Robert Heinlein was rather fond of the old bird. Quoting "Glory Road": "I feel the way about a Springfield that I do about a Gooney Bird; some pieces of machin

Robert Heinlein was rather fond of the old bird. Quoting "Glory Road": "I feel the way about a Springfield that I do about a Gooney Bird; some pieces of machinery are ultimate perfection of their sort, the only possible improvement is a radical change in design." "I knew it would fly; it was a Gooney Bird, a C-47, mostly patches and God knows how many millions of miles. It would get to Singapore on one engine if asked. I knew my luck was in as soon as I saw that grand old collection of masking tape and glue sitting on the field."