Close
The page header's logo
Boeing Images 
Cart (0)
Login / Register
0
Selected 
Invert selection
Deselect all
Deselect all
 Click here to refresh results
 Click here to refresh results
Go to Login page
 Hide details
play button
Linked assets
Air Travel in the 1950s
Air Travel in the 1950s 
DC-3
DC-3 
Action button
Conceptually similar
DC-3 Cabin Looking Aft - All-Swivel Chair Front
DC-3 Cabin Looking Aft - All-Swivel Chair Front 
DC-3/DST Flight Deck
DC-3/DST Flight Deck 
DC-3 Lavatory
DC-3 Lavatory 
DC-3 Galley
DC-3 Galley 
DC-3 Manufacturing
DC-3 Manufacturing 
Executive DC-3 in Flight
Executive DC-3 in Flight 
DC-3 on the Ground
DC-3 on the Ground 
Executive DC-3 Ground Maintenance
Executive DC-3 Ground Maintenance 
Douglas Workers with DC-3
Douglas Workers with DC-3 
DC-3 Interior Layout Plan View of Cabin
DC-3 Interior Layout Plan View of Cabin 
DC-3 Being Serviced
DC-3 Being Serviced 
DC-3 Production Line in Santa Monica
DC-3 Production Line in Santa Monica 
DC-3 Nose with Workers
DC-3 Nose with Workers 
DC-3 Tail with Woman Worker
DC-3 Tail with Woman Worker 
DC-3, Douglas Sleeper Transport with Cord Automobile
DC-3, Douglas Sleeper Transport with Cord Automobile 
DC-3 in Flight
DC-3 in Flight 
DC-3 on Tarmac
DC-3 on Tarmac 
Lady at Work on a DC-3
Lady at Work on a DC-3 
DC-3 on Tarmac
DC-3 on Tarmac 
DC-3 in Santa Monica
DC-3 in Santa Monica 
Action button
Similar tones
similar-image
similar-image
similar-image
similar-image
similar-image
similar-image
View images with similar tones
Action button

Executive DC-3 Passenger Cabin

The DC-3, which made air travel popular and airline profits possible, is universally recognized as the greatest airplane of its time. Some would argue that it is the greatest of all time. Design began in 1934 at the insistence of C.R. Smith, president of American Airlines. Smith wanted two new planes - a longer DC-2 that would carry more day passengers and another with railroad-type sleeping berths, to carry overnight passengers. The first DC-3 built was the Douglas Sleeper Transport, and it was the height of luxury. Fourteen plush seats in four main compartments could be folded to form seven berths, while seven more folded down from the cabin ceiling. The plane could accommodate 14 overnight passengers or 28 for shorter daytime flights. The first was delivered to American Airlines in June 1936, followed two months later by the first standard 21-passenger DC-3. In November 1936, United Airlines became the second DC-3 customer. Initial orders from American and United were soon followed by orders from more than 30 other airlines in the next two years. The DC-3 was not only comfortable and reliable, it also made air transportation profitable. American's C.R. Smith said the DC-3 was the first airplane that could make money just by hauling passengers, without relying on government subsidies. As a result, by 1939, more than 90 percent of the nation's airline passengers were flying on DC-2s and DC-3s. In addition to the 455 DC-3 commercial transports built for the airlines, 10,174 were produced as military transports during World War II. For both airline and military use, the DC-3 proved to be tough, flexible, and easy to operate and maintain. Its exploits during the war became the stuff of legend. Today, more than six decades after the last one was delivered, hundreds of DC-3s are still flying and still earning their keep by carrying passengers or cargo. 
 Add to lightbox
 Add to cart
Unique identifier BI21486 
Boeing ID kdc3138 
Type Image 
Size 4627px × 5998px   79MB 
License type RM 
Keywords
1930s
airplanes
blue
brown
close-ups
comfort
commercial
commercial passenger planes
day
ground shots
historic production status
interiors
luxury
monoplanes
nobody
passenger cabins
payload systems
perspective lines
photos
pink
propeller planes
red
seats
structural systems
sunshine
viewed from above
windows
Restrictions