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DC3 / C-47 Variants 


DST: Original model powered by Wright Cyclone radials that carried 14 night or 28 day passengers 

DST-A: Same as DST but powered with Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp radials 

DC-3: Day transport that carried between 21 and 28 passengers powered by Cyclone radials 

DC-3A: Similar to DC-3 but powered with Twin Wasp radials 

DC-3B: Convertible model with seat/berths in the forward cabin and seats in the aft cabin for 28 day passengers and few night passengers 

C-41A: The fist military model, a DC-3 with military instrumentation, swivelling seats, and R-1830-21 Twin Wasp radial engines 

C-47: First military production model with 6 in greater span, revised fuel tanks, R-1830-92 radials, small astrodome, and payload of 6,000lb or 28 paratroops or 14 casualties and three attendants 

C-47A: C-47 with 24 volt instead of 12 volt electrical system 

RC-47A: Post-war modification for limited reconnaissance and flare dropping in support of tactical combat aircraft in Korea 

SC-47A: Post-war search and rescue variant later redesignated HC-47A 

VC-47A: Post-war modification for staff transport with conventional seating 

C-47B: Developed for operations 'over the hump' between India and China. This version had better heating and R-1830-90C radials with two-stage blowers. Later converted to C-47D 

TC-47B: Navigation trainer 

VC-47B: C-47B conversion to staff transport 

XC-47C: Experimental model fitted with floats, only one built 

C-47D: C-47B after the removal of the high blower 

AC-47D: Designation of 26 Airways Check version for Military Air Transport Service later redesignated EC-47D 

RC-47D: Reconnaissance version 

SC-47D: Search and rescue variant, later redesignated HC-47D 

TC-47D: Trainer modification 

C-47E: Modified for the USAF by Pan American with 962-kW Pratt & Whitney R-2000-R radials for use as Airways Check aircraft 

YC-47F: Initially designated YC-129, a single Super DC-3 evaluated by the USAF 

C-47M: C-47H and C-47J aircraft redesignated after being fitted with special electronic equipment for use in the Vietnam War 

EC-47N: C-47A fitted for electronic reconnaissance in Vietnam 

EC-47P: C-47D fitted for electronic reconnaissance in Vietnam 

EC-47Q: Used for electronic reconnaissance in Vietnam fitted with R-2000-4 engines 

C-48: A DC-3A taken over from United Air Lines during construction 

C-48A: Three DC-3As taken over 

C-48B: 16 impressed aircraft 

C-48C: Seven DC-3As taken over from Pan American during construction, nine impressed aircraft 

C-49: Six DC-3s taken over from TWA 

C-49A: One DC-3 taken over from Delta 

C-49B: Three DC-3s taken over from Eastern Air Lines 

C-49C: Two DC-3s taken over from Delta 

C-49D: Six DC-3s taken over from Eastern Air Lines, five impressed aircraft 

C-49E: 22 impressed aircraft 

C-49F: Nine impressed aircraft 

C-49G: Eight impressed aircraft 

C-49H: 19 impressed aircraft 

C-49J: 34 DC-3s taken over 

C-49K: 23 DC-3s taken over 

C-50: Four DC-3s taken over from American 

C-50A: Two DC-3s taken over from American 

C-50B: Three DC-3s taken over from Braniff 

C-50C: One DC-3 taken over from Penn Central 

C-50D: Four DC-3s taken over from Penn Central 

C-51: One DC-3 taken over from Canadian Colonial 

C-52: One DC-3A taken over from United 

C-52A: One DC-3A taken over from Western 

C-52B: Two DC-3As taken over from United 

C-52C: One DC-3A taken over from Eastern Air Lines 

C-52D: One impressed aircraft 

C-53 Skytrooper: A dedicated troop transport with R-1830-92 Radials that had 28 seats, a glider tow, and no freight door 

XC-53A: C-53 modified for use in the Arctic with hot air de-icers instead of pneumatic boots 

C-53B: Eight C-53s modified for use in the Arctic with winterised equipment and extra fuel capacity 

C-53C: 17 airline-ordered impressed aircraft 

C-53D: C-53 with side seats instead of seats in rows 

C-68: Two impressed DC-3As 

C-84: Four impressed aircraft 

C-117A: Similar to C-47B, a staff transport with 21 seats 

C-117B: 11 C-117As with their high blowers removed for the R-1830-90C radials 

C-117C: Designation of VC-47 models upgraded to C-117B 

C-117D: Redesignation of R4D-8 

XCG-17: Experimental troop carrying glider, no production 

R4D-1: Freight model for US Navy 

R4D-2: Two DC-3s taken over from Eastern Air Lines for staff transport by the US Navy later redesignated R4D-2F and R4D-2Z 

R4D-3: 20 C-43 personal transports from USAF 

R4D-4: 10 DC-3s taken over from Pan American by the US Navy and used as personnel transports, later converted to R4D-4Q and modified for electronic countermeasures 

R4D-5: C-47As received from USAF and later redesignated C-47H 

R4D-5E: R4-D aircraft modified for special electronic operations 

R4D-5L: R4D-5 aircraft modified for operations in the Arctic and Antarctic later redesignated LC-47H 

R4D-5Q: R4D-5 aircraft modified for radar countermeasures later redesignated EC-47H 

R4D-5R: R4D-5 aircraft modified for personnel transports later redesignated TC-47H 

R4D-5S: R4D-5 aircraft modified for air-sea warfare training later redesignated SC-47H 

R4D-5T: R4D-5 modified for navigation training 

R4D-5Z: R4D-5 aircraft modified for staff transports later redesignated VC-47H 

R4D-6: 150 C-47B aircraft received by the US Navy from the USAF. Later redesignated C-47J. Other versions include: R4D-6E, R4D-6L later LC-47J, R4D-6Q later EC-47J, R4D-6R later TC-47J, R4D-6s later SC-47J, R4D-6T and R4D-6z later VC-47J 

R4D-7: 47 TC-47B aircraft received by the US Navy from the USAAD later redesignated TC-47K 

Dakota Mk I: RAF equivalent of the C-47 

Dakota Mk II: RAF equivalent of the C-53 

Dakota Mk III: RAF Equivalent of the C-47A 

Dakota Mk IV: RAF equivalent of the C-47B 

Lisunov Li-2: Russian licence-built version. 

 PS-84: First version with M-62 radials 

 Li-2G: Shvestov ASh-62 radials, armed with turreted armament, freighter version 

 Li-2P: Same as Li-2G but Personnel transport 

 Li-2PG: Same as Li-2G but convertible model 

 Li-2V: Same as Li-2G but high altitude model 

Showa L2D: A Japanese company, Mitsui, acquired a license to produce the DC-3 in Japan and Manchuria 

 L2D2: Personnel transports with Kinsei 43 radials 

 L2D3: Personnel transports with Kinsei 51 radials 

 L2D3a: Personnel transports with Kinsei 53 radials 

 L2D3-1: Freighters with Kinsei 51 radials 

 L2D3-1a: Freighters with Kinsei 53 radials 

 L2D4: Personnel transports with Kinsei 51 radials and a 13.2 mm machine gun in the dorsal turret 

 L2D4-1: Freighter version of L2D4 

 L2D5: Personnel transport based on the L3D4 but built out of wood and steel and powered by Kinsei 62 radials 

Super DC-3 (DC-35):  Improved post-war version originally DC-3S 

R4D-8X: Prototype YC-129/YC-47F evaluated for US Navy use 

R4D-8: 100 US Navy aircraft modified to Super DC-3 standard. All surviving variants of R4D-8 were designated in the C-117D series 

R4D-8T: Modified R4D-8 as a trainer later redesignated TC-117D 

R4D-8Z: Modified R4D-8 as staff transport later redesignated VC-117D 

R4D-8L: R4D-8 modified for winterised transports later redesignated LC-117D 
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