Eastern Airlines DC-3's

[Cubs2jets]

The DC-3 was primarily powered by one of two types of engines - the Pratt & Whitney R-1830 (twin row) and the Wright R-1820 (single row). I have reviewed what information I have and a large amount of information found on the interweb. All of the historic pictures I can find of Eastern Airlines DC-3's, all appear to be Wright powered (you can tell from the length of the cowlings).

Post WWII there were so many C-47's (Pratt & Whitney powered) converted to airline configuration, I assume some ended up with Eastern. (Maybe they were converted to Wrights for continuity, but that seems like too much trouble??) Can anyone provide definitive proof that Eastern Airlines operated Pratt & Whitney powered DC-3 in regular service (pictures would be appreciated)??

Please don't show me PBA "hockey stick" 1980's DC-3's or C-47's operated by Eastern for the military.

Thanks in adavance to all you that help answer my query.

C2j

[Cubs2jets]

Anybody have a copy of EASTERN AIRLINES - AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY by GEORGE CEARLEY, JR. that they could browse through for a possible answer to my previous post?

Much appreciated...

C2j

[SaxMan]

I can't speak for Eastern, but I can definitively say that when Capital purchased a surplus C-47, ex 42-100985, the "Cheyl-Belle" of the 437th TCG, they did convert from the P&Ws to the Wright 1820s so the plane would be consistent with the remainder of their DC-3 fleet. The plane was named the "Capitaliner Pittsburgh" in Capital service and given the company number 110, and later 210. It was the airline's "hack", mostly used for training flights, taking engines and other parts from Capital's headquarters in D.C. to the other airports Capital served, and occasionally pressed into regular cargo service.

Sadly, this plane met an untimely end on June 22, 1957, when on a routine training flight, the plane stalled and spun in, killing the instructor pilot, Carl Burke, and the two first officers seeking to upgrade to Captain, Henry Podgurski and Robert Thomas. Thomas was in the left seat, Burke in the right and Podgurski in the jump seat.

The Cearley books pop up quite often on eBay. I managed to snag a copy of his book on Capital. I have his address (he doesn't use e-mail) if you want to reach out to him and see if he still has any copies to sell. PM me if you'd like.

[SaxMan]

Slightly related: United DC-3s were ordered with the P&W engines, no doubt a "throwback" to when United and Pratt & Whitney were part of the same conglomerate before the U.S. government broke them up.

[cessnaguy]

During the busy winter season for Florida flights, Eastern leased DC-3's from other airlines including United so they at least operated those P&W powered DC-3's. After WWII, Eastern purchased enough surplus C-47's that it probably would have made sense to keep the P&W engines on them but everyone I knew who could have answered that question is dead. One Eastern pilot from Atlanta who made trips to pick up C-47's & C-54's from the boneyard (I think it was Walnut Ridge) was Hasson Calloway. He said the sales manager there pestered him to buy a P-38 and made such a good price that he bought it. He flew it in the Bendix race, then left it with a broker to sell. A Bolivian pilot bought it and accidently rammed an Eastern DC-4 on approach to Washington National.