Douglas R4D-8

The Douglas R4D-8, later redesignated C-117D, was a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3S, or Super DC-3, airliner and used by the United States Navy and Marine Corps during the Korean and Vietnam wars. The DC-3S had a strengthened fuselage lengthened by 3 ft 3 in, swept outer wing panels, a taller square tail fin and more powerful engines, and made its first flight on 23 June 1949, but the airlines showed little interest. The Air Force declined its YC-129 version, which passed to the Navy as the R4D-8X in 1951, and the Navy had Douglas convert 100 existing R4D-5, R4D-6 and R4D-7 aircraft to the same configuration as the R4D-8. In service it was mostly a staff and general transport, some C-117D aircraft were converted for electronic intelligence work and flare dropping in Vietnam, and four R4D-8L aircraft took part in Operation Deep Freeze.