DC-3 (airliner)

First introduced in 1935, the Douglas Commercial 3 DC-3 is one of the most successful aircraft designs in history, with a few still operational in the 21st century. Well over 10,000 were built, in a variety of designations:

• C-47 Skytrain (transport): U.S. Army Air Corps, Air Force, and U.S. Air Force military transport version
• R-4D (transport): land-based U.S. Navy transport variant
• Dakota: Royal Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force transport variant, derived from DACoTA for Douglas Aircraft Company Transport Aircraft
• AC-47 Spooky (ground attack), also known as "Puff the Magic Dragon", Vietnam War gunship

Other military variants served in electronic warfare, ski-equipped transport, search and rescue, air ambulance, signals intelligence, imagery intelligence, VIP transport, and trainers. Civilian applications have included airline passenger and cargo transport. A few fuselages were converted into restaurants near airports.

The original aircraft had two reciprocating propeller engines, with an operational range of 1,600 miles at 160 mph and a ceiling of 24,000 feet. Its maximum range was 3,800 miles.