McDonnell Douglas DC-10

The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 was a wide-body jet airliner that made its first flight in 1970. Designed to carry around 270 passengers, it featured a distinctive three-engine layout, with two engines mounted under the wings and a third built into the base of the tail, giving it the range and capacity for long domestic and international routes.

The DC-10 entered a competitive market alongside the very similar Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, and the two trijets vied for sales among the world's airlines. The DC-10 offered carriers a high-capacity aircraft for routes that did not justify the larger Boeing 747, and it found wide use with both passenger and, later, cargo operators.

The type's reputation was affected by several high-profile accidents in the 1970s, which prompted design changes and intensified scrutiny of its systems. Despite these difficulties, the DC-10 served for decades, and its design lineage continued in the modernized MD-11. Freighter versions remained in service long after passenger operations wound down.