All this DC9 talk is just SO nostalgic for me, albeit with the "other mob".
One of the finest Aircraft ever built.
I still remember as an Apprentice in the late 1960s being part of the Crew that met and towed away at Essendon the very first DC9 into Australia, VH-CZB.
It was also the first Airframe Course I did.
Of course have some scary memories too, like coming within inches of running out of runway on takeoff from Honiara with a load of Tuna.
I know you Pilots would see it a lot, but one of my nicest inflight memories is one day years ago while in the jumpseat of a DC9 from CNS to BNE, ROK Control asked us our DME distance ROK, then asked another Company DC9 the same thing, when I asked the Captain what that was for he just said keep watching closely out the front, what a sight 2 DC9s passing each other, it was all over in seconds.