The Douglas DC-6 was produced by the Douglas Aircraft Company between 1946 to 1958. It was a cargo aircraft powered by piston engines and initially planned as a military transport toward the end of the Second World War before it was redeveloped after the war to contest in the commercial transport market with the four-engine Constellation built by Lockheed.
Table of Contents
- Specifications
- Photo Gallery
- Description
- Manufacturer:
- Douglas Aircraft Co.
- Country:
- United States
- Manufactured:
- 1946 to: 1958
- ICAO:
- DC6
- Price:
- US$.7 million (1946)
- Performance
- Weights
- Dimensions
- Avionics:
- Engine:
- 4x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CA15 "Double Wasp"
Piston - Power:
- 2,400 horsepower
- Max Cruise Speed:
- 270 knots
500 Km/h - Approach Speed (Vref):
- 84 knots
- Travel range:
- 2,598 Nautical Miles
4,811 Kilometers - Fuel Economy:
- Service Ceiling:
- 25,000 feet
- Rate of Climb:
- 1070 feet / minute
5.44metre / second - Take Off Distance:
- 1800 metre - 5,905.44 feet
- Landing Distance:
- 1200 metre - 3,936.96 feet
- Max Take Off Weight:
- 44,100 Kg
97,223 lbs - Max Landing Weight:
- Max Payload:
- 12,700 Kg
27,998 lbs - Fuel Tank Capacity:
- 4,722 gallon
17,875 litre - Baggage Volume:
- 15.1 m3 / 533 ft3
- Seats - Economy / General:
- 68 seats
- Seats - Business Class:
- Seats - First Class:
- Cabin Height:
- 2.1 metre - 6.89 feet
- Cabin Width:
- 3 metre - 9.84 feet
- Cabin Length:
- Exterior Length:
- 30.6 metre - 100.39 feet
- Tail height:
- 8.6 metre - 28.21 feet
- Fuselage Diameter:
- 3.1 metre - 10.17 feet
- Wing Span / Rotor Diameter:
- 35.8 metre - 117.45 feet
- Wing Tips:
- No Winglets
click / tap to open full screen gallery
HI-92 Douglas DC-6BF - Dominicana "Carga"
credit: Lewis Grant
HI-92 Douglas DC-6BF - Dominicana "Carga"
credit: Lewis Grant
Douglas DC-6
credit: Steve Elliott
'OE-LDM' Douglas DC-6 - Red Bull
credit: kitmasterbloke
'OE-LDM' Douglas DC-6 - Red Bull
credit: kitmasterbloke
The "Flying Bulls" GmbH Douglas DC-6B co*ckpit
credit: Axel J.
The "Flying Bulls" GmbH Douglas DC-6B co*ckpit
credit: Axel J.
The "Flying Bulls" GmbH Douglas DC-6B Cabin
credit: Axel J.
The "Flying Bulls" GmbH Douglas DC-6B Cabin
credit: Axel J.
"Flying Bulls" DOUGLAS DC-6B
credit: Javier Rodríguez
"Flying Bulls" DOUGLAS DC-6B
credit: Javier Rodríguez
Everts Air Cargo - Douglas DC-6
credit: Brian McD
Everts Air Cargo - Douglas DC-6
credit: Brian McD
Florida Air Transport - Douglas DC-6A (N70BF) "Clipper Liberty Bell"
credit: Axel J.
Florida Air Transport - Douglas DC-6A (N70BF) "Clipper Liberty Bell"
credit: Axel J.
'OO-VGB' Douglas DC-6B -Delta Air Transport
credit: Lewis Grant
'OO-VGB' Douglas DC-6B -Delta Air Transport
credit: Lewis Grant
'N870TA' Douglas DC-6A - Trans Air Link
credit: Lewis Grant
'N870TA' Douglas DC-6A - Trans Air Link
credit: Lewis Grant
Douglas DC-6 'OE-LDM' in flight.
credit: kitmasterbloke
Douglas DC-6 'OE-LDM' in flight.
credit: kitmasterbloke
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In 1944, the DC-6 project was designated by the United States Army Air Force as the XC-112. The Army had a requirement for a stretched and pressurized type of the C-54 Skymaster powered by more reliable engines. On February 15, 1946, the XC-112A prototype conducted its maiden flight, however, the Second World War had ended which led to the cancellation of Army Air Force’s requirements, and later converted the aircraft to YC-112A which were sold in 1955.
The aircraft manufacturer Douglas Aircraft Company converted the design into a civilian aircraft which was around 2 meters longer compared to the previous DC-4. On June 29, 1946, the DC-6 civilian transport took its first flight, being kept by the company for testing. On November 24, 1946, the aircraft were delivered to its first airline customers, American Airlines and United Airlines.
In 1947, the DC-6 was grounded due to a series of inflight fires that occurred. In 1949, several airlines in the United States operated the aircraft including United Airlines, American Airlines, National Airlines, Delta Airlines, and Braniff International Airways. In 1952, the DC-6B version was used by Pan American Airways for their transatlantic tourist-class routes.
The manufacturing company produced four versions of the DC-6: the standard DC-6 was the initial production version with two types- the DC-6-1156 was a fifty-three to sixty-eight-seater domestic version while the DC-6-1159 was a forty-eight to sixty-four-seater trans-ocean version; the DC-6A was a freighter version with a stretched fuselage, forward and aft cargo doors, and was initially named as Liftmaster; the DC-6B was an all-passenger version of the DC-6A lacking the cargo doors. The DC-6B-1198A was a sixty to eighty-nine-seater domestic version while the DC-6B-1225A was a forty-two to eighty-nine-seater trans-ocean version; the DC-6C was a convertible cargo and passenger version.
The DC-6 could fly up to 25,000 feet and had a rate of climb of 1,070 feet per minute.
All Douglas Aircraft Co. Aircraft
- Douglas A-1 Skyraider |
- Douglas A-1 Skyraider |
- Douglas A-26 Invader |
- Douglas A-3 Skywarrior |
- Douglas A-4 Skyhawk |
- Douglas AC-47 Spooky |
- Douglas B-66 Destroyer |
- Douglas C-124 Globemaster II |
- Douglas C-133 Cargomaster |
- Douglas C-47 Skytrain |
- Douglas C-54 Skymaster |
- Douglas C-74 Globemaster |
- Douglas DC-1 |
- Douglas DC-2 |
- Douglas DC-3 |
- Douglas DC-4 |
- Douglas DC-6 |
- Douglas DC-7 |
- Douglas DC-8 |
- Douglas DC-8-51 |
- Douglas DC-8-53 |
- Douglas DC-8-61 |
- Douglas DC-8-62 |
- Douglas DC-8-63 |
- Douglas F3D Skyknight |
- Douglas F4D Skyray |
- Douglas SBD Dauntless |
- McDonnell Douglas DC-9-10 |
