Beautiful old plane.
It’s really nice to see such an old plane still flying.
Very lovely one-gear touch and turn crab crosswind landing.
The Douglas DC-7, the final piston-engine aircraft produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, played a pivotal role in the evolution of commercial aviation. Developed between 1953 and 1958, the DC-7 was designed to meet American Airlines’ request for a coast-to-coast non-stop aircraft. Initially hesitant, Douglas committed to building the aircraft when American Airlines placed an order for 25, amounting to $40 million—a significant sum that covered development costs.
The DC-7 was equipped with four powerful Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone Turbo-Compound engines, making it slightly larger than its predecessor, the DC-6. This aircraft took its maiden flight on May 18, 1953. American Airlines received its first DC-7 in November of the same year and became the first carrier to offer non-stop coast-to-coast flights in the United States.
This breakthrough in transcontinental travel forced competitors like TWA to follow suit with their Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellations. To meet the demanding flight times imposed by pilots’ eight-hour work limits, the DC-7’s engines were pushed to their limits, occasionally leading to overheating and diversions to the nearest airfields.
Recognizing its potential, Douglas introduced the DC-7B, offering more power. Pan Am used these aircraft to operate transatlantic flights, significantly reducing travel times compared to the Boeing 377 Stratocruisers. European airlines also embraced the DC-7, with BOAC purchasing the aircraft when delayed deliveries of its Bristol Britannias became untenable.
However, the DC-7’s success was overshadowed by the advent of jet travel. As the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 entered service in 1958 and 1960, the DC-7’s sales dwindled. To prolong its life, Douglas converted some passenger-configured DC-7s into cargo planes, known as the DC-7F, by removing windows and adding freight doors.
The Douglas DC-7, with its pioneering coast-to-coast capabilities, marked the end of an era in commercial aviation, making it an essential part of aviation history.
My dad holds the world speed record for this aircraft. January 1959 in a Delta Airlines DC-7B from Detroit to Miami. Average speed was 465 MPH.
I took my very first airplane flight aboard an American Airlines DC-7 in December 1959. Flew from Idlewild to Sky Harbor, and also spoke on a radio for the first time (set my career path…) taking to the Phoenix tower. Ah, the days when flying was both boring and exciting.