Airport - City of Santa Monica

Restoring an Aviation Icon at SMO

BACKGROUND

The Museum of Flying donated a 1942 Douglas DC-3 aircraft at no cost to the City of Santa Monica to be erected as a monument. The donation also included $50,000 in seed money to set up a special DC-3 Monument Fund established by the Museum of Flying specifically for the project. The DC-3 had been part of the Museum’s collection – the new museum location will not be large enough to accommodate the aircraft. The City of Santa Monica accepted full ownership of the DC-3 on October 5, 2004.

The aircraft will be mounted at the southwest corner of Airport Avenue and Donald Douglas Loop South approximately ten feet off the ground and facing the intersection in a northeasterly direction (across the street from the new Airport Park). There will be a corresponding kiosk constructed at the base of the monument to detail the history of the aircraft, the Douglas Aircraft Company and its impact on the City of Santa Monica, the Airport and history of aviation. Additionally, a monument dedication plaque will be installed memorializing those individuals, companies and organizations who participated in the project.

To view more images of our DC-3's Restoration Process goto www.digitallightphotography.com

CURRENT STATUS

The DC-3 is in the final stages of the exterior restoration process (pictured left primer green, final painting will be white.) The volunteer restoration & oversight committee has made substantial progress in preparing the aircraft for display. The following is a bullet point summary of the work performed to date:

Students from the West Los Angeles College (WLAC), volunteered to remove all control surfaces of the DC-3, replace the fabric of those surfaces with aluminum donated by the Boeing Aircraft Company, and prime the control surfaces. Such work is being performed as part of their aircraft mechanics school class work.

That work has been completed and the control surfaces will be returned by WLAC for installation during November 2004.

Students from the Westwood College, along with airport staff and local pilots, have been working on removing existing paint, applying Anodyne, priming the aircraft, and painting. Paint removal and Anodyning is complete, and the priming should be finished by the end of November 2004. Painting is scheduled to be performed in the Barker Hanger beginning December 20, 2004. The Santa Monica Air Center has graciously donated the use of Its hanger and facilities. It will take approximately 3-4 weeks for painting, and the paint scheme will be commensurate with the period that the aircraft was built.

FEDEX has donated the paint, supplies and paint preparation equipment and will supervise the painting of the aircraft.

The City’s Engineering Division is coordinating the preliminary site work and the development of plans and specifications for the aircraft mounting system.

A crane company has been located to move the aircraft from its existing location onto the new mounting system.

The three column mounting system that will support the aircraft is currently in the design/engineering phase.

The aircraft has been rewired so that the navigation lights, landing lights and rotating beacon will function at night. The lights will operate in such a way so as not to cause a distraction to the neighbors or passing vehicles.

The site plan, informational kiosk, architectural and landscape improvements are currently in the preliminary design phase.

The entire project is being photographically documented by volunteers.

Administration has applied to the FAA for a change of the tail-number for the DC-3. New tail-number will be N42SM. That number has been reserved by the FAA for our use.

The DC-3 has been dubbed "-the Spirit of Santa Monica"

The DC-3 monument will provide a historical landmark for the Airport and will provide visitors to the Airport and Airport Park an opportunity to learn about the significant role the aircraft played in the history of aviation. Donations for the restoration project are tax deductible and will be accepted through the DC-3 Monument Fund. The project is expected to be completed during the spring of 2005. Staff will continue to keep the Airport Commission informed as to the progress of the project.