The Douglas DC-9, Old Reliable 

At 11:46 a.m. on February 25, 1965, the first DC-9 prototype, N9DC, started its initial takeoff run at Long Beach, California. The DC-9’s two hour and 13 minute first flight was conducted by chief engineering test pilot George Jansen; DC-9 test pilot, Paul Patten; and flight engineer
Duncan Walker. For the first flight the aircraft was operated at a takeoff gross weight of 77,000 pounds. After performing aircraft systems tests, static longitudinal stability, static lateraldirectional, structural and aerodynamic damping and autopilot function tests, N9DC landed at Edwards Air Force Base.

Thus began a commercial airliner program that would remain in continuous production for over 40 years and represent, at this point, the third most successful jet airliner, with well over 2,400 aircraft produced. Only the Airbus A-320 and Boeing 737 programs have delivered more turbojet powered airliners. The Douglas DC-9 has been a consistent money maker for airlines and has brought high-speed air transportation to smaller communities around the world. Later this year, Delta Air Lines will have been operating DC-9 type aircraft for over 50 years. Yes, the Boeing 717 is a DC-9. So said a sign posted on an assembly fixture at Long Beach containing an assembly for the final 717 – “The Last DC-9!”

Douglas Stands Down on the DC-3 Replacement Effort
As WWII was coming to a close there were over 10,000 DC-3 and C-47 types and over 1,000 C-54 aircraft operating around the world. These aircraft, plentiful and in place, were the basis for the development of the worldwide and local air transport systems. They were reliable and cheap. Aircraft manufacturers in the United States, Britain and France were looking forward and entering the race to be the producer of the DC-3 replacement. None of them succeeded. Even Douglas Aircraft Co. made attempts at designing the DC-3 replacement.

The Super DC-3, an up-dated DC-3, only produced a little over 100 sales. Most of the Super DC-3s were not newly manufactured aircraft, but remanufactured R4D aircraft the U.S. Navy turned back in to Douglas for the extensive R4D-8 modification. They were focused on their DC-6 program and the Pratt & Whitney R-4360-powered DC-7, Model 415A, which was based on the C-74, because the airlines needed pressurized, long haul aircraft. While this DC-7 project was never built, the C-74 was a 165,000 pound transport, with a range of 7,200 miles. Pan American Airways published advertisements featuring the Model 415A, DC-7. Pan American also planned to operate Republic Rainbows and double-deck civil versions . . .