Re-living D-Day in a C47 (Flying keeps me focused, passionate, creative, and safe!)

I have been busy. While my company had to be managed through re-cap, rapid growth by acquisitions and an important merger, I have worked during almost every spare moment of my time, towards realizing one more item of a bucket list I did not know I had until my friend Jack allowed me to fly over Antarctica making me eager to seek more and more of those types of adventures.

One year ago a former instructor of mine, Eric Komberec, reached out to me and asked if I was interested in this project... Bringing back to life a 1944 DC3, which had flown heroic smoke jumpers in the tragic fire of the Mann Gulch , had crashed in a river, had been sitting for almost two decades in a dormant aviation museum in Missoula (MT), and flying her over the English Channel during the 75th anniversary of DDAY!

Was I INTERESTED???

I talked about Eric's offer with my wife, and, like she has done pretty much every time I share some desire that really makes me passionate (mostly it is either about flying, the kids, or work), she said the three magic words that every husband loves to hear: "GO FOR IT!"

So for it did I go!

If you just fly gliders, seaplanes, single and multi engine modern planes, you are missing something... A TAILWHEEL ENDORSEMENT!

While I was re-learning to fly, I tried to work (not as much as I should have) with the group at the museum during the restoration project.

During the process, and the type rating ground school, I made the acquaintance of some people who taught me a lot about history and aviation: a Captain who flew a C47 to Normandy during DDay (96 years old), 3 veterans who survived the Battle of the Bulge, Frank Moss, my DC3 instructor who taught me how to have fun, while keeping pedaling on them rudders, and fly this 25,000 pounds baby as he says "stress free" (he saw me sweating a lot), Treat Williams, actor but more importantly, pilot, and many many others.

The comradery and spirit of unselfishness and passion for a common goals was so tangible! M

The name of the plane is "Miss Montana" in memory of a young lady who died with her pilot dad in a car crash because they decided to drive home rather than fly in poor weather... (And we did have a true warbird call Miss Montana) She had just been crowned Miss Montana, and mom is one of the major supporter of the project.

Time went by faster than planned, and work grew with alacrity, as well as fund raising efforts...

A donor acquired a second DC3 to be a back up ship as well as the training platform, an older Western Airline plane!

Time went by too quickly for me too, so I decided to forgo FOR NOW the PIC (Pilot In Command) type and opted to complete an SIC (Second In Command) which is a lighter effort, but is still useful and good as a spring board to complete my PIC after the European mission.

I learned that I could quit doing bench presses at the gym as long as I keep flying (actually taxing!) this plane!

Here with my instructor after my last landing (note the plane is still intact!)

We challenged each other with the other two type rating students to park the plane "on the line" without marshals' help... Here is my poor attempt!

I have plenty of photos and videos on my public aviation page on Facebook which I have used to help raise awareness (and money), but I am aware that many of you here, "don't do facebook" hence me writing this post.

Miss Montana has flown her new maiden flight last Sunday, and very few discrepancies were reported. After some tweaking the plane and the jumpers from Neptune Aviation have been practicing successfully.

 and now she is ready to go! If it weren't for the weather! First leg is Missoula (KMSO) to Rapid City (KRAP) and all sorts of bad looking meteorologic phenomena are looming along that route! 

Yours truly will be airlining to meet the plane in Duxford UK, on 6/2, and will fly with her for the subseguent 10 days.

The official site is here (https://missmontanatonormandy.com/) although much more real time info is to be had through the official FB page here  (https://www.facebook.com/missmontanatonormandy/) 

Wish us blue skies and tailwinds and safe travels, hopefully we will be able to be a small part in contributing to honor and remember the ones who gave their lives for our freedom!

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Miss Montana article on the Missoulian

With the jumpers (left) the pilots (dark green polo shirts) and the mechanics (stylish looking couple)