Aircraft 6

Aircraft

A selection of pictures of aircraft seen at Croydon throughout it's history

Douglas

It's worth mentioning here a description which is often erroneously used and causes some confusion over the designation of one of the worlds most famous aircraft .... the 'Dakota' ....... A 'Dakota' is not a DC3. The American military C47 was only designated 'Dakota' by the RAF, only by the RAF and no one else. The DC3 was a pre WW2 civilian aircraft that the manufacturers in Miami altered considerably to make the C47 for military use. The two are quite different. The Canadian Airforce designated the plane the CC129. After WW2 the C47's that Australia bought and used to start up small airlines called it the 'Skytrain'. So to summarise, the 'Dakota', 'and 'Skytrain', are 'C47's.

The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer based in Southern California. It was founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas, Sr. and later merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas. Douglas Aircraft Company largely operated as a division of McDonnell Douglas (MD) after the merger. MD later merged with Boeing in 1997.

Douglas Dolphin

(above) Douglas Dolphin 113. The only one built.

DC2

(above) 'Douglas DC2'. PH-AKH. 'Haan'. 1937. the first to be delivered to KLM.

(above and below) KLM 'Douglas DC2'

(above and below) 1936. DC2 of KLM.

(above) a Royal Dutch 'Douglas DC2' in 1936 preparing for take-off.

(below) DC2 arriving late 30's

DC3

. (below) picture taken in 1936 of a 'DC3' of the Royal Dutch Airlines. Unfortunately this one was shot down by the Germans in June 1940.

(below) a C.L.S. 'Douglas DC3'.

(above) 1938. DC3

(above) Sabena. 'Douglas DC3'. 1939.

C47 Dakota

(below) a C47 Dakota converted for the civil register for B.O.A.C. in 1945

(below) 'Douglas C47'. 1947

(above) a 'C47 Dakota' of RAF 'Transport Command' coming in to land at Croydon during the 'Berlin Airlift'

(above) early 'Post War' ex-RAF conversions underway. Two 'C47's, and an 'Avro York'.

(above) a typical busy scene in the mid 50's. A 'Miles Aerovan' awaiting repairs. A group of ex RAF aircraft awaiting conversion for civilian use (two'Percival Proctor's, four 'DH Tiger Moth's and a 'DH Dominie). A 'Percival Proctor and a 'DH Rapide' already converted and civilian registered. An 'Auster Aiglet Trainer' from the flying school being prepared (middle right). And a group of 'C47's' already converted for the new B.O.A.C. parked out on the grass and another being worked on among the hangers.

(below) In front of 'B' hangar a 'C47' is undergoing a port engine overhaul.

(below) a newly rebuilt 'Douglas C47' for BOAC, being fitted out with it's radio and navigation systems.

(above) 'C47' of Morton Air Services.

(above and below) Ex RAF 'C47 Dakota's', lined up at Croydon after conversion to civilian airliners, marked up in BOAC livery and ready for use.