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Douglas Aircraft DC-3
Commercial Retired

Douglas Aircraft DC-3

The airliner that made flying pay

28Seats (typical)
2,400 kmRange
333 km/hCruise speed
11,430 kgMax. take-off weight

Overview

The DC-3 was the first airliner that could make a profit carrying only passengers. With its military version, the C-47 Dakota, more than 16,000 were built — and some still fly today, nearly 90 years after the first flight.

Air Ceylon began operations in 1947 with DC-3 Dakotas.

Specifications

Dimensions

Length19.70 m
Wingspan29.00 m
Height5.16 m
Wing area91.7 m²

Weights & fuel

Empty weight7,650 kg
Max. take-off weight11,430 kg

Performance

Max. speed370 km/h
Cruise speed333 km/h
Range2,400 km
Service ceiling7,100 m

Crew & capacity

Crew2–3
Seats (typical)28
Seats (max.)32

Powerplant

Engines2
Engine modelWright R-1820 Cyclone or P&W R-1830 Twin Wasp
Power (each)895 kW

Figures are compiled from public sources and may be approximate; they can vary by variant and configuration.

Photos

Photo 1: Towpilot / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

Some text and images come from Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA licences.

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