3. History
• First flight was on December 17, 1935
• Revolutionized Air Transport
– Speed
– Range
• Regarded as one of the most significant transport
aircraft ever made
• Overall 16,079 were produced
– Civil
– Military
– International
• Has seen many decades and wars
4.
5.
6.
7. Specifications
• General Characteristics
– Crew: 2
– Capacity: 21-32 passengers or
3,725 to 4,500 lbs freight
– Length: 64ft 5in
– Wingspan: 95ft
– Height: 16ft 11in
– Empty weight: 18,300 lb
– Loaded weight: 25,200 lb
– Power plant: Pratt and Whitney R-1830
• Performance
– Max speed: 237 mph
– Cruise speed: 150 mph
– Range: 1,025 miles
– Service Ceiling: 24,000 ft
– Rate of Climb: 1,130 ft/min
8. Tuff Huh?
• None were comparable in
its time
– Affordable
– Tuff
– Took a licken and keeps on
tickin
– Carried 90% of airline
travelers of its day
• Structurally sound
– Operated under all
weather conditions
– Rugged and Reliable
9. Bush Planes
• Common traits
– Taildragger
• Greater prop clearance
– Short runway requirements
– Large low pressure tundra tires
– Removable floats or skies
• DC-3
– Made for 1930’s runways
– Perfect for the rural runways of today’s developing
countries
– 2,200 feet for landing
– 1,000 feet for takeoffs
10.
11. In Service
• Still to this day these workhorses shine
– Alaska
• Delivery services
– Africa
• Luxury Travel
– Hati
• Missionary Efforts
12. What Can Compare?
• DC-3’s are also called C-47, Li-2, R4D, Dakota
– Design Impressed everyone
– 16,079 made
– $150,000 good used condition… worth 4 million in “brand new” condition
• CV580 / CV240 somewhat compares
– Far more expensive
– 1,181 made
• DHC-6 Twin Otter
– Only about $2,000,000. new
– 844 made
• Vickers Vicking 1A
– Most retired in the 1950’s
– Only 163 built
• “Nothing Replaces a DC-3 Like another DC-3”
