Delta Douglas DC-3 Ship 41
Restoration
Only Delta passenger Douglas DC-3 in existence. Carefully restored by team of volunteers and Delta employees from 1995 to October 1999, to combine 1940 vintage style with modern avionics. No other DC-3 in the world restored with such attention to detail. See Restoration Photo Album.
Delta Service
Ship 41 was one of five brand-new DC-3 aircraft ordered by Delta from Douglas Aircraft Co. According to Douglas records:
- Ship 40, N28340, was delivered on November 29, 1940.
- Ship 41, N28341, was delivered on January 4, 1941.
- Ship 42, N28342, was delivered on January 6, 1941
- Ship 43, N28343, was delivered on January 4, 1941
- Ship 44, N28344, was delivered on January 12, 1941
According to Delta Air Corporation Daily Flight Logs for Route A.M. 24, the first-delivered DC-3, Ship 40, named “City of Atlanta,” was the first DC-3 to go into scheduled service with Delta on December 24, 1940, from Atlanta, Georgia, to Birmingham, Alabama. Ship 41 went into service on January 19, 1941, flying from Atlanta to Ft. Worth, Texas.
Delta gave Ship 41 a major update in early 1950s: added an airstair door, moved the galley forward of the passenger door, moved the lavatory to the forward bag bin area, and increased seat capacity from 21 to 25 passengers. A new “white top” exterior paint scheme included Delta’s Flying D logo.
North Central Service
Ship 41 also flew for another airline in Delta’s family tree—North Central.
Ship 41 retired from Delta service in April 1958, and was purchased by North Central Airlines, later part of Northwest Airlines. After leaving North Central, Ship 41 flew for many owners in continuous service over the next 35 years.
Recovery
In 1990, a group of retirees led an effort to locate one of Delta's first five DC-3s. They were looking for an iconic plane to be part of a future Delta museum that would also showcase the Travel Air and artifacts from the Delta Archives.
They discovered Ship 41 in Puerto Rico, registered as N29PR and flying cargo for Air Puerto Rico. Delta acquired the plane in June 1993, and flew it back to company headquarters in Atlanta for restoration by volunteers and Delta employees.
Restored Ship 41 took its official inaugural flight on November 17, 1999. Cutting the ribbon for the flight was Birdie Bomar, who had flown Ship 41’s first inaugural flight in 1940, and was an honorary flight attendant on its last scheduled Delta flight in 1958.
Donations
Generous donations to the restoration project included:
- Zero-hour engines and accessories from JRS Enterprises in Minnesota
- Landing gear and hydraulic valves from Basler of Oshkosh, Wisconsin
- Radios from Collins
Awards
Flew to EAA's AirVenture in 2000, and won Judges' Choice “Lindy” Award for outstanding restoration. In 2001, first aircraft to earn a National Trust for Historic Preservation award.
More Information
Fox 5 News: Virtual 360-degree 3D interior and exterior tour of Ship 41 in 2015
Flickr: Photos of Ship 41's restoration from airliner to museum showpiece
Air & Space Magazine: Article celebrating Ship 41, "Delta Queen: The world's most extensive restoration of a DC-3," May 2000
DC-3 Delta Ship 41 Fan Page: Stories, photos and owner history of Ship 41
YouTube: Video of Ship 41 in Los Angeles, during its Western Tour in 2000
YouTube: Video of Ship 41 take off in 2001