What In The Heck Is C-53?

[Aharon]

Shalom and greetings all my pals,

I know that both Norwegian air force and Wideroe operated DC-3s and C-47s but the strange thing is that they called it C-53.

What in the heck is C-53 and is it same as C-47?

Regards,

Aharon

 

[nagpaw]

Aharon,

The C-53 Skytrooper was the troop transport version. IIRC it lacked all the cargo features of the C-47, i.e. the strengthened floor, cargo hook, and large cargo door. I think it could carry 28-troops in metal seats or a smaller number of equipped paratroopers.

 

[Javis]

Aharon,

There's more where the C-53 came from.... Scroll down and check out chapter 'Variants' :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_C-47_Skytrain

The internet is your friend.

cheers,
jan

 

[DennyA]

That Wikipedia article doesn't even cover them all. I proposed to my ex on a C-41A.

https://www.goldenageairtours.com/n341a/

 

[Aharon]

Thanks all for kind answers

Is it same appearance and shape as C-47 in terms of livery painting. Can Jahn's C-47 be used as C-53?

Regards,

Aharon

 

[Javis]

If you're a purist : no. Here's the reason why :

Since the sole purpose of the C-53 was to drop para's the big cargo door as well as the enforced cabin floor were no longer needed. The pax/cargo combo door arrangement was replaced with just a single 'normal' door. That's the 'big' visual difference between the C-47 and C-53.( also noticeable in the above drawing are the long desert scoops on the C-47 and smaller airscoops on the C-53. But that doesn't have to mean that the C-53 never flew with the elongated desert scoops. (when it comes to the C-47/DC-3 it's usually nothing that doesn't have to mean anything... ;-)

Not a purist ? I'd say go happily flying Manfred's C-47 as a C-53 ( the paraseats arrangement is already exactly as you'd find in a C-53(D) ).

Btw, if you didn't know already, Manfred's C-47 model is capable of dropping para's.

Have fun!

 

[TuFun]

Another interesting aircraft is the C-41 and C-41A. These have no cockpit door and has a reinforced plates on both sides. The other one I've seen is at Castle Air Museum

Castle Air Museum Plates and no cockpit door.

 

[Aharon]

Javis,

Thank you for beautiful comparison between C-47 and C-53. I am hoping the repainter would not notice that or otherwise he would not paint C-47 livery on C-53 LOL LOL

TuFun,

Thank you for beautiful photos

Regards,

Aharon

 

[Javis]

That Wikipedia article doesn't even cover them all. I proposed to my ex on a C-41A.l

Better watch out going there, Denny, you might end up in a swamp.

To name but a few : C-48, C-49, C-49A, C-49B, C-49C, C-49D, C-49E, C-49F, C-49G, C-49H, C-49J, C-49K, C-50, C-50A, C-50B, C-50C, C-50D, C-51, C-52, C-52A, C-52B, C-52C, C-52D, C-68, C-84.....

 

[Javis]

Another interesting aircraft is the C-41 and C-41A. These have no cockpit door and has a reinforced plates on both sides. The other one I've seen is at Castle Air Museum. Castle Air Museum Plates and no cockpit door.

Nice pics, Ted! Never noticed these reinforced plates before. Both C-41 and C-41A were staff transport but what about those plates, éh ?... Plates on both sides but cockpit door only on port side. Still, maybe has to do with the removal of it ?

 

[Javis]

Javis,Thank you for beautiful comparison between C-47 and C-53

You're welcome, Aharon.

Btw, it is of course not like the C-53 was the only version used for dropping para's. The C-47 (with 'normal' pax/cargo door combo) was used for that just as much. Another interesting 'point' of distinguishing between the C-47 and its civil DC-3 version is that the latter had the 'pointy' tail where many C-47's were equipped with a 'glider-tow tail'. You can see the difference between the pointy tail of the C-53 and the glider-tow tail of the C-47 in the drawing above as well.

 

[Bjoern]

The plates are likely reinforcements against shedded prop ice or lost blades.

 

[TuFun]

This C-53 has no door and plates, may have been modified over time. Same goes for the windscreen. Who knows!

https://www.vintagewingsinc.com/

 

[Bjoern]

AFAIK, single piece windscreens were a post-war modification, maybe done in the 50s or 60s.