Wow, talk about a small world. I've been lurking this board for about a year now, keeping mostly quiet, but this thread hits so close to home. I was on the same DC-3 that lost the engine on takeoff. I was with one of, as I recall, two of the 10 man teams from Palatka that year. I remember Harold's Lodestar, Kivi, Niki, and a bunch of other folks from that era as well. Lot's of good times.
I remember while turning downwind in the DC-3, one of my teamates (I think Gary Jenkins) looked out the window and said "I've always wanted to see what a feathered engine looks like, and now I hope I never do again".
Good to see some of you are still alive, kicking, and hopefully doing well.
Bob