Originally Posted by
sevenstrokeroll
dozzy wannabe...glad you have to go back so far to find problems with douglas.
OK - I'll respond once and once only, because this is off-topic.
Firstly, I note you go back further to find something particularly good made by Douglas...
B737...flips upside down and kills everyone due to rudder problems
True, but the problem could be mitigated by maintaining a higher Vapp - no such luck with the DC-10 if the floor collapsed.
AB320...settles into trees with top notch test pilots at controls
Untrue - the crew consisted of an AF training captain and two line pilots. The accident itself was largely down to poor preparation by AF.
AB330 lost while pilots can't recover from stall
True, but this was preceded by a very similar crash - West Caribbean 708, which was an MD-82.
B767 thrust reverser extends in flight...all lost
Also possible (manually) on the DC-8, with tragic results.
B747 improper repair, vertical fin blows off killing over 500 people
True - a bad repair, but there was no fundamental problem with the design in the same way there was with the DC-10.
Sure there are problems with douglas...but the inherent strength in the single digit (douglas) is wonderful...esp when compared with other planes.
The BAC 1-11's skin was machined from ally billets, way tougher than any Douglas before or since, and in the right conditions Mother Nature could still rip her tail off.
I seem to recall Gen Eisenhower giving credit to the Douglas C47/DC3 or Dakota as helping to win WW2
And the Gooney Bird was a lovely aircraft, no doubt. But Douglas rested on their laurels and expected their reputation would carry the day, even if they cut a few corners here and there. They were wrong.