The legendary DC-3
If there was a taildragger hall of fame, the Douglas DC-3 would likely merit being the first inductee.
The airplane, which first flew in 1935, was designed by the Douglas Aircraft Company to meet the growing demand for an economical yet comfortable transport at a time when other aircraft could carry, at most, 14 passengers. The design of the DC-3, which had 21 seats, included cantilever wings, all-metal construction, and two cowled Wright SGR-1820 1,000-horsepower radial engines. The DC-3’s baseline range was 1,500 miles, which could be extended by adding fuel tanks.
“It was the first airplane in the world that could make money just by hauling passengers,” C.R. Smith, president of American Airlines, observed a year after the first flight. By 1939, DC-3s accounted for 90 percent of the world’s airline traffic.
Modified versions—designated as C-47s and C-53s—transported troops and cargo during World War II. The aircraft would earn several affectionate nicknames, including Skytrain, Doug, and, most famously, Gooney Bird.
During the next three decades, aviation companies struggled to come up with a reliable replacement for the DC-3—an effort that prompted some pilots to quip, the “only replacement for a DC-3 is another DC-3.” Still, by the 1950s, it was clear there was room for improvement. The November 1953 issue of Flight observed: “With tricycle gear, taxying and ground-handling could be speeded up.” And, because of the DC-3’s tailwheel configuration, passengers had to board while the airliner was tilted upward.
A DC-3 at the National Air and Space Museum had a long career with Eastern Air Lines.
According to data compiled by DC-3 enthusiasts, there are more than 160 DC-3 variants still in service around the world.
Visitors to the National Air and Space Museum can see a DC-3 that flew more than 56,700 hours for Eastern Air Lines. The airliner’s last commercial flight was on October 12, 1952, when it flew from San Salvador to Miami.
This article is from the Spring issue of Air & Space Quarterly, the National Air and Space Museum's signature magazine that explores topics in aviation and space, from the earliest moments of flight to today. Explore the full issue.
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