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A place where restoration project-type threads can go to avoid falling off the main page in the WIX hangar. Feel free to start threads on Restoration projects and/or warbird maintenance here. Named in memoriam for Gary Austin, a good friend of the site and known as RetroAviation here. He will be sorely missed.
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Wright and Pratt powered DC-3 differences.

Mon Aug 09, 2010 2:18 pm

Can anyone tell me for sure if the engine change differences were all firewall foreward????

Re: Wright and Pratt powered DC-3 differences.

Fri Sep 24, 2010 9:25 pm

N3Njeff wrote:Can anyone tell me for sure if the engine change differences were all firewall foreward????


The original civil pre-war DC-3's were built with Wright 1820 Cyclones as a follow on from the DC-2 but quickly became available with P&W 1830 Twin Wasps, and I suspect those were only firewall foreward changes.

However most Cyclone powered survivors today would be pre-war or wartime civil DC-3's whereas most Pratt powered survivors (ie the vast majority) are wartime C-47's either as freighters retaining their cargo doors or modified into passenger configuration with passenger door conversions, however they would retain the strengthened floor , underwing hardpoints, glider tow ring etc and all the other C-47 modifications from the basic DC-3.

The C-47B has a particularly different nacelle structure for the high altitude Pratt, although few seem to still carry them?

Regards

Mark Pilkington

Re: Wright and Pratt powered DC-3 differences.

Sun Sep 26, 2010 9:52 am

Contact the Pacific Prowler guys. They operate a Wright-powered ship (The Southern Cross) and are currently restoring two Pratt-powered ships (a D-Day veteran and a Pacific veteran).
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