| | The Land of Make Believe is an amusement park in Hope, NJ. Though I did go on the water rides, I only did so after doing the nerdy thing of finding out as much as I could about this aircraft relic I visited many years ago. Fortunately, there is a replica of the manufacturer's plaque, so I was able to trace the history of this particular airframe. This aircraft was built as an actual DC-3 (not a C-47) in June 1941, with manufacturer's serial number 4133. It flew for Pennsylvania Central Airlines until being drafted into the US Army Airforce as a VIP transport, designated a C-49H. After the war, it returned to PCA (modified as a DC-3-313D), with whom it flew until being absorbed into Capital Airlines in April 1948, named Capitalliner Morgantown. It was not part of the United takeover of the airline, having been sold to a private company in August 1959. It flew with them and Interstate Airmotive, on lease by Bay Airways. It was supposedly purchased by a Chris Stoltzfus or Tracy Donald of Coatesville, PA. It was withdrawn for use or cancelled 7/11/84. Sometime thereafter, the forward fuselage made its way to Land of Make Believe, where pilots young and young at heart can "fly" the plane. |
by Daniel L. Berek
by Daniel L. Berek