Douglas DC-2 A30-9 VH-CRK
The Douglas DC-2 holds an important place in world and Australian aviation history with its success in the 1934 England to Australia Air Race. Operating as a scheduled KLM airline service, with passengers and airmail, a DC-2 PH-AJU "Uiver" placed outright second behind a purpose built DH Comet racer, and first on handicap.
The US airline Transcontinental and Western Air's (TWA) requirement for an all metal transport aircraft to step out of the wood and fabric age led to the development of the Douglas DC-1 into the DC-2 due to United Airlines tying up the production of Boeing's B247 to fulfill their own requirements.
Douglas Aircraft Company had been a predominately military aircraft manufacturer but were looking to enter the civil aircraft market and on August 2 1932 received a letter from TWA wanting to purchase 10 or more tri-motor transport aircraft as a matter of some urgency. Douglas responded by submitted designs to TWA for a twin engined machine, the DC-1, with a cruise speed 20% faster and a payload 40% greater than the B247, offering fourteen passenger seats against the B247's ten. TWA demanded a demonstration of the Douglas machine's single engine capabilities at maximum weight and that occurred on September 12 1933 departing from the highest airport on TWA's system 5,000ft, engine failed immediately after take off, climbed single engine to 8,000ft and cruised to the destination arriving fifteen minutes before a TWA tri-motor machine that had left the same place at the same time as the DC-1.
TWA immediately ordered twenty of the Douglas machines , with some modifications becoming the DC-2 that first flew in May 1934. It's virtues were soon recognised by all but one of the major American airlines by them posting orders for some 60 aircraft. A total of 198 DC-2 aircraft were built before production ceased in 1936, giving way to the Douglas DC-3 aircraft.
Four DC-2's were operated by Holyman's and Australian National Airways in Australia prior to World War 2. These plus ten machines purchased from Eastern Airlines of the US in 1941 and three on charter from the USAAC were operated on Military charters during the war years, many by ANA.
The Museum's DC-2 is one of ten superceded DC-2s bought from Eastern Airlines in the US by the British Purchasing Commission in 1941 to become the backbone of the RAAF's Transport Command. Taken on charge in February 1941 as A30-9, it served at No 1 Wireless Air Gunnery School (WAGS) at Ballarat from March 1941, remaining with WAGS units until assigned to No 36 Squadron Parachute Training units in August 1942 with a registration of VH-CRK, remaining with them until going into storage in December 1944. Marshall Airways of Sydney NSW acquired A30-9 in the 1950s and it remained there until sold to the Jack McDonald DC-2 Syndicate of Melbourne in 1982. Restoration work followed at Essendon Airport in October 1982 until corrosion was found in the airframe that led to the aircraft being permanently grounded in 1985.
The aircraft was moved from Essendon to Tyabb Airport Victoria in 1988, where it remained until donated to our Museum in 2005. It is currently in storage at Moorabbin.
TECHNICAL DATA
Crew : Captain and First Officer plus 1 Flight Attendant.
Power plant : 2 x 760hp Wright 1820 Cyclone, 9 cylinder radial engines.
Length : 62'00'' (18.9m) Wingspan : 85'00'' (25.9m) Height : 16'04'' (4.97m)
Weights : empty - 12,408lbs (5,616kg) maximum - 18,560lbs (8,419kg)
Speeds : maximum - 178kt (213mph) (343km/hr) cruise - 160kt (191mph) (307km/hr)
Range : 1,200 miles (1,931km)
The US airline Transcontinental and Western Air's (TWA) requirement for an all metal transport aircraft to step out of the wood and fabric age led to the development of the Douglas DC-1 into the DC-2 due to United Airlines tying up the production of Boeing's B247 to fulfill their own requirements.
Douglas Aircraft Company had been a predominately military aircraft manufacturer but were looking to enter the civil aircraft market and on August 2 1932 received a letter from TWA wanting to purchase 10 or more tri-motor transport aircraft as a matter of some urgency. Douglas responded by submitted designs to TWA for a twin engined machine, the DC-1, with a cruise speed 20% faster and a payload 40% greater than the B247, offering fourteen passenger seats against the B247's ten. TWA demanded a demonstration of the Douglas machine's single engine capabilities at maximum weight and that occurred on September 12 1933 departing from the highest airport on TWA's system 5,000ft, engine failed immediately after take off, climbed single engine to 8,000ft and cruised to the destination arriving fifteen minutes before a TWA tri-motor machine that had left the same place at the same time as the DC-1.
TWA immediately ordered twenty of the Douglas machines , with some modifications becoming the DC-2 that first flew in May 1934. It's virtues were soon recognised by all but one of the major American airlines by them posting orders for some 60 aircraft. A total of 198 DC-2 aircraft were built before production ceased in 1936, giving way to the Douglas DC-3 aircraft.
Four DC-2's were operated by Holyman's and Australian National Airways in Australia prior to World War 2. These plus ten machines purchased from Eastern Airlines of the US in 1941 and three on charter from the USAAC were operated on Military charters during the war years, many by ANA.
The Museum's DC-2 is one of ten superceded DC-2s bought from Eastern Airlines in the US by the British Purchasing Commission in 1941 to become the backbone of the RAAF's Transport Command. Taken on charge in February 1941 as A30-9, it served at No 1 Wireless Air Gunnery School (WAGS) at Ballarat from March 1941, remaining with WAGS units until assigned to No 36 Squadron Parachute Training units in August 1942 with a registration of VH-CRK, remaining with them until going into storage in December 1944. Marshall Airways of Sydney NSW acquired A30-9 in the 1950s and it remained there until sold to the Jack McDonald DC-2 Syndicate of Melbourne in 1982. Restoration work followed at Essendon Airport in October 1982 until corrosion was found in the airframe that led to the aircraft being permanently grounded in 1985.
The aircraft was moved from Essendon to Tyabb Airport Victoria in 1988, where it remained until donated to our Museum in 2005. It is currently in storage at Moorabbin.
TECHNICAL DATA
Crew : Captain and First Officer plus 1 Flight Attendant.
Power plant : 2 x 760hp Wright 1820 Cyclone, 9 cylinder radial engines.
Length : 62'00'' (18.9m) Wingspan : 85'00'' (25.9m) Height : 16'04'' (4.97m)
Weights : empty - 12,408lbs (5,616kg) maximum - 18,560lbs (8,419kg)
Speeds : maximum - 178kt (213mph) (343km/hr) cruise - 160kt (191mph) (307km/hr)
Range : 1,200 miles (1,931km)