04/30/2010. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "This oldie was one of three DC-3-201C aircraft that were produced for Eastern Air Lines in 1940 (between May 1937 and May 1957 Eastern operated in all 76 DC-3s in some 26 variants). Fitted with two 1,200 hp Wright GR-1820-202A Cyclone nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engines, it was delivered to the airline as NC25646 (fleet number 353) on June 5, 1940. When the USA entered WW II eighteen months later, it was not pressed into military service, but it stayed with the airline.

On November 27, 1951, it was involved in a mid-air collision with a Civil Air Patrol Piper J-3C L-4J (s/n 45-5151 c/n 13891) while on approach to Ocala-Taylor Field, Florida. The DC-3 sustained minor damage, while the three crew and seventeen passengers remained unharmed. The left wing of the Piper was clipped and it crashed in a wooded area, killing the pilot.

In 1953 the aircraft was registered to Trans Texas Airways (TTA), the 'C' was dropped from the registration (N25646), and the aircraft was re-engined with Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp fourteen-cylinder air-cooled radials. In this configuration it became a DC-3A-201C and served with TTA for fifteen years, till October 1968.

Thereafter the aircraft had a number of subsequent owner/operators, including Central Iowa Airlines, Century Airlines, Air Indiana, McCollum Aviation, Astro Airways and New Mexico Flying Services, before it was registered to May Air Express Cargo, of New Boston, Texas in 2001.

After being damaged on May 9, 2004, it was sold to Rich's Flying Service, of Newport, Oregon, on March 7, 2006. In early 2007 it was flown to Sonoma County Airport, Santa Rosa, California, and reportedly it is still there."