An unofficial Douglas Dc-3 Documentary. A tale of the 1930's and 40's Aviation.
Video from the channel Modern Aviation Stats about Douglas DC-3, linked on its Above Ten Thousand entry. Duration: 13:48. Language: English. Video type: Documentary.
What it's about
An amateur mini-documentary about the Douglas DC-3: its origin, its commercial success and its military derivative, the C-47.
Historical background
In 1934, C. R. Smith, president of American Airlines, asked Douglas for stretched versions of the DC-2. The first was the Douglas Sleeper Transport, which had 14 seats convertible into berths. American received the first one in June 1936, and United Airlines was the second customer. Over the following two years, more than 30 airlines worldwide ordered it. The military version, the C-47 Skytrain, added a large cargo door, a reinforced floor and hooks for towing gliders. The RAF called it the Dakota.
Key facts
The DC-3 first flew on 17 December 1935. The daytime versions had 21 to 28 seats, and Smith himself said it was the first aircraft able to make money from passengers alone. In 1938 a DC-3 crossed the United States with a single stop in Nashville and reached Glendale in 18 h 40 min, 6 h 20 min less than the 1934 record. The C-47 first flew on 23 December 1941. It could carry 28 armed soldiers or a jeep and was the mainstay of the Berlin Airlift in 1948. More than 10,000 were built and more than 400 are still flying.