In Australian Service – Douglas DC-2

It was this problem that was to push TWA towards Douglas and provide the genesis of the DC-1. In the light of its requirements, TWA drew up a specification and this was handed to several US manufacturers in August 1932. One interesting inclusion in the specification was for a three-engined aircraft, powered by 500/550 hp engines. Rapidly moving technology at that time led to the availability of more powerful engines and the Douglas proposal, which suggested a twin-engined aircraft, was eventually accepted. TWA signed a contract during September 1932 and the DC-1 was on its way.

As development took place, Douglas proposed a 14-seat version with a two-foot fuselage stretch to accommodate an extra row of passengers. This became the DC-2, the production version of the DC-1 and the maiden flight was on 11 May 1934. Apart from the extra fuselage length, other changes were the installation of two Wright SGR-1820 engines of 720 hp, redesigned tail and new brakes. The sole DC-1 had an interesting and chequered career. TWA operated it on passenger services until the DC-2s were received. It was then re-engined with a variety of powerplants and was used to attempt to capture various speed, distance and weight records. Substantial modifications carried out during 1935 led to the fitting of two 875 hp Wright SGR-1820-F25 engines and the whopping increase of fuel capacity from 510 to 2100 gallons. Maximum take-off weight was 28,500 lb {originally 17,500 lb). Specially installed dump valves permitted the disposal of the fuel in three minutes should an emergency occur. A trail-blazing series of record attempts made during May 1935 saw the DC-1 capture 22 records. Indicative of its long legs was a flight of 3107 miles with a 2205 lb payload at a speed of 169 mph. The DC-1 changed ownership several times and its days came to an end on a flight in Spain in December 1940, when an engine failure caused it to crash after taking off from Malaga.

Deliveries of the DC-2 to the major US airlines were to quickly spread its base of acceptance throughout the United States. After the initial contract for 20 aircraft signed by TWA, Pan American, Eastern and American soon followed with their orders. A plan by Fokker to build the DC-2 did not eventuate, but they did assemble 39 aircraft from Douglas-supplied components. Nakajima of Japan did in fact actually build a small number of DC-2s. After taking delivery of one Douglas-built DC-2 and the parts for one other, Nakajima was to construct a further five at their plant. The total number produced was 198, 193 by Douglas and five by Nakajima. Major US purchasers were TWA 31, American Airlines 16, Eastern Air Lines 10, Pan American 9 and Panagra 5. In Europe, KLM and Swissair were also significant operators.

Probably one of the most remarkable commercial flights of all time and one which was to bring the DC-2 to Australia in spectacular fashion, was in the 1934 MacRobertson Centenary Air Race from London to Melbourne. It was somewhat inevitable that one of the three specially designed de Havilland DH-88 Comets competing in the race would take out line honours in the speed section. After a dawn departure from Mildenhall on 24 October 1934, the Comet G-ACSS ‘Grosvenor House’ arrived in Melbourne to win the race with an elapsed time of 70 hours 54 minutes 28 seconds, flown by C. W. A. Scott and Thomas Campbell Black. The KLM entrant, the DC-2 PH-AJU ‘Uiver’ {Stork) flown by Captains K. D. Parmenter and J. J. Moll with a navigator and an engineer with three fare-paying passengers and a load of mail, loped into second place with a time of 90 hours 13 minutes 36 seconds. The subsequent career of’Uiver’ was short-lived as it was destroyed in an accident at Rutbah Wells, Iraq on 20 December 1934.

Following the noteworthy performance of the DC-2 in the race, there was widespread interest in the aircraft including some orders from Australia. Events over Bass Strait were to provide the stimulus for the DC-2’s initial Australian order. Holymans Airways Pty Ltd were the operators of a service linking Melbourne and Launceston. In 1933 their forebears, Tasmanian Aerial Services Pty Ltd, commenced plying the route using a DH-84 Dragon which although a pleasant aircraft, took about 3½ hours to complete the journey. During 1934 the Commonwealth Government invited tenders from interested parties to operate an air service across Bass Strait. Tenders were submitted from Holymans, Huddart Parker Ltd and the Union Steam Ship Co of New Zealand Ltd, on the basis that each would provide one-third of the capital necessary to obtain DH-86 aircraft to fly the route. The Commonwealth accepted the tender and on 1 October 1934 services commenced with the DH-86 VH-URN ‘Miss Hobart’. Tragedy struck very soon after when ‘Miss Hobart’ disappeared near Wilson Promontory with two pilots and ten passengers on 19 October. One of the pilots was Victor Holyman, a principal of the company. Unfortunately, the series of misfortunes to befall the services continued. Another DH-86, VH-URT ‘Loina’ crashed into the sea near Flinders Island on 2 October 1935 with the loss of two pilots and three passengers. A third accident occurred two months later when VH-USW ‘Lepana’ crash landed on Hunter’s Island in Bass Strait. No one was injured and ‘Lepana’ was eventually repaired and returned to service.

Against this backdrop of serious misfortunes, Holymans were faced with two basic choices, to either withdraw from the service or to re-equip with larger and better aircraft. With commendable courage, they decided to purchase new equipment. Herein lay an even bigger dilemma. Up to that point the dominance of the British aviation industry in Australia had been substantial. Australia’s ties at that time made it virtually impossible to import a non-British transport aircraft. However Holymans’ investigations pointed to one conclusive fact, that the choice for them lay in the DC-2. The Government was approached and after lengthy negotiations, the ban imposed by the Department of Customs on the importation of US aircraft was lifted. This decision was not only important to Holymans but was of fundamental significance to the development of civil aviation in Australia.

The first of two DC-2s for Holymans Airways arrived on board the freighter ‘Hauraki’ in Melbourne on 14 April 1936. The fuselage was complete and was covered with a protective coating to ensure no corrosion could occur during the sea voyage. The DC-2 was off-loaded at the wharf and transported in sections by road to Essendon for erection. The road journey took several hours as a planned route to avoid overhead bridges had been devised. A new era was ushered in when on 28 April 1936 the DC-2 emerged resplendent from the hangar in her colours as VH-USY ‘Bungana’. An uneventful test flight took place that afternoon and the first of many Douglas commercial aircraft, to be registered in Australia, had made its very important debut.

Various demonstration flights took place over the next few days including an Essendon-Mascot non-stop flight on 2 May which took 2 hours 25 minutes. Regular services were launched on 5 May when ‘Bungana’ departed from Mascot at 8. 00 a. m. for Essendon via Canberra. A return flight was carried out the same day with the DC-2 leaving from Essendon at 1. 00 p. m. Some days later, on 9 May, ‘Bungana’ made the inaugural journey across Bass Strait from Essendon to Western Junction, taking 1 hour 45 minutes for the flight. After two demonstration flights over Launceston, the DC-2 took off for Hobart and covered the route in 27 minutes. Regular services on the route commenced on 18 May. The improvement in comfort and safety brought about by the new equipment quickly restored the confidence of the travelling public. The long unbroken association of Douglas aircraft with Australian commercial aviation grew from this era.

Not long after the commencement of services, a merger of airlines took place which gave birth to Australian National Airways Pty ltd. This comprised an amalgamation of Holymans Airways and Adelaide Airways Ltd. The latter airline had only just previously acquired West Australian Airways Ltd. Australian National Airways was registered on 1 July 1936 with an authorised capital of 500,000 pounds and subscribed capital of 250,000 pounds. This capital was necessary to enable ANA to carry out its expansion plans. The cost of the first DC-2 was 30,000 pounds, so ANA had a good opportunity to set up with its financial resources, an efficient well-run airline. It commenced services on 1 November 1936 with a fleet of 23 aircraft. Soon after, its routes extended westward on 18 December when ‘Bungana’ flew from Essendon to Perth via Adelaide, Ceduna, Forrest and Kalgoorlie, taking 8½ hours of flying time for the 1400 miles covered. During 1937, ANA took a major holding in Airlines of Australia and thereby added Sydney-Brisbane and other Queensland ports to its route structure.

By the end of 1936 the second DC-2 had arrived in Australia.

This was VH-UXJ ‘Loongana’ which made its first flight at Essendon on 4 December. The following year ANA took delivery of two others, VH-UYC ‘Kyeema’ and VH-UYB ‘Pengana’. ‘. Loongana’ and ‘Pengana’ were originally ordered by Holymans and ‘Kyeema’ by Airlines of Australia. All these aircraft pioneered the concept that all aircraft operated by ANA would have names ending in ‘ANA’. In most cases these were aboriginal words. ‘Bungana’ appropriately meant chief, and this aircraft along with its compatriots came to epitomise the great advances being made in civil aviation. At the end of 1937 all the capitals were served by either DC-2 or DC-3 (the first DC-3 was received by ANA in September of that year).

Unfortunately these strides in aeronautical progress also brought with them the sometimes unexpected setback. While on a flight from Adelaide to Melbourne, VH-UYC ‘Kyeema’ overshot Essendon in bad weather and crashed into the side of Mt Dandenong with the loss of 18 lives. It was this tragedy that was to accelerate the installation of navigational aids which were to substantially improve aircraft safety in Australia. If the “Kyeema’ inquiry was to have any lasting benefit, it was the fact that the DC-2 and its contemporaries required a new generation of facilities to improve safety. Another lesson was learned in a similar fashion when the Viscount VH-TVC was lost in appalling weather soon after take-off from Mascot on 30 November 1961. The exhaustive inquiry following the accident was responsible for the speedy installation of radar at airports around Australia.

Two incidents served to illustrate the ruggedness of a soundly designed and constructed metal aircraft. On 29 September 1939, VH-UYB suffered an engine failure just after take-off from Mascot and the captain made a forced landing in the Cooks River. The DC-2 was dismantled on site and subsequently loaded onto a ship for a sea journey to Melbourne for repairs and return to flying duties. On 8 February the following year, VH. USY experienced an engine fire and made a hasty landing at Dimboola, Vic. Despite various dents and holes in the fuselage, damaged propellers and starboard tail unit, VH-USY was patched up and rejoined the fleet. There is no doubt that had either accident involved a wooden airliner, the chances of a rebuild would have been virtually nil.

The outbreak of the war was to introduce several more DC-2s to Australian skies from various sources. As hostilities spread, the RAAF had an urgent need to acquire aircraft for combat and non-combat roles as rapidly as possible. Amongst its many requirements were additional aircraft for training and general transport duties. The British Purchasing Commission acting as an agent for the RAAF, negotiated the purchase of 10 ex-Eastem Air Lines DC-2s. They were allocated RAAF serials A30-5 to A30-14 and were received between November 1940 and May 1941. These DC-2s were ultimately operated by a variety of units including No. 1, 2 and 3 Wireless Air Gunner Schools, 34, 35 and 37 Squadrons, the Paratroop Training Unit, Signals School, No. 1 Service Flying Training School and No. 1 Communications Flight. One of these DC-2s, A30-6, was leased to ANA and became VH-ADQ ‘Mungana’. It crashed on 4 December 1943 at Bendigo, Victoria, and the co-pilot was killed. After a rebuild, it emerged as VH-AEN some years later.

As the tempo of the RAAF’s involvement increased, some of the DC-2s were to find themselves thrust into forward areas. It was during such a deployment that one of the DC-2s was lost in action. On 26 January 1942, while returning from Penfui in Timor to Surabaya, A30-8 was shot down by Japanese fighters. The crew spent 30 hours in the water and eventually made landfall at Sumba Island after a 40 km swim. After being located on the island by friendly forces they were transferred to Darwin. Quite a feat of endurance to be sure. The other DC-2s met less dramatic fates, some were withdrawn from use and sold to civil operators after the war, while others were lost in accidents.

The other DC-2s operating in Australia during the war were flown by Australian National Airways on behalf of the Allied Directorate of Air Transport (ADAT). These comprised the three Australian civil DC-2s imported pre-war and three ex-KNILM DC-2s which flew to Australia from the Dutch East Indies in advance of the Japanese invasion. These latter aircraft were PK-AFJ, PK-AFK and PK-AFL. The last of these, PK-AFL, was to become much better known in the post-war years as VH-CDZ operated by Marshall Airways. In addition to the above aircraft, three ex-USAAC C-39s were also flown by ANA on behalf of ADAT. The C-39 was a military transport aircraft based on the DC-2 but was fitted with a DC-3 centre section, undercarriage and tail unit.

All of these aircraft, both civil and military, rendered valuable service during the war. After the cessation of hostilities, the DC-2s like so many military aircraft were declared surplus and disposed of. However the civil DC-2s still soldiered on and in August 1946, ANA instituted a Perth-Kalgoorlie service using them. But retirement was not long in coming. VH-USY ‘Bungana’ after a most impressive 29,000 flying hours was withdrawn from use on 11 September 1946. By the end of the year their other two surviving civil DC-2s, VH-UXJ and VH-UYB were also parked out in the open at Essendon. All these aircraft were subsequently scrapped.

Various other DC-2s were to pass through the hands of several other smaller operators such as Macair, New Holland Airways, Guinea Air Traders and Marshall Airways where they were used for general charter work. Certainly, the DC-2s of the late Sid Marshall have the greatest longevity. Four of these aircraft were to find their way into the Marshall organisation at Bankstown; the most widely known of which is VH-CDZ. This aircraft was used for some time for joy rides out of Bankstown until it ceased flying in 1957. After a mishap at Mascot in which a wing was damaged, a fresh wing was fitted and VH-CDZ was flown back to Bankstown on what was to be its last flight. After being stored at Bankstown and Camden after its retirement, it was towed back to Bankstown where it was eventually sold to a US airline pilot. The aircraft was parked for several years in the open awaiting an overhaul for the projected flight to the US which never eventuated. This aircraft is partially dismantled at Bankstown and a group is hopeful of making it airworthy in the future. Of the other Marshall DC-2s, the former A30-11 was transported to Albury by road some years ago and repainted as the MacRobertson Air Race entrant PH-AJU. A30-14 was also moved by road transport to Queensland to a private owner. Both these aircraft had been parked in a yard adjacent to Bankstown Airport for many years.

However, it is the former A30-9 that shows the most promise of rejuvenating interest in the DC-2 as a major restoration of this aircraft is presently underway. A30-9 was parked in Sid Marshall’s Bankstown hangar until 1965, when in conjunction with VH-CDZ they were both moved to Camden via the Hume Highway. A30-9 was moved some years later to The Oaks airfield south of Sydney. Last year it was trucked to Essendon where a complete refurbishment is taking place. The new owners, Jack McDonald and Jim Wright, plan to have their new charge, resplendent in a natural metal finish, airworthy by the end of the year.

It is not surprising that there is so much interest in these faithful airliners. DC-2s are extremely rare now and because of the important role they played in the development of civil aviation, they seem to conjure up a certain mystique. One can only wish those planning the rejuvenation of these airliners the very best of luck in their efforts, which are going to result in us seeing one of these historic aircraft in the skies over Australia, after an absence of more than a quarter century.

Specifications of the DC-2 are as follows.

Power Plant: Two Wright SGR-1820 F-52 Cyclone engines, each rated at 760 hp at 2100 rpm at 5800 feet. Two main fuel tanks of 180 gallons each and two auxiliary fuel tanks of 75 gallons capacity each. One oil tank of 19 gallons in each nacelle.

Span: 85′.

Length: 61′ 11″.

Height: 16′ 34″.

Wing Area: 939 square feet. Weight Empty: 12,408 lb. Weight Loaded: 18,560 lb.

Maximum Speed: 210 mph.

Cruising Speed at 8000 feet: 190 mph. Cruising Speed at 13,000 feet: 200 mph.

Landing Speed: 62 mph.

Initial Rate of Climb: 1000 ft/min.

Service Ceiling: 22,450 feet.

Absolute Ceiling: 24,300 feet. Absolute Ceiling on one engine: 9100 feet. Normal Range: 1000 miles.

Accommodation: 14 passengers in a cabin 26′ 4″ long, 6′ 3″ high and 5′ 6″ wide.