FLIGHTS TAKE PASSENGERS BACK TO 1940S.

Byline: Richard P. Carpenter Boston Globe

Off we go, into the wild blue yonder, flying high into the ... past?

Yes, the past - the late 1940s, in fact, a time when American optimism was boundless and expectations were great. Our time machine is a nicely refurbished DC-3, the legendary ``Grand Old Lady of the Skies'' that dramatically advanced transportation with its comfort, reliability and safety. Today's excursion will be a 1-1/4-hour flight to and from Anchorage via Prince William Sound, where some of the world's most ruggedly beautiful scenery awaits.

With Glenn Miller's ``In the Mood'' playing over the plane's loudspeakers, we passengers are in the mood for nostalgia as we enter the shiny, silver-and-red Spirit of the North, operated by Era Classic Airlines.

We take our seats - there are 28 of them, and they are cloth-covered - and note that instead of having a pull-shade, each window is framed by tiny curtains. At the same time, we are greeted by our air hostesses, who are dressed very much in the style of the 1940s: blue uniforms with caps, white gloves, pearls and nylon stockings complete with seams. They introduce themselves as Cheryl Erickson and Lanara Watson.

The big-band music fades as Cheryl tells us to fasten our seat belts and notes that ``this plane will be flying 4,000 to 6,000 feet high at speeds of 150 miles an hour. But we want you to know that the human body is perfectly capable of functioning under these conditions.'' We are also reminded to ``refrain from smoking those Luckies, Camels and Pall Malls - and those stogies, also.'' Other than that, we are urged to ``sit back, relax and enjoy your sentimental journey.''

The propellers whir, the engines roar and we are in the air. The pilot and co-pilot take us to our cruising altitude, and hostess Cheryl returns to brief us on the news of the day - a day in June 1948, that is.

``Congress has passed a resolution allowing 20,000 women to enlist in the military,'' she tells us. ``Elsewhere, auto companies, including Chrysler and Nash, have raised workers' wages by up to 14 cents an hour more. That is expected to increase the cost of cars by about $60. In local news, Nome is experiencing a severe shortage of women residents. The male-to-female ratio is 500 to 1!''

Snack time. Along with pastries, Lanara and Cheryl offer champagne, mimosas, coffee, tea or Coke. I choose a Coke and am delighted to find it served in a curved green glass bottle.

Only one thing distracts us from all that is going on in the plane, and that is the scenery outside. We fly over massive fields of ice, snow-streaked mountains, cobalt-colored fjords, spruce forests and the captivating coastline of Prince William Sound.

Our captain, Christopher Urstadt, tells us that the Spirit of the North, the plane we are flying in, was delivered to the Air Force in January 1944, serving as a troop carrier and most likely playing a part in the D-Day invasion. The plane continued on active duty until the mid 1950s, then became a corporate aircraft. It was overhauled and thoroughly refurbished in 1989. Era Classic Airlines also operates a sister DC-3, the Spirit of Alaska. The nostalgia trips are in their second year.

Our flight is nearing an end, but there is time for our hostesses to pass out magazines - issues of Life from the late 1940s. As we prepare to land, the hostesses pass out Wrigley's Spearmint Chewing Gum. The plane touches down and we return to the present. For some reason, though, I have a strong urge to head to the nearest music store and pick up a Glenn Miller album.

On Location

The Spirit of the North and the Spirit of Alaska make two principal excursions - ``Scenic Prince William Sound,'' with 1-1/4 hours in the air, at $130 a person; and ``Dramatic Mount McKinley,'' with two hours in the air, at $185 a person. In addition, the airplanes can be chartered for special occasions such as weddings, family reunions and anniversaries. Cost per hour is $1,850, with seating for 28.

Information: Era Classic Airlines, [phone].

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Box: On Location (see text)