Member-only story
Old Propliners never die ……
The immortal DC-3
Donald Douglas’s immortal creation changed the world of aviation, as readers of Propliners are aware. This journal is an enthusiast of the DC-3 Dakota (see here), which was the first aircraft to prove that flying passengers could be a commercially viable business rather than the indulgence of enthusiasts or the wealthy. The monoplane two-engine layout and design were, as we know, pioneered by Boeing with the Model 247. But the key design feature that made the Dakota a success, rather than the Boeing 247 or Douglas’s early DC-2 design, was C.R. Smith (the CEO of American Airlines) insisting that the fuselage should be wide enough to allow a third row of seats. This made it possible to carry enough passengers to make the flights profitable, ending dependence on government subsidies and freeing the airlines to develop an entirely new business model.
The efficiency of the design, the robust structure of the DC-3, the simplicity of maintenance and, of course, the advent of the Second World War, were other features that made this aircraft such a success.
Searching for a successor
Post-WW2 the DC-3 (or C-47 to use its military designation) was available in large quantities at war-surplus prices, and thousands of pilots and maintenance crews were qualified on the aircraft. This led…
