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  • Writer's pictureMichael Ashley Gallery

DC-3 Aviation Fine Art Photography

Photographic art is the practice of creating artworks by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically using a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. The resulting images are called photographs.


Aviation photography is a broad, generic term that includes photographs taken while “up in the air” or from an airplane or helicopter already in the air. However it isn’t all about airplanes though, it might just be an aerial shot of birds flying or nature such as waterfalls. Aviation photography is one of the fastest-growing disciplines in photography today, and for good reason: There is nothing else like it. The passion of pilots, the beauty of aircraft, and the drama of flight make for some incredible images.





Douglas DC-3 plane The Douglas DC-3 was the most successful aircraft of its time for American Airlines, Northwest Airlines, and Pan Am. The DC-3 is credited with opening the way to suburbia for many Americans and was used to transport troops during World War II and the Korean War. This is a tribute to this wonderful aircraft. Douglas Dc-3 Plane was manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company and introduced by American Airline in 1930. It has a range of 2400 km with a cruise speed of 333km/h.

The DC-3 plane is also called “Sky Sleeper'' because it is a spacious plane with more than 14-bed for the passengers or troops. The DC-3 could carry more than 21 passengers and was a major contributor to the Allies' combat efforts. DC-3 is also the advanced version of the DC-2 plane.

Modernization of DC3 took place in the late ‘70s when full analog flight instruments were modernized to Garmin G1000 avionics and autopilot system, including weather radar. DC3 was chosen because of its versatility, fuel efficiency, airframe and crew comfort, safety, and low-cost operation. These conditions made the aircraft an ideal choice for airline operators requiring safe, comfortable, and most efficient transportation service to remote destinations on Earth.

This plane became the standard for commercial aviation through World War II and beyond. Its lasting impression on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made.





DC-3 Commercial Transport In 1933, the Douglas Aircraft Company developed a short-haul commercial transport aircraft. The DC-3 (Douglas Commercial 3) was transformed into a military transport in 1940, soon gaining fame as the C-47. It was used extensively during World War II. After the war, many DC-3s remained in service, and thousands were converted for commercial purposes including passenger services and cargo transport as well as for fire fighting duties.

Today, the Douglas DC-3 is a landmark aviation achievement. It introduced more innovations, firsts, and record breakers than any other airplane before or since. In 1935, William Boeing and Donald Douglas independently set out to build a commercial transport that could cross the country in half a day. They'd come to depend on each other's successes and failures in their respective ventures of civil aviation and had become acquainted with each other upon the frequent cross- country trips they made. In March of 1935, they combined efforts in an attempt to produce the most advanced airliner of its day, to be called the Boeing 247D & Douglas 235D. When ordering materials for the design, both companies realized that it would be beneficial for both aircraft if a common material could be used for all major parts and assemblies, such as wings. This resulted in The D-2 and D-3 series of aircraft, which were essentially the same airframe with different engines




DC-3: A Plane that changes the World It's hard to imagine or even picture a world without airplanes. That's right, a world without flying commercial aircraft is just too impossible to contemplate. In 1927 an aircraft came along which changed the aviation industry forever — and this plane was the Douglas DC-3. By 1935, the DC-3 had established itself as the worldwide leader of passenger-carrying aircraft.

DC-3 is one plane that changed the world, several times over its lifetime. It helped usher in the Golden Age of Aviation. It was responsible for a revolution in

air travel, and for thousands of innovations still used today. To this day, many people place the plane on a pedestal as arguably the most important aircraft ever built. While there were other revolutionary planes and jets before it, DC-3 was arguably the first plane that played an instrumental role in setting trends that are with us today.

"No single airplane has ever been so important or exerted such great influence"

The Douglas DC-3 was magic in the aviation industry. Known as the "C-47 Skytrain" or "Dakota," this plane is best known for its use in World War II and the Berlin Airlift. It revolutionized air travel and helped establish international travel, most notably when Charles Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic for the first time in 1927. The popularity of the DC-3 led to more efficient air travel, lower airfares, and a higher number of airports around the world.




DC-3 Plane Wreck in Sólheimasandu

In Sólheimasandur, there lies a plane wreck. It’s not too far from the black sand beach, and close to Dritvík (Dritvik). This is a plane DC-3-235M and it was said to bring tourists to Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands) but had an emergency

when it landed and crashed in the summer of 1973. The plane has since been lying there in this area, known as the Sólheimasandur plane wreckage.

On the beach of Sólheimasandur, you can find a wreck of a Douglas DC-3 airplane, built-in 1942. The story of this particular plane wreck is not a happy one, it has been marked with fatal accidents for a long time.

Many stories exist concerning an aircraft disaster caused by a pilot's inability to transition between fuel tanks, causing the plane to run out of gas and have to land. It was pushed down, according to some, due to ice on the wings. No one appears to know the whole truth. There’s also a contradiction between the crash date.

With increased interest in Iceland with the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in 2010 and countless reports of pop stars and movies being filmed, curiosity in the plain wreck has grown. Perhaps it's because of social media, photography, and the ease with which stories and photographs from locations like the accident scene can be distributed. Perhaps it's because of well-known artists like Sigur Rós, Sólstafir, Justin Bieber, Star Trek, and Bollywood films.


Compare and contrast: DC-3 VS C-47 We can see the difference in terms of modification, capacity, cargo, and range between both planes. Many pilots have debated which plane is superior: the Douglas DC-3 or its military counterpart, the C-47?. It's the classic debate for pilots: DC-3 vs C-47! The DC-3 has a lower maximum weight, higher ceiling and faster cruise speed compared to the C-47. But the C-47 has a shorter takeoff distance and can carry twice as much.

The DC-3 and C-47 are both cargo aircraft used during the Second World War. While the DC-3 was first built as a passenger plane, it has since been redesigned to carry heavier loads.

The Douglas company developed the C-47 for short field takeoffs and landings. However, this was not enough for the military who insisted that a plane of similar

size with greater payload would be required. The Douglas team responded with their DC-3, a plane that was lighter than the C-47

The DC-3 has been shown to be superior to the C-47 in terms of cargo capacity. The C-47 has a higher ceiling, but it can carry less cargo because of its larger size. Therefore, if one needs to transport a significant amount of load, the DC-3 is more appropriate. It is a common misconception that the DC-3 has a greater payload than the C-47. This conclusion was most likely reached because the DC-3 can handle more weight before its wheels are forced to leave the runway. It has been proven, however, that if one requires higher altitude capacity over carrying capacity, the C- 47 is superior. The Douglas DC-3 is a fixed-wing propeller-driven airliner. It was the first of many DC cargo transport families that served on both military and civil applications. Created at the request of American Airlines, a group led by Donald Douglas created the DC-3 in July 1934. The C-47 Skytrain was a military version of the DC-3. It served as an extremely versatile craft: light cargo transport, parachute drop platform, and glider tug. The C-47 entered service with the United States Army Air Forces in 1941 and became one of the most important transport aircraft of World War Two.

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