Douglas R4D-8/C-117D Super Gooney Book Review

By David L. Veres

Review

Here's a fascinating, 138-page footnote for full-fledged fans of the famed DC-3.

The lavishly illustrated Douglas R4D-8/C-117D Super Gooney – Number 95 in GINTER's acclaimed "Naval Fighters" series – details this rather luckless scion of the timeless transport.

After WWII, surplus C-47s flooded the US transport market.  Enter new civil air regulations – and competition from more modern Martin and Convair airliners.  And those prompted Douglas to produce a "Super DC-3".

The new design sported a stretched fuselage, modified fin & rudder, more powerful engines, fully retractable main gear, and new outer wing panels.  Modifications resulted in a 75% new aircraft.  But sales attempts proved largely fruitless.  And the US Navy and Marine Corps acquired most aircraft.

Contents follow GINTER's familiar format.  After illuminating introductory notes, coverage courses from design and development through testing to service and fate of individual BuNos.

Hundreds of detail shots and drawings – many from tech manuals – sumptuously spice sections.  Color images are restricted to covers.  And two full pages include performance and measurement minutiae.

GINTER's usual model section wraps things up.  This understandably anemic installment, though, covers just EASTERN EXPRESS' 1:144 kit and AIRMODEL's ancient 1:72 vac conversion.  But with A-MODEL's recent 1:72 Li-2s and L2D2 Tabbys, who knows?

In short, everything's there – except an index to help track this copious compendium!

I loved this book.  Get it.

Strongly recommended.

With thanks to GINTER BOOKS!