DC-7 Sully and Skiles

[DesertFox4]

Got this video link from a dear friend who was a "stew" for United and her husband, a Captain, back in the days when air travel was luxurious and still an adventure. About 2 months ago my brother and myself had the good fortune to sit at this friends kitchen table and spend an afternoon with seven of these beautiful retired flight attendants and listen first hand to some incredible stories of airline life in the 60's , 70's and into the 80's. There's got to be at least a book if not a movie just in this group of flight attendants stories. Kind of a part of aviation history that slides under the radar so to speak.

Here is her message sent along with the link-
" Steve. Thought you might enjoy this video....Aviation in the good old days. I flew many hours in the DC7s & DC6s when I first started flying .....So did my husband,,,,,,Brought back a lot of fond memories and a few scary ones as well. Flying sure has changed since then."


Hope you enjoy-


Copy attached with video:
The last of the DC7-Cs were rolling off the Santa Monica assembly line in June, 1959. It was an extended range intercontinental version. Great aircraft!!! Douglas was king. The airlines actually gave you service & space back then!!!

This clip on the DC-7 will have you grinning from ear to ear! PUT IT ON FULL SCREEN!




DC-7 video by EAA

[RobS]

Great video - thanks for sharing!!

[Dave S]

Wow guys!

I know this is not a kitfox, but it is pretty darn close to home; and thanks for posting. (At least it has some fabric on it) Brings back some memories and pride in folks bringing a bird back into use.

Back in the 1990's - I worked within a mile of St Paul's Downtown Airport on the river flats. One of my working companions and I spent many noon breaks at the field including many walks under the wings of this plane when it was stored at St Paul and owned by Joe Kocour who lives near my neighborhood. For the record - it didn't look anything like it does now! 32 years on the ramp in the weather will do that.

My buddy and I considered the deteriorating fabric on it's control surfaces and what it would take to make the rudder OK again. You wouldn't believe the amount of oil drool that the giant radials produced even in storage.

I never had a chance to ride a DC7; but did ride a DC6 B from Duluth MN to Helsinki Finland; and recall the pilots, somewhat bored with the 22 hour trip and two fuel stops, allowed all of the passengers a chance to come to the cockpit one at a time and check out the front office - very much pre 9/11, you see. The DC6 had the same continuous cyclical rumble through the fuselage as the 7 - but it is a whole lot quieter in the cockpit.

Here is another website with some additional info on this remarkable restoration and the planes history.

http://www.nycaviation.com/2010/08/a...n-dc-7b-story/

Dave S
St Paul, MN