CURTISS ALDRICH COLLECTION
No. 6905. Douglas 415A C-74 Globemaster I (42-65402 c/n 13913) US Army Air Forces
Photographed at Long Beach, California, USA, late 1940s, source unknown

Douglas 415A C-74 Globemaster I

10/31/2007. Remarks by Jack McKillop: "This was the first of 14 C-74-DLs built and it made its first flight on September 5, 1945. This photo shows the C-74 in its original "bug eye" cockpit configuration, i.e., separate cockpits for the pilot and copilot with bubble canopies, normally found on fighter aircraft, for each. This gave the pilots a 360° view but it was impractical in that it separated the two pilots which reduced their efficiency and it created a great deal of drag reducing airspeed and range. A conventional cockpit arrangement was later retrofitted to this aircraft."

10/31/2007. Remarks by Curtiss Aldrich: "Sometimes I have wished I had this separate cockpits arrangement with some Captains I have flown with!"


Created October 31, 2007