| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
| Douglas DC-6B | ||
|---|---|---|
| Description | ||
| Role | Civil air transport | |
| Crew | 3 or 4 | |
| First Flight | 1946 | |
| Manufacturer | Douglas Aircraft Company, Long Beach, California | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 105 ft 7 in | 32.2 m |
| Wingspan | 105 ft 7 in | 35.8 m |
| Height | 28 ft 9 in | 8.7 m |
| Wing area | 1,463 ft² | 135.9 m² |
| Weights | ||
| Empty | 55,360 lb | 25,110 kg |
| Maximum takeoff | 107,000 lb | 48,534 kg |
| Capacity | 88 to 102 passengers | |
| Powerplant | ||
| Engines | Four Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp radial piston engines | |
| Power | 10,000 hp | 7,460 kW |
| Performance | ||
| Cruising speed | 315 mph | 507 km/h |
| Maximum speed | 400 mph | 645 km/h |
| Operating range | 3,000 miles | 4,835 km |
| Service ceiling | 25,000 ft | 7,620 m |
| Rate of climb | 1,070 ft/min | 326 m/min |
| Wing loading | 73 lb/ft² | 355 kg/m² |
| Power/Mass | 0.09 hp/lb | 150 W/kg |
The Douglas DC-6 is an aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1959. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with the Lockheed Constellation in the long-range piston transport market. More than 700 were built, and many still fly today in cargo, military, and wildfire control roles.
The DC-6 was known as the C-118 Liftmaster in United States Air Force service, and as the R6D in United States Navy service.
The United States Army Air Force commissioned the DC-6 project as the "YC112" in 1944. The Air Force wanted an expanded version of the popular C-54 transport, with improved engines. By the time the YC112 flew, the war was over, and the USAAF had rescinded its requirement.
Douglas converted its prototype into a civil air transport and delivered the first production DC-6 in March of 1947. However, a series of mysterious in-flight fires (including the fatal crash of United Airlines Flight 608 ) grounded the DC-6 fleet later that year: the cause was found to be a fuel vent located adjacent to the cabin heater intake. All DC-6's in service were modified to correct the problem, and the fleet was flying again after just four months on the ground.
Pan Am used DC-6 aircraft to inaugurate its first trans-Atlantic tourist class flights, starting in 1952.Douglas designed three basic variants of the DC-6: the DC-6A was designed for cargo work, while the DC-6B was designed for passenger work and the DC-6C was a "convertible" aircraft that could accommodate both.
The military renewed its interest in the DC-6 during the Korean WarThe Korean War from June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953, was a conflict between communist North Korea and anti-communist South Korea. It was also a proxy war between the United States and the Soviet Union. The principal combatants were North and South Korea., and commissioned a number of aircraft that later found their way into civilian service. Harry Truman's first presidential aircraft was an Air Force C-118 called The Independence.
Many older DC-6 aircraft were replaced by the Douglas DC-7The Douglas DC-7 is an aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1953 to 1958. It was the last major piston transport made by Douglas, coming just a few years before the advent of jet aircraft such as the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8. 338 were pr: those that survived into the Jet Age were replaced by Boeing 707The Boeing 707 is a four engined commercial passenger jet aircraft developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Although it was not the first commercial jetliner in service (that distinction belongs to the De Havilland Comet), it was the first one to be commer and Douglas DC-8The Douglas DC-8 is a four-engined jet airliner, manufactured between 1959 and 1972. Background At the time the world's first jet airliner was introduced, the de Havilland Comet in 1949, Douglas held a commanding position in the aircraft market. Although aircraft.