BASLER BT-67

The Basler BT-67 is a versatile and durable aircraft designed to land on short, remote runways. White Desert has operated this remarkable aircraft for more than 20 years in Antarctica, most notably on expeditions to the South Pole.

Each flight is supported by a dedicated team, including an experienced polar pilot, aircraft engineer, cabin crew, and trip host, ensuring the aircraft operates with the same precision and care that has defined its polar heritage. Inside, the cabin has been thoughtfully configured for comfort, with spacious seating, on-board entertainment, and a fully equipped guest restroom.

Step aboard an aircraft as iconic as it is rare and be transported to an era when people dressed for travel and flying itself was considered a glamorous affair.

History
Conversion
RecordS

History

Widely recognised as the classic Douglas C-47, this aircraft is a true time capsule of aviation history. Originally commissioned by the United States Air Force in 1942 and later transferred to the Royal Air Force in 1943, it became a crucial player in World War II, making it the oldest surviving ex-RAF Dakota transport. 

Throughout its storied life, this aircraft has sported numerous registrations, diverse liveries, and various names, including “Bones,” “City of Bradford,” and “Sir Sefton Brancker.” Notably, it played a vital role in transporting migrants fleeing war-torn Europe to new beginnings in Australia. After serving several British civilian air operators across the British Isles and Ireland, the plane made its way to North America in 1982.

In 2014, the Basler arrived at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA for conversion, re-emerging brand new by September 2018. Today, after decades of reinvention, it stands not only as a marvel of engineering and longevity but also a reminder that the finest things in life only get better with age.

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Conversion

The aircraft we are using is the iconic DC-3 from the 1940s. While the aircraft has all the retro style of its era, it has undergone a $10 million conversion in the USA. After an extraordinary transformation by Basler Turbo Conversions, the aircraft emerged as the Basler BT-67: timeless in spirit, but entirely modern in design.

Fitted with powerful Pratt & Whitney turboprop engines and an advanced suite of avionics, the BT-67 blends heritage with cutting-edge performance. Inside, you will find hand-stitched leather seats and a cabin spacious enough to feel like stepping back in time, yet every system beneath the surface is as modern as every aircraft flying today.

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Record

This aircraft isn’t just a workhorse in Antarctica and across the America’s — it’s a movie star. On the silver screen, it once moonlighted as Winston Churchill’s personal transport in The Eagle Has Landed (1976), showed up as FD789 in the cult classic The Dirty Dozen, and later took on a role in the sweeping 1986 mini-series War and Remembrance. It seems this aircraft has always had a flair for drama, both on screen and in the skies.

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