Douglas DC-3 Flies Again After 13-Year Hiatus

The Air North C-47A conversion Yukon Sourdough returned to service in its first step toward the airshow circuit.

Julie Boatman

Tuesday, July 12, 2022 at 05:08 PM ET

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Yukon Sourdough—a 1942 Douglas C-47A converted to a DC-3C. [Photo: Stephen Yeates]

Key Takeaways:

A historic 1942 Douglas C-47A (DC-3C) named Yukon Sourdough successfully completed its return to service flight after being grounded for 13 years.
Piloted by Jim Sells and Mike Macario, the 40-minute test flight at Hagerstown Regional Airport went smoothly, with only minor adjustments like an intermittent intercom needed.
Currently stewarded by Kent Casady, Malcolm Van Kirk, and Derek White, the aircraft is slated to join the D-Day Squadron for airshow appearances after further pilot training and checks.

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With a bit of a crosswind at play, pilot Jim Sells and co-pilot Mike Macario climbed aboard Yukon Sourdough—a 1942 Douglas C-47A converted to a DC-3C. What lay ahead? The return to service flight of the airplane painted with a bold yellow-and-green livery—the colors of Air North in Canada—at the Hagerstown Regional Airport (KHGR) in Maryland.

The Douglas Gooney Bird hadn’t flown since 2009.