Douglas XC-32 Photos

From the Military History Encyclopedia: “The designation C-32 was given to one Douglas DC-2 purchased by the USAAC in 1936, and to twenty-four civilian DC-2 airliners that were impressed by the War Department after the start of the Second World War.

The first aircraft, given the designation XC-32, was virtually identical to the standard Cyclone powered DC-2, with the addition of standard military radios and instruments. From 1935 it was based at Bolling Field, Washington DC, where it was used by senior military officers.

After the American entry into the war twenty four standard civilian DC-2s were officially impressed by the War Department, and were given the designation C-32A (amongst them were five aircraft that had already been bought by the British Purchasing Commission. Not all of these aircraft were actually used by the military, and many were operated by civilian airlines during the war. The C-32As differed from the DC-2 only in having military radio equipment.” Photo credit: National Museum of the US Air Force

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