The Douglas DC-9 is a twin-jet short and medium range passenger aircraft that enjoyed a huge commercial success. Douglas Aircraft Company started producing the aircraft in the second half of the sixties, later the company was absorbed by McDonnell Aircraft in 1967.
The plane has a characteristic T-shaped tail and tail mounted engines. The early versions (-1, -15 and -20) were later joined by the -30 model, with a much longer fuselage, more powerful engines and slats on the wing leading edge, which provided a significant improvement in performance on short runways and in “hot and high” conditions.
Two later versions (-40 and -50) of the plane had a very limited success, both had an even longer fuselage and more powerful engines. The last DC-9 begun operating in October 1982.
The DC-9 on display, the 31-12 (production number 47595, MM 62012), is one of the twins employed by the 31st Squadron of the Italian Air Force and was used for diplomatic flights and for emergency transport. Among the multitude of VIP that flew on this airplane we must mention the President of the Italian Republic Sandro Pertini and the Saint Pope John Paul II. It was donated to Volandia museum in 2016.