Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Long-range commercial transport

Power Plant:

(DC-8-50)

Four 18,000 lbst Pratt & Whitney JT3D-3B turbofans

Specifications:

History:

In an attempt to maintain its competitive position as a supplier of transport aircraft to the world’s airlines, Douglas Aircraft Company commenced the design of a jet-powered aircraft to replace the DC-7 series. Following publication of details of the proposed design, Pan American Airways placed an order for 20 examples in October 1955, being followed by United Airlines, National Airlines, KLM and others. Two engines were offered, the Pratt & Whitney JT4A and the Rolls Royce Conway. Accommodation was provided for 117 passengers in a mixed layout, or up to 189 passengers in a one-class high-density layout.

The prototype of the series, known as the DC-8-10, flew for the first time on 30 May 1958, the second prototype being a DC-8-20, flying for the first time on 29 November 1958. On 21 February 1959 the first DC-8-30 flew, this being the inter-continental model with Pratt & Whitney JT4A engines, the subsequent series DC-8-40 being a similar aircraft with Rolls Royce Conway engines. The DC-8-30 introduced increased fuel capacity over the earlier models, the take-off weight increasing to 142,880 kg (315,000 lb) shortly after the model entered service. Extended wing-tips and a new-leading edge that added to the wing chord were also introduced to this model after some flight testing.

In 1960 the prototype DC-8 was re-engined with Pratt & Whitney JT5D turbofan engines, and thus became the DC-8-50, flying for the first time in this configuration on 20 December 1960. Initial gross weight for this model was 125,190 kg (276,000 lb), but this was later increased to 147,415 kg (325,000 lb) with the Prat & Whitney JT3D-3B engines. In April 1961 a passenger / cargo version appeared, and this was named the Jet Trader, being fitted with a side-loading freight door.

Production of the DC-8-50 series totalled 293 aircraft. In 1965 the Super-Sixty series of DC-8 was introduced, being produced in three variants, these being: DC-8-61 with the fuselage lengthened by 11.18 m (36 ft 8 in) to provide accommodation for up to 259 passengers; DC-8-62 with the fuselage lengthened over the DC-8-50 series by 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) and providing accommodation for 189 passengers, but with extra fuel and aerodynamic refinements to increase the range; and DC-8-63, which combined the fuselage of the DC-8-61 with various improvements developed for the DC-8-62, including a 1.82 m (6 ft) increase in wingspan.

In September 1963 the New Zealand Transport Minister announced Government approval for the purchase of three DC-8-52s for delivery in 1965 to Tasman Empire Airways Ltd (TEAL). The first DC-8 ZK-NZA first flew at Long Beach, California on 14 January 1965 as N96832. This model had a range of 11,104 km (6,900 miles) at 933 km/h (580 mph) at a weight of 99,792 kg (220,000 lb). Normal passenger load was 16 First class and 115 economy passengers. On 1 April 1965 the airline changed its name to Air New Zealand. ZK-NZA was delivered to New Zealand on 20 July 1965, ZK-NZB arriving in Auckland on 3 August 1965.

The first service flown was by ZK-NZB on 3 December 1965 from Christchurch, NZ to Sydney, NSW followed by ZK-NZA flying to Nadi, Honolulu in Hawaii and Los Angeles in California on 14 December. Air New Zealand purchased seven Model DC-8-52 aircraft in total, these being registered ZK-NZA (c/n 45750); ZK-NZB (c/n 45751); ZK-NZC (c/n 45752); ZK-NZD (c/n 45932); ZK-NZE (c/n 45985); ZK-NZF (c/n 45303 –ex N804EV), and ZK-NZG (c/n 45301 – ex N800EV).

With the introduction of the new aircraft, the company was able to increase the routes it could operate, and on 28 November that year a DC-8 operated to Pago Pago in American  Samoa, and on 3 March 1966 the first service was flown to Hong Kong. However, on 4 July 1969 ZK-NZB was lost in a training accident at Auckland. Following this accident, a further two aircraft were ordered for 1968 delivery. ZK-NZD arrived in New Zealand on 29 January 1967 and ZK-NZE on 28 February. Whilst awaiting the delivery two were leased from United Airlines, one being N8035U.

Later two further DC-8s were ordered, becoming ZK-NZF and ZK-NZG, both being ex United Airlines Aircraft, having been built as DC-8-30s and later converted to DC-8-52 configuration. In 1972 extensions to Wellington Airport permitted the DC-8s to operate into the capital, for many years being the only international type aircraft with the performance to operate into that airport, this continuing until the advent of the Qantas 747SP late in 1981. Flights to Los Angeles began in November 1967 via Papeete in French Polynesia but with the new routes it was found additional capacity was required and the company looked around for a replacement, ordering Douglas DC-10s in September 1970.

In April 1978 the New Zealand National Government merged the two main airlines of the country, Air New Zealand and the New Zealand National Airways Corporation. A decision was made to call the new company Air New Zealand and the combined fleet then grew to eight DC-10s, three DC-8s (the other survivors had been exported), eight Boeing 737s and eighteen Fokker F-27 Friendships.

On 15 December 1981 a DC-8 left Melbourne, VIC for Wellington, bringing to a close the use of the DC-8s of Air New Zealand on scheduled passenger services. Operations of the DC-8 continued a bit longer, in August 1980 the company’s routes extending to Tokyo, Japan with a stop in Nadi, but a year later this service was being performed by the Douglas DC-10.

However, the airline kept the DC-8s in operation for a few more years solely for freight work, ZK-NZD being converted to freight configuration in 1981 at Tulsa in Oklahoma, the aircraft being painted with ‘Air New Zealand Cargo’ titling on the forward fuselage. This aircraft operated across the Tasman, at one period the bulk of its loads being livestock, particularly horses. Later this changed to goats. During a period of eight months in 1986 more than 10,000 goats were transported from Australia to New Zealand, these being carried in converted horse boxes 400 at a time. In normal freight configuration this aircraft ZK-NZD, a DC-8-54F, carried 13 pallets on the main deck, with 30 m³ being available in the lower hold, up to 30 tonnes at a time being carried. However, even this could not last as the aircraft could not meet new noise abatement restrictions and, after operating on the Trans-Tasman route until 1984, it was withdrawn from use and sold in the United States in September 1987.

Ex Air New Zealand DC-8 ZK-NZC in 2018 was parked at Manaus Airport, Brazil, derelict and consideration was being given to obtaining the aircraft and shipping it to Wanaka on New Zealand’s south island to be restored for static display at a museum.

In the 1980s Cammacorp in the United States re-engined a number Douglas DC-8s with CFM International Jet Engines CFM-56 turbofans as the Series DC-8-70, and a number of DC-8-61 and DC-8-63 aircraft were converted, mainly for freight work. Examples of these were occasionally seen visiting this region on freight or charter work.

One DC-8 was based in Sydney for many years used as a VIP transport. This aircraft was a DC-8-62 VP-BLG registered to Sunningdale Investments of Bermuda. It was a resident of Sydney for ten years from July 1991 and was operated for Consolidated Press Holdings in the VIP role. In July 2001 it was delivered to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. During its Australian stay it operated with the registrations N8970U, VR-BMR, VR-BLE and VP-BLG. Only a few examples of the DC-8 series have survived, mainly as freighters.

Other DC-8s have spent some time in Australasia. Transpacific Heavylift Airlines operated DC-8-73 OB-2059P from Brisbane, QLD for some time, arriving at Eagle Farm Airport on 20 December 2013, entering freight services from Brisbane to Nauru on 11 March 2014. However, it ceased operations on 5 October 2014 and left Australia on that day on ferry to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.