The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota (RAF, RAAF, RCAF, RNZAF, and SAAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front-line service with various military operators for many years.
| Role | Military transport aircraft |
|---|---|
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Douglas Aircraft Company |
| Designer | Douglas Aircraft |
| First flight | 23 December 1941 |
| Status | In service with Colombia, El Salvador, and South Africa |
| Primary users | United States Army Air Forces Royal Air Force United States Navy Royal Canadian Air Force |
| Number built | 10,174 |
| Developed from | Douglas DC-3 |
| Variants | Douglas XCG-17 Douglas AC-47 Spooky |
Specifications (C-47B-DK)
General characteristics
- Crew: 4 (pilot, co-pilot, navigator, radio operator)
- Capacity: 28 troops
- Length: 63 ft 9 in (19.43 m)
- Wingspan: 95 ft 6 in (29.11 m)
- Height: 17 ft 0 in (5.18 m)
- Wing area: 987 sq ft (91.7 m2)
- Airfoil: root: NACA 2215; tip: NACA 2206
- Empty weight: 18,135 lb (8,226 kg)
- Gross weight: 26,000 lb (11,793 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 31,000 lb (14,061 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-90C Twin Wasp 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 1,200 hp (890 kW) each
- Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed propellers
Performance
- Maximum speed: 224 mph (360 km/h, 195 kn) at 10,000 ft (3,000 m)
- Range: 1,600 mi (2,600 km, 1,400 nmi)
- Ferry range: 3,600 mi (5,800 km, 3,100 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 26,400 ft (8,000 m)
- Time to altitude: 10,000 ft (3,000 m) in 9 minutes 30 seconds
- Wing loading: 26.3 lb/sq ft (128 kg/m2)
- Power/mass: 0.0926 hp/lb (0.1522 kW/kg)
Photos Rob Vogelaar and Marcel van Leeuwen
