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