03/31/2011. Remarks by Jack McKillop: "This aircraft was originally a Douglas Model DC-3A-456 ordered by the USAAF as a C-47A-60-DL Skytrain, s/n 42-24346, c/n 10207 and delivered to the USN on September 8, 1943 as an R4D-5, BuNo. 39081. It initially was issued to USMC transport units but by 1946 was back in the USN.

After WW II ended, Douglas attempted to build a successor to the DC-3/C-47/R4D. Two prototypes were built at company expense with the first one making its first flight in June 1949. Unfortunately, the only airline to purchase the Super DC-3 (DC-3S) was the US airline Capital Airlines. One prototype went to the USAF for testing but they rejected it and it was transferred to the USN who liked the aircraft and the Navy awarded Douglas a contract to modify 100 R4D-5s, R4D-6s and R4D-7s to a new configuration designated R4D-8.

This version had modified wings of increased sweepback, redesigned tail surfaces, two 1,535 hp Wright R-1820-80 Cyclone 9 nine-cylinder, single-row, air-cooled radial engines in enlarged nacelles and a fully retractable main landing gear. The 100 R4D-8s were given new c/n's but retained the original BuNo

The pictured aircraft was redesignated R4D-8 c/n 43354 and delivered on September 11, 1952. Redesignated C-117D in 1962, it served in Navy and Marine units until transferred to the Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center at Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, Arizona on August 3, 1977.

Sold to an aircraft broker on January 19, 1983 and registered N2017X, it was resold to Western International Aviation of Tucson in January 1984; the registration was cancelled in April 1984. The DC-3S then went to Canada when bought by the charter airline Millardair of Toronto, Ontario in October 1984, registered C-GGKG and operated until it was withdrawn from use on May 31, 1990.

Kenn Borek Air of Dawson Creek, British Columbia acquired it on September 26, 1994 and used it on Arctic charter flights. During this period, it was leased to Antarctic Airways of Vancouver, British Columbia in 2001 and Aklak Air of Inuvik, Northwest Territories in 2005. On May 30, 2007, it was sold to the US charter airline Transnorthern Aviation of Anchorage, Alaska and registered N28TN and is still active as of this date."