Douglas DC-3 / C-47 Dakota

The Douglas Dakota is without doubt one of the most famous and most successful designs of aircraft in history. It was originally known as the Douglas Sleeper Transport and has been known as DC-3 (civilian versions) C-47 Skytrain, AC-47 Gunship, C-53, R4D, C-1117 and Dakota (in UK and Commonwealth service). An amazing 70 years after the design's first flight on 17th December 1935 the aircraft is still in service throughout the world. It is a design which has truly changed history. The forerunner of the DC-3 flew in 1933 and a small number of orders for these forerunners were placed. This was to change in 1941. With the likelihood of the United States joining the Second World War increasing orders were placed for the C-47 Skytrain also known as model DC-3A-360 and the C-53 (R4D-4) Skytrooper.

Known as the Gooney bird the C-47 could transport 10,000 lbs of cargo or 27 passengers while the C-53 lacked the cargo door and could carry 28 paratroopers on permanent seats. Under the lend lease program large scale deliveries were made to the UK with nearly 2,000 being delivered by the end of the war, with another 600 bought after the war and 650 leased. Many of these were diverted around the world to Commonwealth air forces, which ensured many saw action in the post war colonial uprisings and wars of independence.

In the US deliveries started from Santa Monica in October 1941, while licensed production started in the USSR for military use. In all over 10,000 were produced in the US. The C-47 was a very advanced design for its time, a low winged cantilever monoplane with an all-metal stressed skin with fabric covered control services. Its smooth classic lines still don't look out of place 70 years later. Variants included a floatplane, a glider tug, and even a ski equipped version, which visited both north and south poles after the war, and the famous Gunship known as 'Puff the Magic Dragon', which saw service in Vietnam. The type became a standard military transport throughout the world, for example in Europe only Austrian, Irish and Swiss air forces didn't acquire the type. In the early 1990s it was estimated that the C-47 was in service in at least a third of the world's air forces with a likely 400 in service in 49 countries, an amazing achievement. Although no longer seeing frontline service the fact that spares are still cheap and plentiful means it can be hard to replace for many poor countries.

As well as sterling wartime service in such operations as D-Day and Operation Market Garden, the Vietnam War saw an armed version see combat service. The AC-47D gunship known as Puff the magic Dragon (after a popular children's song) or Spooky was produced for the USAF's 4th Air Commando squadron during the 1960s and was armed with three 7.62mm miniguns and 54,000 rounds of ammunition. The guns were angled so to fire at the same spot out of the door and 2 side windows as the gunship circled. The design lead to heavier gunships such as the AC-119 and AC-130 Spectre and between 1984-85 five were delivered to El Salvador for use in its own counter insurgency operations.

Max Speed; 370kph (230mph)
Max Ceiling; 24,000ft
Max Range; 1,600 miles
Payload; 28 troops or 10,000lbs cargo

How to cite this article: Pointon-Dugdale, T. (23 March 2006), Douglas DC-3 / C-47 Dakota, http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_dakota.html

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