Douglas C-47 Skytrain

Douglas C-47 Skytrain
Land	Usa
Rolle	Militære transportfly
Første flyvning	23. december 1941
Bygget	10174

Den Douglas C-47 Skytrain eller Dakota (RAF betegnelse) er et militært transportfly udviklet fra det civile Douglas DC-3 passagerfly. Det blev brugt i vid udstrækning af de allierede under Anden Verdenskrig og forbliver i frontlinjetjeneste med forskellige militære operatører.

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Douglas C-53D Skytrooper Walk Around
Den specialiserede C-53 Skytrooper troppetransport startede produktionen i oktober 1941 på Douglas Aircraft's Santa Monica, Californien fabrik. Det manglede lastdøren, hejsefastgørelsen og det forstærkede gulv på C-47. Kun i alt 380 fly blev produceret i alt, fordi C-47 viste sig at være mere alsidig.
Fotograf	Vladimir Yakubov
Lokalisering	Centralmuseet for væbnede styrker
Billeder	217

Douglas C-53D Skytrooper 001

Douglas C-53D Skytrooper 002

Douglas C-53D Skytrooper 003

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Douglas C-53D Skytrooper 008

Douglas C-53D Skytrooper 007

Douglas C-53D Skytrooper 009

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C-47 Skytrain/Dakota Walk Around
Fotograf	Unknow
Lokalisering	Unknow
Billeder	45

Douglas C-47 Skytrain Walk Around
Fotograf	Bill Maloney
Lokalisering	Floyd Bennett Felt HARPE
Billeder	37

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Douglas C-47 Skytrain Walk Around
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Lokalisering	Unknow
Billeder	56

Douglas C-47 Skytrain 01

Douglas C-47 Skytrain 02

Douglas C-47 Skytrain 03

Douglas C-47 Skytrain 04

Douglas C-47 Skytrain 05

Douglas C-47 Skytrain 06

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The Legend of the DC-3

Den Douglas C-47 Skytrain (known as the Dakota in British service) was the military conversion of the revolutionary DC-3 airliner. General Dwight D. Eisenhower famously cited it as one of the four most vital pieces of equipment that won WWII (alongside the Jeep, the Bazooka, and the Atomic Bomb). While the German Ju 52 was a product of the late 1920s, the C-47 was a generation ahead—featuring a sleek, all-metal semi-monocoque design, retractable landing gear, and significantly more power. It was the plane that made reliable global air transport a reality.

Attribute	Technical Specification (C-47A)
Rolle	Military Transport / Cargo / Glider Tug
Besætning	3 (Pilot, Co-pilot, Radio Operator)
Kapacitet	28 fully equipped paratroopers or 2,722 kg (6,000 lbs) of cargo
Motorer	2 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 Twin Wasp radials (1,200 hp each)
Maximum Speed	370 km/h (230 mph) at 8,500 ft
Cruise Speed	260 km/h (160 mph)
Interval	2,575 km (1,600 miles)
Service Ceiling	8,045 meters (26,400 feet)

Design Engineering: Simple, Strong, and Streamlined

The “Gooney Bird” Durability: The C-47 earned its nickname from its albatross-like endurance. Its multi-cellular wing design meant that even if a large portion of the wing was shot away, the internal structure could often still carry the load, allowing “mutilated” planes to limp home.
Military Modifications: To turn a DC-3 into a C-47, Douglas added a large double cargo door on the port side, a reinforced floor to support the weight of Jeeps or 37mm anti-tank guns, and a shortened tail cone for glider-towing shackles.
Astrodome Navigation: Unlike the civilian version, military C-47s featured a small clear bubble (astrodome) on top of the cockpit. This allowed the navigator to use a sextant to plot the plane’s position by the stars during long over-water flights.
Pratt & Whitney Reliability: The R-1830 “Twin Wasp” engines were legendary for their ability to keep running even when damaged or poorly maintained. This reliability was crucial for the treacherous “Hump” flights over the Himalayas.

Operational History: D-Day and Beyond

Operation Overlord: On the night of June 5/6, 1944, over 800 C-47s filled the skies over Normandy, dropping more than 13,000 paratroopers behind enemy lines. This remains the most iconic moment in the aircraft’s history.
“The Hump”: C-47s provided a vital lifeline to China by flying over the Himalayas from India. They braved extreme turbulence, ice, and Japanese fighters to deliver supplies that kept Chinese forces in the war.
Berlin Airlift: After the war, the C-47 (and later the C-54) saved the city of West Berlin during the Soviet blockade. C-47s landed around the clock, delivering food and coal to a starving population every few minutes.
Puff the Magic Dragon: In the Vietnam War, the C-47 was modified into the **AC-47 Spooky** gunship. Armed with three side-firing 7.62mm miniguns, it could saturate a target area with 18,000 rounds per minute, earning it a terrifying reputation among enemy ground forces.