Aircraft Information
Currently preserved: N136PB is one of, if not the highest time aircraft in the world with, as of 2007, over 91,0000 hours of flight operations. By 2010 she was with the Pearson Air Museum as N18121 and wore a highly polished Eastern Airways style livery with ‘The Great Silver Fleet’ titles. The scheme and titles have since been removed and replaced by US ‘stars and bars’. As such, she was one of several ‘Daks’ to return to Europe from the United States to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of D-Day and the 70th Anniversary of the Berlin Airlift.
Previous Operators
Eastern Airlines
US Air Force
Eastern Airlines
TTA – Trans Texas Airways
Aircraft Photos
PBA Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
N136PB at Provincetown, MA (PVC) in August 1978. Photo copyright © J. R. Qualey III.
PBA Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB Passenger stairs/door
Passenger stairs/door of N136PB in August, 1978. Photo copyright © J. R. Qualey III.
PBA Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB Interior
The interior of N136PB in August, 1978. Photo copyright © J. R. Qualey III.
Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
N136PB with Naples titles at Naples, FL (APF) c. 1980. From personal Collection.
Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
N136PB with Naples titles at Naples, FL (APF) c. 1980. From personal Collection.
Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
Naples Airlines (PBA) Douglas DC-3 on final-approach to Miami International (MIA/KMIA). From personal collection.
PBA Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
N136PB at Miami, FL (MIA/KMIA) in 1980. From personal collection, courtesy of The Peter Keating Collection © A Flying History Ltd.
PBA Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
N136PB at Miami, FL (MIA/KMIA) in 1980. From personal collection, courtesy of The Peter Keating Collection © A Flying History Ltd.
PBA Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
N136PB at Miami, FL (MIA/KMIA) in 1980. From personal collection, courtesy of The Peter Keating Collection © A Flying History Ltd.
PBA Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
PBA DC-3 N136PB at Miami International (MIA/KMIA) on March 1st, 1981. Photo copyright © パール大山さん (Pearl Oyama)
PBA Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
PBA DC-3 N136PB at Miami International (MIA/KMIA) on March 1st, 1981. Photo copyright © パール大山さん (Pearl Oyama)
PBA Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
PBA DC-3 N136PB at Miami International (MIA/KMIA) on March 2nd, 1981. Photo copyright © パール大山さん (Pearl Oyama)
PBA Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
PBA Douglas DC-3 N136PB Up Close in June 1981. Scanned from personal collection.
PBA Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
N136PB parked on the ramp at Miami International (MIA/KMIA) in the early 1980s. Photo scanned from personal collection.
Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
N136PB parked at Naples, FL (APF/KAPF) in 1982. From personal collection.
PBA Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
PBA Douglas DC-3 N136PB on the ramp in Miami, FL (MIA/KMIA) in the early 1980s. Scanned from personal collection.
PBA Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
PBA Douglas DC-3 N136PB on the ramp at Miami International (MIA/KMIA) in May, 1982. Photo copyright © Ellis M. Chernoff
Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
N136PB @ Naples, FL (APF) c. 1984. From personal Collection.
Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
N136PB @ c.1984. From personal Collection.
PBA Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
N136PB on the ramp in Hyannis, MA (HYA/KHYA) in the mid 1980s. Scanned from personal collection.
Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
N136PB @ Boston, MA (BOS) c.1984. From personal Collection.
Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
PBA DC-3 landing on the Southern Runway at Miami, FL (MIA) in the early to mid 1980s. Photo copyright © .
PBA Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
PBA Douglas DC-3 N136PB on the ground in Naples, FL (APF/KAPF) in February, 1983. Photograph copyright © Reinhard Zinabold
Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
Awaiting passengers at Miami, FL (MIA) in the 1985. From personal collection.
Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
Interior of N136PB at Key West, FL (EYW) in November of 1985. Photo copyright © Stephen J. Mason.
Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
Exterior of N136PB at Key West, FL (EYW) in November of 1985. Photo copyright © Stephen J. Mason.
Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
Exterior of N136PB at Key West, FL (EYW) in November of 1985. Photo copyright © Stephen J. Mason.
Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
This is N136PB, which was for a while the airliner with the most hours of any commercial airliner at the time. Photo taken on August 5th, 1987. Photo copyright © ahlynk
PBA Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
PBA DC-3 N136PB taxiing for departure from Boston, MA (BOS/KBOS) on 29JUN88. Photograph copyright © Frank Schaefer
Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
N136PB in full Eastern Express colors at Naples, FL (APF) c. 1988 From personal Collection
Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
Eastern Express (PBA) Douglas DC-3 “Old 36” departing Nantucket, MA (ACK/KACK) on it’s next flight to Boston. From personal collection.
Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N136PB
Taxiing at Miami, FL (MIA) on 01NOV87 in full Eastern Express colors. Photo copyright © Ken Meegan.
Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N18121 née N136PB
Former PBA DC-3 N136PB “Old 36” is currently owned by Pete Nickerson and operated by Aerometal International, LLC in Aurora, Oregon, Seen here in 2011 wearing original 1950s Eastern Airlines colors. Photo copyright © Ian Abbott.
Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) N18121 née N136PB
Former PBA DC-3 N136PB “Old 36” is currently owned by Pete Nickerson and operated by Aerometal International, LLC in Aurora, Oregon, Seen here on November 29th, 2011 wearing original 1950s Eastern Airlines colors. Photo copyright © Russell Hill.
Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) 256630 (N18121) née N136PB
Former PBA DC-3 N136PB now operating out of Oregon in former USAAF markings. Operator: Blue Skies Air, LLC. Location: Caen – Carpiquet Airport (CFR / LFRK) Event: Daks Over Normandy Photograph copyright © Alan Wilson.
Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) 256630 (N18121) née N136PB
Former PBA DC-3 N136PB now operating out of Oregon in former USAAF markings. Operator: Blue Skies Air, LLC. Location: Caen – Carpiquet Airport (CFR / LFRK) Event: Daks Over Normandy Date: 05 June 2019 Photograph copyright © Keith Burton.
Douglas C-49G-DO (DC-3) 256630 (N18121) née N136PB
Former PBA DC-3 N136PB now operating out of Oregon in former USAAF markings. Operator: Blue Skies Air, LLC. Location: Caen – Carpiquet Airport (CFR / LFRK) Event: Daks Over Normandy Photograph copyright © PZ-AviationPhotography.
I worked on this aircraft in 1985 & pulled the wings off during a wing bolt inspection at an MRO in Miami called General Air Services. . . . . brings back some memories as I just saw the aircraft on Youtube at the museum . . . .
What a flashback to find this website.
I was digging through some old boxes of stuff this week and I found the flier they handed out when you boarded this plane. It was around 1983. I flew on it from Naples to Tampa.
I remember siting and looking out at the left wing. There was an inspection panel on the wing that had 12 screws to hold it on. 2 were missing. By the time we landed in Tampa. 7 were missing. Yes I told the pilot.
What an incredible piece of history.
I WORKED AS AN A&P MECHANIC FOR PBA BACK IN 1984 AT BARNSTABLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. IT WAS MY FIRST AVIATION JOB,I STARTED OUT WASHING AIRPLANES,THEN TO THE TIRE AND BRAKE SHOP, EXPANDER TUBE BRAKES, I DID WORK ON A/C N136PB,BRINGS BACK GREAT MEMORYS,I CURRENTLY WORK FOR UNITED AIRLINES.