Customer Reviews

McDonnell Douglas Jetliners: DCs and MDs (Osprey Civil Aircraft)

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This book has good detail and coverage of the DC-9, MD-80, DC-10, and MD-11. However, there is not as much good detail on the very first DC-8s, especially the original turbojets. There also is not much detail on the MD-90. The text is generally good, although there are some factual inconsistencies. Overall, a pretty good book with some good pictures, but not a complete coverage of all Douglas types.

Part of the Osprey Civil Aircraft series. Mainly a book of pictures.

Knowing the personal opinions that this author puts into his narrations, I wasn't expecting alot of indepth research. Starting with the DC-8, we are taken through the fleet and it's many forms. On to the DC-9 family and then to the DC-10.

As expected, the author keeps the narrative of this (DC-10) airlner's early history quiet by simply not writing about it. Instead he focuses on the positives and the fact that the DC-10 did enjoy a good reputation among pilots, cabin crew and passengers alike.

Next up the post McDonnell-Douglas merge airliners starting with the continuing improvments of the DC-9, the MD-80 and MD-90 family.
Like the B737 they were the next generation and before the Boeing takeover the ultra efficient MD-90 was going to be the new generation to go head to head with the B737,700-900 family.
The shorter '95 was allowed to live on as the new B717 untill the global climate brought production to an end in 2007.

The last entry is the failed MD-11 trijet.

The long overdue stretch of the DC-10 arrived in the early 1990s however it failed to live up to expectations at first and by the time improvments were made, potential airline customers had walked away.
All was not lost as the MD-11 has proven to be an excellent freighter, Boeing promoted it as the B11F but the lack of orders no longer warranted a production line and it closed in 1998. The MD-11 will live on in both roles as Boeing will continue to support the type even though they now no longer build it.

An overview of this book reveals a good batch of pictures and a few rare gems, such as the Rich International DC-8s at the end of that company's exsistance. But as usuall the author's imput leaves you alittle depressed with his constant reminding of fallen airlines.

Mainly good for pictures.