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Today: 747 and Store open 9am-3pm. Hangars closed. See all hours

DC-3-ship
Douglas DC-3
Restoration

Only Delta passenger Douglas DC-3 in existence. Carefully restored by team of volunteers and Delta employees from 1995 to October 1999, to combine 1940 vintage style with modern avionics. No other DC-3 in the world restored with such attention to detail. See Restoration Photo Album.

 

Delta Service

Ship 41 was one of five brand-new DC-3 aircraft ordered by Delta from Douglas Aircraft Co. According to Douglas records:

  • Ship 40, N28340, was delivered on November 29, 1940.
  • Ship 41, N28341, was delivered on January 4, 1941.
  • Ship 42, N28342, was delivered on January 6, 1941
  • Ship 43, N28343, was delivered on January 4, 1941
  • Ship 44, N28344, was delivered on January 12, 1941

According to Delta Air Corporation Daily Flight Logs for Route A.M. 24, the first-delivered DC-3, Ship 40, named “City of Atlanta,” was the first DC-3 to go into scheduled service with Delta on December 24, 1940, from Atlanta, Georgia, to Birmingham, Alabama.  Ship 41 went into service on January 19, 1941, flying from Atlanta to Ft. Worth, Texas.  

Delta gave Ship 41 a major update in early 1950s: added an airstair door, moved the galley forward of the passenger door, moved the lavatory to the forward bag bin area, and increased seat capacity from 21 to 25 passengers. A new “white top” exterior paint scheme included Delta’s Flying D logo.

Douglas DC-3-G202A Image Gallery
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delta-dc-3_ship41_restored_galley
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DC-3 Ship 41_6117
DC-3 Ship 41 Clouds copy
Boarding DC-3 Ship 41 at ATL 1940s
Recovery

In 1990, a group of retirees led an effort to locate one of Delta's first five DC-3s. They were looking for an iconic plane to be part of a future Delta museum that would also showcase the Travel Air and artifacts from the Delta Archives.

They discovered Ship 41 in Puerto Rico, registered as N29PR and flying cargo for Air Puerto Rico. Delta acquired the plane in June 1993, and flew it back to company headquarters in Atlanta for restoration by volunteers and Delta employees.

Restored Ship 41 took its official inaugural flight on November 17, 1999. Cutting the ribbon for the flight was Birdie Bomar, who had flown Ship 41’s first inaugural flight in 1940, and was an honorary flight attendant on its last scheduled Delta flight in 1958.

Donations

Generous donations to the restoration project included:

  • Zero-hour engines and accessories from JRS Enterprises in Minnesota
  • Landing gear and hydraulic valves from Basler of Oshkosh, Wisconsin
  • Radios from Collins

 

Awards

Flew to EAA's AirVenture in 2000, and won Judges' Choice “Lindy” Award for outstanding restoration. In 2001, first aircraft to earn a National Trust for Historic Preservation award. 

DC-3 Air Facts
DC-3 in-flight C01590
More Information
 
Aircraft Make & Model:
Douglas DC-3-G202A
Registration No.:
NC28341
Serial No.:
3278
Manufactured Date:
December 23, 1940
Manufacturer:
Douglas Aircraft Company of Santa Monica, California
Occupants:
21 passengers and 3 crew
Maximum Weight:
25,200 lbs.
Propeller:
Hamilton Standard with three 6153A-18 blades with 23E50 hubs
Fuel Capacity:
822 gallons
Materials:
Aluminum frame and “skin”; fabric-covered ailerons, rudder and elevators
Price when New:
$115,000
Range:
1,400 statute miles
Speed:
170 mph
Length:
64 ft., 6 in.
Wingspan:
95 ft.
Height:
16 ft., 4 in.
Engines:
Wright Cyclone GR-1820G-202A with 3:2 reduction gearing
HP or Thrust:
1,200 hp
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