What function does this aircraft have please..? Just wondering.....

aerial firefighting

Isnt it nice to see a 3 potholer, instead of the usual 2 and the (becoming less and less), old traditional 4 engined birds

I have personally been on the fireground with this bad girl dumping a load of retardant. Truly amazing to see.

Nothing like being on the fire line when one of these drops 5,000 lbs of red snot on you.

Wish they (Uncle Sam), would use these "ABLE" aircraft when needed than wait until things get out of hand, then call on them! Save lives-save property!

I was under the impression that the DC-10s had a fuselage-mounted center engine, and it was the advent of the MD-11 that put it up in the vertical stabilizer..

Mark Henley - I suspect you have the DC-10 confused with Lockheed's L-1011 TriStar.

This is in fact a DC-10. The L1011 has the top engine incorporated into the fuselage.