McDonnell Douglas DC-8

Everyone knows that Pan Am flew early DC-8s but I would like to know if they ever flew a Sixty Series, specifically the -62. It was a beautiful and unique model that few U.S. airlines obtained.

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What Great Memories, Being dressed in a suit a tie, walking outside through a door at a gate, approaching this huge jet from the side, climbing the stairs, being greeted by a stewardess at the top, stepping on board, with soft music playing in the back ground. A luxurious jet liner with large windows covered with draperies, and in first class wide upholstery seats, and lots of leg room with floor foot cushions. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner service was always served on china with linen service. The entrees were great. Stewardess's and stewards were well dressed in crisp uniforms. After eating, I was always invited to go up to the cockpit, meet the captain, co pilot, and flight engineer, and be presented with metal wings to pin on my suit coat. I was eight years old in 1960 and the DC-8 was the first jet liner I had flown on. I flew on previous aircraft which were two and four engine turbo prop planes. Yes, this was one of the biggest thrills in my life. Well, except for flying on a 747 in the early 70's. Those were the years of "golden air travel", when classy people dressed up and had manners. Great memories.

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Another aircraft credited to "McDonnell-Douglas" that was strictly a Douglas creation.

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On Sunday, April 18, 1971, I was on a DC8-63CF operated by Seaboard World Airlines in charter service to the Military Airlift Command. It was on my return flight from Vietnam. The Yokota (OKO) to SEA leg was completed in 7 hours 15 minutes. This must almost certainly be a world record. The pilot had estimated 8 hours for the flight; he announced that he had been able to cut 45 minutes from that estimate and had had to throttle back to keep from going supersonic.

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No Jeannie you are not "nuts", please see my entry dated 05.05.2011.

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Flew as Flight Attendant with Saturn Airways, out of Alameda,CA, 1968-69, M.A.C. contract flights taking troops to Southeast Asia. Saturn owned two DC-8-61's that were in the air almost constantly, making the Pacific circuit. Great, comfortable planes! CAN ANYONE help with a question, or affirm my memory on this: I find no record of a DC-8 61 exceeding Mach 1, with "help" from wind, but have clear memory of Typhoon Agnes "pushing" our plane beyond the sound barrier, and cockpit crew telling us this had happened. Am I nuts? COMMENTS?

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Flew F /E(2nd Officer) & First Officer on 62 /61 /50 series (+ 40 series on loan) at AirJamaica.Longest 62 flight Zurich to Montego Bay(1030 nonstop)with regular Jamaica to London or Frankfurt flights.Reliable,stable,capable,enjoyable,wonderful airplane.

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Hey "Smuggler" of course it doesn't matter as Mcdonnell Douglas was taken over by Boeing the whole gamut of McDonnell and Douglas can be included on the Boeing page can it not?
Re the DC8 exceeding Mach 1 I would refer to you an article by Jim Winchester on the DC8 in the December 2011 issue of "Aviation News" which details this event, and also the Sampson Low Guide "World Aircraft Commercial Aircraft 1935 -1960" page 66. There are other sources but being so accepting of information as you obviously are I am sure you will be able to locate them youself.

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I witnessed the maiden flight of the DC-9 as she made her approach to the Douglas Plant at Long Beach. CA.
I was working on a survey crew for the Orange County Flood control Dept laying out right of way and grade for a flood control channel in an open field between the Los Alamitos NAS and Seal Beach Naval Ammo Depot.
An awesome sight and sound seeing that big four engined bird coming in.
Kinda' dicey airspace with the Navy F4-Us and Douglas aircraft competing for space

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Hi Chuck, flew the 8 (60 /70series) for Rosenbalm, Emery, Kalitta from 89-91...great aircraft to fly...also worked for Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach, CA, before they leveled the plant...I'll bet the 8 could hit Mach 1, knowing some guys that tried to get it to Mach 1...how was working for ATI?

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@Barry
Take a chill pill man, now days with all the mergers, does it really matter how they group the different models?
As for the Mach 1 claim... B.S.!!!

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Firstly,it is a little spurious that this aeroplane is included within the branding of McDonnell Douglas when the design and virtually all the production was under the aegis of Douglas alone. Secondly, let's get the record straight about speed. On the 21st August 1961 a DC8 Series 40 with Rolls Royce Conway engines was the first passenger aircraft to exceed Mach 1 when it achieved Mach 1.012. It says a lot for the design and structural integrity of this plane.It is generally thought that the CV990 not the CV880 was the fastest of these first generation "big jets" but as noted above that was not necessarily the case. The DC8 in it's Series 60 lengthened form had the highest capacity of any passenger aircraft untill the advent of the 747, and it's payload /range was quite exceptional which made them so popular has cargo planes in later life.

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After retireing from the AF as a C141 flight engineer I had the good luck to be hired on as a flight engineer on the 8 with Rosenbalm Aviation out of Ypsilanti Mi. After they went bankrupt I got hired on by ATI out of Little Rock Ar. We flew the 62 combi,61,71,73 freighters. Excellent aircraft.

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no mooi

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As an employee of United Air Lines, working as an "A&E"mechanic at SFO, Portland, Oregon and at the "Overhaul & Eng. facilities" in SF..the DC-8 in all of the modification models...especially the Scretched Model...all performed as expected and just a bit more.They carried lots of troops to Vietnam. Great plane.

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I was a first officer on 61-63 series in the late 60's. What a great a /c this was. Capital Int'l Airlines had a /c from all different carriers, had some from Braniff, Eastern, Italia. All had different auto pilots, nav equip, etc. But it was a reliable and stable a /c.

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Worked on the 8s for many years with United Air Lines. What a great honest aeroplane she was.

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The Convair 990 was fastest of all!

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I was a flight engineer on the DC-8-61 & 63 for Eastern Air Lines from about 1969 through 1972 when they were sold out from under me and I was transferred to Atlanta, GA from N.Y. and returned to the co-pilot seat on the Boeing-727. I enjoyed the time I spent on the aircraft as it was most comfortable and my job was really easy. The service was great from NY to Miami and on runs to Puerto Rico, the Capt was studying for his law degree so he could fight the age 60 rule. He set the course to Puerto Rico by viewing the southern cross and then turned on the lights to study. Every now and then the lights would be turned off to check the rise of the cross and realign the course. We split the island dead on and never really paid any attention to Loran C which we had on board for tracking. The good old days I must admit were great. The food was terrific and the coffee pleantiful. I was young then too. That made a difference. Call me, 404-325-4866 Cell. in GA.

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The Douglas DC-8 had a 30 degree swept-wing as opposed to its competitor, the Boeing 707, which had a 35 degree swept-wing. This made the competition a faster plane. Incidentally, the Convair CV-880 also had a 35 degree swept-wing and was the fastest of the three designs.

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