American transport plane Douglas C-47 Skytrain Dakota COBI 5743 - World War II 1:48

You know that:

• The Douglas C-47 is the military version of the Dakota DC-3, which revolutionized the aviation industry.
• The original civilian version was built in 1935 under the direction of designer Arthur Raymond, based on the requirements of American Airlines, which was looking for a comfortable and safe aircraft with possible sleeper arrangements.
• The designers enlarged the keel and rudder area so that the aircraft could possibly fly on one engine.
• The first flight of the C-47 took place on 23 December 1941.
• The machine served as a cargo and paratroop aircraft.
• The Douglas was deployed in operations Varsity, Overload, Market Garden, Husky, Avalanche.
• 40 civilian versions of the Douglas were also operated by Czechoslovakian Airlines.
• Also built was a scary attack version of the AC-47 Gunship nicknamed Spooky, which had 3 machine guns in place of the dismounted cargo door and a very, very large ammunition supply.
• The crew usually consisted of two pilots and a cargo inspector.
• A total of 10,654 were produced and even over 2,000 more were licensed in the Soviet Union and Japan.
• The purchase price of one aircraft was 138,000 USD, about 1 830 000 € today.
• After the war, many of the machines were converted for civilian use or for humanitarian missions.

Technical parameters:

• dimensions: wingspan 29.1 m, length 19.4 m, height 5.2 m
• empty weight 8 226 kg
• maximum take-off weight 13 302 kg
• propulsion 2x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-90C 985 kW radial petrol engine
• maximum speed 360 km/h
• climb rate 5.3 m/s
• maximum flight level 8 000 m
• fuel tank capacity 3 043 l
• range 2 575 km
• crew 3
• capacity 28 paratroopers

From the memoirs of a C-47 pilot during the 1944 Overlord mission:

"Individual soldiers moved quickly to the door and one by one jumped into the depths. Every time I saw men leaving the plane, I felt great respect for their courage. Some of them were hit by anti-aircraft fire and fell down, while others were slowly descending on their parachutes to the ground. During the flyover we observed numerous explosions, flames and smoke on the ground. We were all acutely aware of what was happening below us."