American Trijet & Twinjet Heritage Iconic T-Tail & Rear-Mounted Turbofans Heavy Global Cargo Lifter (MD-11F / DC-10)

McDonnell Douglas Commercial Fleet

McDonnell Douglas was a titan of American commercial aviation whose Long Beach-built airframes defined the skies for decades. From the iconic five-abreast DC-9 / MD-80 / MD-90 narrowbodies (the beloved "Mad Dogs") to the heavy triple-engine widebodies DC-10 and MD-11, Douglas aircraft delivered rugged durability and unmistakableramp presence.

MD-11

The MD-11 represents the ultimate evolution of the wide-body trijet. Stretched by 18.6 ft (5.66 m) over the DC-10, it introduced distinctive upper/lower winglet wingtip fences, a modern two-crew digital glass cockpit, and high-thrust GE CF6-80C2 or Pratt & Whitney PW4460 turbofans, making it a revered heavy cargo lifter for FedEx and UPS.

Specs
ICAO code	MD11
Engine type	3x GE CF6-80C2D1F / PW4460 / PW4462
Length	202.2 ft / 61.60 m
Wingspan	170.5 ft / 51.97 m
Height	57.9 ft / 17.65 m
MTOW	630,500 lbs / 286.0 tons (ER)
Range	6,840 nm / 12,670 km
Max pax capacity	298–410

DC-10

The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is the widebody trijet pioneer that democratized medium-to-long-haul transcontinental and transoceanic flying in the 1970s. Featuring two underwing engines and an iconic straight-through tail fin engine, it served as a versatile passenger giant and the platform for the USAF KC-10 Extender tanker.

Specs
ICAO code	DC10
Engine type	3x General Electric CF6-50C2 / Pratt & Whitney JT9D
Length	182.2 ft / 55.50 m
Wingspan	165.4 ft / 50.40 m
Height	58.1 ft / 17.70 m
MTOW	572,000 lbs / 259.5 tons (DC-10-30)
Range	5,200 nm / 9,630 km
Max pax capacity	250–380

MD-81

MD-80 series — Photo credit: Ethan Ferro — @ferritoaviation

The MD-80 family (MD-81/82/83/87/88), affectionately known as the "Mad Dog", was the undisputed backbone of US domestic airline networks for decades. Featuring quiet JT8D-200 series turbofans and a 5-abreast (2-3) seating cabin, it combined pilot-friendly flight characteristics with low capital costs.

Specs
ICAO code	MD81
Engine type	2x Pratt & Whitney JT8D-209 / -217
Length	147.9 ft / 45.06 m
Wingspan	107.8 ft / 32.87 m
Height	29.6 ft / 9.02 m
MTOW	140,000 lbs / 63.5 tons
Range	1,570 nm / 2,910 km
Max pax capacity	155–172

MD-83

MD-83 Longer Range

The MD-83 is the extended-range derivative of the MD-80 family, equipped with higher-thrust JT8D-219 engines, reinforced wing and fuselage structure, and auxiliary fuel tanks allowing non-stop transcontinental US flights.

Specs
ICAO code	MD83
Engine type	2x Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219
Length	147.9 ft / 45.06 m
Wingspan	107.8 ft / 32.87 m
Height	29.6 ft / 9.02 m
MTOW	160,000 lbs / 72.57 tons
Range	2,504 nm / 4,637 km
Max pax capacity	155–172

McDonnell Douglas Commercial Technical Matrix

Specification	DC-9-30	MD-80 (MD-82/83)	DC-10-30	MD-11
Typical Passenger Seating	90–115	155–172	250–380	298–410
Cabin Layout	5-Abreast (2-3)	5-Abreast (2-3)	Twin-Aisle (2-5-2 / 3-3-3)	Twin-Aisle (2-5-2 / 3-3-3)
Overall Length	36.37 m / 119 ft 4 in	45.06 m / 147 ft 10 in	55.50 m / 182 ft 1 in	61.60 m / 202 ft 2 in
Wingspan	28.47 m / 93 ft 5 in	32.87 m / 107 ft 10 in	50.40 m / 165 ft 4 in	51.97 m / 170 ft 6 in
Tail Height	8.38 m / 27 ft 6 in	9.02 m / 29 ft 7 in	17.70 m / 58 ft 1 in	17.65 m / 57 ft 11 in
Max Takeoff Weight (MTOW)	49,000 kg / 108,000 lbs	72,570 kg / 160,000 lbs	259,450 kg / 572,000 lbs	285,990 kg / 630,500 lbs
Max Range (Full Payload)	1,500 nm / 2,780 km	2,504 nm / 4,637 km	5,200 nm / 9,630 km	6,840 nm / 12,670 km
Engines	2x Pratt & Whitney JT8D-9	2x Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219	3x General Electric CF6-50C2	3x GE CF6-80C2 / PW4460
Typical Cruise Speed	Mach 0.76 (810 km/h)	Mach 0.78 (830 km/h)	Mach 0.82 (875 km/h)	Mach 0.83 (885 km/h)

Program History & Milestone Timeline

February 25, 1965

Douglas DC-9 Maiden Flight

The Douglas Aircraft Company flew the prototype DC-9 twinjet from Long Beach, California, creating an iconic 5-abreast regional platform that led to over 2,400 related aircraft.

August 29, 1970

DC-10 Widebody Trijet First Flight

The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 took to the skies from Long Beach, entering commercial service in August 1971 with American Airlines.

October 18, 1979

The "Mad Dog" MD-80 Takes Flight

The stretched DC-9 Super 80 made its maiden flight, introducing higher bypass JT8D-200 engines and becoming the volume workhorse for American Airlines and Delta.

January 10, 1990

First Flight of the MD-11 Trijet

The advanced MD-11 completed its maiden flight from Long Beach, featuring winglet wingtips, automated fuel management, and dual-display CRT cockpits.

August 1997 & Beyond

Boeing Merger & 717 Rebranding

McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing. The MD-95 was rebranded as the Boeing 717, while the MD-11 continued as one of the world's most capable long-haul cargo freighters.

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