Douglas DC-8 (piston airliner)

Based on the cancelled XB-42, the program began shortly after the end of World War II. It was intended to operate on short- and medium-range routes, carrying between 40 and 48 passengers (these rated at ), as in the XB-42, by way of driveshafts under the cabin floor Cabin access would have been by airport stair through a single portside door. Despite performance predicted to significantly surpass conventional twin airliners, excessive complexity and high development costs (with consequent high sales price and operating costs) meant that less risky types, such as Convair's 240 and Martin's 2-0-2, were preferred, and the DC-8 was dropped before a prototype was built. ==Specifications (estimated)==