FSX-SE For Douglas DC-8 Enthusiasts

[P_7878 6,592]

DC-8 is one of my favorite planes. DC-8 had multiple series types (DC-10 through DC-70), and many sub-types within each series. Aerosoft has released a DC8-50 series SIM, and I wish to acquire it soon, but, the purpose of this post is to exhibit the numerous variants within the DC-8 family. Launched after B707, the DC8 went toe-to-toe with the legendary 707, and kept its presence until eventually superseded by the likes of B747, DC10, and L1011. Although, it was actually the De Havilland company that first introduced the jet airliner (Comet) in 1949, Comet suffered several fatal crashes...(the price to pay for being the Pioneer!). However, the resultant lessons-learned of rapid-metal-fatigue failure will later play a vital role in the enhanced safety records of aircraft such as DC-8. In 1955, Pan Am was bold enough (and first of the pack) to order 25 DC8s and 20 B707s. This opened up the chain of orders and the final tally (by 1958) was 133 DC8s vs. 150 B707s.

Another interesting milestone to note for DC8: On August 21, 1961, a DC-8 broke the sound barrier at Mach 1.012 while in a controlled dive through 41,000 feet and maintained that speed for 16 seconds. While doing so, the DC-8 became the first civilian jet airliner to make a supersonic flight. The aircraft had taken off from Edwards AFB, and was accompanied to altitude by an F-104 chase aircraft flown by Chuck Yeager.

The aircraft images below belong to JF (10-40), and HJG (50-70). So, please find (collected together) vintage liveries from the DC-8 family, with shots (#1 thru #8) of DC8-10 through DC8-40 on-the-ground (2 images per model - in the order), then 2 VC shots (JF DC-40), then for DC8-50/60 (2 images per model - also on the ground), and finally the last 5 aerial shots of the longest DC8 variant (DC8-73) in the Minerve Airline livery. Minerve was a French Charter Airline that operated flights to the US using the DC8 first and B747 later. All images are taken in and around UUEE (Sheremetyevo) airport (AS). Thanks for viewing.

 

Edited October 17, 2018 by P_7878

[John_Cillis 2,406]

Wonderful screenshots...  My first trip to Europe from JFK was on a chartered Douglas DC8-63, Transinternational owned by TransAmerica (which later changed its named to TransAmerica).  They were chartered by American Institute for Foreign Study which took us high school students on a week long trip to the Alps in 1977.  We flew via Munich to Milan on the way there.  On the way home, due to headwinds, we flew from Munich to Vienna to pick up some passengers, then from Vienna to Shannon, and finally Shannon to Gander then on to JFK.  Long flight, then I had to fly home to SFO via Dallas on a 707 and 727.  In terms of hours it was the longest series of flights I ever flew, although not in terms of distance.  The DC8-63 had a very steep attitude on takeoff and could also reverse two of its four engines in flight to slow down, as we did coming into Milan over the Alps.  The sensation was like coming to a stop mid air, made worse because we were above the cloud deck.  We flew rather low to and from Europe compared to today's modern jets--FL290.

John

[P_7878 6,592]

Here, John, is a screenshot of the Trans America DC8-63 variant taking off from JFK...just to match and trigger the recollections of your 1st trip with the DC8.

Sorry, I cannot replicate DC8's (in-flight) dual-engine reversal (to slow-down) that you had experienced! In fact, I didn't know about it...read-up a bit,...though not prevalent, it sounds interesting and the fact that DC8 was certified for it from the very start of its service-entry. Thanks for mentioning it.

[signmanbob 592]

That is interesting about reversing the engines mid-air.  I'll bet that was a unique feeling. Might make you revisit your lunch. 😜

[signmanbob 592]

16 hours ago, P_7878 said:

DC-8 is one of my favorite planes. DC-8 had multiple series types (DC-10 through DC-70), and many sub-types within each series. Aerosoft has released a DC8-50 series SIM, and I wish to acquire it soon, but, the purpose of this post is to exhibit the numerous variants within the DC-8 family. Launched after B707, the DC8 went toe-to-toe with the legendary 707, and kept its presence until eventually superseded by the likes of B747, DC10, and L1011. Although, it was actually the De Havilland company that first introduced the jet airliner (Comet) in 1949, Comet suffered several fatal crashes...(the price to pay for being the Pioneer!). However, the resultant lessons-learned of rapid-metal-fatigue failure will later play a vital role in the enhanced safety records of aircraft such as DC-8. In 1955, Pan Am was bold enough (and first of the pack) to order 25 DC8s and 20 B707s. This opened up the chain of orders and the final tally (by 1958) was 133 DC8s vs. 150 B707s.

Another interesting milestone to note for DC8: On August 21, 1961, a DC-8 broke the sound barrier at Mach 1.012 while in a controlled dive through 41,000 feet and maintained that speed for 16 seconds. While doing so, the DC-8 became the first civilian jet airliner to make a supersonic flight. The aircraft had taken off from Edwards AFB, and was accompanied to altitude by an F-104 chase aircraft flown by Chuck Yeager.

The aircraft images below belong to JF (10-40), and HJG (50-70). So, please find (collected together) vintage liveries from the DC-8 family, with shots (#1 thru #8) of DC8-10 through DC8-40 on-the-ground (2 images per model - in the order), then 2 VC shots (JF DC-40), then for DC8-50/60 (2 images per model - also on the ground), and finally the last 5 aerial shots of the longest DC8 variant (DC8-73) in the Minerve Airline livery. Minerve was a French Charter Airline that operated flights to the US using the DC8 first and B747 later. All images are taken in and around UUEE (Sheremetyevo) airport (AS). Thanks for viewing.

 

Awesome post!  That is interesting.

Juan Trippe played Boeing and Douglas from the middle, like two fiddles and got just what he wanted for PanAm.

[Raging Bull 23]

What navigation means do you have? INS? Or just VOR?

[P_7878 6,592]

6 hours ago, Raging Bull said:

What navigation means do you have? INS? Or just VOR?

Hi: Thanks for your interest.

For the DC8-73 here, mainly for illustration, (btw, please note it's a legacy HJG freeware), I've used/added a custom INS. For the JF models I have shown, there is no INS. Please check their websites for exact details.

Generally speaking, for the classic planes (unless it comes with INS e.g. PW CS L1011 which I have or the PW AS DC8, which I don't have), I almost always add, at least, an unit of (FW) CIVA INS for navigation (if it allows - please see my earlier posts for Tu-154, HS-Trident, CS-727). Some PW planes do not work with custom-INS for complicated reasons beyond me (see e.g. my earlier post for CS B737). Of course, you can use VOR navigation too. I like to add/use INS because once the waypoints are set pre-flight (even if manually added), one does not have to worry till approach. It does not feel right to just use GPS anyway (at least as a show of respect to the pedigree of these classic planes). But, in the SIM, unlike what real pilots had to do (or have to do), we are, of course, granted, the flexibility to do what fits our personal lives and time-constraints...🙂...

So, whichever method(s) you decide to use, I hope you have fun! But, you can always add INS, if you wish to.

[Ramjett 27]

Good to see I am not the only one with a key interest in the older tubeliners and the INS.  Don't stop at Jetliners, though.  I have many of HJG's wares, but also have a great many of the CalClassics and the Carousel-IV-A INS works well in them as well.

Quote

 I like to add/use INS because once the waypoints are set pre-flight (even if manually added), one does not have to worry till approach

You must be taking shorter hops than me.  😂  Even with a two CDU system I am constantly during the en route portion adding in the next series of lats/longs or dialing in a VOR and inputting it's lat/long to update the C-IV-A.  In the Concorde with the C-IV-C it's a constant flow of movement between all three CDUs, entering, updating, checking.

For a real hoot, search the Library for the "Bubble Sextant" and navigate by the stars.  Yep, it works in Flight Sim and the Celestial Navigation Tables are still current on the web to get the declination, azimuth, and prominent stars or planets.  The US Military Aviation community still teaches it to their navigators and there is still a provision for aircraft, while navigating celestially, to be as much as 20 miles off course between hourly fixes before ATC will jump in and provide correction.

Randy

[P_7878 6,592]

Hi Randy: Sure glad for this bit of exchange that this post has generated. You're absolutely right...my hops are short...family constraints dictate my flights....🙂, but seriously, I almost always use <9 INS waypoints (right at the outset). In the past (btw, I've returned to SIM after several years of break), I would meticulously add 3 INS units, but not any more. I recall from the past forums, there was someone using/exploring Celestial Navigation. When I visited the Constellation in the Museum, I had noticed the port-hole on the roof for that purpose...Oh well...those were the days of early (oceanic) navigation...I admire yours taking the time to re-program the INS waypoints en-route (that is the correct way). I was doing that in the past, but have not done so lately...Enjoy your SIM!

[WingZ 547]

As a generally VFR low-level sim cruiser (or at best GPS-locked modernist cop-out) this is an interesting discussion.

Thanks for the well-considered post. And I rate your #2 Delta short to capture absolutely the attitude and spirit of the Douglas product, always the sassy one I thought.

[P_7878 6,592]

1 hour ago, WingZ said:

As a generally VFR low-level sim cruiser (or at best GPS-locked modernist cop-out)

Some days, that's exactly what is called for...the existing advanced/authentic airliners (with due respect) in our virtual Hangars will not do....