Cessna DC-6

Model DC-6
Model DC-6
	The DC-6A
General information
Type	Four-seat tourer
Manufacturer	Cessna Aircraft Company
Designer	Clyde Cessna
Primary user	United States Army Air Corps
History
First flight	1929
Developed from	Cessna CW-6

The Cessna Model DC-6 was a 1920s American high-wing four-seat tourer built by the Cessna Aircraft Company. It was used by the United States Army Air Corps as the UC-77/UC-77A.

Design and development

The DC-6 was a scaled-down four-seat version of the six-seat CW-6. It was rolled out in February 1929 and went into production in two versions, the DC-6A and DC-6B. Both versions were type certificated on October 29, 1929.^[1] The Wall Street crash that day and subsequent depression reduced demand for the aircraft and only about 20 of each model were produced.

Operational history

In addition to use as private touring aircraft, DC-6As and DC-6Bs saw use as newspaper delivery aircraft and were impressed as liaison aircraft with the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) in 1942.

The DC-6A was designated the UC-77 and the DC-6B, the UC-77A; note that the company's 6B model became the 77A.^[2]

Variants

DC-6: The original aircraft, powered by a 170 hp (130 kW) Curtiss Challenger, developed as a scaled-down Cessna CW-6.
Model DC-6A Chief: Fitted with a 300 hp (220 kW) Wright R-975 (J-6-9) Whirlwind engine; 20 built.
Model DC-6B Scout: Fitted with a 225 hp (168 kW) Wright J-6-7 (R-760) engine; 24 built.
UC-77: Military designation of four DC-6As impressed into service by the USAAF.
UC-77A: Military designation of four DC-6Bs impressed into service by the USAAF.

Note that the designations UC-77B, UC-77C and UC-77D were not DC-6s, they were used for the Cessna Airmaster.

Operators

United States

United States Army Air Forces

Specifications (DC-6A Chief)

Data from Aerofiles Cessna^[3]

General characteristics

Crew: one-two
Capacity: four-five passengers, total six seats
Length: 28 ft 2 in (8.59 m)
Wingspan: 48 ft 0 in (14.63 m)
Height: 7 ft 8 in (2.34 m)
Wing area: 268 sq ft (24.9 m²)
Powerplant: 1 × Wright J-6-9 9-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, 300 hp (220 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 155 mph (249 km/h, 135 kn)
Cruise speed: 130 mph (210 km/h, 110 kn)
Stall speed: 54 mph (87 km/h, 47 kn)
Range: 600 mi (970 km, 520 nmi)

References

^ "Cessna History 1927–1939". Cessna. Archived from the original on August 23, 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
^ "Cessna's First Twin". King Air. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
^ Eckland, K.O. "Cessna". aerofiles.com. Retrieved 17 September 2014.

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.

External links

Media related to Cessna DC-6 at Wikimedia Commons

[CessnaHistory1927-1939-1] "Cessna History 1927–1939". Cessna. Archived from the original on August 23, 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2018.

[2] "Cessna's First Twin". King Air. Retrieved 2024-11-29.

[aerofilescessna-3] Eckland, K.O. "Cessna". aerofiles.com. Retrieved 17 September 2014.

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e United States military transport aircraft designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems
Army/Air Force sequence (1925–1962)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7 C-8 C-9 C-10 C-11 C-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16 C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20 C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-28 C-29 C-30 C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34 C-35 C-36 C-37 C-38 C-39 C-40 C-41 C-41A C-42 C-43 C-44 C-45 C-46 C-47 C-47F C-47T AC-47 C-48 C-49 C-50 C-51 C-52 C-53 C-54 C-55 C-56 C-57 C-58 C-59 C-60 C-61 C-62 C-63 C-64 C-65 C-66 C-67 C-68 C-69 C-70 C-70B C-71 C-72 C-73 C-74 C-75 C-76 C-77 C-77B–D C-78 C-79 C-80 C-81 C-82 C-83 C-83A C-83B C-84 C-85 C-86 C-87 C-88 C-89 C-90 C-91 C-92 C-93 C-94 C-95 C-96 C-97 KC-97 C-98 C-99 C-100 C-101 C-102 C-103 C-104 C-105 C-106 C-107 C-108 C-109 C-110 C-111 C-112 C-113 C-114 C-115 C-116 C-117 C-117D C-118 C-119 AC-119 C-120 C-121 C-121F EC-121 C-122 C-123 C-123A C-124 C-125 C-126 C-127² C-127 (I) C-127 (II) C-128 C-129 C-130 C-130J AC-130 DC-130 EC-130/H HC-130 KC-130 LC-130 MC-130 WC-130 C-131 NC-131H C-132 C-133 C-134 C-135 KC-135 C-136 C-137² YC-137 (I) YC-137 (II) C-137 C-138¹ C-139¹ C-140 C-141 C-142
Tri-service sequence (1962–present)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7² C-7 RC-7 C-8 C-9 C-10² C-10 KC-10 C-11 C-12 RC-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16¹ C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20² C-20A–D C-20F–J C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-27J C-28 C-29 C-30¹ C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34¹ C-35 C-36³ C-37 C-37B C-38 C-39¹ C-40 C-41 C-42¹ C-43¹ C-44¹ C-45 C-46
Revived original sequence (2005–present)	C-143 C-144 C-145 C-146 C-147
Non-sequential designations	C-767 C-880
Related designations	CT-39 CT-43 CV-2 CV-7
¹ Not assigned • ² Assigned to multiple types • ³ Unconfirmed