Douglas DC-7
   
Fact Sheet
Aircraft Make & Model: Douglas DC-7
MTOW: 122,200 lb.
Range: 2,760 miles
Speed: 360 mph
Seats: 70 passengers (8-seat luxury Sky Room, 5-seat Sky Lounge and two main cabins)
Length: 109 ft.
Wingspan: 118 ft.
Height: 29 ft.
Engines: 4 Wright Double Cyclone R-3350
HP or Thrust: 3,250 hp
No. flown by DL: 21 (including 10 model -7Bs)
Routes flown: Initially Chicago-Miami route. Later to San Juan and Caracas from New Orleans; and to Washington, DC and New York from Atlanta, Houston and Dallas.
First delivery: March 3, 1954
First schedule service: April 1, 1954
Reason acquired:  
Last retirement: 1968
Reason disposed: Replaced by jet aircraft.

Setting Records

After setting record-breaking 6½ hour transcontinental delivery flights, Delta promoted its DC-7 fleet as "America's Fastest and Finest Airliner."

Delta operated the world's first inter-continental DC-7 scheduled flight on April 1, 1955, with service from New Orleans to San Juan and Caracas.

Luxury Interiors

Deluxe Douglas DC-7 aircraft carried passengers in all-first-class seating. The "luxurious interior" featured tan, turquoise and aqua fabric and leather accented in gold and silver. Gold window curtains depicted scenes along Delta's routes, "setting the mood for a Millionaire Dream Vacation in such gay holiday spots as New Orleans, Jamaica and Havana."

Golden Crown Service

Delta introduced DC-7 Golden Crown Service on February 1, 1956, with extra onboard amenities, including a typewriter for the workaholics and a shaver for the last-minute arrivals.

dc-7_royal_serviceRoyal Service

Delta launched industry-leading, luxury Royal Service with the Douglas DC-7 on September 22, 1958. Royal Service flights featured:

  • Three flight attendants (instead of the usual two) for the "finest and the swiftest service available."
  • Complimentary champagne
  • A choice of entrées at mealtime, and canapés and cocktails in the afternoon.
  • Muzak tape recordings played during boarding.
  • Children received Delta's first "kiddie wings" souvenir pins. Junior Pilot pins for boys and Junior Stewardess pins for girls.
  • At the airport, Royal Service customers had a special check-in desk and priority handling of bags.

Model DC-7B

Delta received its first DC-7B on June 14, 1957.

The -7B model was slightly improved to allow either more range, with optional saddle fuel tanks in the engine nacelles, or more payload with increased gross weights. None of the 7B's U.S. operators, including Delta, installed the optional fuel tanks.

Of the 21 DC-7 aircraft that Delta flew, 10 were Model 7Bs. Delta originally ordered eleven DC-7Bs, but when the airline took delivery of Douglas' prototype DC-7B it was certified as a DC-7.

Delta retired its last Douglas DC-7B in 1967.