Douglas Dolphin
Douglas Dolphin
C-21, RD-5, OA-3
The Douglas Dolphin was a amphibious Hydravion of transport of luxury. So only 58 specimens were built, it had different use for a seaplane: Yacht, civil transport, Transport of VIP, Mission of Rescue….
origins:
It was derived from an apparatus 100% seaplane, named Simbad, which flew about 1930. The project of the simbad was to provide one of the first seaplanes of luxury, but as it arrived at the time of the crisis of 1929, the moment had rather badly come for an apparatus from luxury. Certain specimens were sold with US Coast Guard like plane “Search and Rescue”.
Dolphin civil version:
Although the request for this type of apparatus have not discounted success, Douglas developed an improved version, in particular by the addition of wheel, which allowed the seaplane to be able to land on ground tracks as well as at sea. These improvements involved a name change, Dolphin (French Dolphin) had been born.
The first customer of Dolphin was Wilmington- Catalina Airlines which used the apparatus as a transport of passengers between Los Angeles and Santa Catalina Island. Of this fact Dolphin becomes the first plane of Transport of passengers the Douglas one.
Other order nevertheless followed because this apparatus was appreciates for its luxury on board. One of the first customers private was William Boeing, the founder of Boeing.
Military Dolphin version:
The soldiers were also interested by the apparatus not for its luxury but its versatility.
US Navy and US Coast Guard ordered Dolphin (RD-2 and 4). The RD-2 were use in the missions of rescue.
The US NAVY modified one as of these RD-2 for the transport of President Franklin D.Roosevelt. Even if the president forever used Dolphin, it is it first time that a plane was affected and transport only with the transport of an US president, and consequently Dolphin can be regarded as the precursor of “Air Force One”.
US Army Air Body ordered also Dolphin (OA-3 and -4) for missions of transport.
US Army Ordered also Dophin under the C-21 denomination.
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