Trailblazers; Douglas DC-3

Iconic is an overused word, especially when it comes to aviation, but the DC-3 is an aircraft that deserves it. Safe, cheap and reliable, the DC-3 was the aircraft that truly made commercial flying a viable mode of transport. It could be called the grandfather of commercial aviation as we know it.

Air transport revolution

In the early 1930s United Airlines dominated the transcontinental US route between East and West coasts. Boeing built the 247 especially for United. It refused to sell to any other airline, however, TWA, founded by eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes, had different ideas. Hughes went directly to Douglas Corporation and commissioned an aircraft to take on the B247. After some time developing different variants, in 1935 the DC3 was born. This new aircraft, designed to accommodate 21 passengers or 16 sleeping berths, could whisk customers across the USA in about 15 hours. The design was a low wing, tail-dragger aircraft, powered by two 1200hp radial piston engines. It had a range of 1500 miles, and a cruising speed of 207 mph. 607 civilian DC-3s were manufactured.

dc3 cockpit - Travel Radar - Aviation News
©flickr

The DC-3 revolutionised airliner travel before WW2. Trip time by air across the USA was cut by days and the aircraft performed reliably and most importantly profitably. Air travel quickly replaced train services as the way to cross the USA. In 1936, KLM flew the DC-3 on the world’s longest scheduled route from Amsterdam, via Jakarta, to Sydney.

World War 2
c 47 - Travel Radar - Aviation News
©flickr

As war broke out across the world many civilian DC-3s were drafted into military service. In an extraordinary effort more than 10,000 military versions of the DC-3 were built. These were designated the C-47, Dakota, R4D and the C-53. Licensed copies of the DC-3 were also built in Russia, and Japan with an additional 5500 aircraft built. These military aircraft provided invaluable help during the war, carrying paratroopers, cargo and wounded troops.

Aftermath
aer lingus dc3 - Travel Radar - Aviation News
©flugrevue

Around 16,000 DC-3s were built in total. They were considered largely obsolete by airlines after the war and swiftly replaced by newer faster aircraft like the DC-6. However, a large number of DC-3s found homes in smaller operators and within niche markets around the world.

More than 80 years since the DC-3s first flight they can still be found flying all over the world – an extraordinary feat for any aircraft. The aircraft’s robust versatility and ability to operate in unforgiving places has lent it a new lease of life. DC-3s can still be found flying in many roles in cargo, sky-diving, crop dusting and even passenger flights. In 2035 it will be 100 years since the DC-3 took to the skies and there is no doubt that this iconic flying legend will still be in the air.

Subscribe to our Weekly Digest!




More News

Travel Radar
Travel Radarhttps://travelradar.aero/
Articles from guest contributors wishing to remain anonymous are credited to this account. Want to contribute to Travel Radar either in-name, or anonymously? Get in touch: [email protected]

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!


>
Wordpress themeseotakipçi satın alankara implant fiyatları11yol kapanıpassport psdbatman evden eve nakliyatbalkon köşe takımılastik patlatanevden eve nakliyatkartal evden eve nakliyatfatih antika eşya alanlarfenerbahçe antika eşya alanlarnakliyatantika alanlarantika alanlarwoocommerce baselJannah themeeskişehir inşaat şirketlerieskişehir uydu tamirkitap alanlarantika alanlarantika alanlarseoEskişehir uydueşya depolamapgcdpgcdpmsaAccident LawyerDental Implantiqos tereatuzla evden eve nakliyatAntika alan yerlergaziantep evden eve nakliyateskişehir saç protezihayır lokmasıtuzla evden eve nakliyatodunpazarı emlakhayır lokmasıpendik evden eve nakliyatgölcük evden eve nakliyatgölcük evden eve nakliyatistanbul evden eve nakliyatankara evden eve nakliyatbestwhoziporselen kaplama dislerankara diş estetiğidiş teli tedavisimersin evden eve nakliyatEtimesgut evden eve nakliyattuzla asansörlü nakliyatkartal evden eve nakliyatgebze evden eve nakliyatankara evden eve nakliyatankara parca esya tasımaankara gülüş tasarımıankara gülüş tasarımıankara implant fiyatlarıniğde evden eve nakliyatEskişehir yabancı dil okuluvozol 12000puffistanbul saç ekimiankara çıkışlı günübirlik turlarEtimesgut evden eve nakliyatEtimesgut evden eve nakliyatkadıköy evden eve nakliyatmersin evden eve nakliyatçankaya evden eve nakliyatankara parca esya tasımamaltepe evden eve nakliyattuzla evden eve nakliyatankara implant fiyatlarıankara gülüş estetiğiyenimahalle evden eve nakliyaten yakın çekiciAntalya Çittereaseo çalışmasıistanbul hayır lokmasıata şehir evden eve nakliyatmaltepe evden eve nakliyatüsküdar evden eve nakliyatkepenk tamiriİstanbul evden eve nakliyatmaldives casinospoodleistanbul hayır lokmasıKartal evden eve nakliyatçankaya evden eve nakliyatataşehir evden eve nakliyatankara ofis taşımacılığıboğazda özel tekne kiralamadiş eti ağrısıtuzla nakliyateryaman evden eve nakliyateskişhir uydu servisieskişhir uydu servisitimepoodlepomeranianzibilyonbet girişraydium market idGaziantep Evden Eve Taşımacılıkdextools trendingdextools trending botdextools trending costdextools trending servicedextools trending algorithmdextools botcoinmarketcap trendingcoinmarketcap trending botpinksale trendingpinksale trending botpancakeswap botuniswap botpancakeswap sniper botuniswap sniper botfront running botfront run botmev botzibilyonbetzibilyonbet girişLibraNewsHair Transplantyks kitaplarıdextools botdextools trending algorithmpinksale trending botprediction botpancakeswap prediction botEtimesgut evden eve nakliyatankara gülüş tasarımıbatman nakliyatmersin nakliyatköpek ilanlarımersin evden eve nakliyatankara evden eve nakliyatMedyumeskişehir uydu servisimersin evden eve nakliyatetiler antika alanlarataşehir antika alanlarWordpress themeseotakipçi satın alankara implant fiyatları11yol kapanıpassport psdbatman evden eve nakliyatbalkon köşe takımılastik patlatanevden eve nakliyatkartal evden eve nakliyatfatih antika eşya alanlarfenerbahçe antika eşya alanlarnakliyatantika alanlarantika alanlarwoocommerce baselJannah themeeskişehir inşaat şirketlerieskişehir uydu tamirkitap alanlarantika alanlarantika alanlarseoEskişehir uydueşya depolamapgcdpgcdpmsaAccident LawyerDental Implantiqos tereatuzla evden eve nakliyatAntika alan yerlergaziantep evden eve nakliyateskişehir saç protezihayır lokmasıtuzla evden eve nakliyatodunpazarı emlakhayır lokmasıpendik evden eve nakliyatgölcük evden eve nakliyatgölcük evden eve nakliyatistanbul evden eve nakliyatankara evden eve nakliyatbestwhoziporselen kaplama dislerankara diş estetiğidiş teli tedavisimersin evden eve nakliyatEtimesgut evden eve nakliyattuzla asansörlü nakliyatkartal evden eve nakliyatgebze evden eve nakliyatankara evden eve nakliyatankara parca esya tasımaankara gülüş tasarımıankara gülüş tasarımıankara implant fiyatlarıniğde evden eve nakliyatEskişehir yabancı dil okuluvozol 12000puffistanbul saç ekimiankara çıkışlı günübirlik turlarEtimesgut evden eve nakliyatEtimesgut evden eve nakliyatkadıköy evden eve nakliyatmersin evden eve nakliyatçankaya evden eve nakliyatankara parca esya tasımamaltepe evden eve nakliyattuzla evden eve nakliyatankara implant fiyatlarıankara gülüş estetiğiyenimahalle evden eve nakliyaten yakın çekiciAntalya Çittereaseo çalışmasıistanbul hayır lokmasıata şehir evden eve nakliyatmaltepe evden eve nakliyatüsküdar evden eve nakliyatkepenk tamiriİstanbul evden eve nakliyatmaldives casinospoodleistanbul hayır lokmasıKartal evden eve nakliyatçankaya evden eve nakliyatataşehir evden eve nakliyatankara ofis taşımacılığıboğazda özel tekne kiralamadiş eti ağrısıtuzla nakliyateryaman evden eve nakliyateskişhir uydu servisieskişhir uydu servisitimepoodlepomeranianzibilyonbet girişraydium market idGaziantep Evden Eve Taşımacılıkdextools trendingdextools trending botdextools trending costdextools trending servicedextools trending algorithmdextools botcoinmarketcap trendingcoinmarketcap trending botpinksale trendingpinksale trending botpancakeswap botuniswap botpancakeswap sniper botuniswap sniper botfront running botfront run botmev botzibilyonbetzibilyonbet girişLibraNewsHair Transplantyks kitaplarıdextools botdextools trending algorithmpinksale trending botprediction botpancakeswap prediction botEtimesgut evden eve nakliyatankara gülüş tasarımıbatman nakliyatmersin nakliyatköpek ilanlarımersin evden eve nakliyatankara evden eve nakliyatMedyumeskişehir uydu servisimersin evden eve nakliyatetiler antika alanlarataşehir antika alanlar
deneme bonusuCasinoslot girişbig bass bonanza oynaAviator oynasugar rush oynasweet bonanzagates of olympus oynaBahisnowdiyarbet girişCasinoslotwild west gold demo oynaredbullholdenracing.comdenemebonususiteler.commarsbahisMatadorbetMatadorbetEscortSaatlik escortManisa escortGümüşhane escortfethiye escortDeneme Bonusu Veren SitelerDeneme Bonusucasibomcasibom girişŞişli escortizmir escortDenizli escortMalatya Escortşanlıurfa escortHacklinkBeşiktaş escortAtaşehir escortBeylikdüzü escortkadıköy escortcialisViagraBahis siteleriEsenyurt escortbets10masözmasözantalya escortcasibombonusbetturkeyfixbetcasibomessbahisdeneme bonusu veren sitelerdeneme bonusu 2024casibombets10bahisbetajojobet girişpusulabetbetmatik twitterbaywinGrandpashabetcasibomholiganbetbettilt girişcasibom girişslot sitelerisekabetbetmatikbetkanyonsekabetholiganbetbetmatikcasibomcasibomcasibomcasibomcasibomcasibomcasibomcasibomcasibomJetbahishitbetsahabetsahabetbettiltvdcasinoilbetcratosroyalbettümbetbaywindinamobetelexbetsekabetbetkanyonbetmatikbetinetumbetrexbetgrandpashabet girişgrandpashabet twittergrandpashabetmarsbahisholiganbetholiganbetonwinholiganbetmarsbahisslot sitelericanlı casino sitelericasino sitelerislot siteleribahis siteleribaywinİnterbahiscasibomcasibomcasibomqueenbetmostbetlunabetmadridbetartemisbetcasibommariobetgrandpashabetBetsatBetturkeybetkomcasibomEsenyurt EscortBursa EscortErzincan EscortKayseri EscortMuğla EscortAlanya EscortBahçeşehir Escortcasibomdeneme bonusuCasinoslot girişbig bass bonanza oynaAviator oynasugar rush oynasweet bonanzagates of olympus oynaBahisnowdiyarbet girişCasinoslotwild west gold demo oynaredbullholdenracing.comdenemebonususiteler.commarsbahisMatadorbetMatadorbetEscortSaatlik escortManisa escortGümüşhane escortfethiye escortDeneme Bonusu Veren SitelerDeneme Bonusucasibomcasibom girişŞişli escortizmir escortDenizli escortMalatya Escortşanlıurfa escortHacklinkBeşiktaş escortAtaşehir escortBeylikdüzü escortkadıköy escortcialisViagraBahis siteleriEsenyurt escortbets10masözmasözantalya escortcasibombonusbetturkeyfixbetcasibomessbahisdeneme bonusu veren sitelerdeneme bonusu 2024casibombets10bahisbetajojobet girişpusulabetbetmatik twitterbaywinGrandpashabetcasibomholiganbetbettilt girişcasibom girişslot sitelerisekabetbetmatikbetkanyonsekabetholiganbetbetmatikcasibomcasibomcasibomcasibomcasibomcasibomcasibomcasibomcasibomJetbahishitbetsahabetsahabetbettiltvdcasinoilbetcratosroyalbettümbetbaywindinamobetelexbetsekabetbetkanyonbetmatikbetinetumbetrexbetgrandpashabet girişgrandpashabet twittergrandpashabetmarsbahisholiganbetholiganbetonwinholiganbetmarsbahisslot sitelericanlı casino sitelericasino sitelerislot siteleribahis siteleribaywinİnterbahiscasibomcasibomcasibomqueenbetmostbetlunabetmadridbetartemisbetcasibommariobetgrandpashabetBetsatBetturkeybetkomcasibomEsenyurt EscortBursa EscortErzincan EscortKayseri EscortMuğla EscortAlanya EscortBahçeşehir Escortcasibom