C-54 Skymaster

Infobox Aircraft
name= C-54 Skymaster


caption=
type= Military transport aircraft
manufacturer= Douglas Aircraft Company
designer=
first flight=
introduced= 1942
retired= 1975
status=
primary user= United States Army Air Forces
more users= United States Navy United States Air Force
produced=
number built= 1,170
unit cost=
developed from = Douglas DC-4
variants with their own articles=

The Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces in World War II.

Design and development

Like the C-47 Skytrain, the C-54 Skymaster was derived from a civilian airliner (the Douglas DC-4).

Operational history

C-54s began service with the US Army Air Forces in 1942, carrying up to 26 passengers. (Later versions carried up to 50 passengers.) The U.S. Navy also acquired the type, under the designation R5D. The C-54 was one of the most commonly used long-range transports by the U.S. armed forces in World War II. 515 C-54s were manufactured in Santa Monica, CA and 655 were manufactured in Chicago, Illinois.

After World War II, the C-54 continued to serve as the primary airlifter of the new United States Air Force and with the United States Navy.

The USAF Strategic Air Command had C-54 Skymasters in service from 1946 through 1975.

President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947, which created the U.S. Air Force, on board "Sacred Cow", the Presidential C-54 which is preserved at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. More than 300 C-54s and R5Ds formed the backbone of the US contribution to the Berlin Airlift in 1948. They also served as the main airlift during the Korean War. After the Korean War, the C-54 was replaced by the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, but continued to be used by the U.S. Air Force until 1972.

The C-54 was the personal aircraft of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Douglas MacArthur, and Winston Churchill (along with an Avro York). The C-54 was also used by the Royal Air Force, South African Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, the Armée de l'Air, and the armed forces of at least twelve other nations.

Variants

;C-54:First production variant adapted from DC-4, 24 built.;C-54A:First military version with strengthened airframe, increased fuel capacity, provision for passengers or cargo, Navy equivalent R5D-1, 252 built.;MC-54A:Optional designation for C-54As used for medical evacuation.;C-54B:Increased fuel capacity in the wing, One was used by Winston Churchill, 220 built.;VC-54C:One C-54A converted as Presidential transport version used by Franklin D. Roosevelt.;C-54D:Same as C-54B but with R-2000-11 engines, 380 built.;AC-54D:Small number of aircraft modified with special electronic calibration and communications equipment. The aircraft were redesignated EC-54D.;EC-54D:Redesignation of the AC-54D.;HC-54D Rescuemaster:Redesignation of the SC-54D.;JC-54D:Nine C-54Ds temporary converted for missile tracking and nose-cone recovery.;SC-54D:38 aircraft converted by Convair, as search and rescue aircraft. Later redesignated HC-54D.;TC-54D:C-54Ds converted into multi-engine training aircraft.;VC-54D:C-54Ds converted into VIP transport aircraft.;WC-54D:C-54Ds converted for weather reconnaissance.;'C-54E:Further revision to fuel tanks and provision for rapid conversion from passenger to cargo, 125 built.;AC-54E:C-54Es converted for airways calibration, redesignated EC-54E in 1962.;EC-54E:AC-54E redesignated in 1962.;HC-54E:SC-54E redesignated in 1962.;SC-54E:C-54E converted for air-sea rescue, redesingated HC-54E in 1962.;VC-54E:C-54Es converted as a staff transport.;XC-54F:Proposed experimental paratroop version, not built.;C-54G:Same as C-54E but with different version of the R2000 engine.;HC-54G:SC-54G redesignated in 1962.;JC-54G:C-54Gs used for temporary testing.;SC-54G:C-54Gs converted for air-sea rescue, redesignated HC-54G in 1962.;VC-54G:C-54Gs converted into VIP/staff transport aircraft.;C-54GM:The designation of the DC-4 version made by Canadair.;C-54H:Paratroop transport. None built.;C-54J:Staff transport project, none built. Navy designation R5D-6.;XC-54K:Long range version, one aircraft built with Wright R-1820 engines.;C-54L:One C-54A aircraft tested in 1947 with an experimental fuel system.;C-54M:Specialized modification of C-54 to carry coal during the Berlin Airlift, 38 conversions.;MC-54M:Specialized modification of C-54E for medical evacuation, 30 conversions.;VC-54N:R5D-1Z redesignated in 1962.;C-54P:R5-D2 redesignated in 1962.;VC-54P:R5-D2Z redesignated in 1962.;C-54Q:R5D-3 redesignated in 1962.;VC-54Q:R5D-3Z redesignated in 1962.;C-54R:R5D-4R redesingated in 1962.;C-54S:R5D-5 redesingnated in 1962.;VC-54S:R5D-5Z redesignated in 1962.;C-54T:R5D-5R redesingated in 1962.;EC-54U:R5D-4 redesignated in 1962.;RC-54V:R5D-3P redesignated in 1962.;R5D-1:56 C-54As transferred to the United States Navy.;R5D-1C:R5D-1s modified in US Navy service, with a fuel system based on the one used in the C-54B.;R5D-1F:Naval staff transport conversions of the R5D-1, redesignated R5D-1Z then VC-54N.;R5D-1Z:Interim designation of the R5D-1F.;R5D-2:30 C-54Bs transferred to the United States Navy, redesignated C-54P in 1962.;R5D-2F:Naval staff transport conversion of the R5D-2, redesignated R5D-2Z then VC-54P in 1962.;R5D-2Z:Interim designation of the R5D-2F.;R5D-3:95 C-54Ds transferred to the United States Navy, redesignated C-54Q in 1962.;R5D-3P:Photo survey conversions of the R5D-3, redesignated RC-54V in 1962.;R5D-3Z:Naval staff transport conversions of the R5D-3, redesignated VC-54Q in 1962.;R5D-4:20 C-54Es transferred to the United States Navy, redesignated EC-54U in 1962.;R5D-4R:Passenger only conversion of the R5D-4, redesignated C-54R in 1962.;R5D-5:R5D-2 and R5D-3s re-engined to approximate C-54G standards, redesignated C-54S in 1962.;R5D-5R:Passenger only conversion of the R5D-5, redesignated C-54T in 1962, 86 conversion.;R5D-5Z:Staff transport conversion of the R5D-5, redesignated VC-54S in 1962.;R5D-6:Proposed USN version of the C-54J with passenger interior, not built.;XC-112:Pressurized variant of the C-54B with Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engines. None built.;XC-112A:As XC-112. One built. Developed into DC-6 / C-118 family.;XC-114:Stretched C-54E powered by Allison V-1710 engines. One built.;XC-115:XC-114 with Packard V-1650 engines. None Built.;YC-116:XC-114 with thermal de-icing rather than rubber boots for testing, one built.;Skymaster I:Royal Air Force designation for 22 C-54Ds.

Operators

Military operators

*ARG
*BEL
*BRA
*CAN: RCAF (DC-4M)
*COL
*CUB
*DNK
*ETH
*FRA
*HON
*ISL: Icelandic Coast Guard
*ISR: IDF/AF
*MEX
*NIG
*PER
*POR
*SAU
*flag|South Africa|1928
*KOR
*ESP
*THA
*TUR
*UK: RAF
*USA: USAAC, USAAF, USAF, United States Navy, USMC, USCG
*ZIM

Civilian operators

*AUS: Trans Australia Airlines
*BEL: Sabena, Avions Fairey, Belgian International
*CAN: Canadian Pacific, Curtiss Reid Flying Services Canada, Kenting Aviation, Maritime Central Airways, Pacific Western, Transair
*COL: Avianca
*ISL: Icelandair, Loftleidir
*ISR: El Al
*UK: Invicta, Starways,
*USA: Pan American, Trans World Airlines, Aero Union

pecifications (C-54G)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

crew=4
capacity=50 troops
length main=93 ft 10 in
length alt=28.6 m
span main=117 ft 6 in
span alt=35.8 m
height main=27 ft 6 in
height alt=8.38 m
area main=1,460 ft²
area alt=136 m²
empty weight main=38,930 lb
empty weight alt=17,660 kg
loaded weight main=62,000 lb
loaded weight alt=28,000 kg
max takeoff weight main=73,000 lb
max takeoff weight alt=33,000 kg
engine (prop)=Pratt & Whitney R-2000-9
type of prop=radial engines
number of props=4
power main=1,450 hp
power alt=1,080 kW
max speed main=275 mph
max speed alt=239 knots, 442 km/h
cruise speed main=190 mph
cruise speed alt=165 knots, 310 km/h
range main=4,000 mi
range alt=6,400 km
ceiling main=22,300 ft
ceiling alt=6,800 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=42.5 lb/ft²
loading alt=207 kg/m²
power/mass main=0.094 hp/lb
power/mass alt=160 W/kg

ee also

aircontent
related=
* Douglas DC-4
* Douglas DC-6
* Douglas DC-7

similar aircraft=

lists=
*List of military aircraft of the United States
*List of military aircraft of the United States (naval)

see also=

References

*cite book
last=Francillon
first=René
year=1979
title=McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Since 1920: Volume I
location=London
publisher=Putnam
id=ISBN 0-87021-428-4
*cite book
last=Yenne
first=Bill
year=1985
title=McDonnell Douglas: A Tale of Two Giants
location=Greenwich, Connecticut
publisher=Bison Books
id=ISBN 0-517-44287-6