The Douglas DC6

The DC6 was Douglas's answer to the Lockheed Constellation. It was developed from their DC4, and was larger, faster and most importantly, pressurised. It was faster than the original 049 Constellation, and was capable of flying from New York to Los Angeles with only one stop, in ten hours.However, it did not enter service (with United and American) until 27 April 1947, by which time the Constellation had been in service for fourteen months.

The DC6A Liftmaster was a specially developed cargo version of the original aircraft. It first flew in September 1949. Although the wings, tail unit and undercarriage were retained, the fuselage was totally re-designed to favour the carrying of cargo. It was 5 feet longer and had two large cargo doors on the port side as well as a strengthened floor and automatically controlled air conditioning. A military version was designated C118A (by the USAF) and R6D-1 (by the US Navy)

The DC6B was basically a cargo version without the cargo doors, intended for purely passenger work. The DC6C was a factory prepared 'quick-change' version suitable for both cargo and passenger work.

All the aircraft files contain a very interesting READ ME file by Tom Gibson, and you can learn more by visiting the Classic Airliners site (see LINKS)

CLICK on the image to download the file

Cathay Pacific DC6B and the Tsing Ma Bridge, Hong Kong

DC6B    VR-HFK   Cathay Pacific

_____________________________________________________

This aircraft served with Cathay Pacific from June 1958 until November 1962, when it went to Braathens of Norway. Over the next few years it was  operated by such airlines as Trollair(!), Saga Norsk Flytjeneste, Delta Air Transport and, strangely, Bangladesh Biman. By 1976 it was in service as a water bomber with Conair - perhaps it still is!
I spend a lot of time (sim)flying round Hong Kong and its environs, so I eventually decided I'd better get something appropriate to fly in. This is it.

 

'Solfaxi' off Eastern Iceland

DC6B   TF-FIP  'Solfaxi'  Icelandair

________________________________________________

Icelandair didn't take delivery of this aircraft until January 1964, but then kept it until 1972. By a coincidence it also then went to Delta Air Transport who passed it on to Zantop the next year. The last I heard of it, it was with Conifair in Canada.(1994)
When I was at school, the flight path to the local airport passed overhead, and I always remember Icelandair's DC6. It seemed to be so low, so slow, so unsafe looking! This was of course, rubbish, and I now know that it was actually just behaving in the magnificient way any self-respecting DC6 did. I wish it still came in!

Greenlandair DC6B over Disko Island, West Greenland

DC6B   OY-DRM   'Sululik'   Greenlandair

______________________________________________

Greenlandair obtained this DC6B from Transair of Canada in June 1972. It was purchased new by Canadian Pacific Airlines in April 1957, and had also been operated by British United Airways. Although nominally a DC6B, the aircraft was fitted with cargo doors and, hopefully, a strengthened floor. If you have lots of virtual cargo to carry around the northern outposts of Europe, this is the aircraft for you!  

Want to see the real aircraft? Click here


DC6A   G-APON   Cunard Eagle Airways

_______________________________________________________

This aircraft was operated by Eagle Airways from September 1958 until it was sold to Zantop in June 1968.
Cunard Eagle was formed when the giant Cunard Shipping Company purchased the entire share capital of Britain's premiere independent airline, Eagle Airways, in 1960. Cunard wanted to challenge BOAC on Transatlantic air services but was never able to do this, leaving the company to operate only charter services.
Eventually, in 1962, Cunard entered into an alliance with BOAC, and the former owner of Eagle Airways re-purchased the company and changed its name to British Eagle Airways.

VC118  128427  United States Marines

_______________________________________________________

This aircraft was an occasional visitor to Prestwick in the 1980s.
It was believed to be operated as the personal transport of the US Commander in Chief-NATO-Atlantic and it certainly looked as if it was the sort of aircraft which carried someone very important indeed. FS can't really do it justice - the engine cowlings were mirror finish, the wheels were spotless and the aircraft was pristine white from nose to tail. Whoever used it must have been a propliner fan, because I'm sure he could have had something a bit faster, if less comfortable, to cross the Atlantic.

Panels & Sounds

Tom Gibson and Harry Follas' DC6 is just about as perfect an aircraft as you're likely to get on - or off - the Net, so I would suggest that Tom's DC6 panel is probably also the best. In addition, the DC6 configuration files tell you what changes to make if you are going to use this panel. I use Christian Conesa's generic DC panel, which is also good and is also available from 'Classic Airliners'.

For sounds, there's only one choice - Mike Hambly's DC6 sound (DC6SND.ZIP). If it has a fault,  - and I'm not saying that it has - it's that things are just a bit too smooth on the flightdeck when the engines are at take-off power. I've never flown on a DC6 so I don't know for certain, but I think that most DC6s are probably a bit more cocophonous(!) than this file would suggest.

To see just how good Mike's sound is, however, go to Tower View and do a  full power fly-past at 500'. Try not to smile as the DC6 flies past. Take it from me - you won't be able to stop yourself!

Return to the Aircraft Hanger

Move to the Carvair page

Move to the LINKS page