Douglas World Cruiser (DWC)

1923

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Douglas World Cruiser (DWC)

As far as structure was concerned, the DWC was identical to the DT-2. The internal equipment, however, was specially designed for a round-the-world attempt by the US Army Air Service and the saving in weight by deletion of the military load (torpedo with release gear, firing sight, etc) was used to increase the range of the aeroplane to 3,540km by fitting extra petrol and oil tanks - the former totalling 2,437.8 litres. Able to-be fitted with wheel or twin-float landing gears, the all-up weight with the latter was 3,710kg. The engine, the improved 313kW Liberty, offered a weight of less than 0.91kg per hp. Only four aircraft were built.

Douglas World Cruiser (DWC)

Specification 
 MODELDWC
 CREW2
 ENGINE1 x Liberty V12, 313kW
 WEIGHTS
  Take-off weight3137 kg6916 lb
  Empty weight1950 kg4299 lb
 DIMENSIONS
  Wingspan15.24 m50 ft 0 in
  Length10.82 m36 ft 6 in
  Height4.14 m14 ft 7 in
  Wing area65.68 m2706.97 sq ft
 PERFORMANCE
  Max. speed166 km/h103 mph
  Cruise speed85 km/h53 mph
  Ceiling3050 m10000 ft
  Range3540 km2200 miles

Comments
Keith Murphy, e-mail, 17.04.2011 05:49

Actually, there were 5 DWC's. The first was a prototype used for testing and Air Service acceptance. When the Boston was lost in a recovery accident in the North Atlantic the prototype was dubbed the "Boston II" and flown to Newfoundland where the Boston crew used it to complete the Round the World flight back to Seattle.

reply

Gerald Randa, e-mail, 13.01.2011 18:56

I flew in a big plane like this in 1930, at the age of five. It was a small airport near Wash. D,C. There were three large cockpits.Pilot in front,my uncle and mother next and aunt and I in rear cockpit. Rides were sold for a penny a pound

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Jennifer Quail, e-mail, 09.01.2011 04:47

The second picture up there is, I believe, the Boston. She was one of the two (along with the Seattle) that didn't finish--sank in the Atlantic after an emergency landing.

There were five WCs; the prototype /backup plane became Boston II so Leigh Wade (the pilot) and Sgt Ogden (his mechanic) could rejoin the flight in North America for the 'victory lap.'

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Rob Regan, e-mail, 20.02.2009 01:35

Check out this website www.seattleworldcruiser.org
A new version of the "Seattle"(crashed in Alaska on the original attempt in 1924) is being built to recreate the original journey

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