Herpa 573528 1/200 Douglas Aircraft Company Dougas DC-7 prototype livery

The DC-7 was built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1953 to 1958 and was the last piston-engined passenger aircraft manufactured by Douglas. A total of 338 aircraft were built, which were later converted to cargo aircraft or firefighting aircraft, allowing many aircraft to find new uses after the introduction of jet aircraft in passenger service. The last DC-7 was finally retired in 2020. Douglas began development after American Airlines requested a passenger aircraft that could connect the US East and West Coasts non-stop. Based on the DC-6, the DC-7 retained the same wingspan, lengthened the fuselage by one meter, and used the 18-cylinder Wright R-3350 engine with 3,250 hp. The prototype, registered N301AA, which already revealed the aircraft's future owner, first flew in May 1953. The first DC-7 was delivered to American Airlines in November of that year and was equipped with first-class seats for 65 passengers. Non-stop service between New York and Los Angeles began on November 29, 1953. Flight time was approximately eight hours, a significant improvement over the average ten to eleven hours required by its direct predecessor, the DC-6, including one refueling stop. This also illustrates how far aviation had come: in the late 1940s, a DC-3 needed up to 17 hours, including three refueling stops, to complete the transcontinental journey. N301AA remained at Douglas for further testing until spring 1954 before being delivered to American Airlines as the Flagship Texas.

Specifications

• Length: 17.1 cm
• Wingspan: 19.4 cm
• Height: 4.8 cm
• Weight: 0.15 kg