Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Commercial airliner

Power Plant:

(DC-5-G102A)

Two 821 kw (1,100 hp) Wright GR-1820-G-102A Cyclone nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engines

Specifications:

History:

The Douglas DC-5 was designed by Ed Heinemann (who later designed the A-4 Skyhawk) and built at the El Segundo Division of the Douglas Aircraft Company at Inglewood, California to meet airline requirements for a twin-engine airliner. Differing somewhat from American designs of the time, it had a tricycle undercarriage and a high wing. It could be powered by three types of engine, the Wright Cyclone G2B, the Wright Cyclone F-62, or the Pratt & Whitney S1E29. Twelve DC-5s were built. The DC-5 in standard configuration had accommodation for 16 to 22 passengers but could be quickly converted for carriage of freight or paratroops.

The prototype NX21701 (c/n 411) flew for the first time on 20 February 1939 from Mines Field, now Los Angeles Airport, powered by Wright GR-1820F-62 Cyclone engines of 671 kw (900 hp). At the end of the trials program Wright R-1820G-102A engines of 821 kw (1,100 hp) were installed, the fin fillet was extended, and eventually a dihedral-form tailplane replaced the original flat-form unit. The DC-5 could also be fitted with the Twin Wasp engine, becoming the DC-5A-S1C3G when fitted with the 783 kw (1,050 hp) Pratt & Whitney S1C3G Twin Wasp fourteen-cylinder radial engine.

Orders were received from Pennsylvania Central Airlines (6), SCADTA of Colombo (2), and KLM (4). The prototype was later obtained by William M Allen, President of the Boeing Aircraft Company, as his personal transport and named ‘Rover’. Later it went to the United States Navy (USN) as an R3D-3 (ser 08005).

Two of the KLM machines were to be delivered to Curacao in the West Indies in May 1940; and two to Batavia (Djakarta) in the East Indies for use by the Royal Netherlands East Indies Airline. In the event, all four were operated in the Dutch East Indies until they, along with some Douglas DC-2s and DC-3s, were used to evacuate personnel to Australia from Java in the face of the approaching Japanese forces. During one of these flights one PK-ADA (c/n 430) was damaged during a Japanese air attack on Kemajoran airport, Batavia, on 9 February 1942. Subsequently this aircraft was repaired and flown to Japan where it was overhauled, camouflaged and extensively tested by the Testing Division of the Army Aircraft Authority at Tachikawa Air Base. It survived to the end of the war, at one stage being placed in a display with other captured Allied aircraft in Tokyo.

First of the type seen in this region was a Koninklijke Nederlandsche-Indische Luchvaart Maatschappij (KNILM) aircraft from Batavia PK-ADB (c/n 428) flown by Captains G Van Messel and T Reyers, which made a goodwill visit to Sydney, NSW in late April 1941, giving demonstrations at Essendon, VIC on 3 May.

A number were supplied to the US Navy and US Marine Corps, these being: US Navy R3D-1 c/ns 606 to 608 (Bu Aer 1901 to 1903); and US Marine Corps R3D-2 c/ns 609 to 612 (Bu Aer 1904 to 1907). It is a little known fact that British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) ordered nine examples, and paid a 25 per cent deposit, the first aircraft to be delivered to New York on 15 December 1939, the whole batch to be delivered by mid March 1940. Registrations G-AFYG to G-AFYO inclusive were allotted but, following the outbreak of World War II, the British Air Ministry ordered the cancellation of the order and the deposit was transferred as part payment on other Douglas products, some of these DC-5 aircraft going to KNILM.

Two of the KLM DC-5-511 aircraft were delivered to the company’s West Indies Division based at Hato Airport at Curacao in the Netherlands Antilles, becoming PJ-AIW (c/n 424 – ‘Wakago’) and PJ-AIZ (c/n 426 – ‘Izonvogel’). Another two became PK-ADB (c/n 428 – ex PH-AXE [ntu], G-AFYM [ntu]) and PK-ADA (c/n 430 – ex PH-AXG [ntu]) for operation by KNILM. The two West Indies aircraft were sent to Batavia where they became PK-ADD (c/n 424 – ex PJ-AIW, PH-AXA [ntu], G-AFYI [ntu]) and PK-ADC (c/n 426 – ex PJ-AIZ, PH-AXB). Three of the four escaped to Australia, being used as part of the fleet of aircraft used to evacuate Dutch personnel; the fourth PK-ADA (ex PH-AXG [ntu], G-AFYO [ntu]) being captured by Japanese forces as noted above.

The three DC-5s initially were operated by Netherlands interests in Australia but very soon were chartered and began operations with the Allied Directorate of Air Transport (ADAT). These aircraft were: PK-ADD (c/n 424 – ‘Alk’ – ex PJ-AIW, PH-AXA [ntu], G-AFYI [ntu]); PK-ADC (c/n 426 – ‘Boschduif’ – ex PJ-AIZ, PH-AXB [ntu], G-AFYK [ntu]); and PK-ADB (c/n 428 – ‘Eend’ – ex PH-AXE [ntu], G-AFYM [ntu]). As they operated in Australia they were allotted radio call signs VHCXB, VHCXC and VHCXA respectively, these being placed as if they were civil registrations on the tail or on the rear fuselage. The US Army Air Corps later allotted them the designations C-110-DE and serials 44-83230 to 44-83232 but these serials were not painted on the aircraft.

By 21 May 1942 the DC-5s had been taken on strength by No 21 Transport Squadron, Air Transport Command, Allied Air Forces, South West Pacific Area, based at Archerfield, QLD and were used on transport duties for a period. VHCXA suffered an engine failure and made a forced landing on the emergency landing ground near the Lurnea Railway Siding near Charleville, QLD on 6 November 1942. Whilst landing it hit an anthill causing substantial damage. It was dismantled to be used for spares. VHCXB operated as part of the fleet used to support the Buna campaign and, whilst parked on Ward’s Strip at Port Moresby on 17 August 1942, it and a number of other transport aircraft was destroyed by strafing and bombing Japanese aircraft.

On 17 August 1942 22 bombers of the Misawa and 4th Air Groups of the Japanese forces, escorted by 22 Mitsubishi A6M ‘Zeroes’ of the 2nd and Tainan Air Groups, raided 7 mile strip at Port Moresby, PNG unopposed, dropping 150 bombs on a large group of transport aircraft and Martin B-26 Marauders bombers. Bell P-39 Aircobras from the 41st fighter Squadron at 7 mile strip and from the 80th Fighter Squadron at 12 mile strip scrambled but were unable to reach the enemy aircraft operating at 7,010 m (23,000 ft) and considerable losses of aircraft and life were sustained, including two Lockheed Lodestars and a DC-5 of No 21 Squadron, with damage sustained to DC-2s and DC-3s. The 22nd Bomb Group lost four Martin B-26 Marauders destroyed or written off, and a further two were damaged. However, despite the losses, the 22nd Bomb Group still had 29 Martin B-26s in service in August.

In late 1942 an agreement was entered between ADAT, Guinea Airways Ltd, Qantas Empire Airways Ltd, and Australian National Airways Pty Ltd for them to maintain and partially crew some of the older aircraft being used by ADAT. ANA was allotted VHCXC on 26 December 1942 and it was thereafter used on general transport operations, suffering its share of accidents. VHCXC was formally returned to the USAAF on 30 April 1944 and placed in storage at Essendon, VIC. In May that year it was overhauled and placed in service with ANA – with the call sign painted as a registration (VHCXC) – commencing services from Melbourne, VIC to Tasmania.

In June 1944 the United States authorities designated the three DC-5s as C-110-DEs and serials 44-83230 (VHCXA), 44-83231 (VHCXB) and 44-83232 (call sign VHCXC) were allotted. VHCXC continued in service until sold to ANA in 1945, becoming VH-ARD in April 1946. It re-entered service but suffered an accident landing at Mascot, NSW on 4 June 1946 when the nosewheel collapsed. It was repaired and flown again, making its last flight on 19 July 1946 from Laverton, VIC to Parafield, SA and return. It was then grounded.

VH-ARD was sold to Messrs Greg R Board and G W Hanlon on 2 January 1948 and, named ‘Bali Clipper’, was flown to Mascot where it was overhauled and used for flights between Italy and Australia carrying Italian immigrants, being registered on 27 April to New Holland Airways. Its last flight in Australia was out of Darwin, NT on 10 May 1948 and did not return. Reports indicated it was sold to an Israeli agent in Sicily and flown to Israel for service during the first Israeli – Arab war, being allotted serial 1501, camouflaged, and attached to No 103 Squadron to deliver freight and supplies, on one occasion being used to bomb Arab positions in 1948, carrying small bombs which were thrown out the back door. This was the aircraft’s last flight and it eventually ended its days at the Tel Aviv Aeronautical Technical School, being broken up in about 1955.

Some reports have indicated at least one US Marine Corps R3D-2 aircraft operated in Australia. After the bombing of Pearl Harbour in Hawaii it was placed at the disposal of the Commander in Chief Pacific and in January 1942 it was damaged in an encounter with a Japanese submarine off the Australian coast, making a forced landing on an island and being written off.