CR Smith, CEO of American Airlines, developed the Douglas DC-3/C-47 to compete with other airlines in 1934. The DC-3/C-47 was the first airliner not to require mail subsidies to make a profit, as it was reliable, fast, and had a good range.
Developed after the DC-1, the DC-2 was quickly considered the best passenger aircraft in the world. When the DC-3 was modified to become a military transport, it resulted in the development of the C-47 Skytrain.
The C-47 was able to carry 27 combat-ready troops with a strengthened floor, rear cargo door, and hoist attachment. The Pratt & Whitney R-2000 Twin Wasps replaced the Wright R-1820 Cyclones used on the DC-3 airliner.
During World War II, the Pacific Islands and the jungles of Burma and New Guinea played host to the vital role played by the C-47. The Allies countered the mobility of the light-traveling Japanese Army by using the C-47. The C-47 was extensively used in Europe to tow gliders and deploy paratroopers. First place in the MacRobertson International Air Derby was taken by a KLM DC-2 in the handicap division.
The KLM DC-2 flew the airliner’s regular route, which was 12,300 statute miles, in 71 hours and 28 minutes. In the mid-1930s, the US aircraft manufacturers focused on improving their aircraft for commercial aviation rather than building better military aircraft.
Over 4,000 Allied paratroopers were dropped onto Sicily by the C-47 during the invasion in 1943. More than 50, 000 paratroopers were dropped into France by the C-47 during the D-Day Normandy landings. C-47s were used to supply besieged American forces during the Battle of Bastogne in Belgium.
All road and rail links into Allied-occupied areas of Berlin were blocked by the Soviet Union on June 4, 1948. The Allies organized an airlift to transport supplies to Berlin during the Berlin Airlift, using the C-47s. The Berlin Airlift delivered over 2 million tons of supplies, lasting over a year.
Nicknames given to the C-47 were “Gooney Bird” and “Dakota”. After the war, the C-47 was used for civilian purposes such as cargo and passenger transport. The C-47 was used by the US until the 1970s. The C-47 is considered one of the most important aircraft ever built.
Militaries in some countries still use the C-47 even today. C-47s were used in the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Arab-Israeli conflict. A significant place in aviation history is held by the type design recognized as the DC-3/C-47.
The C-47 was used for airlifting and other purposes by civilian operators. The C-47 is a versatile and sustainable aircraft that has played a significant role in aviation and military history.
