DC-10 third engine?

Question

Is the tail engine really an engine or is this the APU?

Answer 1

It's an actual engine.

By the way, it's engine #2.

The engines are numbered left to right.

Answer 2

Yes it is an engine and it was number 2. the engines are numbered from left to right 1 being on the left,2 in the center,and 3 on the right. McDonald Douglas did design studies of a two engined DC-10 variant but did not produce it. If they had the twin-engined DC-10 would have taken the market that Airbus filled with the A300 and A310 airplanes.

Answer 3

An APU would not have a huge intake or exhaust like that.  It's a regular engine, just like the middle engine on a 727 or the L-1011.

Answer 4

Actually a full size engine.

Answer 5

it is a full size rolls royce engine

Answer 6

Its the #2 engine

Answer 7

It is a real engine that provides 1/3 of the thrust for the airplane.

Answer 8

full size engine, as you can tell by looking at a photo of the plane.

Answer 9

actually its the no.2 engine the no.3 is the right engine.It's one h**l of a job to replace it. in the fwd of the APU there is an access where you can go up and manually open the start valve  if it fails and needs manual opening for engine starting.

If the DC-10 did not drop that engine the DC-10 could well compete with Boeing & Airbus until now.