"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote:

"Matt Wiser" wrote in message
news:3fcb933d$1@bg2....

Orignial DST, which became the DC-3, first designed in 1936.


It made it's first flight in December 1935, methinks design began a bit
before that.

I have had a quick check through last week's issue of Flight International
- which has a comprehensive Directory of the World's Air Forces.

Among the CURRENT operators of the DC-3/C-47 are :-

Bolivia (1 x Basler Turbo 67)
Colombia (3/1 x C-47/C-117D)
El Salvador (3/3 x C-47/Turbo AC-47)
Guatemala (4 x Basler Turbo 67)
Haiti (3 x C-47)
Honduras (6 x C-47)
Madagascar (1 x C-47)
Mali (1 x Basler Turbo 67)
Mauritania (1 x Basler Turbo 67)
Paraguay (1 x C-47)
South Africa (12 x C-47/C-47TP)
Taiwan(5 x C-47)
Thailand (6 x Basler Turbo 67)
Venezuela (1 x C-47)

That's 51 - yes FIFTY ONE - C-47's (or derivatives thereof) still in
operational service as at December 2003.

So, I hereby declare that the AIRCRAFT TYPE LONGEST SERVICE CAREER award
goes to the good old DC-3/Dakota/C-47/Basler 67.

With a first flight date of December 1935 it is still in service with the
above air arms in December 2003 - so with 68 years it wins hands down !!

BTW, I found the following current operators of the T-33:-

Bolivia (19 x AT-33/T-33) (note - ex Canadian, recently upgraded !!!!!!!!)
Ecuador (22 x AT-33)
Iran (5 x T-33)
Mexico (30 x AT-33)
Paraguay (4 x AT-33)

So, with a first flight date of 1948, I hereby declare that the Lockheed
T-33 Shooting Star takes the prize as the LONGEST SERVING JET AIRCRAFT.

Ken

PS - To the 4 Wing Canadian pilot - the Flight Directory does not list any
T-33 in service with Canada - maybe you ought to write to them and ask
where they got their info??

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Ken Duffey - Flanker Freak & Russian Aviation Enthusiast
Flankers Website - http://www.flankers.co.uk/
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