Biscuit Bomber on floats

[SeldomFixit]

Watching the "Hitler Channel" on FOX recently, quite a good show on Helicopters and at one stage, noted in the background a USAF/USAAC ( whatever - it was olive drab, right ) a "Biscuit Bomber " on floats !!. Anyone with information to share on such a bird ?

[Staggerwing]

Have a great wall poster of the old aircraft with a drawing of one on floats. The blurb below the drawing says that they were used in the early stages of the Pacific war before airfields were built on many of the islands.

[Tail_Wheel]

Biscuit Bomber = DC3 or DC5? (Both were referred to as Biscuit Bombers). There were a number of DC3's on floats (and even some converted to gliders, sans engines) but I don't think any DC5's were ever fitted with floats, although being high wing, it may have been a good move.

http://www.centercomp.com/dc3/flightsim/trevor/uafloat.gif

[the wizard of auz]

fair chance if it was olive drab,and a biscuit bomber, it would have been a C47.

[dogcharlietree]

From "The PLANE that changed the WORLD";
The Y-123 was an amphibian version.
They called it the "Duck" because it could fly high, low, fast or slow, and takeoff or land neatly on the water. This, pilots said, was due to the weight of the ship which approached 29,000 pounds. The float gear, alone, weighed almost a ton!
Used in Alaska.

[SeldomFixit]

Thanks to all for the info - as to the weight of the floats - not at all surprised, as by looking at them it looked like 2 coastal steamers had been caught up in what used to be the landing gear !!

[Torres]

http://www.douglasdc3.com/float/float2.jpg

http://www.douglasdc3.com/float/float6.jpg

The floats are kinda reminiscent of a couple of Manly ferries!!! :}

(This DC-3 example is construction number 11761 and was delivered to the USAAF in July of 1943. Now registration N130Q, a DC-3A/C-53D-DO (was 41-68834) of Folsoms Air Service based in Maine, USA. It is one of the only DC-3 on floats still flying today. The floats are the original EDO (28) Corporation type.)

[OpsNormal]

I don't reckon that 182 (let alone the cars), would be too safe behind that amphib '3 if they were to taxy for the water Torres.... :ooh:

[the wizard of auz]

Damn, they is big floats.
Have a bugga paddeling them around like a canoe if ya plane got busted.

[SeldomFixit]

Floats or not - has any areo before or since looked as right ?

[pithblot]

Seldomfixit

I'm with you - have to look pretty hard to find better lines than on the 3. It looks OK on floats too.

What's the go with JH's machine, MMA? I heard it was up and running after a long break. Any idea who flys it now?

It would be good to see (and hear!) a DC3 rattling around Arnhem Land again. When Air North had MMA, in the '80s, it used to go DN- ELI-LEV-RNG-DN at the start and finish of most school terms for the chalkies and all their gear; dogs, cats budgies etc. They had CAN then too, just a baby with only 16,000 hours. The 3s used to fly DN-BTI-GPT-SNB-DN quite often and up to Ambon fairly regularly for the yacht race and sister cities thing. Oh yeah the parachutes every year on to Mindil Beach.......

Pithblot

[PPRuNe Towers]

Used to watch the Folsom's one operating from Green Lake in Maine mid to late 1990's. Pretty fierce winters there so it used to migrate to Florida.

Doesn't matter as to the scale of the aircraft - Maine is heaven for float flying. I was lucky enough to have week long layovers there from 1991 to 1999. Hugely recommended if you ever want to experience small town America at its best.

Regards
Rob