home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- Old 36PB
- The Highest Time Airplane In The World
-
- On behalf of the now defunked, PROVINCETOWN-BOSTON AIRLINE, INC.
- It is my privilege and honor to acquaint you with Old 36PB, as seen on NOVA
- the DC-3 having the highest documented flying time in history. This aircraft
- recently celebrated its Golden Anniversary of flight. As you might know,
- this aluminum workhorse of the airline industry has earned many differint
- nicknames over the years; Dakota, Skytrooper, Smithsonian Speedster, Douglass
- Racer and Gooney Bird (dubbed affectionately by World War II G.I's.), Just to
- name a few. This aircraft was singled out by General Dwight D. Eisenhower as
- one of four major factors in the Allied Victory. The DC-3 was the first
- Aircraft to land in both the North and South Poles. It Also hauled supplies
- during the Berlin Airlift. The Douglass Aircraft Company has built 10,629 of
- these planes between 1935 and 1945 and estimates that approximately 2,000 are
- still flying.
-
- Old 36 shares in all of the glories of he sister ships, but also
- claims a few outstanding accomplishments of her own. She has a relatively
- short list of previous owners, but a rather impressive one. 136PB under the
- original registration number of NC18121 was first delivered to Eastern
- Vice-President and World War I Flying Ace, Eddie Rickenbacker, on October 25,
- 1937. Old 36PB, as she is know around PBA, has logged over 91,000 flight
- hours.
-
- Has flown a record.....................91,317.5 hours
- Distance flown.......................14,328,400 Miles
- Average speed.................................168 MPH
- Gallons of oil Consumed........................47,638
- Sparks Plugs used..............................18,264
- Engines used......................................272
- Tires used........................................612
- Propellers used...................................122
-
- Calculating the number of hours she has flown, with the number of
- miles "OLD 36PB" would have flown non-stop for approximately 10 years and 11
- months or could have flown around the world over 568 times!
-
- Since PBA came to a sad ending on september 6,1988, I was able to
- have the honor to ferry her from Hyannis to Marco Island, Florida, where she
- is now parked, with ten other PBA DC-3s in the weeds at the far end of the
- airport. Waiting to be acopted and put back into record breaking service
- agian.
-