Google Earth Community: A salute to the ubiquitous DC-3

CORONA - The Corona Municipal Airport is losing its signature airplane.

John and Betty Pappas, of Mission Viejo, have sold their historic DC-3 airplane that dropped paratroopers on France in the D-Day invasion in June 1944 to Boeing Co., which will house the aircraft at a museum in Sao Carlos, Brazil.

The Pappases and Doug Calkins, a San Bernardino assistant city attorney who lives in Beaumont, will take off Saturday from Corona for the last time to start the 5,300-nautical-mile journey to South America.
"It is the best place for a wonderful old airplane to finish off her days," said John Pappas. "I'm selling to a world-class museum. This museum is the largest aviation museum in South America. It is growing and will be on par with the Museum of Flight in Seattle and other recognized museums in the United States."

The airport will hold a pancake breakfast Saturday from 8 to 10:30 a.m. for the public to see the plane for the last time and share memories of the plane, nicknamed "Rose." Takeoff is set for 11 a.m.

The plane was built in 1943 at the Douglas Aircraft Co. plant in Santa Monica.

During the 10 years the Pappases have based the plane in Corona, airport Manager Rich Brodeur has taken visiting students and scouts on tours through the plane.

Brodeur said John Pappas was always very considerate of the people living near the airport when coming in for landings, and he doesn't fly low over the rooftops.

Brodeur said he is sad the plane is leaving. John Pappas would not disclose the selling price.

Dave Stevenson, an aviation enthusiast who flies a Stearman biplane out of Corona, said, "I hate to see it leave. The saddest part is it sounds like it's not gong to fly again. There are fewer and fewer DC-3s. I'm sure John will be glad he doesn't have to work on it so much anymore."

The departure is especially poignant for Mike Nolan, a Corona-based traffic pilot/reporter for radio stations KFI and KOST. Nolan grew up near the Burbank Airport. He was dazzled by the Lockheed Constellation propeller planes that used to come and go.

"All of a sudden there weren't any," Nolan said.

Now the same thing could be happening to the historic DC-3. "It has been such a pleasure to share that airplane at Corona Airport," Nolan said. "I never pass up an opportunity to watch it fly. My worst fear is that 'Rose' will be a nonflying airplane. A museum does not connote flying very often."

The trip to Brazil will be the second massive adventure for the Pappases and their plane in a year. They plan on making 15 stops. The plane will have to climb over the Andes mountains. It also will fly over the Amazon River.

A year ago, the Pappases took their DC-3 on a 39-stop trans-America tour for Turner Classic Movies. They visited small towns and cities the DC-3 used to service as an airliner in the 1940s and '50s. "Many had not seen it," said John Pappas. "They were in awe to see their beautiful airplane come to town."

In December 2005, Pappas flew his plane in a celebration of the 70th anniversary of the DC-3.

The DC-3 took 20 people on a celebration flight of the Y2K New Year's Eve on Dec. 31, 1999-Jan. 1, 2000. "It's been the thrill of providing the opportunity for people to come out and experience the flight," Pappas said.

"That's just been fascinating. The people who come out continue to come back many times after 10 years. They tell us the flight was the highlight of their lives."

Inland News

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