Aircraft:Douglas DC-53

Crew: 2 crew members2 person <br />

Crew Type: pilot, co-pilot

Passenger Capacity: 21 to 32 passengers

Length: 64.667 ft19.711 m <br />

Wingspan: 95.167 ft29.007 m <br />

Height: 16.916 ft5.156 m <br />

Cargo Capactity 6,000 lbs3 tons <br />2,721.552 kg <br />

Empty Weight: 16,865 lbs8.433 tons <br />7,649.829 kg <br />

Gross Weight: 25,200 lbs12.6 tons <br />11,430.518 kg <br />

Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-S1C3G Twin Wasp 14-cyl. air-cooled two row radial piston engine, 1,200 hp (890 kW) each

Propellers: 3-bladed Hamilton Standard 23E50 series, 11 ft 6 in (3.5 m) diameter

Max Speed: 230 mph199.864 kts <br />425.96 km/h <br />

Cruise Speed: 207 mph179.878 kts <br />383.364 km/h <br />

Range: 1,500 miles1,303.464 nm <br />2,778 km <br />

Service Ceiling: 23,200 ft7,071.36 m <br />

Summary

The Douglas DC-3 is a propeller-driven airliner which had a lasting effect on the airline industry in the 1930s/1940s and World War II. It was developed as a larger, improved 14-bed sleeper version of the Douglas DC-2. It is a low-wing metal monoplane with a tailwheel landing gear, powered by two 1,200 hp (890 kW) Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp radial piston engines. It has a cruise speed of 207 mph (333 km/h), capacity of 21 to 32 passengers or 6,000 lbs (2,700 kg) of cargo, a range of 1,500 mi (2,400 km), and could operate from short runways.

Before the war, it pioneered many air travel routes as it could cross the continental US and made worldwide flights possible, carried passengers in greater comfort, and was reliable and easy to maintain. It is considered the first airliner that could profitably carry only passengers.[4] Following the war, the airliner market was flooded with surplus military transport aircraft, and the DC-3 could not be upgraded by Douglas due to cost.

CNAC Aircraft Data: Douglas DC-53

Below is all the known data available for this model of this aircraft used by C.N.A.C. They are sorted by: C.N.A.C. Service Start Date, Maker Number, C.N.A.C. Tail Number.

Tail #	Nickname	Maker #	Service Start	Service End	Crew	End Cause	Notes	Sources
48	41-20082	4852	26 February 1942	11 August 1943		Shot down by Japanese
49	41-20083	4853	26 February 1942	13 March 1943		Missing
51	41-20109	4879	12 May 1942	24 March 1944		Crash
52	41-20132	4902	19 May 1942	10 October 1942		Crash
53	41-20134	4904	25 May 1942	11 March 1943		Missing
54	42-06475	4927	28 May 1942	1 December 1949		To XT-45. To N8361C 12/49
55	42-06477	4929	4 June 1942	1 December 1949		To XT-55.
56	41-20111	4881	9 June 1942	12 December 1944		Crash
57	41-20113	4883	12 June 1942	18 February 1944		Crash
58	42-15890	7407	18 September 1942	7 April 1943		Missing 7.4.43
59	42-15889	7406	7 October 1942	19 November 1943		Crash
50	41-20101	4871	4 December 1942	1 December 1949		To XT-90. To N8367C 12/49	Still extant!

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