DC-8 Series 40

The Douglas DC‑8 Series 40, introduced in 1965, marked the first stretched variant of the DC‑8 family and was produced by McDonnell Douglas after the 1967 merger. Built to meet growing demand for higher capacity on trans‑Atlantic and domestic routes, the Series 40 lengthened the fuselage by 19 feet, allowing seating for up to 180 passengers in a single‑class configuration or 150 in a mixed layout. Powered by four Pratt & Whitney JT3D low‑bypass turbofan engines, the aircraft offered a 15‑percent improvement in fuel efficiency and reduced noise compared with the earlier JT3C‑powered models. The stretched wing and strengthened landing gear enabled higher maximum take‑off weight, extending the range to roughly 5,800 nautical miles, which opened new nonstop city‑pair possibilities. Over 150 Series 40s were delivered to airlines such as Trans World Airlines, Air Canada, and KLM, quickly becoming a workhorse for both passenger and cargo operations. Its success demonstrated the viability of stretch‑and‑upgrade programs, influencing later designs like the Boeing 747‑100 and the DC‑10. The DC‑8 Series 40 thus played a pivotal role in the transition from early jetliners to the high‑capacity, fuel‑efficient aircraft that dominate modern fleets.

McDonnell Douglas

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