Artist rendition of the Spirit of Santa Monica DC-3 Monument Park
Aviator legend, Bob Hoover, guest at event, DC-3 as back drop
Guest get to fly in a DC-3. They take a short flight up the coast.
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, second man to step on the moon, autographs a poster for a guest at event.
The 40's Fly girls performed at the event backed by the Gregg Elliot Band. Right to left; Tiffany Rathbun, Dina Bennett and Diana Brown. The dc3 plane that will be in the new park is in the back ground.
To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the first flight of the Douglas Aircraft DC3 and groundbreaking for the Spirit of Santa Monica Park, the Museum of Flying, DC-3 restoration team hosted a ‘40’s theme holiday party on Saturday, December 17, 2005 at the Santa Monica Airport. Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed a large display of World War II equipment and planes as they enter the Barker Hangar for a look at the restored DC-3, "The Spirit of Santa Monica". Guest enjoyed a USO style holiday party with dancing and entertainment complete with the big band sound provided by the Gregg Elliott orchestra. The program included comments by actor Cliff Robertson and astronaut Buzz Aldrin.
The Spirit of Santa Monica DC-3 first took flight from Santa Monica in February of 1942. After a short life as a commercial airline, it served both the Army and Navy in World War II, once flying President Dwight Eisenhower. After the war, it returned to service as an airline and then in corporate service. It was gifted to the restoration team in 2003 and for more than two years, volunteers have invested more than 3000 weekend hours to rebuild, repair, scrape, prime and paint the Spirit to dress her up for her final flight where she can fly forever above a monument that celebrates the spirit of the DC-3 and Donald Douglas’ legacy to the aircraft industry.
Fabian Lewkowicz