Transforming A WWII Bomber Into A Cargo Plane: The Douglas C-47

The Douglas DC-3 airliner is one of the most prominent airliners in commercial aviation history. The company decided to develop an airliner in the early 1930s after the executive team from Transcontinental and Western Airlines (TWA) reached out to Donald Douglas directly. TWA wanted an aircraft to compete with United Airlines, which had just taken delivery of the Boeing 727. However, Boeing was reluctant to sell the Boeing 727 to any airline until it fulfilled the United Airlines order.