#c47

NGC 6934, C47 // Bill Clugston

C-47 Dakota: Canucks Unlimited

Basler BT-67 Desert Air

Registration: N115U Type: BT-67 Engines: 2 × PW PT6A-67R Serial Number: 33567 First flight: 1945

Desert Air Alaska, a small airline based at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, specializes in cargo and charter flights, delivering goods to the most remote northern regions. Their mission is simple: to support life in isolated communities where planes are often the only link to the outside world. They’re one of Alaska’s 135 small cargo airlines.

What makes Desert Air unique is its fleet. No shiny new jets here – just time-tested machines built for the harsh conditions of the “snowy state.” I wrote about this airline a couple of years ago, highlighting their DC-3, a plane over 80 years old that’s still flying commercial routes. Since then, their fleet has grown. True to form, Desert Air’s new additions are almost DC-3s – but not quite.

If the DC-3 is a classic, the Basler BT-67 is its modern remix. Built from the DC-3 airframe, the BT-67 is fully overhauled at Basler Turbo Conversions in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It’s powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67R turboprop engines, giving it impressive thrust and the ability to fly faster and farther than the original. The fuselage is lengthened, the wingspan extended, the airframe reinforced, and the avionics upgraded to modern standards. It’s still a DC-3 at heart but with a 21st-century edge. Desert Air uses the BT-67 for demanding tasks – hauling heavy cargo, operating in extreme weather, and even special missions like scientific research or polar deliveries.

Our poster features a true sky veteran. Its story began in June 1945, when it first took flight as a Douglas DC-3. Nearly half a century later, in 1991, it was reborn as a Basler BT-67 after a major overhaul, with a second “debut” flight in July that year. During its “second youth,” it served with the U.S. Forest Service. Last year, despite its advanced age, it proved its worth flying in Alaska’s challenging climate.