Douglas C-47 Skytrain / Dakota Transport (1940)
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain was perhaps the most famous transport aircraft of the Second World War.
With its introduction into war development, the DC-3 was modified from commercial airline to military transport. Chief among the changes were the revising of the passenger cabin to include seating for up to 27 combat-ready personnel. This accommodation was accomplished by the removing of the airliner-style seats and the implementation of utilitarian seating on either side of the cabin in the form of bucket seats. Other notable peacetime to wartime changes included the fitting of Pratt & Whitney radial-piston engines in place of the Wright Cyclones found in the DC-3. The initial production was delivered with the designation of C-47 and the appropriate identifier of "Skytrain". No sooner were 93 examples of the base C-47 produced before the line evolved to producing the C-47A, made notable by the improved electrical capacity for onboard systems. One of the more definitive production marks in the series was later born with the C-47B which featured improved performance engines and were earmarked for work in South East Asian theaters. This particular model featured high-altitude capabilities, making it ideal for the required flights to China from the US and was also developed into a trainer with the designation of TC-47B.
Externally, the C-47 was of a fundamental shape, featuring smooth rolling contours, a low-monoplane wing set, tubular cabin and a single vertical tail surface. Two engines were mounted at each wing leading edge and provided some 1,200 horsepower each. The pilot and co-pilot sat at the extreme front of the fuselage with an observation blister directly behind the cockpit. Entry/exit doors were situated at the forward and aft fuselage sides. The aircraft as a whole was duly noted for its ability to withstand extreme amounts of damage and still keep aloft.
The C-47 Skytrain appeared in similar and varied forms with the US Navy (as the R4D), the British Royal Air Force (as "Dakota" marks), the Soviet Air Force (produced by Lisunov as the Li-2 and with Japan as the L2D. In all, over 12,000 examples were produced with the series seeing use up into the 1960s. The Skytrain also earned the affectionate nicknames of "Gooney Bird" and "Old Bucket" during its heyday. In both civilian travel and military transport, the Skytrain airframe proved to be up to the task making it one of the more influential aircraft designs of all time and undoubtedly contributed immensely to the Allied war effort and its ultimate victory. The C-47 was also used in quantity during the Berlin Airlift of 1948 - 1949. Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
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Specifications for the
Douglas C-47 Skytrain / Dakota
Transport
Country of Origin: United States
Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft Company - USA
Initial Year of Service: 1940
Production: 12,748
Focus Model: Douglas C-47 Skytrain / Dakota Mk I
Crew: 3 + 27
Length: 63.75ft (19.43m)
Width: 95.51ft (29.11m)
Height: 16.99ft (5.18m)
Weight (Empty): 18,199lbs (8,255kg)
Weight (MTOW): 25,999lbs (11,793kg)
Powerplant: 2 x Pratt & Whintey R-1830-92 14-cylinder radial piston engines delivering 1,200hp each.
Maximum Speed: 230mph (370kmh; 200kts)
Maximum Range: 1,600miles (2,575km)
Service Ceiling: 23,999ft (7,315m; 4.5miles)
Rate-of-Climb: 1,041 feet per minute (317m/min)
Hardpoints: None.
Armament Suite:
None.
Variants:
DC-3 - Civilian Airliner Passenger Transport on which the militarized C-47 is based on; entered commercial service in 1935; fitted with Wright Cyclone engines.
C-47 - Initial Production Model Designation for the US Army Air Corps; adopted for service in 1940; redesigned interior passenger compartment; fitted with Pratt & Whitney R-1830 radial piston engines; 93 examples produced.
C-47A - Revised electrical system; 4,931 examples produced.
C-47B - "Southeast Asia" models with improved supercharged engines of R-1830-90 type; improved high altitude performance; 3,241 examples produced.
TC-47B - Trainer Variant of the C-47B production model; some 133 examples produced.
C-53 "Skytrooper" - Multi-purpose Variant.
Lisunov Li-2 - Soviet Production Designation; 2,700 examples produced.
L2D - Japanese Production Designation
Dakota Mk I - British Model Designation for the C-47.
Dakota Mk II - British Model Designation for the C-53 "Skytrooper" multi-purpose variant.
Dakota Mk III - British Model Designation for the C-47A production models.
Dakota Mk IV - British Model Designation for the C-47B production models.
R4D - United States Navy Variant Designation
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