The Douglas DC-3 was the culmination of a development effort, which results from an investigation by Transcontinental and Western Airlines, Donald Douglas. Transcontinental and Western airlines competing in the transcontinental air traffic, United Airlines, was the inauguration refused service on the Boeing 247 and Boeing 247S for sale for other airlines in the United States to order 60 aircraft was filled. Transcontinental and Western Airlines asked Douglas to design and build an airplane to allow transcontinental airlines and West compete with United. What Douglas design, 1933 DC-1 was promising and led to the DC-2 in 1934. While the DC-2 was a success, there was still room for improvement.
The Douglas DC-3 was the result of a marathon phone call from the CEO of American Airlines CR Smith, Donald Douglas, which replace Smith convinced a reluctant sofa Douglas DC-2 U.S. aircraft on the basis of the design Curtiss Condor biplane II. Douglas agreed to move forward with the development after Smith informed the U.S. for about twenty machines to buy. The new aircraft was a team led by chief engineer Arthur E. Raymond in the next two years, develops, and the first prototype flew on 17th December 1935 DST. A version with 21 seats instead of beds in the summer time has also been developed and given the name of the DC-3. There was no prototype of the DC-3, followed by the first seven DST integrated DC-3 left the assembly line and an American.
A Douglas DC-3 Air Atlantique begins with Hullavington airfield, England.
The equipment of the DC-3 DST and popularized air travel in the United States. With only three refueling stops was more transcontinental flights to the U.S. in 15 hours. Travel west took 17-1/2 hours due to headwinds that still prevails a clear improvement over the competing Boeing 247th During an earlier period, such a trip would be slower and shorter distances short-planes coupled during the day to follow, train travel overnight.
A variety of radial engines were used for the Douglas DC-3 during its development. Start of production of civilian aircraft used Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9S, but later, the aircraft used Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830, which offered better at high altitude and single engine performance. In 1950, three DC-3S Super DC-3 fatty acids with Pratt & Whitney R-2000 Twin Wasps were built.