Douglas DC-6 - Operational History

Operational History

In April 1949 United, American, Delta, National and Braniff were flying DC-6s in the United States. United flew them to Hawaii, Braniff flew them to Rio de Janeiro, and Panagra flew Miami-Buenos Aires; KLM, SAS and Sabena flew DC-6s across the Atlantic. BCPA DC-6s flew Sydney to Vancouver and Philippine flew Manila to London and Manila to San Francisco.

Pan Am used a fleet of DC-6B aircraft to start trans-Atlantic tourist class flights in 1952. Several European airlines quickly followed with their own transatlantic services. The DC-6A/B/C sub-types were capable of non-stop flights from the eastern US to Europe but normally needed to refuel in Newfoundland when westbound against the wind.

Douglas designed four variants of the DC-6: the basic DC-6, and the longer fuselage, higher-gross-weight, longer range versions—the DC-6A with large cargo doors forward and aft of the wing on the port (left hand side) with a cargo floor; the DC-6B, designed for passenger work, with passenger doors only and a lighter floor; and the DC-6C convertible, with the two cargo doors and removable passenger seats.

The DC-6B, originally powered by Double Wasp engines with Hamilton Standard 43E60 constant speed reversing propellers, was regarded as the ultimate piston-engine airliner from the standpoint of ruggedness, reliability, economical operation and handling qualities.

The military version, similar to the DC-6A, was designated the USAF C-118 Liftmaster; the USN R6D version used the more powerful R-2800-CB-17 engines. These were later used on the commercial DC-6B to accommodate international flights. The R6D Navy version (in the late 1950s and early 1960s) had Curtiss Electric constant-speed reversing propellers.

The USAF and USN renewed their interest in the DC-6 during the Korean War, and ordered a total of 167 C-118/R6D aircraft, some of which later found their way into civilian service. Harry Truman's first presidential aircraft was an Air Force short fuselage DC-6 which was designated VC-118, and named "The Independence". It is preserved in the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Dayton, Ohio

Total production of the DC-6 series was 704, including military versions.

In the 1960s, two DC-6s were used as transmitter platforms for educational television, based at Purdue University, in a program called MPATI (Midwest Program for Airborne Television Instruction).

Many older DC-6s were replaced in airline passenger service from the mid 1950s by the Douglas DC-7, but the simpler, more economical engines in the DC-6 has meant that the type has outlived the more sophisticated DC-7, particularly for cargo operations. DC-6/7s surviving into the Jet Age were replaced in front line inter-continental passenger service by Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 aircraft.

2006 marked the 60th anniversary of the introduction of the DC-6.

Basic prices of a new DC-6 in 1946-7 was around £210,000-£230,000 and had risen to £310,000 by 1951. By 1960 used prices were around £175,000 per-aircraft.

Prices for the DC-6A in 1957-8 were £460,000-£480,000. By 1960 used prices were around £296,000.

The equivalent prices for the DC-6B in 1958 were around £500,000. Used prices in 1960 were around £227,000.