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The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota ( RAF designation) is a
military transport aircraft A military transport aircraft, military cargo aircraft or airlifter is a military aircraft, military-owned transport aircraft used to support military operations by airlifting troops and military equipment. Transport aircraft are crucial to m ...
developed from the civilian
Douglas DC-3 The Douglas DC-3 is a propeller-driven airliner manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company, which had a lasting effect on the airline industry in the 1930s to 1940s and World War II. It was developed as a larger, improved 14-bed sleeper ...
airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. During the war the C-47 was used for troop transport,
cargo In transportation, cargo refers to goods transported by land, water or air, while freight refers to its conveyance. In economics, freight refers to goods transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. The term cargo is also used in cas ...
,
paratrooper A paratrooper or military parachutist is a soldier trained to conduct military operations by parachuting directly into an area of operations, usually as part of a large airborne forces unit. Traditionally paratroopers fight only as light infa ...
, for towing gliders 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 approximately triple the numbers as the larger, much heavier payload Curtiss C-46 Commando, which filled a similar role for the U.S. military. Approximately 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 way of numerous modifications, including being fitted with a cargo door, hoist attachment and strengthened floor - along with a shortened tail cone for glider-towing shackles, and an
astrodome The NRG Astrodome, formerly and also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, was the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, United States. It seated around 50,000 fans, with a record atte ...
in the cabin roof.Wilson, Stewart. ''Aircraft of WWII''. Fyshwick, ACT, Australia: Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd., 1998. . 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. naval designation was R4D. More than 10,000 aircraft were produced in
Long Beach Long Beach is a coastal city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the list of United States cities by population, 44th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 451,307 as of 2022. A charter ci ...
and
Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...
, and
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...
. Between March 1943 and August 1945, the Oklahoma City plant produced 5,354 C-47s. 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 in all 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 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 39 in (0.99 m) longer. It allowed 30 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 outer, swept-back wings. More powerful engines were installed along with shorter, jet ejection-type exhaust stacks. These were either 1,475 hp (1,100 kW) Wright R-1820 Cyclones or 1,450 hp (1,081 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2000 Twin Wasps in larger engine nacelles. Minor changes included wheel-well 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. The first DC-3S made its maiden flight on 23 June 1949.Francillon 1979, pp. 464–465. The changes fully met the new FAR 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 of their R4D aircraft modified to Super DC-3 standards as the R4D-8, later redesignated the C-117D.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 Guadalcanal (; indigenous name: ''Isatabu'') is the principal island in Guadalcanal Province of Solomon Islands, located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, northeast of Australia. It is the largest island in the Solomons by area and the second- ...
and in the jungles of
New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; , fossilized , also known as Papua or historically ) is the List of islands by area, world's second-largest island, with an area of . Located in Melanesia in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is ...
and
Burma Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and ha ...
, where the C-47 and its naval version, the R4D, made it possible for Allied troops to counter the mobility of the light-traveling Japanese Army. 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 The Hump was the name given by Allies of World War II, Allied pilots in the Second World War to the eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains over which they flew military transport aircraft from British Raj, India to Republic of China (1912- ...
" from India into China. The expertise gained flying "The Hump" was later used in the
Berlin Airlift The Berlin Blockade (24 June 1948 – 12 May 1949) was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War. During the multinational occupation of post–World War II Germany, the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway, roa ...
, in which the C-47 played a major role until the aircraft were replaced by
Douglas C-54 Skymaster The Douglas C-54 Skymaster is a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces in World War II and the Korean War. Like the Douglas C-47 Skytrain derived from the DC-3, the C-54 Skymaster was derived from a civilia ...
s. 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 The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during the Second World War. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as ...
campaign also known as the
invasion of Normandy Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful liberation of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. The operation was launched on 6 June 1944 ( D-Day) with the ...
, France, in June 1944. In the
Pacific War The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War or the Pacific Theatre, was the Theater (warfare), theatre of World War II fought between the Empire of Japan and the Allies of World War II, Allies in East Asia, East and Southeast As ...
, with careful use of the island landing strips of the Pacific Ocean, C-47s were used for ferrying soldiers serving in the Pacific theater back to the United States. About 2,000 C-47s (received under
Lend-Lease Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (),3,000 Hurricanes and >4,000 other aircraft) * 28 naval vessels: ** 1 Battleship. (HMS Royal Sovereign (05), HMS Royal Sovereign) * ...
) in British and Commonwealth service took the name "Dakota", possibly inspired by the acronym "DACoTA" for Douglas Aircraft Company Transport Aircraft. 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 sources 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 The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
's
Strategic Air Command Strategic Air Command (SAC) was a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile compon ...
had Skytrains in service from 1946 to 1967. The US Air Force's 6th Special Operations Squadron was flying the C-47 until 2008. With all of their aircraft and pilots having been part of the Indian Air Force prior to independence, both the
Indian Air Force The Indian Air Force (IAF) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the air force, air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflicts. It was officially established on 8 Octob ...
and
Pakistan Air Force The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) (; ) is the aerial warfare branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces, tasked primarily with the aerial defence of Pakistan, with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Navy when re ...
used C-47s to transport supplies to their soldiers fighting in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1947. 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 The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
by the United States Air Force, 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 Psychological warfare (PSYWAR), or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations (PsyOp), has been known by many other names or terms, including Military Information Support Operations ( MISO), Psy Ops, political warfare, "Hearts and Mi ...
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. 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 US Navy and Marine Corps, the
McDonnell Douglas DC-9 The McDonnell Douglas DC-9 is an American five-abreast, single-aisle aircraft designed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It was initially produced as the Douglas DC-9 prior to August 1967, after which point the company had merged with McDonnell ...
airliner in U.S. Navy service was named the C-9B Skytrain II in honor of the C-47 Skytrain.


Variants

;C-47 :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 built (including 12 for the United States Navy as 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 China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
-
Burma Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and ha ...
-
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
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 ;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 The M134 Minigun is an American 7.62×51mm NATO six-barrel rotary machine gun with a high rate of fire (2,000 to 6,000 rounds per minute). It features a Gatling-style rotating barrel assembly with an external power source, normally an elect ...
machine 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 ; C-117D :USN/USMC R4D-8 redesignated C-117D in 1962. ;LC-117D :USN/USMC R4D-8L redesignated LC-117D in 1962. ;TC-117D :USN/USMC R4D-8T redesignated TC-117D in 1962. ;VC-117D :USN R4D-8Z redesignated VC-117D in 1962. ; YC-129 :Super DC-3 prototype for evaluation by USAF redesignated C-47F and later passed to USN as XR4D-8. Wright R-1820 engines uprated to 1425 hp. ;CC-129 :Canadian Forces designation for the C-47 (post-1970) ; XCG-17 :One C-47 tested as a 40-seat troop glider with engines removed and faired over ;R4D-1 Skytrain :USN/USMC version of the C-47 ;R4D-3 :Twenty C-53Cs transferred to USN ;R4D-5 :C-47A variant 24-volt electrical system replacing the 12-volt of the C-47; redesignated C-47H in 1962, 238 transferred from USAF ;R4D-5L :R4D-5 for use in Antarctica. Redesignated LC-47H in 1962. Photos of this type show the removal of underslung engine oil coolers typical of the R-1830 engine installation; apparently not needed in the cold polar regions. ;R4D-5Q :R4D-5 for use as special ECM trainer. Redesignated EC-47H in 1962 ;R4D-5R :R4D-5 for use as a personnel transport for 21 passengers and as a trainer aircraft; redesignated TC-47H in 1962 ;R4D-5S :R4D-5 for use as a special ASW trainer; redesignated SC-47H in 1962 ;R4D-5Z :R4D-5 for use as a VIP transport; redesignated VC-47H in 1962 ;R4D-6 ::157 C-47Bs transferred to USN; redesignated C-47J in 1962 ;R4D-6L, Q, R, S, and Z :Variants as the R4D-5 series; redesignated LC-47J, EC-47J, TC-47J, SC-47J, and VC-47J respectively in 1962 ;R4D-7 :44 TC-47Bs transferred from USAF for use as a navigational trainer; redesignated TC-47K in 1962 ; R4D-8 :R4D-5 and R4D-6 remanufactured aircraft with stretched fuselage, Wright R-1820 engines, fitted with modified wings and redesigned tail surfaces; redesignated C-117D in 1962 ;R4D-8L :R4D-8 converted for Antarctic use, redesignated LC-117D in 1962 ;R4D-8T :R4D-8 converted as crew trainers, redesignated TC-117D in 1962 ;R4D-8Z :R4D-8 converted as a staff transport, redesignated VC-117D in 1962 ;C-47TP "Turbo Dak" :Refit with two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67R
turboprop A turboprop is a Gas turbine, gas turbine engine that drives an aircraft Propeller (aeronautics), propeller. A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction drive, reduction gearbox, gas compressor, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propellin ...
s and fuselage stretch for the South African Air Force ; Basler BT-67 :C-47 conversion with a stretched fuselage, strengthened structure, modern avionics, and powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67R turboprops


RAF designations

;Dakota I :RAF designation for the C-47 and R4D-1. ;Dakota II :RAF designation for nine C-53 Skytroopers received under the lend lease scheme. Unlike the majority of RAF Dakotas, these aircraft were therefore dedicated troop transports, lacking the wide cargo doors and reinforced floor of the C-47. ;Dakota III :RAF designation for the C-47A. ;Dakota IV :RAF designation for the C-47B. ;Airspeed AS.61 :Projected conversion of Dakota I aircraft by
Airspeed In aviation, airspeed is the speed of an aircraft relative to the air it is flying through (which itself is usually moving relative to the ground due to wind). In contrast, the ground speed is the speed of an aircraft with respect to the sur ...
. None built. ;Airspeed AS.62 :Projected conversion of Dakota II aircraft by Airspeed. None built. ;Airspeed AS.63 :Projected conversion of Dakota III aircraft by Airspeed. None built. ;BEA Pionair/Dart-Dakota :Conversion of Dakota to Rolls-Royce Dart power and used by BEA to prove turboprop engines prior to entry into service of
Vickers Viscount The Vickers Viscount is a retired British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs. A design requirement from the Brabazon Committee, it entered service in 1953 and was the first turboprop-powered airliner. T ...
.


Royal Thai Air Force designations

;B.L.2 :() designation for the C-47. ;B.TL.2 :() designation for the RC-47.


Aftermarket conversions


Operators

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Laos Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and ...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * (also as
Lisunov Li-2 The Lisunov Li-2 (NATO reporting name: Cab), originally designated PS-84, was a license-built Soviet-version of the Douglas DC-3. It was produced by Factory #84 in Khimki, Moscow-Khimki and, after the factory's evacuation in 1941, at the Tash ...
) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Accidents and incidents


Surviving aircraft

Large numbers of C-47s, C-117s and other variants survive, on display in museums or as monuments; operated as
warbird A warbird is any vintage military aircraft now operated by civilian organizations and individuals, or in some instances, by historic arms of military forces, such as the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, the Royal Australian Air Force's No. 100 ...
s; or remaining in service. As part of the 75th-anniversary commemoration in June 2019, 14 American C-47s and another group of 'Daks' from Europe retraced the route across the English Channel to
Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...
taken by roughly 850 of these aircraft on
D-Day The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during the Second World War. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as ...
. Among them were ''That's All, Brother'', ''Betsy's Biscuit Bomber'', ''Miss Montana'', ''Spirit of Benovia'', ''D-Day Doll'', ''Boogie Baby'', N47E ''Miss Virginia'', and ''Whiskey 7''.


Specifications (C-47B-DK)


See also


References


Notes


Citations


Bibliography

* * Chorlton, Martyn. ''Paths in the Wood''. Cowbit, UK: Old Forge Publishing Ltd, 2003. . * * Donald, David. ''The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft''. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1997. . * Flintham, Victor. ''Air Wars and Aircraft: A Detailed Record of Air Combat, 1945 to the Present''. New York: Facts on File, 1990. . * Francillon, René J. ''McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Since 1920''. London: Putnam & Company, 1979. . * Gradidge, Jennifer M. ''The Douglas DC-1, DC-2, DC-3: The First Seventy Years''. Two volumes. Tonbridge, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2006. . * Herman, Arthur. ''Freedom's Forge: How American Business Produced Victory in World War II''. New York: Random House, 2012. . * Kaplan, Philip. ''Legend: A Celebration of the Douglas DC-3/C-47/Dakota''. Peter Livanos & Philip Kaplan, 2009. . * Parker, Dana T. ''Building Victory: Aircraft Manufacturing in the Los Angeles Area in World War II''. Cypress, California: Dana Parker Enterprises, 2013. . * Pearcy, Arthur Jr. "Douglas R4D variants (US Navy's DC-3/C-47)". ''Aircraft in Profile, Volume 14''. Windsor, Berkshire, UK: Profile Publications, 1974, pp. 49–73. . * * * * Yenne, Bill. ''McDonnell Douglas: A Tale of Two Giants''. Greenwich, Connecticut: Bison Books, 1985. .


External links


Boeing: Historical Snapshot: C-47 Skytrain military transport

Manual: (1943) T.O. No. 01-40NC-1 Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions C-47 Airplane
*
Pilot training manual for the C-47

The Museum of Flight Digital Collections
{{AircraftDesignationNavboxShell , 1={{USAF transports , 2={{USN transports , 3={{USAF system codes , 4={{Swedish military aircraft designations , 5={{CF aircraft , 6={{Czech transport aircraft , 7={{Thai transport aircraft designations , 8={{Thai observation aircraft designations , 9={{Spanish transport aircraft , 10={{ADF aircraft designations Aircraft first flown in 1941 C-047 Skytrain Douglas DC-3 Low-wing aircraft Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft Douglas C-047 Skytrain Aircraft with retractable conventional landing gear