The Douglas DC-1 was the first model of the famous American DC (Douglas Commercial) commercial transport aircraft series. Although only one example of the DC-1 was produced, the design was the basis for the DC-2 and DC-3, the latter being one of the most successful aircraft in the history of aviation.
Development of the DC-1 can be traced back to the 1931 crash of a TWA airliner, a Fokker F-10 trimotor in which a wing failed, probably because water had seeped between the layers of the wood laminate and dissolved the glue holding the layers together. Following the accident, the Aeronautics Branch of the U.S. Department of Commerce placed stringent restrictions on the use of wooden wings on passenger airliners.[1][2]Boeing developed an answer, the 247, a twin-engined all-metal monoplane with a retractable undercarriage, but their production capacity was reserved to meet the needs of United Airlines, part of United Aircraft and Transport Corporation which also owned Boeing. TWA needed a similar aircraft to respond to competition from the Boeing 247 and they asked five manufacturers to bid for construction of a three-engined, 12-seat aircraft of all-metal construction, capable of flying 1,080 mi (1,740 km) at 150 mph (242 km/h). The most demanding part of the specification was that the airliner would have to be capable of safely taking off from any airport on TWA's main routes (and in particular Albuquerque, at high altitude and with severe summer temperatures) with one engine non-functioning.[3][4]
Donald Douglas was initially reluctant to participate in the invitation from TWA. He doubted that there would be a market for 100 aircraft, the number of sales necessary to cover development costs. Nevertheless, he submitted a design consisting of an all-metal, low-wing, twin-engined aircraft seating 12 passengers, a crew of two and a flight attendant. The aircraft exceeded the specifications of TWA even with only two engines, principally through the use of controllable pitch propellers.[5] It was insulated against noise, heated, and fully capable of both flying and performing a controlled takeoff or landing on one engine.
Don Douglas stated in a 1935 article on the DC-2 that the first DC-1 cost $325,000 to design and build.[6]
Operational historyEdit
DC-1 in TWA markings
Only one aircraft was produced. The prototype made its maiden flight on July 1, 1933,[7] flown by Carl Cover. It was given the model name DC-1, or Douglas Commercial Model 1.[8] During a half-year of testing, it performed more than 200 test flights and demonstrated its superiority over the most-used airliners at that time, the Ford Trimotor and Fokker Trimotor. It was flown across the United States on February 19, 1934, making the journey in the record time of 13 hours 5 minutes.[9]
TWA accepted the aircraft on 15 September 1933 with a few modifications (mainly increasing seating to 14 passengers and adding more powerful engines) and subsequently ordered 20 examples of the developed production model which was named the Douglas DC-2.[10]
The DC-1 was sold to Lord Forbes in the United Kingdom in May 1938, who operated it for a few months before selling it in France in October 1938. It was then sold to Líneas Aéreas Postales Españolas (L.A.P.E.) in Spain in November 1938 and was also used by the Spanish Republican Air Force as a transport aircraft.[11] Later operated by Iberia Airlines from July 1939 with the name Negron, it force-landed at Málaga, Spain, on October 4, 1940 and was damaged beyond repair.[10]
Specifications (DC-1)Edit
Data from McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920[12]
^"Aircraft that took part in the Spanish Civil War." 2015-02-05 at the Wayback MachineAircraft of the Spanish Civil War (zi.ku). Retrieved: February 4, 2011.
^Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
BibliographyEdit
Francillon, René J. McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920. London: Putnam, 1979. ISBN0-370-00050-1.
Freidman, Herbert M. and Ada Kera Friedman. "The Legacy of the Rockne Crash". Aeroplane, Vol. 29, No. 5, Issue 337, May 2001, pp. 34–40. London: IPC. ISSN 0143-7240.
Gradidge, Jennifer M., ed. DC-1, DC-2, DC-3: The First Seventy Years. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians), Two volumes, 2006. ISBN0-85130-332-3.
O'Leary, Michael. "Database: Douglas DC-1 & DC-2". Aeroplane, Vol. 35, No. 2, Issue 406, February 2007, pp. 70–89. London: IPC. ISSN 0143-7240.
Pearcy, Arthur. "Douglas Commercial Two". Air Enthusiast, Nineteen, August–November 1982, pp. 60–77. Bromley, UK: Fine Scroll. ISSN 0143-5450.
Serrano, José Luis González (March–April 1999). "Fifty Years of DC Service: Douglas Transports Used by the Spanish Air Force". Air Enthusiast (80): 61–71. ISSN 0143-5450.
Smith, Richard K. (1998). Seventy-Five Years of Inflight Refueling: Highlights 1923–1998[permanent dead link] Air Force History and Museums, Air University, Maxwell AFB
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Douglas DC-1.
"Inside the Douglas Transport". Popular Aviation. XIV (2): 86–88. February 1934. A contemporary, somewhat technical article on the Douglas DC-1.
Photo: Lord Forbes inspecting the DC-1 in London Docks on arrival in 1938
Photo: The DC-1 in Spain
October 21, 2023
douglas, redirects, here, other, uses, disambiguation, first, model, famous, american, douglas, commercial, commercial, transport, aircraft, series, although, only, example, produced, design, basis, latter, being, most, successful, aircraft, history, aviation,. DC 1 redirects here For other uses see DC 1 disambiguation The Douglas DC 1 was the first model of the famous American DC Douglas Commercial commercial transport aircraft series Although only one example of the DC 1 was produced the design was the basis for the DC 2 and DC 3 the latter being one of the most successful aircraft in the history of aviation DC 1Douglas DC 1 on its handover to Transcontinental amp Western Air Predecessor of Trans World Airlines in December 1933Role Prototype airlinerManufacturer Douglas Aircraft CompanyFirst flight July 1 1933Introduction December 1933Status DestroyedPrimary user Transcontinental amp Western AirNumber built 1Developed into Douglas DC 2 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Specifications DC 1 4 See also 5 References 5 1 Notes 5 2 Bibliography 6 External linksDesign and development EditDevelopment of the DC 1 can be traced back to the 1931 crash of a TWA airliner a Fokker F 10 trimotor in which a wing failed probably because water had seeped between the layers of the wood laminate and dissolved the glue holding the layers together Following the accident the Aeronautics Branch of the U S Department of Commerce placed stringent restrictions on the use of wooden wings on passenger airliners 1 2 Boeing developed an answer the 247 a twin engined all metal monoplane with a retractable undercarriage but their production capacity was reserved to meet the needs of United Airlines part of United Aircraft and Transport Corporation which also owned Boeing TWA needed a similar aircraft to respond to competition from the Boeing 247 and they asked five manufacturers to bid for construction of a three engined 12 seat aircraft of all metal construction capable of flying 1 080 mi 1 740 km at 150 mph 242 km h The most demanding part of the specification was that the airliner would have to be capable of safely taking off from any airport on TWA s main routes and in particular Albuquerque at high altitude and with severe summer temperatures with one engine non functioning 3 4 Donald Douglas was initially reluctant to participate in the invitation from TWA He doubted that there would be a market for 100 aircraft the number of sales necessary to cover development costs Nevertheless he submitted a design consisting of an all metal low wing twin engined aircraft seating 12 passengers a crew of two and a flight attendant The aircraft exceeded the specifications of TWA even with only two engines principally through the use of controllable pitch propellers 5 It was insulated against noise heated and fully capable of both flying and performing a controlled takeoff or landing on one engine Don Douglas stated in a 1935 article on the DC 2 that the first DC 1 cost 325 000 to design and build 6 Operational history Edit nbsp DC 1 in TWA markingsOnly one aircraft was produced The prototype made its maiden flight on July 1 1933 7 flown by Carl Cover It was given the model name DC 1 or Douglas Commercial Model 1 8 During a half year of testing it performed more than 200 test flights and demonstrated its superiority over the most used airliners at that time the Ford Trimotor and Fokker Trimotor It was flown across the United States on February 19 1934 making the journey in the record time of 13 hours 5 minutes 9 TWA accepted the aircraft on 15 September 1933 with a few modifications mainly increasing seating to 14 passengers and adding more powerful engines and subsequently ordered 20 examples of the developed production model which was named the Douglas DC 2 10 The DC 1 was sold to Lord Forbes in the United Kingdom in May 1938 who operated it for a few months before selling it in France in October 1938 It was then sold to Lineas Aereas Postales Espanolas L A P E in Spain in November 1938 and was also used by the Spanish Republican Air Force as a transport aircraft 11 Later operated by Iberia Airlines from July 1939 with the name Negron it force landed at Malaga Spain on October 4 1940 and was damaged beyond repair 10 Specifications DC 1 EditData from McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920 12 General characteristicsCrew 2 pilots Capacity 12 passengers Length 60 ft 0 in 18 29 m Wingspan 85 ft 0 in 25 91 m Height 16 ft 0 in 4 88 m Wing area 942 sq ft 87 5 m2 Airfoil root NACA 2215 tip NACA 2209 13 Empty weight 11 780 lb 5 343 kg Gross weight 17 500 lb 7 938 kg Powerplant 2 Wright SGR 1820F3 Cyclone 9 cylinder air cooled radial piston engines 690 hp 510 kW each Propellers 3 bladed variable pitch metal propellersPerformance Maximum speed 210 mph 340 km h 180 kn Cruise speed 190 mph 310 km h 170 kn at 8 000 ft 2 400 m Range 1 000 mi 1 600 km 870 nmi Service ceiling 23 000 ft 7 000 m See also EditRelated development Douglas DC 2 Douglas DC 3Aircraft of comparable role configuration and era Boeing 247Related lists List of civil aircraftReferences EditNotes Edit Friedman and Friedman Aeroplane Monthly May 2001 pp 34 40 O Leary Aeroplane Monthly February 2007 p 71 Francillon 1979 p 166 Pearcy Air Enthusiast 1982 p 60 Smith 1998 p 10 Douglas Tells Secrets of Speed Popular Mechanics February 1935 Gradidge 2006 p 9 Historical Snapshot DC 1 Commercial Transport Boeing Retrieved April 4 2022 Air Power History Archived 2018 11 30 at the Wayback Machine Spring 2010 Vol 57 No 1 page 12 a b Gradidge 2006 p 299 Aircraft that took part in the Spanish Civil War Archived 2015 02 05 at the Wayback Machine Aircraft of the Spanish Civil War zi ku Retrieved February 4 2011 Francillon 1979 p 173 Lednicer David The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage m selig ae illinois edu Retrieved 16 April 2019 Bibliography Edit Francillon Rene J McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920 London Putnam 1979 ISBN 0 370 00050 1 Freidman Herbert M and Ada Kera Friedman The Legacy of the Rockne Crash Aeroplane Vol 29 No 5 Issue 337 May 2001 pp 34 40 London IPC ISSN 0143 7240 Gradidge Jennifer M ed DC 1 DC 2 DC 3 The First Seventy Years Tonbridge Kent UK Air Britain Historians Two volumes 2006 ISBN 0 85130 332 3 O Leary Michael Database Douglas DC 1 amp DC 2 Aeroplane Vol 35 No 2 Issue 406 February 2007 pp 70 89 London IPC ISSN 0143 7240 Pearcy Arthur Douglas Commercial Two Air Enthusiast Nineteen August November 1982 pp 60 77 Bromley UK Fine Scroll ISSN 0143 5450 Serrano Jose Luis Gonzalez March April 1999 Fifty Years of DC Service Douglas Transports Used by the Spanish Air Force Air Enthusiast 80 61 71 ISSN 0143 5450 Smith Richard K 1998 Seventy Five Years of Inflight Refueling Highlights 1923 1998 permanent dead link Air Force History and Museums Air University Maxwell AFBExternal links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Douglas DC 1 Inside the Douglas Transport Popular Aviation XIV 2 86 88 February 1934 A contemporary somewhat technical article on the Douglas DC 1 Douglas DC 1 2 and 3 Douglas DC 1 Archived 2011 07 23 at the Wayback Machine The Beginning of an Era The DC 1 Douglas DC 1 Douglas DC 3 Dakota History Photo The DC 1 before sale to Howard Hughes Photo Lord Forbes inspecting the DC 1 in London Docks on arrival in 1938 Photo The DC 1 in Spain Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Douglas DC 1 amp oldid 1177002703, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
