The History of the Douglas DC-8

[@pastorjerrykliner3162]

I grew up in a United Airlines family... We regularly flew from Denver (Stapleton) to Newark, a service United typically flew with DC-8's. I cannot count how many flights I took on 8's...the last one stands out in my memory in 1992. It was a wonderful aircraft to fly on, my absolute favorite. The 8 is a classic and, outside the USAF's KC135 fleet (which was re-engined with the same engines used on the 8) was a more robust airframe than the 707. The Douglass company may have been flawed, but the DC-8 was a gem and will live in my memory forever.

[@johnpinckney4979]

Douglas was so sure of turboprops that they had a design proposal for a DC-7D, developed from the DC-7C, but with R-R Tyne turboprops. I saw the Douglas promotional model for it back in the 70's at a short-lived museum in Anaheim called "Wings and Wheels"...

[@RCAvhstape]

My dad worked for Delta back in the 70s-90s and so as a kid I flew on lots of DC-8s and 727s, since Delta had tons of both types in service for a long time. I loved them both. The DC-8 is very flexible and in turbulence the wings would flap and the engine nacelles would swing back and forth. If you sat in the very front or back of the cabin you could actually see the fuselage flex a little if the ride was bumpy enough. It had big windows and 60s styling, and of course if you were a boy in the 70s and boarded early the captain would bring you up to the cockpit to show it off. Air travel was actually fun back then. Also, the hell with noise complainers, I like my jets loud!

[@jasongomez5344]

It's surprising that one of the only DC-8s still flying was never re-engined with the high-bypass CFM engines.

[@donaldstanfield8862]

😲

[@frempass3309]

probably because its reliable

[@jasongomez5344]

@@frempass3309 My surprise was to do with its much higher fuel consumption. Even four-engine jets with high-bypass turbofans are being retired because of fuel consumption.

[@frempass3309]

@@jasongomez5344 that is true I guess but it is used

[@anels9]

which one?

[@robertcharlessceats3647]

I think all your transport presentations are exceptional. I commend your obvious depth of research together with a crisp and concise presentational style. Well done Sir.

[@DarrenWalley]

Also, Ruairidh hasn't gone for one of those annoying computer animated female voice overs that are common & spoil a lot of videos.

[@mikeblatzheim2797]

Also noteworthy is the fact that the DC-8s lasted significantly longer than the 707s thanks to their engine upgrades. Around the turn of the millennium several hundred DC-8s were in regular commercial service, as opposed to just a handful of 707s.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

One reason was the 707's landing gear was too short for many engine upgrades. The landing gear was probably Boeing's worst decisions in regard to the 707.

[@mikeblatzheim2797]

@@neiloflongbeck5705 Well, at least Boeing learnt from their past mistakes. Oh, wait...

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

@@mikeblatzheim2797 no that was a new mistake.

[@tranmere292]

Thanks, Ruaridh for a fascinating tale. It's particularly interesting to me because we lived in Long Beach where my dad was Rolls-Royce aero service engineer at the time the Conways were installed in the Series 40 around 1960. He brought home a cassette recording of the control tower conversation at the time the DC-8 broke the sound barrier although, sadly, it's missing these days. We were there for three years after three years in San Diego where he was involved in installing the R-R Avon in an experimental vertical take-off fighter, the Ryan X-13, which never came to anything. Great times in sunny Southern California for a teenage whisked from a very grey 1950s Britain!

[@beagle7622]

The Israelis got a 747 cargo conversion they had done up to Mach 0.99 in a dive. I don’t know why so fast. It was reported in Flight International at the time in the 80’s, it was a wild ride.

[@ronverrazzani2439]

I flew as a flight attendant for United from 1979 to 2022. My very first trip was a 3-day trip out of JFK on a DC-8-52 with the older United livery that was just being phased out (the newer 3-stripe orange, red, blue and the tulip was the new livery) as I began my career. I remember that it had an economy lounge. Most of our DC-8's were the 62's, then later the 71's (the "stretch" version) that had a huge First Class and beautiful, large passenger windows. In addition, the DC-8 had pull-down screens that we attached to the ceiling for movie flights and I recall having to "limbo" dance to get under them so we could pass. The DC-8-71's were our re-engined jets and had 3 galleys, one for First Class and two for coach (economy). And I also recall how long it took to get this bird off the ground at takeoff, especially if we were taking off from Las Vegas on a hot, summer day. It was sometimes frightening. But all-in-all I have great memories of working on this aircraft. It was a staple of United Airlines.

[@luit361]

This channel is gonna explode one day.

[@IceMan-il7dx]

Well spoken, researched and extremely interesting to an ageing aviation enthusiast!

[@super_slav91]

I always liked the look of the dc-8 more than the 707.

[@IceMan-il7dx]

Totally agree hence I'm watching

[@franrbrown]

@@IceMan-il7dx My experience was different. I remember an Aeromexico DC-8 with just a plastic bar running the length of the airframe substituting for an armrest. The Big windows were nice but so were the spaces between them, thus often giving your window seat not much of a window. And lastly I remember sweating to death on a Delta DC-8 at Nassau. I learned the DC-8 did not have auxiliary power, despite this being a -71 modified model. And FAs apparently hated it. But that said, who could deny its aesthetic beauty and elegance. I remember when Boeing was forced to widen its dash-80, the result was a 707 with a 1-inch wider fuselage. I always wondered if that extra inch was deliberate. edit: I may be responding to a different post above.

[@anthonyxuereb792]

The Convair was better looking than the 707 to

[@super_slav91]

@@anthonyxuereb792 Another one of my favorites. 707 just looked bland.

[@anthonyxuereb792]

@Arthur Humphreys I hear you but there are enough diffences to make them appealing to different people and it was the Me262 that set the template well before the 707. All Boeing did was too add two more engines.

[@sarjim4381]

At 6:35, you meant five hundred _thousand_ dollars less for a 707 compared to a DC-8 rather than just five hundred dollars. The crash history of the DC-8, but really the 707 as well, are a good reminder why a feature of most airports in the 60's and 70's was machines selling life insurance scattered around the halls so the nervous passenger could buy extra insurance just for the flight he was on.

[@Z06ified]

It was still the safest form of travel, even back then. Those insurance companies got rich, selling fear that was statistically unfounded.

[@sarjim4381]

@@Z06ified No, passenger trains were still the safest form of travel into the mid-60's. Once more prop planes were retired, more reliable jets were put in service, and air traffic control and radar was upgraded, then air travel became the safest option.

[@willgaukler8979]

... so remember those vending machines near the ticket counter...paid them no mind tho as I was still young...

[@richardpentelow655]

It was in effect, a scam. If the plane crashed, the ticket needed to be found.........

[@sarjim4381]

@@richardpentelow655 I take it you were not alive when these machines were in use. The machine dispensed a copy of the life insurance policy and a post card. You filled out information on the card and dropped it into the machine. Your policy was effective from the time you filled out the card and paid your money. The owner of the machine(s) had a person who went around every night and collected the cards. There was no "ticket" that needed to be found.

[@davef.2811]

Nose cheek inlets were for cabin climate control purposes, not an APU, as stated @ 14:40.

[@anthonyxuereb792]

yes, the APU is usually mounted at the very end of the fuselage so it doesn't make sense to put inlets for it at the front.

[@anthonyxuereb792]

@Stephen Graham yes for the unsuspecting!

[@Donaldopato]

Great video. When I lived in St Louis around 2000, I would often go by the airport cargo area and look at the UPS -71 and -73 cargo jets. I saw original passenger DC 8s but never flew on one. Great plane, glad it lasted so long.

[@callenclarke371]

This is the best piece I've found on the DC-8 on the internet. Well done.

[@andrewmcphee8965]

Incredibly well researched, love your work, always look forward to a new video, best wishes from Australia.

[@mathewcaldwell4108]

My dad was a weights and balance engineer on the stretch 62 .

[@AidenTheAviator]

In July of 2020, I visited the memorial of Air Canada Flight 621 for the 50th anniversary of the crash. It's a small park with a plaque that has the names of the victims on it. It was a sobering experience. Also at 12:50 That's the same Turkish Airlines DC-10 involved in the crash of flight 981 in 1974. You can tell by the Reg, TC-JAV.

[@vicr.7001]

The aircraft that exceeded the speed of sound @11:00, was a RR Conway powered DC-8-43, serial # 45623, tail #602 belonging to Canadian Pacific Airlines. The aircraft was loaned to Douglas to test the 4% leading edge extension to remedy the high fuel consumption problem. The aircraft flew on the supersonic flight unpressurized with an crew escape tube built into the floor behind the cockpit. CP had fuel consumption guarantees in its contract with Douglas. Attempts by some employees to have the aircraft sent to the Canadian Aviation museum along with all of that test flight data was turned down by senior management and the aircraft scrapped at the end of its service life. I worked as an Operations Engineer for CP during the museum attempt to save this unique aircraft.

[@stang8160]

The DC-8 will always have a special place in my heart. It was the first "big" (4-engine) jet that I flew on during my return home from my very first airplane trip. It was a Delta DC-8, ATL to JFK in '69.

[@mcdonnell-douglasdc-1087]

I have liked the McDonnell Douglas DC-8 since I was a teenager. It was a beautiful airplane. ✈️♥️

[@davidwillis8435]

The only time I flew on a DC8 was a Faucett (pictured at 10:12) flight between Cuzco and Lima in 1992. The inside was the original 1960's layout with a (non operational) side galley including a countertop facing the aisle, the cabin interior had a hand painted coat of white gloss paint. On arrival in Lima there was a row of Faucett DC8's, that were the donors for 'spares and repairs', lined up on the edge of the field. Great history video, thanks.

[@Play_fare]

Thank you for this fantastic documentary on the DC 8. As a Canadian, I’m fascinated by all of the accidents involving this aircraft that has occurred in ownership by Canadian airlines and/or on Canadian soil. I was not aware of the AC flight that burned in Toronto, though the Gander crash was covered extensively in the media, as it there were other crashes around that time because of icing and in the case of the Gander accident, I believe overloading of baggage.

[@garystull2450]

About 14 minutes in the narrator says the inlets for the APU were modified. It had no APU or auxiliary power unit. When it was modified with the CFM56 engines the old freon air conditioning and turbo compressor pressurization systems were removed. The chin scoops below the cockpit were blocked off for these systems. I worked on the DC8 for a number of years at Delta. They were a simple aircraft and were a nice riding airplane since they were heavy. The upgraded engines made them quite a hot rod in performance. Since they had no APU they had to be started at the gate prior to pushback. Trying to push the aircraft out on a slippery snow covered ramp was a challenge. I remember requesting the crew to apply reverse thrust so the tug would move the airplane. At that point with all the snow blowing I was blind, simply a passenger riding along while the airplane pulled the tug from the gate. Thrilling ride.

[@spacecadet35]

The biggest issue for Douglas Aircraft was when Douglas Sr. retired in 1957, there was nobody with any engineering experience on the board. And it has been all downhill since then. The lack of engineers in any positions of power contributed the the DC8 story, The DC10 failures and now the Boeing Max failures.

[@BobbyGeneric145]

Your videos are like old episodes of WINGS! LOVE IT!

[@boeingpilot7002]

at 10:13, the engines on the DC-8 Series 50 are described as "the upgraded JT3D turbojet engine", but which, in fact, were Pratt & Whitney JT3D-3B "turbofan" engines, each producing 18,000 lbs of static thrust (LBST). Very informative video, though. Thanks!

[@jeffreyhunt1727]

You're doing a fantastic job with these videos. Keep up the great work.

[@JamieDownes11]

Bit of an error at 2:15 . The KC-97 was derived from the Boeing Stratocruiser, not the B-29. Very good video though!

[@dne9394]

I have 10 years and thousands of hours in DC-8s. Loved the jet! 71 and 73 series. I felt very confident in the jet. It will always be my "first love" ;-)

[@scofab]

Fascinating as always, thanks again.

[@kevinkoepke8311]

My first flight was a Delta DC-8, Detroit-Atlanta-Houston. We flew as high as 42,000ft to clear a storm. We didn't clear the storm! I was 14 in 1972. The aircraft was made in 1961 according to the window markings.

[@williamshetler4954]

Great video as always! I used to see that last UPS DC8 fly overhead on approach every day on my way to work - and then I noticed it was replaced by what I think was a 767. Now I know why!

[@thelastbaronweeren5549]

Amazing that while you mentioned the DH Comet, you don't mention the crashes which cost it the lead it had...

[@ronjon7942]

Maybe it's like writing about Shakespeare yet again, when everything possible has already been written about him. Besides, a lot of planes mentioned in this video had checkered pasts, but this is a DC-8 presentation.

[@paladin0654]

The reason the Comet was not "accepted" by airlines was a fatal design flaw. The passenger windows were square and created high stress loads at the corners that migrated through the aircraft skin leading to explosive decompression and fatal crashes.

[@adrianattrell7808]

Yes thats right and thanks to the retesting of the air frame in a water tank in a research shed to find the fault...... so other airliners avoided the same fate

[@davidtaylor351]

Since they had already come to the conclusion that the problems were due to metal fatigue, perhaps also related to the air pressurisation of these newer aircraft types. A lot of the testing was done in a giant water tank. They emersed Comet fuselages in the tank. And in a concentrated manor, replicated the flight stresses an airframe would be subject to over many hours of flying. After careful and detailed study of the airframes they discovered micro cracking around the corners of the passenger windows. Hence for the new Comet series, they changed the design to oval windows and increased the thickness of the fuselage skin. Essentially double skinning. Both the 707 and DC8 had already incorporated this. Ps they also found the micro cracking was exacerbated by imprecise riveting.

[@stuew6]

DC3 and DC4 are still flying in Yukon on Show Ice Pilot on Discovery channel. Mayday show too

[@AviationNut]

In 2017 there was still over 300 DC-3's flying all around the world and most of them are probably still flying today, 66 of them have been upgraded with turbine engines and glass Cockpit they're called Basler BT-67. Here is a link to the upgraded DC-3'S: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basler_BT-67

[@GRAHAMAUS]

My first ever flight, age 13, was DC-8 CF-TIP.

[@scrambaba]

Me too - a charter from Canada to Europe. I think I was 9. Those were the days they still had good service with china dishes and real food for meals and snacks.

[@JetDom767]

Fantastic video on the DC-8. Would love to hear your take on the MD-11

[@peternolan7606]

Excellent video, well researched and narrated, enjoyed it and looking forward to more.

[@mohabatkhanmalak1161]

We flew an Iberia Airlines DC 8 back in 1973, I was a 13 year old child then but remember the nice cabin and pretty stewardesses. Just like any flight today.

[@scottmccambley764]

No mention of the Avro Canada 'Jetliner'. The aircraft that defined the term and owner of the first North American Airliner recorded flight

[@shebbs1]

Remember that Americans ignore the accomplishments of the rest of the world: consider how many think the US invented the motor car, radar and jet enginge.

[@rich7787]

Because this wasn’t a video about that plane, it’s a video on the DC-8. He also didn’t mention the Ford Tri-Motor! How dare he!

[@peter.baerentzen]

SAS, the last DC-8 customer, is short for Scandinavian Airlines System... (not Scandinavian Air Services). SAS was created from DDL (Det Danske Luftfartselskab of Denmark), ABA (AB Aerotransport of Sweden) and DNL (Det Norske Luftfartselskap of Norway) in August 1946.

[@low-res-nic]

One of the craziest hijack happened in September of 1970... A DC-8 from Swissair was flown to the Desert of Jordan (Dawsons Field), also a TWA Boeing 707 was hijacked and flown to said desert! The PFLP then Hijacked a VC10 from BOAC too... the 3 Planes that were now in the nowhere and blown up at the End! First the VC10, the 707 followed soon after the BOAC plane was burning and lastly the Swissair DC-8 exploded and burnt to the ground. If im correct, all Hostages were alive and returned to their country... The full story is absolutely crazy!

[@ambc8970]

The DC8 was my favorite. Roomy. Big windows.

[@forthleft]

Such a brilliant effort. I've learned a lot.

[@henryharman]

why'd you flash a picture od the Dawson field highjacking but then not talk about it

[@muzmason3064]

Your narration work and content is some of the best ive seen in my 58 year being an Avgeek 😁👍🍻

[@PiefacePete46]

Interesting to note that the great majority of crashes in your video did not result from failure of the aircraft. This has not been the case in recent times with more advanced designs from other manufacturers. Thank you for your videos.

[@coolkirk1701]

“The comet demonstrated great reliability” yeah, right up until they started coming apart in midair. 🤣

[@model-man7802]

I know right?👍square windows for everyone!!

[@garethonthetube]

A sad tale, but the airlines could see the future.

[@PanzerDave]

You are correct, although with far fewer parts, the jet engines had a better reliability rate than the latest piston engines. The piston engines were marvels of engineering, but required a ton of maintenance. There were many occasions where the piston engines failed and at a far greater rate than the jet engines. The jet engines also had far less vibration which reduced wear on ancillary systems.

[@model-man7802]

@@PanzerDave yeah I'm a retired A&P and got my start on Radials.Alot of my friends had Warbirds.I saw a show called wings over the world and the title was DeHaveland and they showed them stress testing the Comets fuselage to find out why the fell apart and they always failed at the corners of the window that at that time were square.The only square windows I've seen were on non pressurized Cesnna 410s.

[@PanzerDave]

@@model-man7802 Very cool. I've never flown a radial nor worked on one, but it is on the list! The tests on the Comet are a very interesting study for a number of reasons. Obviously, there is the testing itself and how the pressurization cycles affected the metal, but how they figured out something new is interesting too.

[@alan-sk7ky]

Ruairidh, gonna do the Convair 880 as well? the one everybody forgets etc.

[@julosx]

And don't forget the 990 !

[@alan-sk7ky]

@@julosx yes yes fastest etc but the 880 is erm, yeah about that... 😔

[@johnentwhistlesurelysamsun1840]

The only time that i flew on a DC-8 was from Los Angeles to Vancouver of CP Air, my cousin developed a phobia of Dc- 8's as he had to attend the crash of the Dc-8 series61 wich was on a flight from montreal to Los Angeles via Toronto, this was an Air Canada plane, the horror of seeing and dealing with that horrific crash had never left him, and when he flew to England on a Dc-8 of an airline called worldways to Gatwick, it bought back very unpleasant memories!!

[@anthonyxuereb792]

Still flying after all these years, that's some testament for its design and build quality, most impressive to say the least and also impressive are the old jet engines being used as Jason Gomez below pointed out.

[@fordlandau]

QANTAS never used Douglas after the DC3. With the advent of the 707, they remained all Boeing for many years. Ironically QANTAS now has a fleet of 717s for short haul. The 717 is of course the final version of the DC9.

[@umi3017]

But now we have the final 2.0 extra version of DC9 - ARJ21

[@scottjohnson5415]

Incorrect. It was the final version of the MD-95, a derivate of the MD-80. When Boeing acquired McDonnell Douglas, Boeing renamed it.

[@vikramrao6391]

Another masterpiece. Great video.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

Are you aware that the DC-1 was based around the aerodynamic research carried out by Boeing on the 247? The guy running the university windtunnel in California for Boeing took the raw data to Douglas.

[@mohabatkhanmalak1161]

Did it end up in court? Must have, that was how it was back then, Ford fighting the Dodge Brothers, Standard Oil vs the little oil companies, etc. It was hard keeping your staff and engineers happy and in hand, anyone could do you in anytime. Then there were the patent laws and deals to cut with any inventor to keep them contented. Tough business and only the strongest has survived.................Boeing Aircraft, Seattle WA.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

@@mohabatkhanmalak1161 not that I'm aware of, but it did make Boeing build their own wind tunnel.

[@ianr]

Excellent video, well researched, presented and narrated. 👍🙂

[@olegariocamara9308]

I flew on a Braniff DC-8 Super 62 in 1980 from Brasil to the United States in 1980 to become a YFU exchange student. My second trip on a plane, first time out of the country. Came back to Brazil on a Varig DC-10

[@markburckhard553]

Flying Tiger DC-8-73's never had an APU installed. The nose inlets pointed out were for the air conditioning pacs.

[@alwayscrabby7871]

Your videos are always great ones. Thanks.

[@viscount757]

Very interesting and comprehensive video on the DC-8, always my favorite jet airliner. Glad you used a CP Air DC-8 (taken at the long-demolished original Terminal 1 at Toronto). I worked for CP Air and successor Canadian Airlines for 25 years from 1969 to 1994 and probably flew on that one and almost all other CP DC-8s (except for the DC-8-43 that crashed at Tokyo in 1966, mentioned in the video). A few minor errors in the narration: 5:30 - Reference to Pratt & Whitney JT3L should read JT3C. 10:12 - Reference to the DC-8-50's Pratt & Whitney JT3D turbojet should read turbofan. 12:34 - Correct name for SAS is Scandinavian Airlines System, not Scandinavian Air Services. 12:54 - You refer to GE CF6-60 engine on DC-10. Should read CF6-50. 12:20 - The Arrow Air crash at Gander involved a DC-8-63 as you correctly mention, but the photo used is a DC-8-62, 30 feet shorter than the -63. I wish you had left the longer original 40 minute version also available. I recall watching it and I'm sure the extra 20 minutes contained some interesting additional information.

[@franrbrown]

Thanks for sharing. Question: were CP Air's DC-8 cabins also orange on the inside? I've never seen a color photo of one.

[@viscount757]

@@franrbrown Interiors were changed 2 or 3 times over the years. The last change sometime in early 1970s included new seats and other changes including overhead bins replacing the open coatracks. Those seats had fairly colorful seat covers that included some orange if memory correct but it wasn't the dominant color.

[@michellemerry3592]

My Dad retired from CP Air in 1987. He flew all kinds from the Bristol Britannia to being #1 on the 737. I remember the female cabin crew uniforms going to bright green when the livery changed to orange. They were previously light blue. Those were the days. Club class on the DC-8 from YVR to HNL. Ahhh....

[@franrbrown]

@@michellemerry3592 Sounds enticing. Somewhere in the cosmos the past must surely be archived. Maybe if we just knew where to look.

[@PositionLight]

Weren't these based on one of Lord Zenu's starships?

[@melvyncox3361]

Excellent piece mate.Well informed and engaging,and that comes from an avid DC-8 enthusiast😎👍!

[@julosx]

In 2020, I noticed another DC-8-73 CF still going for a freight carrier in Peru registerd OB-2059 P. I spotted it several times on FlightRadar24 flying within South America and even making a transatlantic flight once departing from Italy (don't know what was its destination).

[@atatexan]

According to a recent Donald Douglas Sr. bio, he was reluctant to push the DC-8 after considering his airline customer’s balance sheets. Heavily in debt after purchasing many DC-6’s, DC-7’s, and Lockheed Constellations.

[@boottothebums]

Good video. I never got to fly on a DC-8, or a 707 for that matter, but my Dad was an engineer for Sperry back in the day and flew all over for the company. He always said he preferred the DC-8. Its remarkable to me how much the 757 resembles the DC-8. The only one I knew was still flying was the NASA aircraft.

[@brianwong7285]

The worst crash involving a DC-8 would be Nigeria Airways Flight 2120, on July the 11th, 1991. On that day a NationAir DC-8, registered as C-GMXQ (chartered by Nigeria Airways) was to fly 247 Nigerian pilgrims from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (it was Hajj season at that time) back to Sokoto, Nigeria. However the plane suffered 2 burst tires that caused a fire that resulted in the DC-8-61 crashing just 1km short of Jeddah Airport, with the deaths of 261 passengers & crew. Subsequent investigations revealed that the 2 tires that burst were underinflated, and the circumstances of the tire failures (that being the blown tire causing the wheel rim to scrape along the runway until the tire itself was set on fire, then the still burning tire in the wheel well causing several systems failures [including the plane’s hydraulics] and weakening the airframe) were ultimately the cause of the crash.

[@TheGalacticEmperorOfLabels]

A great video. Thanks for posting.

[@amillali9321]

My first plane trip was on a CP AIR DC 8 from HKG to YVR with a stopover in Tokyo.

[@brunoignaciogi]

18:25 it seems that the subtitles contains a piece of information cut out from the video. Do you have the OG 40 minutes video or the project? This is an interesting piece of trivia "Perhaps the most notable hijacking of a DC-8 came on September 6th, 1970, when Swissair Flight 100, operated by Douglas DC-8-53 HB-IDD Nidwalden, was hijacked by members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and flown to Dawsons Field in Jordan together with TWA Flight 741, a Boeing 707, and BOAC Flight 775, a Vickers Super VC10, where the cumulative 429 passengers and crew of the three airliners were held captive for nearly a month in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, eventually ending in most passengers, with the exception of the flight crews and Jewish passport holders, being released on September 28th, but the three empty airliners were destroyed using dynamite. " From 18:25 the subtitles are no longer in sync

[@힐만94]

16:36 I can never imagine the thought and feeling of BOAC 911's passangers, as they passed by the wreckage of Canadian Pacific 402, while minutes later, they're also facing the same fate.. 😓

[@ceemichel]

I remember flying Swissair to Zurich in 1971 on a DC-8. I think our return flight was on Air Canada

[@admiralbenbow5083]

Ive been around for most of the lifespan of the DC8, but have never flown on one. DC9 many times, even a DC3, but no DC8. Always wanted to fly in one of the super stretch versions when I was a kid.

[@pumpkindog1]

This is an interesting video but it might have been better named "Why the 707 was better than the DC8". I have flown the DC 8-54,55,61,62,63,71,73 over 16 years. The airplane was transformed with the CFM 56 conversion. The thrust of the CFM was the equivalent of the original airplane with 5 engines while the fuel burn was 25% less. You incorrectly described the intakes(the smile) on the nose as being the intakes for the APU, the 8 had no APU except for early CFM conversions. Those were the intakes for the turbocompressors on the original 8 and the PACKS on the CFM conversion. The CFM conversion made the airplane fuel economical, comfortable(the PACKS) and the thrust reversers were effective. The 8 could carry 101000 lbs of cargo and go .84M. I would suggest you look at when the 707s were parked and how much longer the 8 flew profitably. The 07 couldn't hold a candle to the 8 when it came to performance.

[@iowa2540]

Leaving a comment for the algorithm, superb video as always.

[@KingMooseThe3rd]

Well researched and presented as usual Ruairidh, thanks for this!

[@michaelnewby4311]

Accurate videos, not like some others who post this kind of stuff. Great work

[@BrokebackBob]

Superb historical summary! Bravo! 👍👋😃

[@jasons44]

Bad management in so many ways! Appreciate the research great documentary

[@fleetwin1]

Very informative, wish I had the chance to fly on one...

[@charlesyoung7436]

I got that chance in 1973 on a charter flight to Greece for a one week vacation that only cost $299 per person (airfare, hotel, and two meals per day included). The plane was one of those stretched versions that carried over 250 passengers seated six across with the one narrow aisle in between. Fully loaded, it used the entire runway to get off the ground four separate times (we had to refuel in Shannon, Ireland on the way over and Mallorca, Spain on the way back). We called the plane "Sardinia" after the pilot pointed out that we were flying over that island and we felt like we were in a sardine tin.

[@aramboodakian9554]

I only got to fly on a DC -8 once in 1976 it was a charter plane from San Francisco to Ohio. I enjoyed the flight very much.

[@marvwatkins7029]

As usual, an excellent report with much detail and research. It's a sorry tale of a "comedy" of corporate errors.

[@jasons44]

48 😱 you deep drive these doc's Enjoyed!

[@kevinbarry71]

Enjoy the video. I am too young to have flown on this generation of aircraft; however I certainly remember watching them come in for a landing at JFK when I visited my aunt who lived on the ocean. Those old aircraft were extremely loud. Modern airplanes, which are often much bigger, are nowhere near as loud. They practically whisper by comparison

[@stewy62]

Yes they are quiet and more fuel efficient but they are so slow !! 🇬🇧

[@kevinbarry71]

@@stewy62 are you insane? Modern Turbofan engines are no slower, and often faster, then older turbo jets.

[@stewy62]

@@kevinbarry71 name me a passenger plane faster than a VC-10 ?

[@kevinbarry71]

@@stewy62 747, define slow please. How much slower is 787, 777, or that? Fantasy land

[@stewy62]

@@kevinbarry71 the 777 is one of the faster modern airliners but slower than a 707, have a read of this alum.mit.edu/slice/why-hasnt-commercial-air-travel-gotten-any-faster-1960s

You, sir make the Best documentary videos on KZbin.

[@KB4QAA]

I enjoyed flying on DC-8's. They had plenty of room, gobs of power and really pushed you back in the seat on takeoff.

[@stuartlee6622]

Tons of room for fat lesbians 👅

[@effyleven]

I flew in that DC 8 of Air Spain. 9:50. It was a company jaunt to Majorca... a cheap flight in January of 1973. Including flights and four nights of accommodation it cost each employee £14. No, I am not kidding.

[@maskedavenger2578]

I can believe you I made up the numbers for a Shell employees golf trip to Majorca the end of Jan 1976 half board 4 star Hotel .The trip included coach to Manchester Airport ,return Britannia Airways 737 -200 flight to Palma coach to Hotel in Palma nova plus return after 7 days .Cost £54 + surcharge £4 making total of £58 for 7 nights half board in 4 star hotel on beach including flights & coaches to & from airports in England & also Majorca ..Those were the good days ,you won’t get them kind of prices now nor drinks as cheap .I don’t even play golf .

[@janickgoudeau6126]

Those DC-8's are pretty darn smoootthh..!

[@moxx064]

Flew in one these as a nine year old from Sydney Australia to Auckland New Zealand.

[@robbybobbyhobbies]

"Three Chief Engineers" - I don't think "Chief" means what Douglas thought it did.

[@Vokabre]

Chief Cubed

[@9HighFlyer9]

@@Vokabre would still be less chiefs than Douglas had.

[@ilovecops5499]

it sno cheiefe, it is CHEF, The ere cooking INside the airplanesl not In the airporte BIG DOFFERENCES!

[@9HighFlyer9]

@@ilovecops5499 wtf are you talking about? Cooking?

[@robbybobbyhobbies]

@@9HighFlyer9 I was wondering the same, but they seemed so happy and excited I thought it would be churlish to criticize.

[@davidkong9679]

i like the idea of having a Boeing 757 fuselage with the DC-8's range and cheek inlets

[@aregularperson7573]

The DC-8 Also know as The cut price 707 or the middle Child of early quad jets

[@cosmicHalArizona]

707 fan

[@shebbs1]

The 707 is the perpetual second child, by your own standards, as the Comet came first, and was a quad-jet..

[@Perich29]

I flew on that plane from Fresno to Denver in 1988 when we were heading to Florida, it was either Delta airline or United airlined I don't know which, I was only 5 years old at the time.

[@paulnewstead9693]

The Canadian Pacific in the thumbnail brings back some fond memories.

[@bc5299]

my father worked in the paint shop and strangely my first car ended up being painted cp orange. memories

[@michellemerry3592]

Orange is beautiful. I can still remember the ads! My Dad flew DC-8’s for Canadian Pacific!

[@bc5299]

@@michellemerry3592 did your dad ever mention this story to you? www.mentalfloss.com/article/58517/first-commercial-jet-break-sound-barrier-was-not-concorde

[@markcrowley65]

Very interesting and comprehensive

[@ludwigmesser5339]

I like the DC-8-62 Stretch jet, which I flew from JFK to Geneva, Switzerland.

[@MM-fq9gi]

my last flight on a DC-8, 1996, Rich Airways, Norfolk - Philly - Azores - Signolla - Bahrain - Diego Garcia.... same plane, same seat, 3 flight crews, quiet comfortable ride. Rich Airways lost its FAA cert a week later.

[@rodericgray5202]

I think it is interesting that the DC-8 outlasted the 707 in commercial service. Is that partially due to the reengining program?

[@airdad5383]

Original DC-8s had no APU. Air intakes in the front were for the freon air-conditioning system.

[@ceemichel]

You forgot the TCA/Air Canada crash in Blainville, Quebec in 1963 where 111 died when DC-8 CF-TJN crashed while flying from Montreal (Dorval) to Toronto.

[@mrrolandlawrence]

2:00 airline pressures douglas to make 25 aircraft then cancels order? douglas should have had a penalty fee for cancellations!! same thing happened in the UK. boac would demand requirements and then buy boeing anyway. they wanted shortfield performance. so the VC10 was made that way. they then bought b707's. then specified a low engine power and low range trident and then boac bought b727s ;)

[@darrenbrashaw8409]

Boeing Only Air Corporation

[@garethonthetube]

Yes, the British airliner industry was well and truly stitched up. They made very good planes to a flawed specification.

[@stephenholland5930]

BOAC never bought Boeing 727s.

[@garethonthetube]

@@stephenholland5930 True, they stuck with the Tridents and HS desperately tried to stretch it to compete better. The Spey engine was not powerful enough so an extra small engine was added to the tail. A 4 pronged Trident!