Over the course of the last several months, I have run into various references about the Douglas DC-7 air tankers on the web and in books and magazines. Over the summer I saw an article, probably from an Oregon newspaper with a photo of a DC-7 tanker then under contract to Oregon. Recently, I again saw references to DC-7 tankers being under contract to California, this time through an electronic bibliographic database that I accessed through my local public library. Now, I have always had a fondness for the various aircraft in the Douglas DC series, so I asked one of my airtanker pilot friends about these DC-7 tankers. I was lead to Butler Aircraft and then to Larry Kraus, a veteran tanker pilot who has been captain of one of Butler's three DC-7 airtankers.
I have been corresponding with Larry Kraus for the last several days. Thank-you Larry!! This correspondence plus this thread on Butler's tankers, started by Larry on the Warbird Information Exchange forums, form the basis for a series of articles on the DC-7 tanker. Please sit down and join me as we get up close and personal with these beautiful and historic tankers.
Upcoming topics include:
Dec. 7: introduction to Butler's DC-7 tankers and a little history
Dec. 8: specifications - pt. 1
Dec. 9: specifications - pt 2:
Dec. 10: engine maintenance pt 1 and pt 2
Dec. 11: shots of the former passenger cabin of T-62, ballast
Dec. 12: former passenger cabin continued, floating beam
Dec.14: the cockpit
Dec. 16: retardant drop cockpit controls and the drop sequence
Dec. 18: more on the drop sequence
Dec. 21: action shots pt 1
Dec. 23: action shots pt 2
Dec. 30: my reflections
Edited to add a revision I made at Larry's request on March 1, 2010: revisiting ballast, weight and balance, and fuselage stations
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