The ONLY DC-3 Float Plane In Existence — Belonging To Max Folsom, Of Greenville, Maine.

by Anura Guruge
on July 5, 2021


I am SORRY to inform you that ‘Max Folsom’ passed away on Tuesday, September 19, 2023.


Click images to ENLARGE.

Max Folsom, the owner & pilot, with his ‘only-one-left‘,
DC-3 Float Plane,
at ‘Greenville’ Airport, Maine (at ‘Moosehead Lake’)

— below & at very top.


Click to ENLARGE & read here. Here is the link to original: http://www.douglasdc3.com/float


I lucked out; lucked out BIG time (as often happens to I (which is only fair for one who hails from the ‘Isle of Serendipity‘)). Not only did I get to see this unique & amazing DC-3 at close-quarters, I also got to meet & get to know the even more amazing Max Folsom. This alone would have been enough to make my 5-day trip to ‘Moosehead Lake‘, in Maine, last week, special not counting some of our other adventures (& as I will tell you in a later post, I also got to see & photograph the actual ‘VW Bus’ from ‘The Field of Dreams’ movie). Yes, I lucked out.

I had been by Greenville, ME airport before, in 2019. But, I did NOT see this DC-3 that time around. The weather wasn’t as good & I never went into the airport per se on that trip.

This time around, last Tuesday, April 20, 2021, I spotted the DC-3 from across the airport. Saw it was a BIG plane for what is a small airport. It didn’t take me long to realize that it was a DC-3. I know my DC-3s. I did all of my initial flying, & I did a fair amount, from 1956 to 1967, on DC-3s. The entire ‘Air Ceylon‘ fleet consisted of DC-3s. It was the first plane that I flew in. I was three. I think I remember it, but I can’t be sure. I could have reconstructed the memory much later. I do remember, quite VIVIDLY, my father having to be WEIGHED before we could board the plane. My father, especially those days, was BIG. They had to adjust the freight they took on plus the trimming of the plane around my father. He thought it was funny. He was a VVIP in Ceylon so it was all mere bagatelle. “Yes, Dr. Guruge. No, Dr. Guruge. Three bags full, Dr. Guruge. Anything you say, Dr. Guruge“. Max Folsom would have liked my father.

I am determined to get to know Max Folsom better. I asked him what HIS relationship was to the prison of that name & he laughingly told me that I would have to find that out myself. I have already started.

The Folsoms, I learnt over the next 72-hours, are BIG, VERY BIG in & around Moosehead Lake — as they should be. Lots of business, including the real estate agency, that proudly bear that name.

Max told me that he thinks he last flew the DC-3 in 2020. But, I found this picture of his plane, on Wikipedia that claims it was taken in 2003.

Max is HOPING to be able to get it up in the air THIS SUMMER. If he does, I plan another trip to Greenville to see that. I will keep YOU posted.

Say ‘Hi’ to Max Folsom. It is folks like him that make this world so rich & rewarding.


This post was originally published on my old, now archived ‘nhlife.wordpress.com‘ blog.


2 thoughts on “The ONLY DC-3 Float Plane In Existence — Belonging To Max Folsom, Of Greenville, Maine.

  1. Dan

    Hello! Do you happen to have contact information for Mr. Folsom. I’m working a project on large float plans and would like his input. Thank you so much!

    Reply
    1. admin Post author

      Dan, I do NOT. He is a legend in Greenville & there are many businesses that carry his family name. I would, however, start with the Greenville, ME airport. He seems to live there. IF you have not had any luck after say a fortnight get back to me. I know a young man who lives in Greenville. He doesn’t know Max but does go by the airport often. He actually sent me two recent pictures of the DC-3. I need to post them. OK? Have a great day. Anura

      Reply

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