Aircraft / Douglas DC-7
The Douglas DC-7 is a four piston-engine, long range propeller-driven airliner and cargo aircraft manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company, which was originally headquartered in Santa Monica, California USA, then relocated to Long Beach, California USA. In 1967 the Douglas Aircraft Company merged with St Louis-based McDonnell Aircraft Corporation to become McDonnell Douglas Corporation.
The DC-7 was developed as a stretched version of two predecessor aircraft - the Douglas DC-4 and particularly the Douglas DC-6B - in response to a request by American Airlines president C. R. Smith, who ordered 25 DC-7s at a total price of $40 million, which more than covered Douglas' projected development costs. A major specification for the type was that it be able to fly coast to coast across the United States in about eight hours; domestic flight crews at the time were restricted to 8 hours of flight time during any 24-hour period. The type was introduced in November 1953 and became the fastest prop-driven airliner in the industry at the time. The DC-7 initially saw adoption primarily within North America until the introduction of the Douglas DC-7C “Seven Seas” variant in 1956, which further extended its range with greater fuel capacity, giving the DC-7 truly intercontinental and transpolar capabilities.
Production of the DC-7 ended in 1958 after building 338 aircraft. It was the final propeller-driven aircraft to be designed and built by Douglas Aircraft Company, which was already moving on to building commercial jet airliners with the arrival of the Jet Age. The type remained in active service for several decades thereafter - mainly working as freighters designated as Douglas DC-7F or Douglas DC-7CF, but also serving in special mission roles including firefighting - until the DC-7 was retired in October 2020.
Reference: Wikipedia.
Stats
Stats displayed are for the Douglas DC-7 four-engine aircraft.
Name: Douglas DC-7C
Origin: Santa Monica, California USA
Role: Four Piston Engine Propeller-Driven Airliner
First Introduction: 29 November 1953
Status: Out of Production; Retired
Cockpit Crew: Five
Seating: up to 105
Engines: 4 × Wright R-3350-988TC18EA1-2 (Piston)
Cruise Speed: 301-353 knots (557-653 km/h; 346-406 mph)
Range: 4897 nmi (9069 km; 5635 mi)