Mid America Airlines Douglas DC-3

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The Douglas DC-3 is a propeller-driven airliner manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company, which revolutionized the airline industry in the 1930s to 1940s and more importantly World War II. It was developed as a larger and improved 14-bed sleeper version of the Douglas DC-2. The DC-3 is a low-wing metal monoplane with conventional landing gear and was powered by two radial piston Wright R-1820 Cyclone engines. Later civilian DC-3s used the Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp engines. The DC-3 has a cruising speed of just over 200 mph and a capacity of 21 to 32 passengers or 6,000 pounds of cargo, along with a range of 1,500 miles. The total production of DC-3’s, including all military variants, ended after 16,079 aircraft were made. As of 2023 it is estimated that about 150 DC-3’s are still flying around the world.

The Albuquerque Dukes were a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Dukes returned to Albuquerque in 1960 and began playing as an affiliate for the Kansas City Athletics
In 1962 the Kansas City management decided to move the team to the Double-A Texas League, but dropped the team at the end of the season. This gave the Los Angeles Dodgers an opportunity to begin what would end becoming a 47-year relationship with the club in 1963, and changed the name to the Albuquerque Dodgers in 1965. In 1969, the team moved from Tingley Field to the Albuquerque Sports Stadium, a fully modern facility on the south edge of town, near the University of New Mexico South Campus area.

In 1972, the Dukes name was revived and the team moved up to the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. The Dodgers transferred the Spokane Indians to Albuquerque after the 1971 season. With future Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda at the helm, the Dukes amassed a 92–58 record and won the PCL championship, the first of eight for the franchise which lasted until 2000. When the Dukes left Albuquerque in 2000, there was no replacement team waiting. Finally, in 2003, the Calgary Cannons were moved to Albuquerque as the Albuquerque Isotopes, as the Triple-A affiliate of the Florida Marlins. In 2009, the Isotopes then became an affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers which reunited Albuquerque’s relationship with the Dodgers. This lasted until 2014 and by the 2015 season the Isotopes were made the Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies.

Mid America Airlines had won the bid to fly the Albuquerque Dukes Double-A baseball team to their out of town games during the 1968 season. The Dukes were a farm team for the Los Angeles Dodgers during that season. Mid America Airlines used a Douglas DC-3, N42V, to transport the team.

A Mid America Airlines DC-3 parked at the old Albuquerque Municipal Airport terminal.

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