The DC8 was built as a rival to the highly successful Boeing 707.  Like the 707 it had 4 engines and could fly medium and long haul routes.  The DC8 was launched in 1955 by 707 customer Pan Am.  The first flight occurred in 1958 and it entered service in 1959.  A total of 556 DC8s were built by the time production ceased in 1972.  Many variants were built and are mentioned below.

DC8-10

This was the first DC8 and entered service in 1959.  This was initially used for domestic routes and could carry a total of around 150 passengers over a range of 3500 miles.  Like most of the earlier versions it was powered by Pratt & Whitney JT3D engines, which were the same as the ones on the 707.  Customers included Pan Am and United Airlines.

DC8-30

The DC8-30 was the first DC8 to be built with transcontinental range.  It was launched in 1960 and was meant to be a more capable aircraft to rival that of the Boeing 707.  It could carry 150 passengers over a range of around 4500 miles allowing it to be used on transatlantic routes.  It was powered by Pratt & Whitney JT3D engines that were used on the DC8-10 aircraft.  Customers for this variants include SAS Scandinavian, Pan Am and Varig.

DC8-40

The DC8-40 was the same as the DC8-30 but as opposed to being equipped with Pratt & Whitney engines it had Rolls Royce Conways.  It was meant to tempt British Airways into buying the DC8 but they went for the 707-400.  Instead customers such as Alitalia, CP Air and Air Canada.

DC8-60 series

The DC8-60 series was a stretch on the existing airframe so that it could carry an increased load of around 210 passengers.  At the time it was the longest airliner built.  The -60 model entered service in 1967 and was powered by Pratt & Whitney engines.  Customers for this variant included CP Air, Eastern, and SAS Scandinavian.

Many of the -61, -62 and -63 variants of the DC8 were later re-engined with more efficient CFM56 engines and were designated -71, -72, -73.  Many DC8s are still in service although mainly with Cargo Airlines such as Airborne Express, UPS, DHL and African International.

Launched in 1962 the DC9 became one of the most successful airliners ever built in terms of numbers.  It was a twin engined, short haul airliner that was designed to rival that of the BAC111 and the Boeing 737.  Like the BAC111 its engines were located at the back of the fuselage and it featured a T-tail design.  The engines used to power the DC9 were initially Pratt & Whitney JT8D turbofans.  A total of 976 DC9s were built and the largest customer for them is Northwest Airlines and they still operate a large number of the type even today.  The variants that were produced are mentioned below.

DC9-10

The first variant of the DC9 was the -10 model which was designed to carry around 89 passengers over a range of around 1000 miles.  This variant first flew in February 1965 and two variants of this variant were built.  These were the DC9-14 and -15 models, both of which had higher maximum take off weights.  Very few of these models were built and one operator of the type was Northwest Airlines.

DC9-30

The DC9-30 was a stretched version of the -10 model and could carry around 115 passengers over an increased range of around 2000 miles.  The launch customer was Eastern Airlines which was launched in February 1965 when the DC9-10 first flew.  The first of this variant first flew in 1966 with Eastern getting its first aircraft in 1967.  Of the 976 DC9s built, this was the most popular variant with 661 being produced.  Several versions of the DC9-30 were built including freighters and combi versions.  Major customers included Northwest Airlines, British Midland, US Airways, Swissair and Alitalia.

DC9-20

The DC9-20 was basically a DC9-10s fuselage with DC9-30 engines and wings, which allowed it to operate from shorter runways.  This variant was launched in 1966 by SAS Scandinavian who needed the aircraft for its operations.  Just 10 were built and SAS was the only airline to order them direct from the manufacturer.

DC9-40

Launched in 1966 the DC9-40 was a higher density, short range airliner version of the DC9.  This variant could carry up to 128 passengers and could fly at a range of 2000 miles.  This variant was a stretch on the -30 model and 71 were built.  Customers included Northwest and SAS Scandinavian.

DC9-50

The DC9-50 was the final variant of the DC9 to be built and was the largest to be built.  Launched by an order from Swissair in and differed from other DC9 variants in many ways.  One of them is that the cabin was stretched to accommodate 139 passengers over a range of 2500 miles.  Another was that the reverse thruster were redesigned as were the braked on the aircraft.  Customers included Northwest, Hawaiian and Swissair.

After production of the DC9 finished in 1981 McDonnell Douglas moved on to the DC9-81 which later became to be the MD80 family of aircraft.

The DC10 was built as a result of an American Airlines requirement for an aircraft slightly smaller than the Boeing 747 that could fly at a transcontinental range.  The DC10 was launched in 1968 by American Airlines and United Airlines.  It entered service in 1971 with American Airlines.  Designed and built at the same time as the rival Lockheed L1011 the DC10 shared the 3 engined configuration.  The DC10 had considerably more sucess than the L1011 because it had the range the L1011 didn't and it also entered service earlier than the L1011.  A total of 446 DC10s were built by the time production finished in 1989  The DC10 was designed to carry between 260 and 380 passengers and depending on the variant could fly up to 6000 miles.  There were several variants of the DC10 as explained below.

DC10-10

This was the first variant to be built and was powered by General Electric CF6 engines.  It could fly up to 4000 miles, but most of the customers were airlines based in America.  Major customers include American Airlines, United Airlines, My Travel, Fed Ex and Laker Airways.

DC10-30

This variant was designed to be an extended range version of the DC10-10.  It too was powered by CF6 engines and could fly over 5000 miles.  Major customers for this variant include Laker, Continental, Northwest Airlines and Aeromexico.  An extended range version was built and could fly up to 6000 miles.  Northwest Airlines was the major customer for this.  Many DC10-30s have been converted to freighters and in some cases updated to make it a two man flight deck instead of three.  This became known as the MD10 and Fed Ex is the main customer for this. 

DC10-40

The DC10-40 was the last variant of the DC10 to be built.  It entered service in 1972 and was powered by Pratt & Whitney JT9D engines.  It had a range of 6000 miles and was aimed at the lower density transpacific routes.   Major customers include Northwest Airlines and Japan Airlines.

KC10

The KC10 was built for the USAF as a tanker transporter able to carry fuel and allow other aircraft to refuel in mid air.  Other customers include the Dutch Air Force.

The MD11 was designed to be a replacement to the highly successful 3 engined DC10 jetliner.  The MD11 was launched in 1984 and entered service with launch customer Finnair in 1990.  Improvements on the MD11 over the DC10 included a stretched fuselage to accomodate a maximum of 410 passengers, EFIS flightdeck needing only 2 crew and larger wings with winglets on the end to improve efficiency.  It was able to fly over a range of around 6000 miles.  The MD11 came in a choice of General Electric or Pratt & Whitney engines.  A freighter version is also flying and many of the existing MD11s are now being converted into freighters.  Fed Ex bought 13 from the manufacturer and then American Airlines sold them their MD11s.  A total of 200 MD11s were built before Boeing, the new owners, decided to shut down production as it wasn't selling and was directly in competition with the 777.  Major customers include Finnair, K.L.M., Lufthansa Cargo, Fed Ex and Varig.

The MD80 family of aircraft was designed to replace the DC9 series of aircraft that had been successful for the McDonnell Douglas company.  It features many characteristics of the DC9 such as the T-Tail and engines at the back of the aircraft.  The first of these jets was launched in 1977 and was intended to have a longer fuselage to carry more people, more efficient engines amongst other improvements.  A total of 1,191 MD80s of all variants were built when production ceased in 1999, and many are still flying today.  The aircraft have sections below.

MD81

The MD81 was the first of the MD80s launched in 1977 and features 2 Pratt & Whitney JT8D engines.  It made its first flight in 1979 and entered service with Swissair a year later in 1980.  It can carry a mximum of 172 passengers and has a range of around 1800 miles.  Before it became the MD81 it was known as the DC9-81.  Major operators include Finnair, Midwest and SAS Scandinavian.

MD82

The MD82 is an improvement on the MD81 in that it features more efficient engines which are uprated and feature reverse thrust.  Like the MD81 it was known as the DC9-82 before it was called the MD82.  It can carry a maximum of 172 passengers over a range of around 2300 miles.  Major operators include Alitalia, American Airlines and SAS Scandinavian.

MD83

The MD83 is a further improvement on the MD82 in that it has better and uprated engines and more fuel storage.  Before it became the MD83 it was known as the DC9-83.  This one can carry upto 172 passengers and has a range of around 2500 miles.  Major operators include American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Aero Mexico.

MD87

The MD87 was designed to be more competative with the Boeing 737.  It has a reduced fuselage and can carry a maximum of 139 passengers and can fly over a range of around 3500 miles.  Major customers include SAS Scandinavian, Iberia and Aeromexico.

MD88

The MD88 is a further improvement on the the MD80 series and this time an all new EFIS flight deck has been installed.  It has a range of around 3000 miles and can carry 172 passengers.  Major customers include Delta and Aerolineas Argentinas.

MD90

The MD90 was launched in 1989 and was designed to be a stretch of the MD88.  As well as an EFIS flight deck there are new IAE V2500 engines fitted to the aircraft.  It made its first flight in 1993 and entered service with Delta in 1995.  It could only carry 172 passengers because of safety regulations, but does have a much improved performance.  A total of 114 were built including a few built under licence in China.  There were 2 main variants which were the MD90-30 which was the baseline model and the MD90-30ER which featured an extra auxilary fuel tank for extra range.  Production ended in 2001.  Major customers include Saudi Arabian, Delta and China Eastern.