The Douglas C-47 is arguably the most successful aircraft to come out of World War II. It was designed in 1935 as the DC-3 commercial airliner. The aircraft was so far ahead of its competitors that over 400 had been built by 1940 when the U.S. Army Air Forces expressed an interest in a militarized cargo and troop transport version. The main modifications from the DC-3 version are a large cargo door on the left side of the aircraft and a strengthened floor. More than 9,500 Skytrains were built for all branches of the American military and for export. Large numbers of C-47s entered civil service after the war and as many as 400 of them were still flying around the world in 2017.
Wingspan
95 ft 6 in.
Length
63 ft 9 in.
Height
17 ft
Weight
26,000 lbs (loaded)
Maximum Speed
230 MPH
Service Ceiling
24,000 ft
Range
1,600 miles
Engines
Two Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 with 1,200 horsepower each
Crew
4 with 27 passengers
Manufacturer Douglas
Markings U.S. Army Air Forces, England, June 6, 1944
Serial Number 41-7723
Designation C-47
Pima Air & Space Museum
Creating unlimited horizons in aerospace education through the preservation and presentation of the history of flight.