Photographer: Not known. K25 slide scan. Built 1944 as C-54B 42-72361 for USAAF. Converted to DC-4 #25 1946 and delivered to Pan American 1946 as N88909. Sold to Charlotte Aircraft 1962, Trust Territory 1966, Midwest Aviation 1968. Kodiak Western Alaska 1971, Panavia Cargo 1976. Undershot on landing North Caicos 18 April 1978 and damaged beyond repair. Still sports basic Pan American cheatline and characteristic anti glare panel.

from my collection, photographer unknown, DC-3 wearing already Transair c/s with Midwest titles

This was the first 748 on the Canadian register having been bought from Channel Airways (G-ATEJ) and delivered in December 1967. In the 1980s, when the used prices came down, Canadian operators went for them in a big way as they were ideal for northern service, being ruggedly built and certified for gravel runways. Nothing could touch them until the ATR became affordable, so operators flew them unpressurized to compensate for locally designed large freight doors and to stretch out the airframe fatigue life. The thing that finally did them in was the Dart engines.

One of a fleet of flying boats operated by Midwest Aviation and here in the yellow/brown/grey livery after amalgamation with Transair. It crashed into terrain in a remote region of Vancouver Island on 9 September 1974 while with West Coast Air Services.

Here it has recently been repainted with yellow top and brown stripe after Midwest merged with Transair. See Photo ID: 196126 for original livery.

Originally Imported by Carl Millard (Millardair) in 1966 after seeing executive service with Texaco and Champion Spark Plugs. In 1974 it went back south and became N47FJ. Photos on the internet of this aircraft show it as a basket case at Rolla, Missouri despite having registration renewed in 2019.