her new owner, the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) of New York, New York.

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A New Legacy - The First of Thirteen

Built as a Douglas C-47B Skytrain, serial number 34378 arrived late for participation in World War II with the United States Army Air Forces. They stored the aircraft after just three months of service and soon released her to the commercial market. As of 2025, this VIP-configured airframe continues to fly as the well preserved N345VJ for Vaerus Jet Sales.

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Paper Planes

Spent five weeks writing a book to accompany the metal prints I offer on the same subject. This required adapting to new productivity software (goodbye Microsoft Office 365, hello LibreOffice!) and learning how to use some new applications (Scrivener, Bookends and Scribus). It's a small book in many ways, but I am happy with the results.

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Spinner Reduction Surgery

By 1991 "Miss Angela" had been transferred from owner Robert "Bob" Pond to his very own museum located at the airport in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Her stay at Planes of Fame East was short, when just two years later, she was traded (along with a Douglas A-1 Skyraider) for a Boeing B-17 that Pond soon also christened "Miss Angela" after his granddaughter.

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Multiple Bob's are Back

Shame on me (being the first Bob), for not posting in three months! Honest, I have been busy, primarily with heavy-duty household projects that had to be completed before the Florida Heat is upon us. Spare time was spent digitizing my DC-3 books and locating internet images. I have catalogued some 75,000 images for future reference in developing my art.

Unfortunately, I did not find many new images for today's subject, the C-41A with MSN 2145. This unique aircraft has an unusual history, and until recently seems to have been camera-shy.

When collector Robert (the second Bob) Pond acquired MSN 2145 in 1989, he had her painted to resemble the scheme applied to U.S. Navy aircraft during the beginning of World War II. Her nickname, "Miss Angela" honors his granddaughter (and was later applied to a Boeing B-17). I modified the previous release of this livery to reflect her appearance a year earlier than before, while she still sported the massive prop spinners. Her coloration has been revised as well. This livery will appear again, sans spinners, for a subsequent owner shortly.

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ASSSS - Another Shopify Store Selling Stuff

The past month has been dedicated to the legalities of setting up a bona fide business entity, culminating in the opening of my aviation art store on January 1. I develop compositions featuring historically accurate renditions of the Douglas DC-3 and C-47 families of transport aircraft. This may seem very specialized, but when you consider that over 10,000 of these aircraft were built in the U.S. alone and some of these 85+ year old birds are still flying today, there are a lot of interesting paint schemes to consider.

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Holes in Time

This is the first of my favorite design …the many paint schemes worn by the same aircraft over its lifetime. In this case, Douglas Aircraft serial number 2145 was built in 1939 and continues to fly today, so she's a ripe 85 years old. While a very popular subject for air fan photogs recently (she's one of the finest specimens around), I found it difficult to locate imagery of the liveries she previously wore. Despite 20 owners, only five significantly different paint jobs are represented, with two having enough variation to be worth including. Future compositions will demonstrate that such rarity in documentation is challengingly common, but some airframes have plenty of paint to peruse.