Douglas DC-6
| DC-6 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Douglas DC-6B of Swiss airline Balair in 1976 | |
| Role | Airliner/transport aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Douglas Aircraft Company |
| First flight | February 15, 1946 |
| Introduction | March 1947 |
| Status | In use |
| Primary users | Pan American World Airways Northwest Orient Airlines Capital Airlines Delta Air Lines |
| Produced | 1946 - 1958 |
| Number built | 704 |
| Developed from | Douglas DC-4 |
| Variants | Douglas DC-7 |
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 prior to 1962 after which all U.S. Navy variants were also designated as the C-118.
Design and development
The United States Army Air Forces commissioned the DC-6 project as the XC-112 in 1944. The Army Air Forces wanted an expanded, pressurized version of the popular C-54 Skymaster transport with improved engines. By the time the renamed XC-112A flew, the war was over and the USAAF had rescinded its requirement.Douglas converted its prototype into a civil transport (redesignated YC-112A, having significant differences from subsequent production DC-6 aircraft) and delivered the first production DC-6 in March 1947. However, a series of mysterious inflight 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 cooling turbine intake. All DC-6s in service were modified to correct the problem and the fleet was flying again after just four months on the ground.
Operational history
Douglas designed four basic variants of the DC-6: the basic DC-6, and the longer fuselage, higher-gross-weight, longer range versions—the DC-6A with large cargo doors forward and aft of the wing on the port (left hand side) with a cargo floor; the DC-6B, designed for passenger work, with passenger doors only and a lighter floor; and the DC-6C convertible, with the two cargo doors and removable passenger seats.
The DC-6B, originally powered by Double Wasp engines with Hamilton Standard 43E60 constant speed reversing propellers, was regarded as the ultimate piston-engine airliner from the standpoint of ruggedness, reliability, economical operation and handling qualities.[1]
The military version, essentially similar to the DC-6A, was designated the USAF C-118 Liftmaster; the USN R6D version used the more powerful R-2800-CB-17 engines. These were later also used on the commercial DC-6B to accommodate international flights.[2] The R6D Navy version (in the late 1950s and early 1960s) had Curtiss Electric constant-speed reversing propellers.[citation needed]
The USAF and USN renewed their interest in the DC-6 during the Korean War, and ordered a total of 167 C-118/R6D aircraft, some of which later found their way into civilian service. Harry Truman's first presidential aircraft was an Air Force short fuselage DC-6 which was designated VC-118, and named "The Independence". It is preserved in the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Dayton, Ohio
Total production of the DC-6 series was 704, including military versions.[3]
In the 1960s, two DC-6s were used as transmitter platforms for educational television, based at Purdue University, in a program called MPATI (Midwest Program for Airborne Television Instruction).[4]
Many older DC-6s were replaced in airline passenger service from the mid 1950s by the Douglas DC-7, but the simpler, more economical engines in the DC-6 has meant that the type has outlived the more sophisticated DC-7, particularly for cargo operations. DC-6/7s surviving into the Jet Age were replaced in front line inter-continental passenger service by Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 aircraft.
2006 marked the 60th anniversary of the introduction of the DC-6.
Variants
- XC-112A
- United States military designation of an improved version of the C-54 (DC-4); became the prototype DC-6. Eventually designated YC-112A, pressurized, P&W R-2800-83AM3 engines
- DC-6
- Initial production variant.
- DC-6A
- Freighter variant; fuselage slightly lengthened from DC-6 ; fitted with cargo door.
- DC-6B
- All-passenger variant of DC-6A, without cargo door.
- DC-6B-ST
- Swing tail freighter conversion to the DC-6B done by Sabena. Two converted.[5]
- DC-6C
- Convertible cargo/passenger variant.
- VC-118
- One DC-6 bought as a presidential transport with special 25 seat interior and 12 beds.
- C-118A
- Designation of DC-6As for the United States Air Force, 101 built.
- VC-118A
- C-118As converted as staff transports.
- C-118B
- R6D-1s re-designated.
- VC-118B
- R6D-1Zs re-designated.
- R6D-1
- United States Navy designation for the DC-6A, 65 built.
- R6D-1Z
- Four R6D-1s converted as staff transports.
Operators
Main article: Douglas DC-6 operators
- Current operators of the DC-6
- Today, most DC-6s are inactive, stored or preserved in museums, although a number are flying in northern bush operations in Alaska and Canada while several are based in Europe and a few other DC-6s are still in operation for small carriers in South America.
- One DC-6A, G-APSA, is in use at Coventry, UK. There is also a DC-6B, G-SIXC.[6] at the same site.
- One DC-6B is in use by Red Bull in Salzburg, Austria.
- One DC-6B V5-NCG "Bateleur" is in use with Namibia Commercial Aviation. This was the last DC-6 off the Douglas production line and the last DC-6 in the world in passenger configuration still flying commercially.[7]
- Several ( as of 2010 ) are in use as freighters or waterbombers in Canada. They are no longer used as retardant bombers in the western US.
- As of 2011, Everts Air Cargo operates eight DC-6s and two C-46s.
Civil operators
- Kar Air DC-6B, DC-6B-ST
- Spantax DC-6B, DC-6B-ST
- Syrian Air DC-6B, DC-6B/F
- Air Atlantique,now West Atlantic; a former cargo carrier based in Coventry, England.
- Cathay Pacific DC-6, DC-6B
- American Airlines DC-6, DC-6A, DC-6B
- United Air Lines DC-6, DC-6A, DC-6B
- Delta Air Lines DC-6
- Braniff International Airways DC-6, DC-6A, DC-6B
- National Airlines DC-6, DC-6B
- Northern Air Cargo DC-6A, DC-6B-ST
- Western Airlines DC-6B
- Pan American World Airways DC-6B
- Northwest Orient Airlines DC-6B
- Northeast Airlines DC-6A, DC-6B
- Eastern Air Lines DC-6B
- Pan American-Grace Airways DC-6, DC-6B
- Alaska Airlines DC-6A, DC-6B
- Continental Airlines DC-6B
- Pacific Southwest Airlines DC-6B
- Reeve Aleutian Airways DC-6B
- Trans Caribbean Airways DC-6B
- Flying Tiger Line DC-6A
- Mackey Airlines DC-6, DC-6B
- Everts Air Fuel
- Everts Air Cargo
- Zantop International Airlines DC-6B-ST
Military operators
Specifications
[12][13]
| Variant | DC-6 | DC-6A | DC-6B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | Three to Four | ||
| Capacity | 48-56 Passengers | 28,188 lb (12,786 kg) of Cargo | 54 Passengers (102 Max Seating) |
| Length | 100 ft 7 in (30.66 m) | 105 ft 7 in (32.18 m) | |
| Wingspan | 117 ft 6 in (35.81 m) | ||
| Height | 28 ft 5 in (8.66 m) | ||
| Wing Area | 1,463 sq ft (135.9 m2) | ||
| Empty weight | 52,567 lb (23,844 kg) | 45,862 lb (20,803 kg) | 55,357 lb (25,110 kg) |
| Max takeoff weight | 97,200 lb (44,100 kg) | 107,200 lb (48,600 kg) | 107,000 lb (49,000 kg) |
| Powerplant (4x) | Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CA15 "Double Wasp" radial engine, 1,800 hp (1,300 kW) with water injection each | Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CB16 "Double Wasp" radial engine, 2,400 hp (1,800 kW) each | Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CB17 "Double Wasp" radial engine, 2,500 hp (1,900 kW) each |
| Propellers | Hamilton Standard 43E60 "Hydromatic" constant speed props with autofeather and reverse thrust | ||
| Cruise speed | 311 mph (501 km/h) | 315 mph (507 km/h) | |
| Range | 3,983 nmi (7,377 km) | 2,948 nmi (5,460 km) Max payload 4,317 nmi (7,995 km) Max fuel | 2,610 nmi (4,830 km) Max payload 4,100 nmi (7,600 km) Max fuel |
| Service ceiling | 21,900 ft (6,700 m) | 25,000 ft (7,600 m) | |
| Rate of climb | 1,070 ft/min (330 m/min) | ||
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar