The ultimate Classic Airliner,the DC3 first saw service in December 1935. Initial aircraft were known as Douglas Sleeper Transports and were fitted with 16 sleeping berths. However, it was as a normal passenger aircraft that the DC3 gained a dominant position in the fleets of the airlines of the 1940's
By the end of the Second World War, nearly 11000 had been built in the USA, plus a further 2000 in Russia (where it was known as the Lisunov LI-2). The rugged construction of the aircraft meant that, when the war ended and the USAF and RAF started to dispose of surplus aircraft, they were quickly snapped up by new and existing airlines everywhere. It is estimated that during the first six years of DC3 service, air travel in America increased six-fold, and Douglas' twin propliner was the single most important contributor to this phenomenon.
In military service in the USAF, the DC3 was known as the C47; the RAf referred to it as the Dakota; and the US Navy new it as the R4D. Many of the 'new' airliners being ex-USAF, they were correctly referred to as C47s for the rest of their flying careers.
Although there were very few changes to the design of the airframe throughout its production life, no fewer than 24 variations of engine were fitted; thirteen different Wright types and eleven variations of Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasps. Power ratings varied from 920 hp in early versions to 1200hp in later aircraft.
There are quite a few DC3/C47s still in service today, including one or two which have been converted to turbo-prop power. It is difficult to imagine what aircraft will ever replace this versatile workhorse - quite a few have tried, but none have succeeded - so far! The DC3 is a delight to fly - so why don't you try one?
CLICK on the image to download the file
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Intra Airways of Jersey operated six C47s on services around the South Coast of England and the Channel Islands. The airline was formed on 1st January 1969 and operated for ten years until it was merged with Air Bridge Carriers.
G-AMPZ also operated with Clyden Airways, Harvestair and Air Atlantique, among others
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Icelandair operated this C47 mainly on domestic services around Iceland, although it certainly visited Prestwick in Scotland too, because I've seen photos of it there!
TF-ISB started off life with the USAAF, but very quickly went to the RAF, where it stayed until 1946. After a few years with Scottish Airlines and BEA, it headed off to Iceland and remained there until it retired in December 1979.
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Cardiff based Cambrian Airways operated this C47 throughout the 1960s. They were frequent visitors to Liverpool and Cardiff, but I dont know much else about the airline. They finally disposed of G-AGSH in August 1969, selling it to World Inter of Cyprus.
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Another of the guises of G-AMPZ! Air Anglia used this C47 in 1972 and 1973 before selling it to Intra of Jersey. The attractive and unusual yellow cheatline can be represented correctly by the use of the alternative FS colour palette packaged with the zip
The obvious panel to use with the DC3 is Bill Rambow and Roy Chaffin's superb work of art(r4d35_98.zip - available from 'California Classics' on my LINKS page) It comes with a huge amount of additional information, sound and of course a complete DC3! However, it's 11MB zipped (more than double that if you choose the FS2000 version) so you might want something a bit smaller if your hard drive doesn't have a lot of space. I also use another very nice panel, partly photo-realistic, which seems to suit the DC3 very well. It has some nice old-style gauges and you can fit a Sperry if you like, although it has a (hidden) autopilot and GPS! Its CADC3PAK.ZIP and its available from 'California Classics' and WWW.Flightsim.com (see the LINKS page). I seem to remember it came with a nice Olympic Airways DC3 too!
If you dont like these ones, there are plenty of others.
Mike Hambly as usual has lots of good sounds.Mine are from DC3SNDPK.ZIP which includes start-up and shut down sounds too, but you could also try DC3ASND.ZIP which has no start-up or C47SND.ZIP together with C47GNEW.ZIP which provides seperate left and right gear sounds. Its probably more realistic, but its a bit quiet for my taste. The Rambow/Chaffin panel has sound,and its very good too. I haven't decided which I prefer yet. Roy and Bills has some nice features (stereo calls and responses for instance) but Mike's has the very nostalgic Dak 'drone' which instantly recalls the DC3. Listen to both and, if you're like me , you might just decide to two complete sound sets for diffferent planes!
I recently made a flight in a 747-400. None of the sounds we like to hear such as flaps, gear etc were audible from the front. On the flightdeck the only sound was the wind! Still, its better with all the sounds, isn't it!