How the Douglas Aircraft Company Created the DC-3, Part 2

The Douglas Aircraft Company was a pioneer in early aviation and produced a number of different aircraft. However, it is best known for its DC-3, among the most important aircraft ever built.

Scott Mall

Friday, August 19, 2022 at 05:10 PM ET

Verified

Decades after it was built, this DC-3 was still flying as N34, once operated by the FAA for navigation inspection and other missions. [Photo: dc3dakotahistory.org]

Key Takeaways:

The Douglas DC-3 originated from an American Airlines request to improve upon the successful DC-2, resulting in a significantly redesigned aircraft focused on speed, comfort, and profitability.
It revolutionized pre-World War II commercial aviation, dominating U.S. air travel and making transcontinental flights faster and more accessible.
During World War II, the DC-3 was mass-produced as the C-47 Skytrain, becoming the most widely used and versatile transport aircraft for the Allies across all theaters.
The DC-3's exceptional ruggedness, reliability, and adaptability ensured its enduring legacy, with many aircraft remaining in service globally for decades after the war, some even into the 21st century.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The Douglas Aircraft Company was a pioneer in early aviation and produced a number of different aircraft. However, it is best known for its DC-3, among the most important aircraft ever built. In Part 1 of this two-part series, the genesis of Douglas Aircraft and the DC-1 and DC-2 were profiled.

The DC-2 Started the Revolution

As recounted in Part 1, the DC-1 and DC-2 were developed after a request by Transcontinental and Western Airlines (TWA). What was then United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL) was TWA’s rival in transcontinental air service, using the Boeing 247. Because Boeing (NYSE: BA) (then named United Aircraft and Transport Corporation) also owned United, TWA sought an aircraft that would allow it to compete.