C-47

[Stagnate]

Hey guys,

Can someone give me some information about the doors of the C-47, i know they had two big doors for carrying cargo and then in the left door (the door closest to the front of the plane) there is a second smaller door. My question is, was this smaller door used in WW2 for the paratroopers? Also, was this door closed during take off and landing or was it removed all together if there were paratroopers inside?

Thanks in advance,

Matt

 

[evangilder]

There are several variants of the C-47, same with the door configurations. Some of the VIP transports had the smaller door while paras would drop out of any of the door configurations. The doors would typically be closed during takeoff and landing. I wrote up and article on the C-47 a while back, let me see what I have on the doors when I get home this afternoon.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Hey guys,

Can someone give me some information about the doors of the C-47, i know they had two big doors for carrying cargo and then in the left door (the door closest to the front of the plane) there is a second smaller door. My question is, was this smaller door used in WW2 for the paratroopers? Also, was this door closed during take off and landing or was it removed all together if there were paratroopers inside?

Thanks in advance,

Matt

There was an oversized door for caro and within that door was a passenger door. For the most part the door was left on and closed during operations (It does get cold and noisey). In some training situations, the doors might of been left off becuase during training you want to be able to turnaround jumpers ASAP.

 

[syscom3]

Wasnt there a smaller crew hatch just behind the cockpit? I remember seeing one on the C47 I jumped from in my skydiving days.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Wasnt there a smaller crew hatch just behind the cockpit? I remember seeing one on the C47 I jumped from in my skydiving days.

Yes, there is one just aft of the cockpit in the L/H side known as the L1 door.

 

[CurzonDax]

Also having the doors on or off depended on the theater. In the CBI theater I have seen footage of C-47s without thier doors to make it easier to throw out supplies and to decrease weight. In fact I think I have also seen doorless C-47 for OVERLORD also.

Sort of on the subject.

:{)

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

It all would depend on the mission requirement I guess. It would probably be no different than our helicopters. The Infantry tell us what they need during the brief and then we prepare our helicopter for what there requirements or mission is.

 

[evangilder]

The C-47 went through a number of changes during it's development. The original DC-1 had the standard passenger door in the rear. As it developed into a militarized version, they added the cargo door on the rear. on the C-33 and C-39 versions, there was a cargo door similar to the C-47, but was slightly smaller and did not have the added passenger door integrated into the cargo door. This door was a split cargo door as well to allow a large opening for loading cargo or a smaller opening.

The C-47 has had so many variants, it's hard to keep track of them all. The site below has a list of the cargo variants;
http://www.ruudleeuw.com/skytrain.htm

That site does not include the bombers based on the design like the B-18 Bolo/Digby and the B-23 Dragon.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Good info there.