Douglas Dolphin
The Douglas Dolphin was an amphibious aircraft in the early 1930s. It was the first aircraft that has been specially converted for a U.S. president.
Although only 59 pieces were made, it was in numerous fields. The uses were both military and private. In the military, it served as a transport aircraft and rescue aircraft. In the private sector it was used in aviation companies and wealthy private owners.
Development
The Dolphin was first developed by Douglas under the name of Sinbad as a pure flying boat and should serve as a luxurious flying yacht. In the Great Depression, this kind of extravagance was little demand and so the Sinbad was sold to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Due to lack of demand Douglas developed the Sinbad under the name Dolphin further than amphibious aircraft. The first machine was to the Wilmington - Catalina Airlines for flights from Los Angeles to Santa Catalina Iceland. She was the first airliner built the first of Douglas.
Use
The U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard bought 20 more machines for the transport and search and rescue, which were called Douglas RD (designation system for aircraft of the U.S. Navy from 1922 to 1962 ). They were used until 1942. The 16 from the United States Army Air Corps purchased Dolphins were given different type numbers (C -21, from 1933 renamed OA -3, C -26, renamed from 1933, OA -4 and C -29).
A luxury version received the founder of William Boeing Boeing and the son of the founder of the Wm Wrigley Jr. Company Phillip K. Wrigley.
A copy was built for the U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt of the U.S. Navy. It was the first machine for this purpose transport. However, it was never used by Roosevelt.
Today is still a Douglas Dolphin at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Florida ( USA). Although it bears the coat of RD -4, the Coast Guard, it is the machine that originally acquired William Boeing.
Versions
Specifications
Douglas Dolphin