The Douglas DC-3 was a larger and enhanced variant of the DC-2 developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. The DC-3 is the first successful commercial propeller-driven airliner in the world and was also smoothly configured for military service throughout the Second World War.
Table of Contents
- Specifications
- Photo Gallery
- Description
- Manufacturer:
- Douglas Aircraft Co.
- Country:
- United States
- Manufactured:
- 1935 to: 1942
- ICAO:
- DC3
- Price:
- US$.079 million (1936)
- Performance
- Weights
- Dimensions
- Avionics:
- Engine:
- 2x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-S1C3G Twin Wasp
Piston - Power:
- 1,200 horsepower
- Max Cruise Speed:
- 200 knots
370 Km/h - Approach Speed (Vref):
- Travel range:
- 1,890 Nautical Miles
3,500 Kilometers - Fuel Economy:
- Service Ceiling:
- 24,000 feet
- Rate of Climb:
- 1130 feet / minute
5.74metre / second - Take Off Distance:
- Landing Distance:
- Max Take Off Weight:
- 13,605 Kg
29,994 lbs - Max Landing Weight:
- Max Payload:
- 2,725 Kg
6,008 lbs - Fuel Tank Capacity:
- 822 gallon
3,112 litre - Baggage Volume:
- Seats - Economy / General:
- 32 seats
- Seats - Business Class:
- Seats - First Class:
- Cabin Height:
- 1.5 metre - 4.92 feet
- Cabin Width:
- 1.7 metre - 5.58 feet
- Cabin Length:
- 9.1 metre - 29.86 feet
- Exterior Length:
- 19.6 metre - 64.30 feet
- Tail height:
- 4.1 metre - 13.45 feet
- Fuselage Diameter:
- 2 metre - 6.56 feet
- Wing Span / Rotor Diameter:
- 29 metre - 95.14 feet
- Wing Tips:
- No Winglets
click / tap to open full screen gallery
'N28AA' Douglas DC-3 -ALA
credit: Peach Air
'N28AA' Douglas DC-3 -ALA
credit: Peach Air
'C GRSB' Douglas DC-3C-A1C3G -Government Of Canada
credit: Reinhard Zinabold
'C GRSB' Douglas DC-3C-A1C3G -Government Of Canada
credit: Reinhard Zinabold
Douglas DC-3-S1C3G ‘N8336C’
credit: Alan Wilson
Douglas DC-3-S1C3G ‘N8336C’
credit: Alan Wilson
Douglas DC-3-S1C3G ‘N8336C’ flying
credit: Alan Wilson
Douglas DC-3-S1C3G ‘N8336C’ flying
credit: Alan Wilson
co*ckpit of the aircraft DC-3 "N34"
credit: Intersofia
co*ckpit of the aircraft DC-3 "N34"
credit: Intersofia
Air Chathams- Douglas DC-3 (ZK-AWP) interior.
credit: Gary Danvers Collection
Air Chathams- Douglas DC-3 (ZK-AWP) interior.
credit: Gary Danvers Collection
'N31PB' Douglas DC-3 - PBA
credit: Lewis Grant
'N31PB' Douglas DC-3 - PBA
credit: Lewis Grant
Douglas DC-3 (SE-CFP) "Fridtjof Viking"
credit: Axel J.
Douglas DC-3 (SE-CFP) "Fridtjof Viking"
credit: Axel J.
'N12RB' Douglas DC-3 - Vintage Airways
credit: Peach Air
'N12RB' Douglas DC-3 - Vintage Airways
credit: Peach Air
Historic Flight Foundation- Douglas DC-3C "N877MG"
credit: Axel J.
Historic Flight Foundation- Douglas DC-3C "N877MG"
credit: Axel J.
Douglas DC-3-S1C3G ‘N8336C’.
credit: Alan Wilson
Douglas DC-3-S1C3G ‘N8336C’.
credit: Alan Wilson
1 / 11
Blog Mentions
Blog posts that mention the Douglas DC-3:
- How Airplanes Were Used in World War II
The DC-3 was the pinnacle of a development effort that started from the invitation of the Transcontinental and Western Airlines to Donald Douglas to build an all-metal aircraft powered by three engines that would be capable of taking off safely from whichever airport on the airline’s primary routes with one non-operating engine. Douglas initially designed the DC-1 in 1933 to compete with the Boeing 247 of the United Airlines. The DC-1 was followed by the DC-2 in 1934.
On December 17, 1935, the initial civilian variant designated as Douglas Sleeper Transport took its maiden flight operated by the chief test pilot, Carl Anson Cover. It had a 2.3-meter-wide cabin, and the variant that could accommodate twenty-one seats rather than the conventional fourteen to sixteen sleeping berths was designated as DC-3.
A total of 16,079 aircraft including all military versions were produced; 607 of these were of civil versions. The production of DST and civil DC-3 versions ended in mid-1941 and early 1943 respectively, notwithstanding that dozens of these versions acquired by airlines that were built from 1941 to 1943 were bounded to enter service with the United States military while still under production. Military variants were built up till the end of World War II. In 1949, the DC-3S or Super DC-3 powered by Pratt and Whitney R-2000 or Wright R-1820 Cyclone engines was launched. Five of this version were produced with three being used for commercial transport.
The DC-3A version had an exterior length of 19.7 meters, an exterior height of 5.16 meters, a tail height of 4.1 meters, and a fuselage diameter of 2 meters. It had a wheelbase of 10.9 meters, a wingspan of 29 meters, and a wing area of 91.7 square meters. The DC-3A was powered by two Pratt and Whitney R-1830-S1C3G Twin Wasp 14-cylinder air-cooled two-row radian piston engine rated at 1,200 horsepower each. It was also equipped with three-bladed Hamilton Standard 23E50 propellers.
All Douglas Aircraft Co. Aircraft
- Douglas A-1 Skyraider |
- Douglas A-1 Skyraider |
- Douglas A-26 Invader |
- Douglas A-3 Skywarrior |
- Douglas A-4 Skyhawk |
- Douglas AC-47 Spooky |
- Douglas B-66 Destroyer |
- Douglas C-124 Globemaster II |
- Douglas C-133 Cargomaster |
- Douglas C-47 Skytrain |
- Douglas C-54 Skymaster |
- Douglas C-74 Globemaster |
- Douglas DC-1 |
- Douglas DC-2 |
- Douglas DC-3 |
- Douglas DC-4 |
- Douglas DC-6 |
- Douglas DC-7 |
- Douglas DC-8 |
- Douglas DC-8-51 |
- Douglas DC-8-53 |
- Douglas DC-8-61 |
- Douglas DC-8-62 |
- Douglas DC-8-63 |
- Douglas F3D Skyknight |
- Douglas F4D Skyray |
- Douglas SBD Dauntless |
- McDonnell Douglas DC-9-10 |