Douglas DC-3
Certified for FS2004
Douglas DC-3 / Range 2,125 mi / Max. Cruise
Speed - 230 mph / Cruise Speed - 207 mph / Pax - 21 to 32
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Specifications
Crew.........................................
2
Seating Capacity.................................... Up to 32 passengers
Length.................................................. 64 ft 8 in
(19.7 m)
Wingspan............................................. 95 ft 2 in
(29.0 m)
Height.................................................. 16 ft 11 in
(5.16 m)
Empty Weight......................... 16,865 lb (7,650 kg)
Loaded Weight.................... 25,199 lb (11,430 kg)
Service Ceiling...................................... 23,200 ft (7,100 m)
Range .................................... 2,125 miles
Engines............. 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-S1C3G Twin Wasp
14-cyl. air-cooled two row radial
piston engine, 1,200 hp (890 kW) each
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ROLE
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing
propeller-driven airliner, the speed and
range of which revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting
impact on
the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant
transport aircraft ever
made. The major military version was designated the C-47 Skytrain, of which more
than 10,000
were produced. Many DC-3 / C-47s are still used in all parts of the world.
The amenities of the DC-3 popularized air travel in the United
States. With only three
refueling stops, eastbound transcontinental flights crossing the U.S. in
approximately 15
hours became possible. Westbound trips took 17-1/2 hours due to prevailing
headwinds. During an earlier era, such
a trip would entail short hops in slower and shorter-range aircraft during the
day, coupled with train travel overnight!
There are still small operators with DC-3s in revenue service
and as cargo aircraft. The common saying
among aviation buffs and pilots is that "the only replacement for a DC-3 is
another DC-3."
The aircraft's legendary ruggedness is enshrined in the lighthearted description
of the DC-3 as "a collection of parts
flying in loose formation."