The Douglas C-47 Skytrain, or Dakota (RAF designation), is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II. During the war, the C-47 was used for troop transport, cargo, paratrooper drops, glider towing, and military cargo parachute drops. The C-47 remained in front-line service with various military operators for many years.Parker 2013, pp. 13, 35, 37, 39, 45–47. It was produced in roughly triple the numbers of the larger, much heavier-payload Curtiss C-46 Commando, which filled a similar role for the U.S. military.
About 100 countries' armed forces have operated the C-47, with over 60 variants of the aircraft produced. As with the civilian DC-3, the C-47 remains in service, over 80 years after the type's introduction.
Design and development The C-47 differed from the civilian DC-3 by numerous modifications, including being fitted with a cargo door, hoist attachment with a strengthened floor, a shortened tail cone for glider-towing shackles, and an astrodome in the cabin roof.Wilson, Stewart. Aircraft of WWII. Fyshwick, ACT, Australia: Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd., 1998. .Parker 2013, pp. 37, 39, 45-47.
During World War II, the armed forces of many countries used the C-47 and modified DC-3s for the transport of troops, cargo, and wounded. The U.S. Navy's designation was R4D. More than 10,000 aircraft were produced in Long Beach and Santa Monica, California, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Between March 1943 and August 1945, the Oklahoma City plant produced 5,354 C-47s.Herman 2012, pp. 202-203, 227.
The specialized C-53 Skytrooper troop transport started production in October 1941 at Douglas Aircraft's Santa Monica plant. It lacked the cargo door, hoist attachment, and reinforced floor of the C-47. Only 380 aircraft were produced because the C-47 was found to be more versatile.
Super DC-3 (R4D-8)
Large numbers of DC-3s and surplus C-47s were in commercial use in the United States in the 1940s. In response to proposed changes to the Civil Air Regulations (CAR) airworthiness requirements that would limit the continuing use of these aircraft, Douglas offered a late-1940s DC-3 conversion to improve takeoff and single-engine performance. This new model, the DC-3S or "Super DC-3", was longer. It allowed 38"Super DC-3". dc3history.org. Retrieved 23 June 2010. passengers to be carried, with increased speed to compete with newer airliners. The rearward shift in the center of gravity led to larger tail surfaces and new, swept-back outer wings. More powerful engines were installed along with shorter, jet ejection-type exhaust stacks. These were either Wright R-1820 Cyclones or Pratt & Whitney R-2000 Twin Wasps in larger engine nacelles. Minor changes included wheelwell doors, a partially retractable tailwheel, flush rivets, and low-drag antenna. These all contributed to an increased top speed of . With over 75% of the original DC-3/C-47 configuration changed, the modified design was virtually a new aircraft."Super DC-3" . dc3history.org. Retrieved 23 June 2010. The first DC-3S made its maiden flight on 23 June 1949.Francillon 1979, pp. 464–465.
The changes fully met the new CAR 4B airworthiness requirements, with significantly improved performance. However, little interest was expressed by commercial operators in the DC-3S. It was too expensive for the smaller operators that were its main target; only three were sold, to Capital Airlines. The U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps had 100 R4Ds modified to Super DC-3 standard as the R4D-8.Francillon 1979, pp. 466–467.
Operational history World War II
The C-47 was vital to the success of many Allied campaigns, in particular, those at Guadalcanal and in the jungles of New Guinea and Burma, where the C-47 and its naval version, the R4D, made countering the mobility of the light-traveling Japanese Army possible for Allied troops. C-47s were used to airlift supplies to the encircled American forces during the Battle of Bastogne in Belgium. Possibly its most influential role in military aviation, however, was flying "the Hump" from India into China. The expertise gained flying "the Hump" was later used in the Berlin Airlift, in which the C-47 played a major role until the aircraft were replaced by Douglas C-54 Skymasters.
In Europe, the C-47 and a specialized paratroop variant, the C-53 Skytrooper, were used in vast numbers in the later stages of the war, particularly to tow gliders and drop paratroops. During the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, C-47s dropped 4,381 Allied paratroops. More than 50,000 paratroops were dropped by C-47s during the first few days of the D-Day campaign also known as the invasion of Normandy, France, in June 1944.Cacutt, Len. "The World's Greatest Aircraft," Exeter Books, New York, NY, 1988. . In the Pacific War, with careful use of the island landing strips of the Pacific Ocean, C-47s were used to return soldiers serving in the Pacific theater to the United States.
About 2,000 C-47s (received under Lend-Lease) in British and Commonwealth service took the name "Dakota", possibly inspired by the acronym "DACoTA" for Douglas Aircraft Company Transport Aircraft."History: Douglas C-47 Skytrain Military Transport" . Boeing. Retrieved: 14 July 2015.
The C-47 also earned the informal nickname "gooney bird" in the European theatre of operations.O'Rourke, G.G, CAPT USN. "Of Hosenoses, Stoofs, and Lefthanded Spads". United States Naval Institute Proceedings, July 1968. Other sourcesC-47/R4D Skytrain units of the Pacific and CBI, David Isby, Osprey Combat Aircraft #66, Osprey Publishing Limited, 2007 attribute this name to the first aircraft, a USMC R2D—the military version of the DC-2—being the first aircraft to land on Midway Island, previously home to the long-winged albatross, known as the gooney bird, which was native to Midway.
Postwar era
The United States Air Force's (USAF) Strategic Air Command had Skytrains in service from 1946 to 1967. Its 6th Special Operations Squadron was flying the C-47 until 2008.
With all of their aircraft and pilots having been part of the Royal Indian Air Force prior to independence, both the Indian Air Force and Pakistan Air Force used C-47s to transport supplies to their soldiers fighting in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1947. The IAF commenced its airlift of troops and supplies to Srinagar and Poonch on 27 October 1947, bringing elements of the Indian Army for deployment to forward areas.
After World War II, thousands of surplus C-47s were converted to civilian airline use, some remaining in operation in 2012, as well as being used as private aircraft.
In October 1956, a U.S. Navy R4D-5L named Que Sera Sera landed at the South Pole in Antarctica. This was the first time humans had been at the pole since 1912 (see Robert F. Scott's British Antarctic Expedition).
Vietnam War Several C-47 variants were used in the Vietnam War by the USAF, including three advanced electronic-warfare variations, which sometimes were called "electric gooneys" designated EC-47N, EC-47P, or EC-47Q depending on the engine used. In addition, HC-47s were used by the 9th Special Operations Squadron to conduct psychological warfare operations over South Vietnam and Laos. Miami Air International, Miami International Airport was a USAF military depot used to convert the commercial DC-3s/C-47s into military use. They came in as commercial aircraft purchased from third-world airlines and were completely stripped, rebuilt, and reconditioned. Long-range fuel tanks were installed, along with upgraded avionics and gun mounts. They left as first-rate military aircraft headed for combat in Vietnam in a variety of missions. EC-47s were also operated by the Vietnamese, Laotian, and Cambodian Air Forces.Rickard, J. "Douglas EC-47N" . historyofwar.org, 12 November 2008. Retrieved: 7 April 2009. A gunship variation, using three 7.62 mm miniguns, designated AC-47 "Spooky", often nicknamed "Puff the Magic Dragon", also was deployed.
USAF retirement In June 1975, the USAF retired the last C-47 in service. In the U.S. Navy (USN) and Marine Corps (USMC), the McDonnell Douglas DC-9 airliner in USN service was named the C-9B Skytrain II in honor of the C-47 Skytrain.
The USMC operated two C-47s in the United States at MCAS Yuma until at least 1978 and two in Japan at MCAS Iwakuni until at least 1980.
Variants
C-47 The initial military version of the DC-3 had four crew (pilot, co-pilot, navigator, and radio operator) and seats for 27 troops alongside the fuselage interior. "Aerial Ambulances" fitted for casualty evacuation could carry 18 stretcher cases and a medical crew of three; 965 were built (including 12 for the USN as the R4D-1).
C-47 with a 24-volt electrical system, 5,254 built including USN aircraft designated R4D-5 RC-47A C-47A equipped for photographic reconnaissance and ELINT missions SC-47A C-47A equipped for Search Air Rescue; redesignated HC-47A in 1962 VC-47A C-47A equipped for VIP transport role C-47B Powered by R-1830-90 engines with two-speed superchargers (better altitude performance) to cover the China-Burma-India routes, 3,364 built VC-47B C-47B equipped for VIP transport role XC-47C C-47 tested with Edo Model 78 floats for possible use as a seaplane"Aviation in Long Pants" (photo of XC-47C). Popular Mechanics, July 1944."DC-3s On Floats." YouTube, 8 November 2008. Note: first part has rare World War II film footage and narration by project manager for the XC-47C. C-47D C-47B with second speed (high blower) of engine supercharger disabled or removed after the war AC-47D Spooky Gunship aircraft with three side-firing .30 in (7.62 mm) Minigun Gatling guns EC-47D C-47D with equipment for the Electronics Calibration, of which 26 were so converted by Hayes in 1953; prior to 1962 was designated AC-47D NC-47D C-47D modified for test roles RC-47D C-47D equipped for photographic reconnaissance and ELINT missions SC-47D C-47D equipped for Search Air Rescue; redesignated HC-47D in 1962 VC-47D C-47D equipped for VIP transport role C-47E Modified cargo variant with space for 27–28 passengers or 18–24 litters C-47F YC-129 redesignated, Super DC-3 prototype for evaluation by USAF later passed to USN as XR4D-8 C-47L/M C-47H/Js equipped for the support of American Legation United States Naval Attache (ALUSNA) and Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) missions EC-47N/P/Q C-47A and D aircraft modified for ELINT/ARDF mission, N and P differ in radio bands covered, while Q replaces analog equipment found on the N and P with a digital suite, redesigned antenna equipment and uprated engines C-47R One C-47M modified for high altitude work, specifically for missions in Ecuador C-53 Skytrooper Troop transport version of the C-47 that lacked the reinforced cargo floor, large cargo door, and hoist attachment of the C-47 Skytrain. It was dedicated for the troop transport role and could carry 28 passengers in fixed metal seats arranged in rows in the former cargo space; 221 built. XC-53A Skytrooper One testbed aircraft modified in March 1942 with full-span slotted flaps and hot-air leading edge de-icing. Converted to C-53 standard in 1949 and sold as surplus. C-53B Skytrooper Winterized and long-range Arctic version of the C-53 with extra fuel tanks in the fuselage and separate navigator's astrodome station for celestial navigation; eight built. C-53C Skytrooper C-53 with larger port-side access door; 17 built. C-53D Skytrooper C-53C with 24V DC electrical system and its 28 seats attached to the sides of the fuselage; 159 built. C-117A Skytrooper C-47B with 24-seat airline-type interior for staff transport use, 16 built. VC-117A Three redesignated C-117s used in the VIP role SC-117A One C-117C converted for air-sea rescue C-117B/VC-117B High-altitude two-speed superchargers replaced by one-speed superchargers, one built and conversions from C-117As, all later VC-117B