The C-33 and C-39 are both DC-2 derivatives,
There is a former USN “R2D-1” aircraft flying in the Netherlands at the Aviadrome as the 1934 air race "Uiver", this however is a effectively a stock passenger DC-2 with the narrow DC2 Fin and Rudder, rather than a C-33, a second DC-2 is airworthy in the US, and recently ferried to its new home at the Boeing museum?, there are a total of 8 DC-2s surviving (one is only a fuselage)
The C-33 had a standard DC-2 slab sided fuselage including the two nose landing lights, but with a DC-3 Fin and rudder in place of the narrow DC-2 Fin and rudder, and large cargo doors rather than a single passenger door.
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/051202-F-1234P-035.jpg
The C-39 was similar to the C-33 with a slab sided fuselage with a DC-3 Fin and Rudder, but with wing mounted landing lights instead of the two nose mounted lights, but also had a DC-3 Centre-section and a DC-3 type Dorsel Fin as well.
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/051221-F-1234P-001.jpg
There is no recorded C-33 surviving in the world, while only one C39 exists, this is in the collection of the National Museum of the United States Airforce.
Interestingly two of the surviving DC-2's were modified for Cargo Transport by the RAAF after their Eastern Airlines service by replacing their passenger doors with C-33 type cargo doors, but these retain their narrow DC2 Fin and Rudder.
from the USAF Museum website research pages:
Quote:
Douglas C-33
The successful testing of the Douglas XC-32 led to an order for 18 similar aircraft with improvements designed to make hauling cargo more efficient. The C-33 had a two-piece, hinged cargo loading door incorporated into the aft left fuselage. The cargo floor inside the cargo door was installed at an angle so it was parallel to the ground when the aircraft was parked. This made loading and unloading cargo much easier. The aft fuselage also had three reinforced mount points for a tripod hoist assembly which could be fitted to the aircraft on the ground and used for loading and unloading cargo when a forklift or flatbed truck was unavailable. The interior of the C-33 was fitted with a cable and pulley system to aid in loading and moving cargo. There were also cargo tie-down points located throughout the interior. The vertical stabilizer was adapted from the commercial DC-3 and fitted the C-33 giving it an unofficial nickname: DC-2½.
Quote:
Douglas C-39
The Douglas C-39 was basically the end result of a development process that began with the XC-32 in 1935. The XC-32 was a military version of the Douglas DC-2 civilian airliner. The XC-32 led to an order for eighteen similar aircraft with the C-33 designation. The first C-33 built was held back at the Douglas factory and modified with a DC-3 tail assembly and designated C-38. The C-38 led to an order for 35 similar production versions which were designated C-39 by the Air Corps.
The C-39 was a mixture of DC-2, DC-3 and military specific parts and assemblies. The plane used a basic DC-2 forward and center fuselage section mated to a DC-3 style aft fuselage and tail. The wing consisted of a DC-3 center section and DC-2 outboard wings. The landing gear was based on the design developed for the Douglas B-18 bomber. Because the C-39 was essentially a hybrid of DC-2 and DC-3 assemblies, it was unofficially known as the DC-2½.
The only C-33/C-39 surviving is recorded on their website as:
Quote:
The National Museum of the United States Air Force has a C-39 in its collection. The plane is currently in protective storage off public display. The plane was removed from the Annex Hangar to make room for the Boeing VC-137 SAM 26000 presidential aircraft.
The museum's C-39 was ordered on May 11, 1938 as part of a contract (W 535 AC 11137) for 35 planes. The museum's C-39 was the 15th aircraft built on the contract and assigned the Army Air Corps serial number 38-515. The plane was built with the Douglas Construction Number 2072 and designated as a DC-2-243. Although the C-39 was assigned a DC-2 model number (-243), no civilian aircraft of this type were built. The C-39 carried an 'as delivered' price of $73,320.08 (1939 dollars) not including government furnished equipment.
This C-39 was delivered to Patterson Field, Dayton, Ohio on July 6, 1939, where it was flown in a 2 hour 45 minute acceptance test before being turned over to the Fairfield Air Depot, Patterson Field, Ohio on July 7. After a 14 hour flight test program covering three days, the plane was assigned to the 1st Transport Squadron, 10th Transport Group, also based at Patterson Field. The C-39 was put into normal service and accumulated about 100 flying hours per month on average for the next two years.
On April 24, 1942, the museum's C-39 was sent to the Fairfield Air Depot for overhaul. The plane had a total of 2,289 flight hours at this point. The depot maintenance took about three months to complete and after an eight hour post-depot flight test program, the plane was reassigned to Bowman Field, Ky. on July 31, 1942. For the next nine months, the plane was assigned to numerous air fields including Lawson Field, La.; Kansas City Field, Kan. and Sedalia Field, Mo.
On Mar. 9, 1943, the C-39 was sent to the Middletown Air Depot, Penn. The plane remained at Middletown and was used as a transport aircraft for more than a year. The 38-515 was assigned for part of this time to the 496th Air Base Squadron. Due to two name changes — Middletown Air Depot became Middletown Air Service Center then Olmstead Air Service Center — the museum's C-39 was transferred 'on paper' several more times.
After a third round of depot maintenance, the C-39 was sent to Cincinnati for use as a ferry aircraft and assigned to the Air Transport Command. The plane was declared surplus and sold to Pan American in February 1945, ending its military service. The museum's C-39 accumulated more than 5,000 flight hours during its six years in military service.
The museum's C-39 was used for commercial airline service in the late 1940s and was sold in South America and used for several years before being resold a few more times. The museum acquired the plane by donation in July 1970 and restored it to its original configuration while assigned to the 10th Transport Group at Patterson Field, Ohio between 1939 and 1942.
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/051221-F-1234P-016.jpgTulio refers to the CAF having a C-39?
Quote:
don't know where the CAF C-39 is now.
West Houston Squadron used to have her, painted as "Draggin' Lady" back in the 1980s and early 90s.
I distinctly recall reading the data plate, with "C-39" on it, and reading somewhere that it was the oldest C-39 / C-47family flying.
I googled the CAF squadrons and saw that "Draggin' Lady" was West Houston's first aircraft but its no longer operated by them,
they are listed as operating:
California
C-53 Skytrooper Inland Empire Wing
Illinois
C-47 Skytrain "Black Sparrow" Great Lakes Wing
Texas
R4D Skytrain "Ready 4 Duty" Dallas/Fort Worth Wing
C-47 Skytrain Highland Lakes Squadron
Last updated: July 29, 2006
Arthur Pearcy’s book "Douglas DC-3 Survivors" lists “Draggin’ Lady” N17332 as s/n 1918 a DC-3-3A-178 built as a left hand door DC-3 for American Airlines and purchased by the Confederate Air Force in 1982 and operated in Chinese Nationalist Livery.
The book indicates it was the 8th oldest DC-3 surviving at time of print in 1987 and was at that time the second oldest still operational, with the others in museums or derelict other than s/n 1910 DC-3A-197 N16070.
Google suggests the aircraft is now on static display at the CAF American Airpower Heritage Museum at Midland Texas?
So I am not sure what the details of the C-39 nameplate issue is, but the attached photo does not indicate a DC-2 slab sided fuselage as expected for a C-39?
Perhaps it was simply displayed as a C-39?
http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0736575&size=L&width=1600&height=1034&sok=JURER%20%20%28ert%20%3D%20%27A17332%27%29%20%20BEQRE%20OL%20cubgb_vq%20QRFP&photo_nr=1I was however interested to discover there is a C-41 that still exists and fly's, listed as:
C-41 N41HQ, Next Century Aviation Inc/Otis Spunkmeyer Air, Sausalito CA
http://www.centercomp.com/cgi-bin/dc3/gallery?893The C-41 was a one off order by the USAAC, it was used as General Hap Arnard's VIP aircraft during WW2, this s/n 2053 listed as a DC-3-253 by Pearcy.
Quote:
C-41
In 1938, the Air Corps bought a single DC-2 type aircraft. The plane, designated C-41, was very similar to the C-39 with only a few differences. The C-41 was powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-1830 radial engines with 1,200 horsepower each. The upgraded engines were more powerful than the 975 horsepower Wright radials of the C-39 and gave the C-41 a top speed of 225 mph — 15 mph faster than the C-39. The cruising speed of the C-41 was nearly 50 mph faster than the C-39.
The other significant difference between the two types was the interior. The C-41 was bought as a senior staff transport, so the cabin was finished to allow in-flight staff work and meetings in addition to being more luxurious than the standard troop transport.
The C-41 was used by Gen. H. H. "Hap" Arnold, Army Air Corps Chief of Staff beginning in 1939.
The C-41 is described as a DC-2 Derivative above however it does not have the distinctive DC-2 slab sides? and internal photos suggest a three abreast cabin so it is assumed to be a standard "round" DC-3 fuselage, and with the C-39 DC-3 Centre Section and fin/rudder, it would appear the C-41 is more correctly a DC-3 derivative than a DC-2 Derivative as there seems little of the distinctive DC-2 features left?
Interestingly the USAFM website quotes the C-39 as designated by Douglas as a DC-2-243 and Pearcy quotes the C-41 as designated by Douglas as a DC-3-253 so perhaps they are more different than the USAFM website suggests.
of further interest is that Pearcy records the single Douglas C-41A as also existing at time of publication as s/n 2145 DC-3A-253A/C-41A N132BB
Quote:
DOUGLAS C-41A
The Air Corps purchased a commercial Douglas DC-3A in early 1939 and designated the plane as C-41A. Although the earlier C-41 was based on the DC-2 (C-39) the intended missions of the aircraft were similar so the new plane was given the -A model.
The C-41A was fitted with a 21-seat VIP interior designed for use by the Secretary of War and his staff. The 1,200 horsepower Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp radial engines gave the plane a cruising speed greater than 200 mph.
The C-41A made its first flight on Sept. 11, 1939, at the Douglas plant. Three days later it was delivered to the Air Corps at Bolling Field, Washington, D.C. The plane was initially assigned to the 1st Staff Squadron and was flown on average about 25 hours per month for the next several years.
The C-41A remained in service throughout World War II first as a VIP transport for the Secretary of War, then as a regular staff transport until December 1945 when the plane was declared surplus.
Type Number built/
converted Remarks
C-41 1 Modified C-39
C-41A 1 Modified DC-3
Serial Numbers: C-41: 38-502; C-41A: 40-70
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/060516-F-1234P-003.jpg
Clearly a round DC-3 fuselage with perhaps even remanent DST slit windows evident in the forward fuselage?
N1332BB was registered to Robert J Bond but the registration number is now allocated to a Lancair so I am unsure if this C-41A aircraft still exists? and is flying under another registration? Does anyone know?
However I guess these two "C-41" aircraft might qualify for Nathan's question?
Of interest the Australian National Aviation Museum took delivery of their DC-2 last weekend - s/n 1292 former Eastern Airlines NC13782, which flew with the RAAF as A30-9
http://www.aarg.com.au/DC2.htm
regards
Mark Pilkington
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