The American Douglas Aircraft Company, through the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, produced a succession of legendary piston-engine aircraft. By the end of World War II, Douglas was a dominant force in North American commercial aviation, rivalled only by Boeing.
The World's First Jetliners
Across the Atlantic, de Havilland's Comet made history in May 1949 as the world's first jet-powered passenger airliner. At first, it looked like a success, but after two tragic accidents caused by metal fatigue in the pressurised cabin, the type was grounded in 1954.
The French Sud Aviation Caravelle soon appeared with its 90-passenger twin-jet design, while Boeing's 707 was still years away, expected only by late 1958. Airlines were hesitant to commit to the risks and costs of jet travel, but none could afford to be left behind if their competitors adopted them.
Douglas Joins the Jet Race
In the U.S., Douglas and Boeing competed fiercely for the U.S. Air Force's first jet-powered aerial refuelling tanker contract. Boeing won with its KC-135 Stratotanker in June 1955, forcing Douglas to push forward with its passenger jetliner project, the DC-8.
Taking airline input seriously, Douglas redesigned its jet: the fuselage was widened by 15 inches (38 cm) for six-abreast seating, requiring bigger wings and tail surfaces, and the fuselage itself was lengthened.
The first DC-8 rolled out at Long Beach Airport on 9 April 1958 and made its maiden flight on 30 May. Pan Am had already placed the first order back in October 1955. Following FAA certification in August 1959, the DC-8 entered service with Delta Air Lines on 18 September.
The Super Sixties - A Second Life
By April 1965, Douglas announced stretched versions, the “Super Sixties.” The programme had been faltering with fewer than 300 sold, but the new stretched versions revived it.
By the time production ended in 1972, 262 “Super Sixties” had been delivered, nearly half of all DC-8s built. With seating for 269 passengers, the Series 61 and 63 were the highest-capacity airliners in the world until the arrival of Boeing's 747 in 1970.
The Final Years in Passenger Service
During the 1980s and 1990s, most DC-8s left airline fleets, though re-engined freighters kept the type alive. In total, 556 DC-8s were built before production ceased in 1972, replaced by Douglas's wide-body DC-10.
Even in the 21st century, a handful soldiered on. In January 2013, around 36 were still in use, though aging, high costs, and strict noise/emission rules steadily reduced the fleet. By 2022, even the youngest DC-8s were already more than 50 years old.
The Last Survivors
As of January 2024, just a few remained:
Two DC-8s (9S-AJG and 9S-AJO) flew with Trans Air Cargo Service in the Congo.
Another (OB-2231P) with Skybus Jet Cargo of Peru was returned to service in February 2025.
In the U.S., Samaritan's Purse still operated N782SP, a DC-8-72 Combi, acquired from Air Transport International in 2015.
In southern Africa, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) saw Airfreightair operate two DC-8s from the 1970s onwards. A friend who flew them recalled: “The freighter wasn't too comfortable. We used Coke wooden crates to stand on, just to keep our shoes off the freezing floor. Meat for the Swiss had to be delivered at -6°. Then there were the 75,000-day-old chicks we carried weekly to the Middle East; they generated so much heat that keeping the cabin cool was the challenge! France even used a DC-8 as a presidential aircraft, fitted with quick-change configurations for various missions.”
An Icon, Almost Forgotten
Considering its long service, versatility, and sheer resilience, the DC-8, like Douglas's legendary DC-3, surely qualifies as one of aviation's truly iconic, though now almost forgotten, airliners.
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