First Flight of the Douglas DC-8 Series 62
29 August 1966
by Tom Hildreth

On 5 April 1965 Douglas announced the development of the DC-8 Super 60 Series. Two of these new variants, the Super 61 and Super 63, would be easily recognized by their fuselage stretch of an unprecedented 36'8" in length. The subject of this Brief, the Super Series 62, was introduced as an ultra long-range version of the DC-8, and possesed a modest stretch of 6'8" over the DC-8-55 from which it was developed. Length overall was 157 feet

Additional changes included extended wing span of six feet to reduce cruise drag; engine pods of new design that ducted the fan by-pass air the full length of the nacelle; aerodynamically refined engine pylons and fuel capacity increased 872 US gal. to 24,265 US gal. Douglas stated the DC-8-62 was capable of flying against headwinds from central Europe to the US West coast with ample fuel reserves. According to the 1967-1968 Janes AWA, design range with maximum payload of 40,000 lb. (189 pax) was 6,000 miles. Maximum cruising speed at 220,000 lb. was 600 MPH.

Twenty-nine DC-8-62s were built, powered by four 18,000 lb. thrust Pratt & Whitney JT3D-3B turbofans with a Maximum Gross Takeoff Weight (MGTOW) of 335,000 lb. Twenty-two DC-8-62Hs were built, powered by four JT3D-7 engines of 19,000 lb. thrust each with a MGTOW of 350,000 lb. In addition to these straight passenger versions, six DC-8-62AFs were built as freight-only aircraft that retained the 335,000 lb. MGTOW but dispensed with all passenger-related equipment, including windows. The ten DC-8-62CF aircraft were built as convertible freighters, capable of all-freight, all-passenger, or mixed loading. Eight of these "combi" aircraft were certified for 335,000 lb. MGTOW, and two, for Alitalia, were 350,000 lb. versions.

The author would welcome contact with anyone with additional photos and comment on the McDonnell Douglas DC-8-62.

Click each photo below for large version


DC-8-62AF N996CF msn 46162 of
Emery Air Freight at Boston on 30 April 2000.

DC-8-62CF Alitalia Cargo Systems
I-DIWQ msn 45961 at JFK 28 February 1976.

FAP 371 was an ex-JAL DC-8-62CF operated
by the Peruvian Air Force at the
time of this March, 1982 photo at Miami.

Ex-Swissair DC-8-62 of Nationair
Canada at Quebec-Lesage on 16 August 1991.

Ex-Braniff DC-8-62 N1809E msn 46107 of
Surinam Airways landing at Miami 6 June 1986.

DC-8-62H I-DIWK msn 46082 of Alitialia at
Logan airport, Boston, March 1974.

DC-8-62 msn 45895, originally destined for
Panagra,was delivered to Braniff on 22 August
1967,and photographed at JFK 27 April 1974.

DC-8-62CF N735PL msn 46153 of Air Transport
International at Rhein Main, December, 1993.

DC-8-62CF N1807 msn 45904 of Hawaiian
Airlines at Prestwick, January 1989.

DC-8-62 OB-R-1210 msn 46142 of Aero Peru
at Miami on 26 March 1989.

DC-8-62 N8974U msn 46110 of United Airlines
at Bradley Field, CT., July, 1974.

DC-8-62 N8969U msn 46070 of charter oper-
ator Arrow Air at Miami 3 August 1985.
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