Robert E. Shlafer wrote:
R4D's also had slightly more powerful engines, more of an enclosed main landing
gear and if memory serves me accurately, clipped wings (or squared off
wingtips).
The engines are something beyond me. The enclosed landing gear was
standard for all DC-3's, R4D's, and C-47's. The enclosed main (and
only) landing gear was an feature of the 105 Super DC-3's remanufactured
by Douglas Long Beach after the war (three of them were for Capital
Airlines. As far as the wings go, I believe your memory is fading. And
a mind is such a terrible thing to lose. All of the R4D's, and C-47
were essentially the same and came under one War Department contract.
While on the assembly line, minor changes were made to the aircraft to
meet specifications set out by the Army Air Corps or the Navy
Department. But, alas, squared off wingtips were not one of them.
Anyone interested in the DC-3's, R4D's, and C-47's would find this site
most enjoyable: http://www.douglasdc3.com/ . If you have any other
technical production questions, I can check my Dad's assembly line
logbooks or books. He was certainly proud of his association with this
fine bird.
Buster Evans
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