Other changes included the fitting of cargo hooks beneath the center wing section and the removal of the tail cone to mount a hook for towing gliders. As a supply plane, the C could carry up to 6, pounds of cargo.
It could also hold a fully assembled jeep or a 37 mm cannon. As a troop transport, it carried 28 soldiers in full combat gear. As a medical airlift plane, it could accommodate 14 stretcher patients and three nurses. Seven basic versions were built, and the aircraft was given at least 22 designations, including the ACD gunship, the EC electronic reconnaissance aircraft, the ECQ antiaircraft systems evaluation aircraft and the C Skytrooper.
Every branch of the U. The U. Navy version was the R4D. In the Pacific War, with careful use of the island landing strips of the Pacific Ocean, Cs were even used for ferrying soldiers serving in the Pacific theater back to the United States. Other sources attribute this name to the first aircraft, a USMC R2D—the military version of the DC-2—being the first aircraft to land on Midway Island, previously home to the long-winged albatross known as the gooney bird, which was native to Midway.
With all of the aircraft and pilots having been part of the Indian Air Force prior to independence, both the Indian Air Force and Pakistan Air Force used Cs to transport supplies to their soldiers fighting in the Indo-Pakistan War of After World War II, thousands of surplus Cs were converted to civil airline use, some remaining in operation into the 21st Century, as well as being used as private aircraft.
They came in as commercial aircraft purchased from third world airlines and were completely stripped, rebuilt, and reconditioned. Long-range fuel tanks were installed with upgraded avionics and gun mounts. They left as first-rate military aircraft headed for combat in Vietnam in a variety of missions. These changes allowed them to increase the seating capacity to They also added an airstair and a retractable tail wheel.
The plane offered an increased payload, and a top speed of miles per hour, and met the FAR 4B requirements. It was, in fact, a 75 percent new airplane.
The first flight of the Super DC-3 took place on June 23, The U. The only major difference between the military Super DC-3 and the civilian model was the larger engines, 1, hp and the heavier metal floor. They opted to use the new Convair C instead. It filled their need for an airplane with increased range, and 50 percent more payload. The Super DC-3 cost three million dollars in tooling, research, and development costs.
Douglas claimed it was 75 percent new, and he could produce ten a month, in three different seating configurations. Initial response to the new plane was less than enthusiastic. The only operating restriction on the Super Three was altitude versus cargo. It had a ceiling of 25, feet, but the un-pressurized cabin prevented it from flying bottled goods, livestock and fresh fruit at altitude.
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