Everts Classics - 2012 Alaska Aviation Adventure (Part 2 in a Series)
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Vintage Curtiss C-46 Commando (N7848B, named Dumbo) was built in 1942. It was originally delivered to the US Air Force.
A classic in its own right, the four-engined Douglas DC-6B (N151) was built in 1958, originally delivered to Cathay Pacific. Note rival NAC 737 taking off in the background.
Of course it was nice to photograph these aircraft on the ramp, but it was even better to capture the propliners in action on video complete with sound. So here it is. Turn up your speakers (or if you are at work, put on your headphones), select HD resolution, and watch these 50 plus year old vintage planes at work!
Everts Air Cargo is the last
large cargo airline in Alaska flying a fleet of vintage piston-powered propeller
airliners. Everts varied fleet includes two World-World II vintage Curtiss C-46s and eight
post-war vintage Douglas DC-6s. Seeing these classics at work was like taking a
time machine to a bygone era, witnessing what air travel was like back in the
golden age of propliners.
On my previous visit to
Anchorage in 2009, Everts’ cross-airport rival Northern Air Cargo (NAC) retired
their DC-6s in favor of 737-200 freighters.
In 2011, Everts introduced DC-9 freighters; there was no telling whether
I will see C-46s and DC-6s in action again on my next trip to Alaska.
One of the NAC DC-6 on
display at the Alaska Aviation Museum at Lake Hood.
Thinking this might be my last chance, I arranged for a tour at
Everts to get an up-close view of their planes.
Thanks to the friendly staff there, we saw a representative aircraft of
their entire fleet departing the Anchorage ramp in a short time period.
The newest member of the fleet: Douglas DC-9-33F. Aircraft N932CE was built in 1970, originally
delivered to Belair.
The diminutive Embraer
EMB-120 ate up surprising large amount of cargo. Aircraft N1105G was built in 1988 and served
with Skywest/United Express.
Vintage Curtiss C-46 Commando (N7848B, named Dumbo) was built in 1942. It was originally delivered to the US Air Force.
A classic in its own right, the four-engined Douglas DC-6B (N151) was built in 1958, originally delivered to Cathay Pacific. Note rival NAC 737 taking off in the background.
All four aircraft types can
be seen in this view.
Of course it was nice to photograph these aircraft on the ramp, but it was even better to capture the propliners in action on video complete with sound. So here it is. Turn up your speakers (or if you are at work, put on your headphones), select HD resolution, and watch these 50 plus year old vintage planes at work!
Copyright © 2012 Ben
Wang. All rights reserved.
Very nice Ben, thanks for the report.
ReplyDeleteMike