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weight and performance calculations for the Douglas DC-4-1009
DC-4 ZS-BMH van de Suid Afrikaanse Lugdiens`
Douglas DC-4-1009
role : commuter prop 50
importance : ****
first flight : 14 February 1942 (C-54) at Clover Field , Santa Monica operational :
October 1945
country : United States of America
design : A.E.Raymond and Ed F. Burton
production : 79 civil aircraft (DC-4-1009) and 1163 military C-54 Skytrain / R5D (US
navy)
general information :
The advanced DC-4E of 1938 proved to be too large and too expensive to operate. Douglas made a new design, smaller and without cabin pressurization. It choose the P&W R-2000 as powerplant. Development was slow due to urgency was given to building military aircraft, and soon the DC-4 also was turned into a military transport, and designated C-54 Skymaster. The 61 civil orders
, placed by American Airlines, Eastern Airlines, United Airlines, Panam, KLM (6), also were turned to the military. It was a reliable and useful transport aircraft that was used intensively. It was very safe in operation, in 79.642 flights across many oceans only 3 were lost by accidents. After WWII many C-54’s were first used as passenger aircraft, albeit the spartan interior and then continued as useful freighter.
During the Berlin airlift 330 DC-4’s and C-54 were used, making it the most used type in the campaign. After WWII Douglas built 79 new civil DC-4’s, indicated as DC-4-1009.
American Overseas Airways was the first airline to start operations with the DC-4 in October 1945. It opened the route from New York to London. Th flight took 23 hours and 48 minutes with 2 stops on the way.
American Airlines started to operate the DC-4 on the New York – Los Angeles route in March 1946.
The KLM flew with C-54’s and some DC-4’s, on the route Amsterdam - New York, and to Indonesia and other routes.
fuel capacity, normal : 10860 litre, with additional inner fuel tanks : 13600 litre
underfloor freight compartments : fwd 3.40 [m3] rear : 4.67 [m3]
primary civil users : converted C-54 :Great Lakes Airlines, North American Airlines,
Universal Airlines, Transocean airlines, new built DC-4-1009 : National Airlines,
Northwest airlines, Western Airlines, KLM (36 C-54, 6 DC-4), SAS, Iberia, Swissair,
Air France, Sabena, Cubana de Aviacion, Avianca, Aerolineas Argentinas, Aeropostal
de Venezuela and South African Airways current operator : Buffalo Airways.
crew : 4 passengers : 44, later up to 86 in high density seating
powerplant : 4 Pratt & Whitney R-2000-2SD13-G Twin Wasp air-cooled 14 -cylinder
radial engine 1100 [hp](820.3 KW) normal rating, supercharged engine, high blower,
constant power to height : 4300 [m] and with 1450 [hp] (1081.3 KW) available for
take-off
dimensions :
wingspan : 35.81 [m], length : 28.62 [m], height : 8.38 [m]
wing area : 136.0 [m^2]
weights :
max.take-off weight : 33112 [kg]
empty weight operational : 19641 [kg] useful load : 8600 [kg]
performance :
maximum continuous speed :450 [km/u] op 4270 [m]
normal cruise speed :382 [km/u] op 4270 [m] ( 70 [%] power)
service ceiling : 6800 [m]
range with max fuel : 3959 [km] and allowance for 343.2 [km] diversion and 30 [min]
hold
description :
low-winged monoplane with retractable landing gear with nose wheel
tapered wing with slotted flaps airfoil : root: NACA 23016 tip : NACA 23012
engines and landing gear attached to the wings, fuel tanks in the wings
construction : all-metal stressed-skin (Alclad-aluminium) airplane
fuselage shape : 0
airscrew :
four Hamilton-Standard constant speed full-feathering 3 -bladed tractor airscrews
propellor max. efficiency :0 .76 [ ]
diameter airscrew 3.99 [m]
relative pitch (J) : 1.50 [ ]
power loading prop : 137.05 [KW/m]
theoretical pitch without slip : 6.72 [m]
blade angle prop at max.speed : 36.55 [ ]
tip-speed close to speed of sound (above Mach 0.85) > loose of efficiency
reduction : 0.50 [ ]
airscrew revs : 1250 [r.p.m.]
aerodynamic pitch at max. continuous speed 6.00 [m]
blade-tip speed at max.continuous speed : 290 [m/s]
propellor noise in flight : 100 [Db]
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
measured wing chord : 4.07 [m] at 50% wingspan
mean wing chord : 3.80 [m]
calculated average wing chord tapered wing with rounded tips: 3.69 [m]
Note the extended slotted flaps
wing aspect ratio : 9.4 []
seize (span*length*height) : 8589 [m^3]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 29.5 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption (cruise speed) : 677.5 [kg/hr] (924.3 [litre/hr]) at 70 [%] power
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 0.56 [km/kg] at 4270 [m] height, sfc : 295.0 [kg/kwh]
estimated total fuel capacity : 10859 [litre] (7960 [kg])
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry with reduction gear : 2840.0 [kg] = 0.87 [kg/KW]
weight 490.6 litre oil tank : 41.70 [kg]
oil tank filled with 24.6 litre oil : 22.1 [kg]
oil in engine 18.3 litre oil : 16.4 [kg]
fuel in engine 22.4 litre fuel : 16.41 [kg]
weight 393.0 litre gravity patrol tank(s) : 58.9 [kg]
weight Burgess type silencers : 65.6 [kg]
weight NACA cowling 36.7 [kg]
weight variable pitch control : 27.1 [kg]
weight airscrew(s) incl. boss & bolts : 677.9 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 3776 [kg](11.4 [%])
***************************************************************
fuselage aluminium frame : 4674 [kg]
cabin layout : pitch : 89 [cm] (2+2) seating in 11.0 rows
pax density (normal seating) : 1.16 [m2/pax]
high density seating passengers : 86 at 5 -abreast seating in 17.1 rows
weight 2 toilets : 13.9 [kg]
weight 4 fire extinguisher : 13 [kg]
weight pantry : 63.8 [kg]
weight 24 windows : 21.6 [kg]
weight 4 emergency exits : 12.0 [kg]
weight 6 life rafts : 66.0 [kg]
weight 2 entrance/exit doors : 10.0 [kg]
weight 2 freight doors (belly) : 8.0 [kg]
weight ladies" powder room : 16 [kg]
weight men’s dressing room : 12 [kg]
weight diplomatic mail locker : 2 [kg]
extra main deck space for freight/mail/luggage etc. : 5.48 [m3]
cabin volume (usable), excluding flight deck : 107.56 [m3]
passenger cabin max.width : 3.01 [m] cabin length : 16.91 [m] cabin height : 2.36 [m]
fuselage covering ( 189.9 [m2] duraluminium 2.25 [mm]) : 1128.7 [kg]
weight floor beams : 92.1 [kg]
weight cabin furbishing : 286.8 [kg]
weight cabin floor : 169.3 [kg]
fuselage (sound proof) isolation : 65.4 [kg]
weight radio transceiver equipment : 7.0 [kg]
weight radio direction finding (RDF) equipment : 5.0 [kg]
weight artificial horizon : 1.1 [kg]
weight instruments. : 13.0 [kg]
weight APU / engine starter: 41.0 [kg]
weight lighting : 11.0 [kg]
weight electricity generator : 11.0 [kg]
weight controls : 13.2 [kg]
weight seats : 255.0 [kg]
weight air conditioning : 66 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 6970 [kg](21.1 [%])
***************************************************************
total weight aluminium ribs (445 ribs) : 1181 [kg]
weight engine mounts : 164 [kg]
weight fuel tanks empty for total 10466 [litre] fuel : 837 [kg]
weight wing covering (painted aluminium 2.34 [mm]) : 1720 [kg]
total weight aluminium spars (multi-cellular wing structure) : 2078 [kg]
weight wings : 4979 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 36.61 [kg]
cantilever wing without bracing cables
weight rubber de-icing boots : 39.4 [kg]
weight fin & rudder (14.9 [m2]) : 547.1 [kg]
weight stabilizer & elevator (15.3 [m2]): 561.1 [kg]
weight flight control hydraulic servo actuators: 36.5 [kg]
total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 7164 [kg] (21.6 [%])
*******************************************************************
Can only operate from paved runways
wheel pressure : 8278.0 [kg]
weight 4 Dunlop main wheels (1230 [mm] by 246 [mm]) : 576.7 [kg]
weight nose wheel : 72.1 [kg]
weight hydraulic wheel-brakes : 28.2 [kg]
weight pneumatic-hydraulic shock absorbers : 37.7 [kg]
weight wheel hydraulic operated retraction system : 105.7 [kg]
weight undercarriage struts with axle 770.2 [kg]
total weight landing gear : 1585.9 [kg] (4.8 [%]
*******************************************************************
********************************************************************
calculated empty weight : 19496 [kg](58.9 [%])
weight oil for 12.4 hours flying : 366.8 [kg]
calculated operational weight empty : 19863 [kg] (60.0 [%])
published operational weight empty : 19641 [kg] (59.3 [%])
weight crew : 567 [kg]
weight fuel for 2.0 hours flying : 1355 [kg]
weight catering : 159.4 [kg]
weight water : 127.5 [kg]
********************************************************************
operational weight empty: 22072 [kg](66.7 [%])
weight 44 passengers : 3388 [kg]
weight luggage : 537 [kg]
weight cargo : 4675 [kg]
operational weight loaded: 30672 [kg](92.6 [%])
fuel reserve : 2440.3 [kg] enough for 3.60 [hours] flying
operational weight fully loaded : 33112 [kg] with fuel tank filled for 48 [%]
published maximum take-off weight : 33112 [kg] (100.0 [%])
calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
power loading (Take-off) : 10.09 [kg/kW]
power loading (operational without useful load) : 6.73 [kg/kW]
power loading (Take-off) 1 PUF: 13.46 [kg/kW]
total power : 3281.1 [kW] at 2500 [r.p.m]
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 5.2 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 3.0 [g] ultimate load : 4.5 [g] load factor : 1.8 [g]
Canadair built a DC-4 variant equipped with Rolls Royce Merlin engines and a pressurized cabin. 71 were built indicated as DC-4M / C-4 / C-5. It was also used by the BOAC who gave it the name “Argonaut”.
design flight time : 7.25 [hours]
design cycles : 4498 sorties, design hours : 32587 [hours]
operational wing loading : 1592 [N/m^2]
wing stress (3 g) during operation : 130 [N/kg] at 3g emergency manoeuvre
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.79 ["]
max. angle of attack (stalling angle, clean) : 12.85 ["]
max. angle of attack (full flaps) : 14.85 ["]
angle of attack at max. speed : 1.07 ["]
calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios
lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° : 0.16 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. speed : 0.26 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.31 [ ]
max.lift coefficient full flaps : 1.56 [ ]
induced drag coefficient at max.speed : 0.0029 [ ]
drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0226 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0197 [ ]
calculation : *8* (speeds
stalling speed at sea-level (OW loaded : 32434 [kg]): 195 [km/u]
stalling speed at sea-level with full flaps (normal landing weight): 171 [km/u]
landing speed at sea-level (normal landing weight : 29835 [kg]): 197 [km/hr]
max. rate of climb speed : 201 [km/hr] at sea-level
max. endurance speed : 213 [km/u] min.fuel/hr : 492 [kg/hr] at height : 610 [m]
max. range speed : 332 [km/u] min. fuel consumption : 2.006 [kg/km] at cruise height : 3962 [m]
cruising speed : 382 [km/hr] at 4270 [m] (power:71 [%])
max. continuous speed* : 450.00 [km/hr] at 4270 [m] (power:100 [%])
C-54B Skymaster with large cargo doors
climbing speed at sea-level (loaded) : 273 [m/min]
climbing speed at 1000 [m] with 1 engine out (PUF / MTOW) : 198 [m/min]
climbing speed at 1000 [m] with 2 engines out (2xPUF / MTOW) : 33 [m/min]
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
take-off speed : 235.9 [km/u]
emergency/TO power : 1450 [hp] at 2870 [rpm]
static prop wash : 190 [km/u]
high wheel pressure, can only take off from paved runways
take-off distance at sea-level concrete runway : 719 [m]
take-off distance at sea-level over 15 [m] height : 903 [m]
landing run : 495 [m]
lift/drag ratio : 17.02 [ ]
climb to 1000m with max payload : 4.64 [min]
climb to 2000m with max payload : 9.55 [min]
climb to 3000m with max payload : 14.78 [min]
practical ceiling (operational weight empty 22072 [kg] ) : 8700 [m]
practical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 30 min.fuel:32773 [kg] ) : 6200 [m]
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
published range : 3959 [km] with 7 crew and 5669.5 [kg] useful load and 88.1 [%] fuel (no reserves)
range : 2305 [km] with 7 crew and 8600.0 [kg] useful load and 51.3 [%] fuel
range : 4944 [km] with 44.0 passengers with each 12.2 [kg] luggage and 110.0 [%] fuel
Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) : 217535 [paskm]
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks total 17965.0 [litre] fuel : 6566 [km]
useful load with range 500km : 12283 [kg]
useful load with range 500km : 44 passengers
production (theor.max load): 4698 [tonkm/hour]
production (useful load): 3290 [tonkm/hour]
production (passengers): 16830 [paskm/hour]
combi aircraft mail/freight/passengers
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 0.15 [kg]
fuel cost per paskm : 0.042 [eur]
crew cost per paskm : 0.053 [eur]
economic hours : 18250 [hours] is less then design hours
time between engine failure : 590 [hr]
can continue fly on 3 engines, low risk for emergency landing for PUF
writing off per paskm : 0.053 [eur]
insurance per paskm : 0.001 [eur]
maintenance cost per paskm : 0.156 [eur]
direct operating cost per paskm : 0.305 [eur]
direct operating cost per tonkm (max. load): 1.093 [eur]
direct operating cost per tonkm (normal useful load): 1.561 [eur]
Literature :
Piston-engined airliners page 53,57,62
Praktisch handboek vliegtuigen deel 5 page 36,37
Amerikaanse vliegtuigbouwers page 60,61,62
Jane’s Commercial transport aircraft page 115
Jane’s fighting aircraft of WWII page 225
5 dingen over het luchtwaardig maken van een Douglas DC-4 Skymaster - KLM Blog
* max.continuous speed : max.level speed maintainable for minimal 30 min.
DISCLAIMER Above calculations are based on published data, they must be
regarded as indication not as facts.
Calculated performance and weight may not correspond with actual weights
and performances and are assumptions for which no responsibility can be taken.
Calculations are as accurate as possible, they can be fine-tuned when more data
is available, you are welcome to give suggestions and additional information
so we can improve our program. For copyright on drawings/photographs/
content please mail to below mail address
(c) B van der Zalm 22 January 2022 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com python 3.7.4