Douglas DC-6
- CountryUnited States of America
- TypePiston engined airliner and freighter
- PowerplantsDC-6 - Four 1340kW (1800hp) Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp R-2800-CA15 18 cylinder twin row radial piston engines (with a maximum output rating of 1790kW (2400hp) with water injection) driving three blade constant speed Hamilton Standard propellers. DC-6B - Four 1685kW (2500hp) R-2800-CB17s.
- PerformanceDC-6 - Cruising speed 501km/h (270kt). Initial rate of climb 1070ft/min. Max range 7376km (3983nm). DC-6B - Cruising speed 507km/h (274kt). Service ceiling 25,000ft. Range with max payload 4835km (2610nm), range with max fuel 7595km (4100nm).
- WeightsDC-6 - Empty 23,840kg (52,567lb), max takeoff 44,129kg (97,200lb). DC-6B - Empty 25,110kg (55,357lb), max takeoff 48,534kg (107,000lb).
- DimentionsDC-6 - Wing span 35.81m (117ft 6in), length 30.66m (100ft 7in), height 8.66m (28ft 5in). Wing area 135.9m2 (1463sq ft). DC-6B - Same except length 32.18m (105ft 7in).
- CapacityDC-6 - Flightcrew of three or four. Passenger accommodation typically for between 48 to 56, but most aircraft now usually equipped to carry freight. DC-6B - Typical passenger seating for 54, with max seating for 102, but now usually configured for freight.
- ProductionTotal DC-6 production of 665, comprising 174 DC-6s, 73 DC-6As, 288 DC-6Bs, 105 C-118s and 25 R6Ds. Approximately 100 remained in service in 2003.
While the DC-3's and DC-4's non military personnel vocations were hindered by Ww2, the inverse applies to the DC-6, which began off because of a military airdrop necessity, and happened to turn into Douglas' best four engined cylinder aerial shuttle.
Amid the recent phases of Ww2 Douglas started chip away at a created DC-4 for after war business utilization. However the enhanced DC-4 (which would offer a 2.11m/6ft 11in fuselage stretch and P&w R-2800 Double Wasp motors) soon pulled in the consideration of the US Army Air Force, which contrived a necessity which the new transport was produced against. A model was assembled, assigned XC-112, however it didn't fly until February 15 1946, by which time the war was over and the military prerequisite no more stood.
Rather Douglas proceeded with advancement of the sort as a long run carrier, bringing about the DC-6. The XC-112 served as the model for the DC-6 project. US aerial transports had as of now demonstrated solid enthusiasm toward the new transport, with dispatch requests for the DC-6 set in September 1944. The main creation DC-6 first flew in June 1946 and administration entrance, with United Air Lines, happened on April 27 1947. However early administration was not smooth with the armada grounded for four months from November that year after two inward fuselage fires in flight, one being deadly, brought on by fuel venting entering the lodge warmer ram air admission.
The accessibility of the all the more capable R-2800 motors with water/methanol infusion incited Douglas to create the further extended DC-6a Liftmaster tanker (first flight September 29 1949) and the proportionate traveler DC-6b (first flight February 2 1951). The DC-6c, the last DC-6 model to be produced, was a convertible traveler/cargo rendition of the DC-6a.
Pictures of Douglas DC-6
