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The History of 1944 Douglas DC-3
N1944M    s/n 19394

January 7, 1944

Built under USAAF contract AC-32725, this C-47 was delivered from the Long Beach factory.

February 1944

Departed for Europe and the 8^th Air Force under shipping code “SOXO.”

March 9, 1944

Aircraft joined a unit of the 8^th Air Force and is believed to have taken part in the D-Day operations with a Troop Carrier Squadron.

July 1944

            Aircraft was transferred to the 9^th Air Force under shipping code “GLUE.”

September 1944

            Aircraft was back in the USA with the 806^th Base Unit at Baer Field, Indiana

October 1944

Aircraft was transferred to the 316^th Troop Carrier Group at Pope Field, North Carolina.

March 1946

            Aircraft was with the 4105^th Base Unit at Davis Monthan, Arizona.

September 1949

Aircraft was moved over to the 3040^th Aircraft Storage Depot, Air Material Command

February 1950

Aircraft moved north to the San Bernardino Air Material Area at North Air Force Base, California.

April 1951

Joined Strategic Air Command (SAC) with the 131^st Fighter-Bomber Wing at Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas, and remained until July 1955, serving with the 44^th Air Base Group and Wing at Lake Charles Air Force Base, Louisiana, the 90^th Bomb Wing at Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas, the 55^th and 90^th Strategic Missile Wing on the same base, the 99^th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, and the 814^th Air Base Group, also located at Fairchild.

July 1955

            Returned to the Air Material Command San Bernardino depot.

April 1956

Belly-landed at the base, causing it to be struck off charge from the USAF inventory. Aircraft was purchased by Remmert Werner of St. Louis, Missouri, who repaired it, and it was registered N56U. Remmert Werner, known for their quality workmanship and large inventory of STC’d   modification, converted the aircraft to a DC-3-c. Radome, Airstair door, wood paneling, picture windows, prop spinners, lavatory, one-piece heated windshields and gear doors were included in addition to a complete airframe overhaul.

May 25, 1957

            Aircraft was sold and registered in Canada as CF-JUV to N.J. McNeill.

March 21, 1958

            Aircraft was sold to Trans Canada Pipe Lines Ltd. of Toronto.

February 24, 1959

Aircraft was sold to Vendomatic Ltd.

March 10, 1959

            Aircraft was sold to Duplate Canada Ltd.

September 24, 1962

            Aircraft was sold to Smith and Stone Ltd.

December 23, 1964

            Aircraft sold back to Duplate Canada Ltd.

July 1974

            Aircraft was sold to Northern Thunderbird Air.

May 1978 – May 1980

            Aircraft owned by Knight Air Ltd. Of Fort St. John.

May 1980

Aircraft sold to North Cariboo Air, with registration of C-FJUV. After an accident in 1980 it was rebuilt under the supervision of North Cariboo Flying Service Ltd.

June 1986

Participated in the DC-3 Airmada in conjunction with EXPO ’86 and the 50^th Anniversary of the DC-3.

November 1989

Aircraft was sold to Classic Airlines Corporation and relocated to Spokane, Washington and the U.S. registration N394C assigned.

1991    The project was contracted out to Salair, Inc. an Air Carrier with FAA approved maintenance and overhaul programs for DC-3 aircraft. Aircraft was restored to superb condition including a 28 seat interior, updated instruments and a new radio system.

July 1993

Airframe overhaul and full FAR 135 compliance were completed and was operated under Salair’s FAR 135-121 certificate and maintenance program. Salair invested approximately 8,000 hours of labor and a total investment of over $275,000.

June 1994

Era Aviation purchased the aircraft from Salair. At this time the aircraft was restored to superb condition with a 29 seat interior, the instruments were updated, new radio systems installed, as well as “Viewmaster” windows, passenger seats, galleys and lavatories all were retrofitted to the 1940’s era.

May 1995

Era Classic Airlines re-registered the aircraft to N1944M and re-named the aircraft “Spirit of the North.”

June 1995 – August 2003

Era Classic Airlines took visitors back in time on nostalgic flightseeing tours in Southcentral Alaska. The Air Hostess was outfitted in the 1940’s garb all the way down to the seamed stockings and white gloves. Big Band and swing music played in the background, champagne was served, and 1940’s news headlines were read over the PA system.

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