Douglas DC-3 family
The Douglas DC-3 line on this site has two variants. Length runs from the DC-3 to the Super DC-3, a spread of 3.1 ft (4.8%). Two different wingspans appear across the line. All share Design Group III and Approach Category B.
The DC-3 has the joint lowest maximum takeoff weight in Design Group III (77 types, 76 with a published figure). The DC-3 has the joint longest wheelbase among the 117 piston aircraft on this site with a published figure. The DC-3 has the joint 3rd-widest main gear, the 3rd-tallest tail, the 4th-greatest length and the 2nd-longest wingspan among the 120 piston aircraft on this site. The DC-3 has the 2nd-lowest tail and the 2nd-shortest length in Design Group III (77 types).
Every variant, shortest first
| Variant | Wingspan | Length | Tail height | Max. takeoff weight | Codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas DC-3 | 95.2 ft | 64.7 ft | 16.9 ft | 25,200 lb | III-B |
| Douglas Super DC-3 | 90.0 ft | 67.8 ft | 16.7 ft | 25,200 lb | III-B |
More from the line
The DC-3 has the joint 3rd-highest maximum takeoff weight among the 116 piston aircraft on this site with a published figure. The DC-3 has the 4th-highest wingspan-to-length ratio among the 223 twin-engine types. The DC-3 has the joint 4th-lowest FAA reference approach speed among the 77 types in Design Group III (the input for its Approach Category).
Source: FAA Aircraft Characteristics Database, October 2024 release. How we measure.