Together We Fly: Voices from the DC-3

I grew up in the era which brought forth the Douglas DC-3, among the other foundations of today's globe-circling, high-flying civil air fleets. In grade school, I wrote an essay trying to express the joy and wonder provided by the advances in aviation, exemplified by the DC-3. DC-3 buffs surely must be familiar with the distinctive sound of the DC-3's 3-bladed Hamilton-Standard constant-speed full-feathering propellors and Pratt & Whitney R-1830 14-cylinder engines. I learned to imitate the sound fairly accurately, and performed it frequently, and, finally, once too often. One Saturday, I was at a local movie theater in my home town of Piqua, Ohio, enjoying a movie in which DC-3's figured prominently, when I got caught up in the spirit of the moment, and began mimicking the sound of the DC-3's in the movie. There I sat, oblivious to the reactions of fellow movie patrons, until the theater manager came rushing down the aisle and ordered me to stop upsetting the other patrons, or leave. (No ticket refund was mentioned.) Chastened, I remained to enjoy the thrilling saga to the end, and went home fulfilled with the euphoria of a day well spent. My interest in aviation was expressed in reading aviation magazines (Can any of us ever forget "AIR TRAILS")participating in high school Aviation Club activities, and building and flying model airplanes, but no actual flying. I did not get my very first flight until November, 1944, when, on leave from the Army, I flew from Dayton Municipal to Detroit City airports aboard a TWA DC-3! While the thrill of that auspicious first flight was all the better for riding aboard my favorite aircraft type, I have to say that the comely TWA "stewardess" (as they were so quaintly called in those ancient times) made a good experience even more memorable. That was my only encounter with the legendary airliner. I saw many C-47's flying overhead in the ETO but never again got within touching distance until after the war, at air shows. While serving occupation duties in post-war Germany with "G" Company, 276th Infantry, I (along with the rest of the company) was treated to an impromptu air show, performed by the company commander's brother, flying his ATC C-47 over our billets in a small town deep in the valley of the Lahn River. The valley was only half a mile wide and the surrounding hills rose 300 feet on both sides, so I have a deep respect for that Captain's flying skills! I admit, I had few actual experiences with the DC-3, but "Voices from the DC-3" spoke very clearly to me in bringing it all back, and adding (vicariously) new ones. Thank you , Julie Boatman Filucci!(and the intrepid crew of fellow DC-3 v eterans!)

I grew up next to the Santa Monica airport and the Douglas Aircraft Company and fell in love with this plane and have always read everything I could about it. Almost flew one in Ft. Worth a few years ago, but excessive winds grounded our flight.

I have not flown this aircraft. My mother brought me to the airport one time to see if we could fly a DC-3, and unfortunately, the lines were too long. I have flown many other unique aircraft.This is an average read about the famous aircraft. I thought the stories were relevant, but they didn't really show how Donald Douglas and his team came up with the concept of the DC-2 and DC-3. This would have been a great revelation. The stories from the pilots, stewardesses, and passengers were truly relevant.The stories don't fit together well, but they show a famous product still being used 75 years after its introduction. Boeing should be lucky if the 787 is around in 75 years.This is an OK read about a famous aircraft. It is a series of stories. If you are looking for a history of the plane, look elsewhere.

From the blurb you would expect this book to consist of from 1-3 page first hand accounts of life with DC-3's. It does not. The book consists of from 1 line to 1 page accounts, surrounded by poorly written recreations of events and poorly written corporate history.Each chapter starts out with a 1 or 2 page "recreation" of some event for which the author makes up the dialogue and details she obviously doesn't know for a fact. It's too bad she's such a poor writer at this kind of thing (i.e. "he grinned at the stewardess", "the crew was behind the 8-ball"). Often the made-up portion of the chapter is a duplicate of actual reminiscence that follows.The bits and pieces of the actual stories she collected by interviews are mostly too short. Either she over-edited or the folks simply didn't remember much. It could be the latter, since as the book moves forward through history the little vignettes get longer.She also attempts to include a little history of Douglas himself and his company, but this is particularly inept. She takes young Douglas from building model airplanes to owning his own manufacturing company in about a page or so. (Where did he get the money?)The book is also rife with abbreviations which are almost never explained. Some of these, CHT, METO, a pilot might know; but how about "flying under Part 135"?The photos in the book are excellent, but due to the small format of the book and the paper quality you only get so much out of them.Overall, a very disappointing book.

I waited for this book to be published for months, and it was worth the waiting! Great stories well written and smartly edited, from a variety of persons who had memorable experiences with the Gooney Bird. Stewardesses, pilots, mechanics, passengers. The book includes a concise hstory of Donald Douglas , his airplane company, and the DC-1,2 and 3. I enjoyed this book immensely. I have been inside several DC-3s but sadly have never flown in one. A ride in this marvelous airplane is on my "bucket list".

Just like new.

Being the son of a WWII mechanic/ flight engineer on an army c47 . I have always been interested in aircraft. I have flown in a Dc3 in 1966 with Trans Texas airways and my dad Maintained a pair owned by The Dow Chemical Co in 1961. I enjoyed reading abut them.

VERY WELL WORTH THE READ ABOUT ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC AIRCRAFT EVER; YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AN "OLD PERSON" TO ENJOY IT.

For any one who loves the DC2/3 it is a must.