MD90fan From Bahamas, joined Jul 2005, 2931 posts, RR: 7 Posted (7 years 4 months 3 weeks 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 3382 times:
What aircraft was the best DC-3 replacement during its time? And what aircraft replaced the most DC-3's? F-27's, Convairs? (380 and 580) or the upgraded DC-3's?
2H4 From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 8950 posts, RR: 62 Reply 1, posted (7 years 4 months 3 weeks 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 3369 times:
Gordonsmall From UK - Scotland, joined Jun 2001, 1995 posts, RR: 24 Reply 2, posted (7 years 4 months 3 weeks 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 3323 times:
Well, it's often joked about, even on this side of the atlantic, that the only replacement for a DC-3 is another DC-3.
Statistically, people who have had the most birthdays tend to live the longest.
Ikramerica From United States of America, joined May 2005, 21029 posts, RR: 60 Reply 3, posted (7 years 4 months 3 weeks 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 3284 times:
Leahy will tell you it's an A358.
Of all the things to worry about... the Wookie has no pants.
Fokker70NG From Netherlands, joined Nov 2005, 233 posts, RR: 3 Reply 4, posted (7 years 4 months 3 weeks 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 3283 times:
It is said that the F27 came the closest to being the ultimate DC-3 replacement. I can't prove it with sales data, but it's what most books and websites say...
But of course, the only replacement for a DC-3 is another DC-3. But then I think the only replacement for a F27 is another F27 or a F50, but maybe that's just my personal opinion.
[Edited 2005-12-31 00:42:56]
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe. -Albert Einstein
FX1816 From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 1400 posts, RR: 5 Reply 5, posted (7 years 4 months 3 weeks 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 3224 times:
Well I have heard that when NW replaces their DC-9's it will be with DC-3's.........LOL
KC135TopBoom From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 11712 posts, RR: 52 Reply 6, posted (7 years 4 months 3 weeks 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 3190 times:
I believe the airplane that scrapped more DC-3/C-47s was the Bf-109......LOL
BHMBAGLOCK From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 2698 posts, RR: 5 Reply 7, posted (7 years 4 months 3 weeks 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 3132 times:
In some cases, it was turbine conversion DC-3s; some with a stretch. Definitely having your cake and getting to eat it too!
More recently, about 10 years ago in the skydiving industry they were replaced with Twotters mostly and a bit with King-Airs as well. King Air doesn't seem logical with less than half the capacity of the DC-3 but given much faster climb rates is pretty close to a one for one replacement.
VV701 From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2005, 6628 posts, RR: 17 Reply 8, posted (7 years 4 months 3 weeks 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 3043 times:
Of course I'm biased - look at my Username - but it is a fact that the predecessor of BA on shorthaul routes - British European Airways - replaced its DC-3 Pioneer Class aircraft with the Vickers Viscount 701 and 802 / 806. This aircraft was also ordered and flown by Air France, KLM and Lufthansa amongst leading European airlines, Capital, Northeast and United in the US (although United inherited their aircraft) and Trans Australian Airlines, Ansett and New Zealand Airways in Australasia.
DC3CV3407AC727 From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 314 posts, RR: 2 Reply 9, posted (7 years 4 months 3 weeks 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 2993 times:
other than the proverbial" another DC-3" which has a lot of truth to it,in the non-sched freight industry in the states,the 24 hour ,7 day a week on call freight dogs,2 airplanes replaced the venerable 3, 1. the Cessna Caravan, good for almost 3000lbs of lift, cruised at the same anemic speed(maybe a bit faster) ,had one crew member up front, and a single thrifty,RELIABLE,pt-6 up front,instead of 2 thirsty 100 gals per hour PW 1830s, that were blessed to make TBO. 2. the Falcon 20 freighter, a jet that could take three standard bins at 6000 lbs (the DC-3s max load ,and still carry enough gas to fly anywhere),and deliver them at over 400kts,in less than 1/2 the time it took the Douglas racer. Up till '97 the 0ld girl was still the cheapest way to move 6,000 lbs ,500 air miles. When reliabilty and speed became an issue, her days were numbered. In terms of natural evolution though, the Convair liners,240/340/440 were the natural successors and replacements to the DC-3 on many routes worldwide. featuring pressurization,radar, and 200 kt + cruise speeds ,plus the reliability of the superb R2800 engine,the Convairs were an evolutionary step forward from the tailwagging,good old diesel 3.
the rumble of round engines is like music to me,likewise the thunder of thr JT8D
Breiz From France, joined Mar 2005, 1808 posts, RR: 2 Reply 10, posted (7 years 4 months 3 weeks 5 days ago) and read 2956 times:
Quoting MD90fan (Thread starter): What aircraft was the best DC-3 replacement during its time?
In my view, no ac has ever replaced the DC-3.
As the DC-3 was produced by the thousands during the war, it came cheap and handy after the war.
Almost all airlines used it.
Any replacement at the time had to be better, i.e. different (more power, turbos, more load, more comfort,...).
A real replacement of the DC-3 in terms of performances (25 pax, 2-3t payload depending on the range) came later in the shape of the Short SC-7 Skyvan and the Nord 262. But they were not mass produced and they were not cheap.
All the others, Handley-Page Herald, Vickers Viscount, Fokker F-27/Fairchild-Hiller F-227, Convair 240 to 640, Hawker-Siddeley 748, NAMC YS-11, Antonov An-24, had at least twice as much passengers as the DC-3
Legacy135 From Switzerland, joined May 2005, 1052 posts, RR: 29 Reply 11, posted (7 years 4 months 3 weeks 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 2926 times:
Please don't forget, in it's days, the DC-3 was a Mainliner and not a bush plane. Wasn't it AA painting "Mainliner" on it's DC-2's and DC-3's?
The DC-3 was "the" short- and medium haul airliner of the late 30ties, the 40ties and the 50ties before the Convairs arrived and took over. If we go on in evolution we will struggle over the Caravelle, early 737's the DC-9 and end up at 737NG and A320's. So the replacement could be called Airbus and Boeing
Sure, other birds as the Caravelle, Viscounts, Vanguards etc. fully disappeared in the meantime, since the DC-3 always found new users. This, I guess, because it's a simple, cheap and "relatively" reliable design. Under those aspects, probably the F27's or from the newer designs the DHC-8 and the SAAB 340 may be the real replacements.
Francoflier From France, joined Oct 2001, 3196 posts, RR: 10 Reply 12, posted (7 years 4 months 3 weeks 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 2847 times:
A few decades ago, the Aerospatiale Nord 262 was voted 2nd best replacement aircraft for the DC-3 (I don't know by what standard and I don't know by whom...), but it didn't help the sales, only 111 were built, and mostly for the french air force.
It is a formidable aircraft though, and that I can say since I have about 800 hours on it in airline service. They flew impeccably for 30+ years old a/c, carrying very decent payloads, with honorable performance and they were extraordinarily sturdy and reliable. We operated them from unprepared runway, as they had decent STOL capacity and a solid trailing link main landing gear.
They also were pretty fuel efficient (for their time), as they only burned about half the fuel a F-27 would, and carrying more than half the payload.
Maintenance was also easier (Any Mech that had to deal with a leaky compressed air system can relate...).
The French air force still uses those, mainly for maritime surveillance, training and as light transport.
Ptrjong From Netherlands, joined Mar 2005, 3771 posts, RR: 20 Reply 14, posted (7 years 4 months 2 weeks 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 2747 times:
Quoting Legacy135 (Reply 11): Please don't forget, in it's days, the DC-3 was a Mainliner and not a bush plane.
Very true. When the DC-3 appeared, it was a large airliner, seating 21 or 28. And it was the best aircraft available for long-range work too - KLM soon flew Holland-Java with it.
So, the Boeing and Airbus jets, not excluding the big jets, are the true successors of the DC-3.
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