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The Tale of the DeHavilland DHC-3 Otter: An Aircraft Odyssey

An Icon of Excessive Proportions and Misadventures in Aviation History

  • Capacity: Just enough room to invite a dozen or so brave souls
  • Length: Impressively stretching 41 feet, 10 inches (because every inch counts)
  • Maximum Speed: A groundbreaking 160 mph—ideal for escaping nonexistent enemies
  • Cruise Speed: A leisurely 138 mph—allowing ample time for in-flight naps
  • Range: 960 miles (or just enough to get hopelessly lost)
  • Service Ceiling: 18,800 feet closer to the sanity-deducing heavens

Ah, the DeHavilland DHC-3 Otter, a colossal marvel of post-World War II engineering. Born from the brilliant minds at DeHavilland Canada, this “short takeoff and landing utility transport” had all the charm of an overzealous school bus. Arriving fashionably unannounced on March 12, 1956, it dutifully served the U.S. Army, hopping from one base to another, even gracing the nostalgic blimp hangars of Lakehurst, New Jersey.

In 1974, with ambitions higher than its service ceiling, the Otter pivoted to a new role with the U.S. Air Force, gallantly serving Goose Air Base in scenic Labrador, Canada. As the Air Force prematurely withdrew in May 1975—clearly missing out on prime Canadian wilderness tours—the Otter ended up in the whimsical arms of the Civil Air Patrol, fancying around as N5323G.

CAP enthusiastically put this aerial workhorse to the test at the Alaska Wing at Elmendorf Air Force Base. Whether zooming on wheels or skidding on skis, it valiantly dragged snowmobiles and ‘other assets’ through wilderness escapades known as search-and-rescue missions (often with a dash of misadventure).

By December 1986, an entrepreneurial cargo company in sunny Phoenix acquired N5323G, promptly followed by a river-rafting outfitter in Alaska in 1989. However, fate—or perhaps the Otter’s comedic timing—struck as its engine spectacularly surrendered to the cataclysms of aviation during its final journey from Arizona. The heroic pilots executed a watery escape near Prince Rupert, British Columbia, leaving our plucky Otter eternalized in the deep Grenville Channel.

Tribute to Maj. Ron Finger: The Artistic Pilgrim

Maj. Ron Finger, noble freelance illustrator and proud member of the Minnesota Wing’s Crow Wing Composite Squadron, continues to immortalize these airborne sagas. As an artist for the distinguished Air Force Art Program, he carries the weighty honor of documenting significant U.S. Air Force triumphs with creative flair.

Finger, dedicated to capturing CAP’s colorful aviation history on canvas, is on a noble quest to paint every aircraft that CAP has ever graced. The DHC-3 Otter is his 25th creation in an ongoing series that celebrates vintage CAP aircraft.*

For enthusiasts intrigued by antique aviation art, the extensive collection is awaiting eager eyes on redpine.net.

The Renowned “Silvered Wings” Chronicles

  1. Fleetwings Sea Bird F-401—Wings dipped in dreams, not practicalities
  2. Curtiss-Wright 15-D Sedan—A harmonious mix of sky, clouds, and nostalgia
  3. Rearwin Sportster 7000—Because everyone loves a good sport (plane)
  4. Cessna U-3B “Blue Canoe”—A canoe for the skies, but with wings
  5. Aeronca C-3 (1932)—A relic braving modern-day skies
  6. Rearwin Sportster 900-L—Sporty. Luxurious. Sitting on air
  7. Travel Air C-4000—Travel dreams, limited destinations
  8. Kinner “Sportster B”—A classic, suspended mid-air
  9. Boeing Model 40-A/B—Transport for the ambitious air pioneers
  10. Brunner-Winkle “Bird,” BK (1929)—Birds of a feather craft together
  11. Meyers OTW-125 “Out-To-Win”—Winning hearts, not races
  12. Cessna 0-1/L-19 Bird Dog—A hunter, yes, but of lost luggage
  13. Monocoupe 90A—Simplicity wrapped in a ribbon of air
  14. Silvered Wings: North American/Ryan L-17A Navion—A navigator’s delight
  15. Aeronca LB—LB: Lovingly Buoyant
  16. Helio U-10D/HT-295 Super Courier—Deliverer of dreams (and occasional packages)
  17. Aero Commander L-26/U-4B 55-4647—Command the sky, at cautious speeds
  18. Bellanca “Cruisair” 14-12-F3 (1941)—Cruisalong with care and flair
  19. Cessna 150D (1964)—A dot in history, a speck in the sky
  20. Boeing Model 100/P-12 (1929)—Timeless design, unending charm
  21. Bellanca ‘Junior’ 14-9 (1940)—A junior with a seniority complex
  22. Alexander Eaglerock A-15 (1931)—Adventurous rock and roll in the skies
  23. Cessna Mescalero T-41A (1965)—A fiesta for one in the atmosphere
  24. Fleet Model 7 (1929-1931)—Casting nets wider than an aviator’s dreams

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