Good morning Jim...
Believe the VORs came on line in the 1950s with many changes to the VOR and Navigation System in the 60s.
GPS was like Star Wars...
Most of my Navigation and Aviating was using ADF as there were no VOR Units set up where we were...Maps and an Dual ADF (if you were lucky) were the Nav Tools of the Trade.
Been close to half a century since I aviated a Douglas DC-3 (Dakota, C47) or Consolidated Canso (PBY-5A, Catalina) which we used to replace the DC-3 when the ice melted on the lakes as there were no (few) hard surface runways above the Dew Line.
Have to give the Military credit as they did help open the North and Map it during the early days...lots of Bush Pilots came from the Royal Flying Corps of the First World War and started Flying Services with one old surplus aeroplane, we continued with a scheduled service daily...money was not great but lots of hours.
Of course in those days you could walk into a Bar and be the only Pilot...today even the Waiter is a Pilot...
Simviation is awesome at bringing back memories of aviating to many of us Old Retired Rocking Chair Flying Geezers and having been a Member for some years now at Simviation it is wonderful to see Posts of Aircraft like the C117...wow...to have a cockpit like that in the late 50s would have been like being in 2nd Heaven...
You inspired me to download and install the C117 Jim right from our own Simviation Site...funny I don't ever remember seeing this one before...probably not the first one I have missed...
Now to the Cowl Flaps...no I have not found a control, switch or button to operate them...can only do that from the keyboard (joystick or yoke)...too bad...
The Cowl Flaps (Port and Starboard) on the Awesome 4Some and Default Douglas DC3 are on the Starboard Side to the right of the co-pilot much like the real aircraft.
Now if only I could get this C117 with Wheel/Skis...
Keep up the great shots Jim...much appreciated...