Douglas DC-8-60
The Douglas DC-8-60 series stretched the original DC-8's fuselage substantially, making the -61 and -63 variants, at the time, the longest airliners in the world. That extra length let airlines carry far more passengers than the original DC-8 on the same wing and engines, dramatically improving the type's economics on high-demand routes. The stretch was so significant that a fully loaded -63 needed careful weight and balance management to avoid tipping onto its tail during ground loading. Many -60 series aircraft went on to long careers as cargo freighters after their airline passenger service ended.

Did you know?
The DC-8-60 series stretched the fuselage so far it was, at the time, the longest airliner ever built.
Specifications
| Length | 57.1 m (187 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 45.2 m (148 ft) |
| Height | 13 m (43 ft) |
| Maximum passengers | 259 |
| Persons on board | 200 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 151.9 t |
| Range | 5,090 NM (9,427 km) |
| Maximum speed | 500 kt (926 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 42,000 ft (12,802 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 31,000 ft (9,449 m) |
| Rate of climb | 2,000 ft/min (10.2 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 2,862 m (9,390 ft) |
| Landing distance | 2,000 m (6,562 ft) |
| Engines | 4x Pratt & Whitney JT3D |
| Units built | 262 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Douglas DC-8-60 starts as a Legendary catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you. The first catch of a legendary type pays a bonus of its own.
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