Douglas DC-3 is 75 Years Old

The DC-3 started serving as an airliner in 1935. It completely changed the airline industry.

By:      Norm Goyer

The aviation press has given a lot of ink to the life and times of the DC-3 and its 75th Birthday. AirVenture 2010 is also honoring the historic aircraft with a mass fly in of about 50 of the still operational DC-3s and C-47s. They are arriving this week from all over the North American continent. But, as usual, the Oshkosh, Wisconsin, area presents a challenge with recent downpours leaving Wittman Airport and the EAA grounds a quagmire. The problem is the lack of hard top tie down areas in sufficient numbers for the huge influx of aircraft for the largest air show in the world. Campgrounds are soggy and heavy motor homes would become instantly stuck. Most visiting aircraft are normally parked on the well manicured grass areas of the airport. As of Sunday July 25 these areas are shut down and aircraft are being vectored to other local airports such as Fond du Lac where these is additional paved parking. Hopefully as you read this, the field will have dried out enough so that “Showtime” is in full swing.

The DC-3 was purchased by almost all of the world's airlines, it was very popular with companies and passengers.

I have good and bad memories of the Douglas DC-3.  I always like to start with the sad memories and progress to the good times Tina and I were godparents to a Michael Buckley, twin brother of Jack Buckley. Their mom and dad were two of our closest friends. Both Michael and Jack were members of the Army Golden Knights Parachute Team, Jack left the Army to start his own family, Mike remained due to his love of the Golden Knights. One day the team was headed to an air show in their DC-3. The aircraft encountered turbulence, the wing snapped off, folded up, covering the exit door. All aboard were killed, all had parachutes, but could not get out of the aircraft.

The DC-3 was also quite capable of handling short runways and less-than-perfect airport locations. Drug smugglers love the DC-3.

I had sold several warbirds to a collector in Key West, Florida, and he had invited Tina and I to visit with him. We had picked up a new Piper Warrior at Vero Beach and instead of heading home to California, we headed to Key West, Florida. Our friend owned a famous DC-3, famous in that it was once owned by the President of Mexico, and was his personal aircraft for state business. It was luxurious, to say the least.  I flew right seat and our friend’s personal pilot flew left. His wife and Tina lounged in rear compartment. The pilot headed out over the Gulf of Mexico to the Dry Tortugas, a group of small islands that had once been a prison and an outpost protecting the USA from invasion. It was a beautiful calm day and the Douglas was behaving flawlessly. My impression was it flew like a large twin-engine Cub. Nothing happened very rapidly and all of the controls were heavy but very honest, you pulled the yoke back the nose went up, not very fast, and not very easy, but the plane eventually headed up. Landing the aircraft was quite easy, it felt best with a landing “in back of the wheels”, which is sort of like a combination wheel landing and full stall. I could see why this plane is so loved, it’s a real airplane.

The DC-3 tended to have high control pressures, but the cockpit was large and comfortable, except in the rain, cold and heat.

As everyone must know by now, Douglas produced over 16,000 various models with different engines and various cabin configurations. It was used in WWII, Korea, Berlin Air Lift and Vietnam and I am not totally sure that a few weren’t involved in the middle east conflicts, one way or the other. Military versions were used for every job possible from bomber to glider tug, from transport to gunship. Civilian DC-3s were used by the airlines, freight dog companies and dope smugglers. They were flown on wheels, skis, floats and a few had their cabins removed and used as pickup truck campers. If ever there was a truly “All American Aircraft”, it was the DC-3 Gooney Bird, long may she fly. The DC-3 will be a 100years old 25 years and I am sure I won’t be here but the DC-3 will be. NG

General characteristics DC-3, C-47

• Crew: 2
• Capacity: 21-32 passengers
• Length: 64 ft 5 in
• Wingspan: 95 ft 0 in
• Height: 16 ft 11 in
• Wing area: 987 ft²
• Empty weight: 18,300 lb
• Loaded weight: 25,200 lb (25,346 with deicing boots, 26,900 in some freight versions)
• Power plant: Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9 series (earliest aircraft) or Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp S1C3G in the C-47 and later civilian aircraft, 1,100 or 1,200 hp max rating, depending upon engine and model each
• Propellers: 3-bladed Hamilton Standard 23E50 series hydraulically controlled constant speed, feathering

Performance

• Maximum speed: 237 mph, (Never Exceed Speed (VNE), or Redline speed))
• Cruise speed: 150 mph (130 kn,
• Range: 1,025 mi (890 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 24,000 ft
• Rate of climb: 1,130 ft/min initial
• Wing loading: 25.5 lb/ft²