"Betsy" started life as Aircraft no. 4423, a C-47-DL, contract AC15847, fuselage number 224, with the USAAC serial no. 41-18385, tail no. 118385, was ordered in 1941; this numerate lady rolled out of the Douglas plant on 4th June, 1942. 

In his book "Betsy, The Story of a DC-3", Martin Wiling states that extensive research has failed to reveal details of her wartime activities; suffice to say, she survived and so started out on a long and colourful career. Entrepreneur Roy Farrell bought her in October, 1945, at Bush Field, Georgia, USA.