Douglas Dolphin 129


Crew: 2 crew members2 person <br />
Crew Type: pilot, co-pilot
Passenger Capacity: 6 passengers6 people <br />
Length: 45.25 ft13.792 m <br />
Wingspan: 60 ft18.288 m <br />
Height: 15.125 ft4.61 m <br />
Empty Weight: 6,764 lbs3.382 tons <br />3,068.096 kg <br />
Gross Weight: 9,734 lbs4.867 tons <br />4,415.265 kg <br />
Powerplant: 2x 450 hp (336 kW) Pratt & Whitney Wasp S3D1 engines
Max Speed: 149 mph129.477 kts <br />275.948 km/h <br />
Cruise Speed: 105 mph91.242 kts <br />194.46 km/h <br />
Range: 692 miles601.331 nm <br />1,281.584 km <br />
Service Ceiling: 15,100 ft4,602.48 m <br />

Summary

The specs found on this page are for the RD-3, with exception of the power plants. The RD-3 was a utility transport version of the RD-2, six of which were built for the U.S. Navy. They were powered by 2x 500 hp (373 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1340-4 or by 2x 500 hp (373 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1340-96 engines.

Additional Notes

Two aircraft ordered by Pan American Airways for its subsidiary (at that time) China National Aviation Corporation, powered by 2x 450 hp (336 kW) Pratt & Whitney Wasp S3D1 engines. According to Wikipedia, not sourced, one crashed in heavy seas and the other was destroyed during or shortly after the Japanese invasion of China.^[1]

CNAC Aircraft Data: Douglas Dolphin 129

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
21	Kwangtung	1348	1 October 1934	August 1937	E.M. Allison	Japanese bombing	NC 14239, Bought 1934, first flight 10/1/34, but which? One is named "Fukein." Matched E.M. Allison with photo of plane based on front right side from other pictures showing the NC registry number. "When Royal arrived at Lungwha Field, Japanese planes were strafing and bobbing the runways, which looked like a slice of Swiss Cheese. Two CNAC Douglas Dolphin amphibians moored in the Whangpoo River had been sunk." - Forgotten Aviator: The Adventures of Royal Leonard	Yankee page 149 Forgotten Aviator, page 73
22	Fukien	1349	1 October 1934	August 1937		Japanese bombing	NC 14240, Bought 1934, first flight 10/1/34, but which? One is named "Fukein."	Yankee page 149 Forgotten Aviator, page 73

C.N.A.C. Douglas Dolphin 129 Images

NC 14240 Docked
Photo courtesy of Patti Gully
NC 14240
Photo courtesy of Patti Gully
NC 14239
Photo Courtesy of Michael Smith, grandson of V. Eddie Smith
Douglas Dolphin, 1936 (E.M. Allison in bow)
Photo Courtesy of William M. Leary, Jr.'s The Dragon's Wings
NC 14240
Photo Courtesy of Michael Smith, grandson of V. Eddie Smith