Douglas DC-3 vs Douglas Super DC-3

Side-by-side specs, range, and operating costs.

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Dimensions & configuration

Representative planforms, drawn to shared scale.

Douglas DC-3
95.0 × 64.5 ft 16.9 ft tall
2× Piston Conventional Unpressurized
Douglas Super DC-3
90.0 × 67.8 ft 18.2 ft tall
2× Piston Conventional Unpressurized

Flight Profile

Service ceiling, range, and climb rate.

Tap legend to isolate

Arc represents the climb-cruise-descent profile based on published service ceiling and range. Climb rate annotated on ascent. FL180 (18,000 ft) shown for reference.

Mission Performance

Stall, approach, cruise, range, ceiling and climb: best values are at the top.

Mission performance specifications
Specification Douglas DC-3Douglas Super DC-3
Stall speed 68 kt—
Approach speed 80 kt—
Cruise speed 180 kt217 kt
Range 1370 nm2170 nm
Service ceiling 23200 ft22500 ft
Rate of climb 1140 fpm1300 fpm
Fuel burn 100.0 gph123.0 gph

Each axis is scaled independently across the compared aircraft and printed in its own units; every vertex sits at the published figure. Higher is better on all axes: Stall, Approach and Fuel Burn are inverted (lower = higher). A missing figure breaks the line at that axis.

Fuel Burn & Range

Range, endurance, and what the fuel costs by the hour.

Douglas DC-3 Avgas
100.0 gph
Baseline
1,370 nm range 1.8 nm/gal 822 gal usable $650 fuel/hr 8h 13m endurance
Douglas DC-3: 100.0 gallons per hour at cruise, 1,370 nautical mile published range, 8 hour 13 minute endurance, 1.8 nautical miles per gallon.
Douglas Super DC-3 Avgas
123.0 gph
Baseline
2,170 nm range 1.8 nm/gal 1330 gal usable $800 fuel/hr 10h 48m endurance
Douglas Super DC-3: 123.0 gallons per hour at cruise, 2,170 nautical mile published range, 10 hour 48 minute endurance, 1.8 nautical miles per gallon.
Avgas range each cell = 1 hr of cruise · width scales with speed

Bars show published still-air range. Endurance is usable fuel divided by the published cruise burn. Estimates only. Always verify against the POH.

Runway Performance

Density altitude adjusted estimates

Outside Air Temp
0°F57°F115°F
Field Elevation
SL4,0008,000 ft
Density Altitude

Takeoff over 50 ft obstacle

Landing ground roll

Base distance DA penalty
Scale: 6,000 ft

FAA 10%/1,000 ft DA rule of thumb (FAA-H-8083-25B). Turboprops and jets are less sensitive in practice. Always verify against the POH.

Estimated Operating Costs

Scale:
Douglas DC-3 Avgas
$883 /hr
Baseline
Douglas DC-3: $883 per flight hour — fuel $650, maintenance and reserve $233.
Douglas Super DC-3 Avgas
$1,053 /hr
Baseline
Douglas Super DC-3: $1,053 per flight hour — fuel $800, maintenance and reserve $253.
Douglas DC-3 Piston
$53,496 /yr Baseline
Douglas DC-3: $53,496 per year — insurance $18,000, hangar $32,996, annual inspection $2,500.
Douglas Super DC-3 Piston
$55,260 /yr Baseline
Douglas Super DC-3: $55,260 per year — insurance $20,000, hangar $32,760, annual inspection $2,500.

Estimates only. Costs vary by location, pilot profile, and market conditions. See individual aircraft pages for source notes.

Capability & limits

Each bar stacks your selected occupants against full fuel and the aircraft's useful-load limit (the black line). The open gap between them is spare payload. Add an occupant and the gap closes; once it's gone, fuel has to give.

lb

+ lb / pax

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Douglas DC-3
28 / 28 seats 822 / 822 gal fuel 3,403 lb wet payload 8,335 lb useful 25,200 lb MTOW
Douglas Super DC-3
30 / 30 seats 1,330 / 1,330 gal fuel 3,483 lb wet payload 11,463 lb useful 31,000 lb MTOW

Occupants at 190 + 30 lb each. Fuel at 6.7 lb/gal jet-A, 6.0 lb/gal avgas.

Payload-Range Map

Origin: · two fingers to move map

lb

+ lb / pax

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1

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