C-47 Gooney BirdDouglas C 47 mahogany wood airplane model. The C 47 or "Gooney Bird", adapted from the DC 3 commercial airliner, is a legendary aircraft that has been widely used and loved for decades. Its initial use in 1940 was for AAF purposes, resulting in 9,348 planes procured by the end of WW II. From carrying people and cargo to towing gliders and dropping troops into enemy territory, the C 47 proved its worth in combat. Even after the war, the plane continued