IATA D6FICAO DC6

Douglas DC-6

Douglas

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Reliable piston-powered airliner that defined postwar air travel.

First flight

1946

Category

Piston airliner

Seating

52–102

Range

7,410 km

Engines

Four Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp radial piston engines

Status

In service (limited)

The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-engined transport aircraft developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company in the mid-1940s as a pressurized, longer-range successor to the DC-4. It entered commercial service in 1947 and became one of the most capable and popular airliners of its era, widely adopted by major U.S. and international carriers. Powered by four Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp radial engines, the DC-6 offered improved speed, range, and passenger comfort compared to its predecessors. Several variants were produced, including the stretched DC-6A freighter and the DC-6B passenger version, which was considered particularly efficient and economical to operate. Although long retired from major airline service, a small number of DC-6 aircraft remain operational today, primarily in cargo, utility, and specialty roles in remote regions such as Alaska and parts of Africa. The type is regarded as one of the finest piston airliners ever built.

Notable operators

Major operators included United Air Lines, American Airlines, Pan American World Airways, Delta Air Lines, and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS).

Notable facts

›The DC-6B variant was widely considered the finest piston-engined airliner of its generation.
›Over 700 DC-6 aircraft of all variants were built between 1946 and 1958.
›The U.S. Air Force operated the type as the C-118 Liftmaster.
›A presidential VC-118 variant, nicknamed 'Independence,' served President Harry S. Truman.
›Some DC-6 aircraft remain airworthy today in cargo and utility operations in Alaska.