Douglas Documentarian: René Ligon & The DC-3 Project

Part of our continuing focus during this 90th anniversary of the Douglas DC-3 has been to platform those researchers who are recording and preserving every detail of surviving aircraft - and even farther, every bit of surviving airframe, flying, in restoration, static, derelict, or in pieces. The DC-3 Society is excited to collaborate with aviation photographer René Ligon, who has made such a database his mission. René will be bringing us along on his adventures and will be contributing columns to the newsletter as his travels allow. Support The DC-3 Project, by following René on Instagram @dc.3project or e-mail him at dc3.project@gmx.de for any tips you may have!

I want to thank Moreno Aguiari for the original interview and the excellent article at Vintage Aviation News, which you can read here.

What first inspired you to begin documenting surviving DC-3s?

My photography. I am an aviation photographer and the DC-3 has always been my favorite airplane. I want to photograph as many DC-3s in action as I can. Being based in Germany, where there is only one airworthy DC-3 (as I believed at the time), that requires considerable effort and planning. So I had to learn which ones are out there and where I can photograph them.

Do you remember the first DC-3 you recorded as part of the project?

That must have been PH-PBA. The first DC-3 I ever flew on, so that was a natural starting point to write down.

When did this evolve from a personal interest into a serious research effort?

It was a slippery slope. I started to facilitate my photography. But I became aware of so many DC-3s, both airworthy and static in places where life would likely never take me. But the information was there, I just really felt the urge to note down everything I found. Then curiosity took over. I am completionist kind of person, so it escalated quickly into wanting to get a complete picture of the state of all surviving DC-3 airframes. At some point I realized that I am assembling something that has not been publicly available so far.

Was there a specific aircraft, museum, or encounter that sparked your fascination with the DC-3?

Yes! N26MA – the aircraft that was used for filming the A-Team television series. I grew up watching the re-runs over and over again as a kid, and N26MA was used for the flying scenes. Of course I didn’t know that at the time, I just saw those beautifully elegant shapes and fell in love. The DC-3 has been my favorite aircraft ever since. Growing up in Berlin and being a regular at the science museum, where a DC-3 is suspended above the building, didn’t hurt either. As I grew older, a new facet lifted my fascination to a new level: The realization how special the DC-3 truly is. I can think of no other vehicle that continues to be economically relevant as a type 90 years after its inception. No car or truck or anything. There are some ships in history that survived to the age of 90 while still being used for their intended purpose, but as a whole type with economic significance, the DC-3 stands unique.

Approximately how many surviving DC-3/C-47 variants have you documented so far?

674 airframes by now, including a few DC-2s, and license-built Li-2s.

What categories do you use when tracking aircraft (airworthy, restoration, static display, stored, derelict, wrecked, etc.)?

That is a question I struggled with. It is really hard to define categories that are

precise without it escalating into so many that they become unusable. I am keeping two separate lists, one for the airworthy or close-to airworthy examples (like taxi-able or in restoration to airworthiness) and one list for the statics. Both require different information to be collected. Airworthy DC-3s move, so at best I can note down a home base or usual area of operation. The statics have a fixed location, but you would be surprised by how much they get shuffled around over the years, too. For those that are not flying I have defined the following categories: Display Inside, Display Outside, Storage Inside, Storage Outside, Under Restoration (to display, otherwise they would be in the other list), Derelict, Wreck, Under Water, and, my least favorite: Cut up, where only sections survive.

What sources do you rely on to verify the status and location of an aircraft?

Google Earth, Google Maps and Google Places. I verify every single aircraft that I include in my list, mostly using one of these. A big percentage is derelict out in the open. Finding them from matching up features in photos found online can be very challenging, but I am almost always successful. Once found, it is easy to go to Google Earth and check the latest satellite image if they are still there. Since those sometimes are one or two years old, I also note the currency of the information, which then can easily be checked in the future by revisiting. It becomes much harder for airframes that are under cover, derelict, in storage or even in museums. If one is somewhat visible from a public space, using Street view to snoop around or checking user-uploaded photos to Google Places is my go-to method. Those always have a time-stamp as well, so currency of information can be established, but it is so much more work finding one that is under cover. Still, a DC-3 is a beautiful object with a higher-than average chance that a passerby sees it, photographs it and uploads it, even if they don’t know what aircraft it is specifically. But that also means a lot of checking by hand, because it is not linked to a searchable keyword. I also discovered that the vast vast majority of museums do not have a list of exhibits on their website, if they have a website at all, so even for museums that means checking everything in that way.

How do you distinguish between confirmed information and unverified reports?

See above, I only note down airframes that I have verified myself.

How often do you update your records?

I am constantly updating as I go and find new information. As I am still building my database, I am constantly going through sources. Once the point is reached where those dry up, a 2-year interval would be a good idea as that tends to be a common frequency in which the satellite images are updated in remote areas.

What has been the most difficult aircraft to track down?

The most difficult aircraft to track down are usually those where it seems like you are able to find them, where there is enough information that it seems possible, but then you realize after having poured hours into the search, that it was probably destroyed. I have an example in mind in Spain where two fuselages were converted into cabins. The info I had was from an old old website. It featured pictures and a very precise description of the location. I have never been able to 100% determine their fate, but destruction seems likely, as I slowly had to discover that the entire area seems to have been developed, so the described features just didn’t match up anymore. One of the most difficult ones where I was able to track it down eventually was a certain New Zealand DC-3 that was used as a road sign for many years but now is hidden on private property. Another example is the crash site of YV-C-LBO in Venezuela that I first read about in Hans Wiesmanns book “The Dakota Hunter”. Actually finding her just from matching up the topographical features in the few photos proofed a challenge, but in the end I found the wreck.

Have you encountered cases where an aircraft's identity was uncertain or incorrectly reported?

Surprisingly, identities, if available at all, are usually not disputed. I usually find that all sources match up on the question of identity. Finding exact locations then is the hard part. Of course the only definitive proof would be going there and checking the serial number myself. A bigger problem is matching up individual identities with the exact aircraft location verified in Google Earth if there are multiple DC-3s close by, as it is often the case at old military airfields or transport hubs. I then have to rely on matching up topographical features again to my photo sources. In all my research I have only come across two cases where the identity of an aircraft was truly in dispute. What happens much more often is that I am finding derelict airframes on satellite images where no information whatsoever on identity is available, some even turbine conversions.

How challenging is it to follow aircraft that have changed registrations, operators, or countries multiple times?

Since I am focusing on documenting the current state of the DC-3 and rely on objective and current sources to verify leads, this is less of an issue. I record the registration history where I can to cross reference future findings. For airworthy aircraft, this is also easy as most of the information is in the public domain at least well documented by spotters worldwide.

What are the biggest obstacles in maintaining an accurate worldwide database?

Unfortunately I am not in the position to maintain a database, I am still creating one. Since my verification sources as mentioned above are mostly in the public domain, it is also easy to go back later on and check information currency. The biggest challenge however is time. There is so much information out there. I never finish a research session without having at least found one more aircraft, uncovering so many more leads to investigate further. Many are dead ends. But you have to check to know. It is a labor of love and it is a lot of labor.

What is the most unusual surviving DC-3 you have found?

I love that question! Either the South African registered Basler BT-67 that is so heavily modified with sensor equipment that you almost cannot recognize it as a DC-3 anymore (ZS-ASN) or the Argentinian TA-05 that is radial- turbine and rocket-powered. All at the same time!

Have you uncovered any forgotten aircraft that few people knew still existed?

Yes, multiple. When a DC-3 used to be on public display but then changes hands to a more private owner, they fade into obscurity, especially if that change in ownership happened a long time ago. But those do tend to get preserved, they are just hard to track down. Other examples are DC-3s in Africa or South America that are no longer used. And I even found an example of a Basler impounded in an African country decades ago where the aircraft still exists.

Are there any particularly remote or inaccessible locations where surviving DC-3s remain?

The more remote a location is, the higher the likelihood that an airframe survives (if one has been there in the first place). I have come across so many DC-3s that were cut up for the aluminum that were derelict or even on display in cities. Its hard to do that on a mountaintop in Alaska or on a remote island. One example that is physically extremely remote would be on Aitutaki atoll in the middle of the Pacific. (Note: This specific one I verified to still exist a couple of years ago by finding pictures on a travelers blog but since it is very overgrown, I was not able to find it on satellite imagery myself).

Which discovery has surprised you the most?

The most surprising discovery to me, personally, was that there is a derelict DC-3 in Germany. In a country so densely populated and highly regulated, I would not have thought that to be possible. Later, I got to meet the very pilot who flew her there on her last flight (so far) at a small fly-in completely by chance.

Have owners, museums, and restorers contributed information to your project?

Yes, but comparatively little. For so many airframes around and so much information in the public domain to still go through, I have opted to continue in that direction until those dry up.

How connected is the worldwide DC-3 preservation community?

The North American, European, Australian and New Zealand communities are well connected although oceans in between do tend to complicate the exchange.

Are there individuals or organizations that have been especially helpful in your research?

I really want to thank Hannah McLaughlin from Aerometal International for helping me whenever I have a technical DC-3 question and for being so patient in the process!

Have your efforts led to new friendships or collaborations within the vintage aviation world?

Definitely! I have never experienced a more welcoming community then the vintage aviation scene and friendships have developed across oceans. A big thank you has to go Mike Polley (one of the caretakers of B-25 Pacific Princess) who has done more for me than he knows himself. The kindness and support he has shown me helped shape my path in the vintage aviation world.

Why do you think the DC-3 continues to inspire such devotion nearly 90 years after its introduction?

Frankly, its looks. The DC-3 is simply beautiful, so evocative of the Golden Era of Aviation, and so tied to the Indiana Jones sense of adventure, that it is the go-to aircraft for movies and media as well, ensuring relevance for the presence and introducing new generations to the aircraft. Last but not least, its historical relevance, of course, being tied to some of the most defining moments in modern history.

What does the current surviving population tell us about the aircraft's historical importance?

The DC-3 is simply everywhere. On every continent there are DC-3s flying still. 90 years after the types first flight, the DC-3 is still fulfilling the mission she was designed for, even expanding on that mission to include uses no one thought about in 1935. That she is still that relevant with the number of turbine converted DC-3s ever increasing shows how well the airframe was designed in the first place. 90 years of technological progress have still not driven the DC-3 out of

professional aviation. That alone shows us how monumental the type was to begin with and how far reaching the historical significance is!

Are there regions of the world where DC-3 preservation efforts are particularly strong?

Hands down the USA. No country on earth has so many flying DC-3s as the US does. Also Basler as the biggest company that converts the DC-3 into the 21st century is a US company. Their importance for keeping the DC-3 relevant cannot be overestimated.

What concerns do you have about the future preservation of surviving examples?

The main concern is uninformed bureaucratic decision making where knowledge is lacking of what can be destroyed by the stroke of a pen.

Do you have a favorite surviving DC-3? If so, what makes it special?

My favorite DC-3s are those that are still radial powered and work for a living, 90 years after the first flight. I just love that patina, there is something so beautiful and honest about bare aluminum that has seen nine decades of work. I have a special affection for those flown by Florida Air Cargo and Desert Air in Alaska, especially N15MA, N271SE and the quirky long nosed N272R. N3291 is also high up on my list, the former Breitling DC-3 that is the oldest aircraft to have circumnavigated the globe currently. She has her home at M.S.Ö. Air & Space Museum in Turkey now. That livery to me just represents an almost perfect balance. And of course Duggy, the yellow DC-3 with a smiley as nose art. Duggy just warms my heart!

Which aircraft would you most like to visit in person?

All of the above really. Unfortunately, I was not able to visit even one of those in person yet. It would mean a lot to me to get to photograph one of them in operation one day.

Is there a particular restoration project you follow closely?

There is one I will be following closely! The Danish DC-3 has recently secured funding to get her back into the air after some years of being grounded. That is wonderful news for the European DC-3 community and for me personally, since she would be one of the closest airworthy examples

What are your long-term goals for the project?

To really have the database at a point where it represents the state of world wide surviving DC-3s. It is never going to be perfect, things change, it is a LOT to keep track of and I will never be able to find all survivors. But I will be happy if I get to a

point where I can confidently say that it represents a realistic picture. Overall, however, I hope that my effort can help the preservation efforts in some way and that I can play a small role in keeping DC-3s alive.

Do you hope to publish the database or make it available to researchers and enthusiasts?

I am thinking about how to do that best. I want my research to be of use to others, at the same time, it is a difficult question how to do that in a way where I can maintain it, be respectful to the owners and have it serve its purpose. As the number of DC-3s that I have photographed grows, I can see a book project in there, maybe that would be a good way to use it.

How can members of the aviation community help contribute information?

If anyone wants to reach out or wants to contribute information, I can be reached over my Instagram page DC3.project. I spend my time on research and not on growing my social media, so the page is tiny. What would help most is information on airframes that are not visible publicly or on satellite. Also any help to facilitate photographing DC-3s in operation would be massively appreciated!

What would success look like for this project five or ten years from now?

Maybe in that time frame, I will have gotten to a point where I can shift from “just” adding those that I can find to actually looking into the fate of those that have vanished.

After documenting so many aircraft around the world, what have these surviving DC-3s taught you about aviation history and the people dedicated to preserving it?

After the first powered flight, there is no other aircraft more historically significant then the DC-3 and certainly no other type in general. The DC-3 is the blueprint for aviation as we know it today. She made air travel viable and brought cargo and passengers to places otherwise inaccessible. She was the economic backbone of entire regions and industries. And as a result, there are DC-3s everywhere on earth. The beauty of the DC-3 sparks something in people around the world, on every continent and almost every country. No matter the economic strength of a region, no matter how difficult life may be somewhere, you will find people willing to put in the effort to preserve those magnificent machines. They are not successful in all cases, but in many.