> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# DC-3 70th anniversary flyover and monument groundbreaking at Santa Monica Airport
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/121405-story-20051214-2/
- Published: 2005-12-14T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T08:17:36.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Events, Santa Monica Airport, #archive-import

*By Daily Press staff*

On Dec. 17, 1935, aircraft designer and builder, Donald Douglas, watched as the first Douglas DC-3 transport took to the sky on its maiden flight from Clover Field, the Santa Monica site of the Douglas Aircraft Factory.

On Dec. 17, 2005, the National Aviation Hall of Fame will observe the 70th anniversary of the historic DC-3 milestone, and the 102nd anniversary of powered flight, as part of festivities taking place at the Santa Monica Airport.

One of the historic planes is Duggy, the DC-3 named for Donald Douglas. Duggy is the flying ambassador and classroom for “Project Skyreach,” the hall of fame’s youth education program.

Duggy and the Skyreach crew will lead a fly over of DC-3s and its military derivative, C-47s, over Santa Monica on Dec. 17 in tribute to Douglas and the thousands who helped design, build and fly the venerable transport.

The aerial anniversary armada will make a circuit over Santa Monica Airport to coincide with the 2 p.m. groundbreaking for DC-3 Monument Park, where the Spirit of Santa Monica, a restored DC-3, will eventually stand on a pedestal in tribute to the legacy of Douglas Aircraft. The Spirit of Santa Monica was donated to the airport by David Price, president of the Santa Monica Museum of Flying, and has undergone more than 3,000 hours of restoration by a team of volunteers.

Duggy and several other DC-3s from the larger group will then land to join the Spirit of Santa Monica at a USO-style Christmas party in celebration of the anniversary that begins at 3 p.m. at the Santa Monica Air Center/Barker Hangar. The party is co-presented by the Santa Monica Museum of Flying and the National Aviation Hall of Fame. The party will feature a swing band, food, beverages and period historical displays in addition to the Douglas DC-3s on static display for public tours. Admission is a suggested donation of $50 per person to the Museum of Flying that will benefit the DC-3 monument park construction.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 14, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/121405.pdf?ref=smdp.com)