United States' Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport

Photos

Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport:	Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport:	Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport:	Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport:	Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport:	Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport:	Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport:	Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport: US Army Airforces3	Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport: Aeronautics Aircraft Spotters' Handbook3
Douglas C-54C Skymaster transport, "Sacred Cow" in 1948. Was President Roosevelt's aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport:

Design

The Douglas C-54 Skymaster was based on the DC-4.^1,2,3 The DC-4 was to be a civilian transport and 24 were in production at the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.¹ The United States Army Air Force took over the aircraft and designated it the C-54.¹

Prototype

The C-54 first flew on February 14, 1942.¹

Production

Only 34 C-54s were ordered in the first order placed.²

• Douglas C-54: 24¹
• Douglas C-54A: 207¹
• Douglas C-54B: 220¹
• Douglas C-54D: 350¹
• Douglas C-54E: 75¹
• Douglas C-54G: 76¹
• Douglas XC-54K: 1¹
• Douglas R5D-1: 58¹
• Douglas R5D-2: 30¹
• Douglas R5D-3: 98¹
• Douglas R5D-4: 20¹
• Douglas XC-114: 1¹
• Douglas YC-116: 1¹
• Douglas DC-4: 79¹
• Total: >1,100², 1,242¹
  • Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft Company²

Variants

• Douglas C-54:
• Douglas C-54A / Douglas R5D-1: Had a stronger floor.¹ Added a cargo door and freight hoist.¹ Could be converted from passengers, troops, or freight.¹
• Douglas C-54B / Douglas R5D-2: Had integral wing tanks.¹ Could carry stretchers.¹
• Douglas C-54C: Conversion of one C-54A for use by President Roosevelt.¹
• Douglas C-54D / Douglas R5D-3: Had R-2000-11 engines.¹
• Douglas C-54E / Douglas R5D-4: Had extra fuel capacity.¹
• Douglas C-54G / Douglas R5D-5: Had R-2000-9 engines (1,450 HP).¹
• Douglas XC-54K: Long range.¹
• Douglas XC-114 / Douglas YC-116: Allison V-1710 engines.¹

Usage

Britain and the United States used the C-54.¹

The C-54s flew 79,642² / ~80,000 ocean crossings and only lost three aircraft.^1,2

United Kingdom

The Royal Air Force (RAF) received 23 C-54s and designated them Skymaster Mk. Is.¹ Winston Churchill used one.¹

Berlin Airlift

C-54s were used extensively during the Berlin Airlift.²

1960s

The last of the C-54s were withdrawn from active service.²

Specifications

	Douglas C-54 Skymaster1,3	Douglas C-54A Skymaster1,2	Douglas C-54B Skymaster1
Type	Transport1	Transport2
Crew		42
Passengers	501	502
Engine (Type)	4: Pratt & Whitney R-2000-71	4: Pratt & Whitney R-2000-7 Twin Wasp2
OR	4: Pratt & Whitney R-2000-11 Twin Wasp1
Cylinders	Radial 141	Radial 142
Cooling		Air2
HP	1,350 each1	1,290 each2
Propeller blades	3 each1
Capacity
Dimensions
Span	117' 6"1,3 35.81 m1	117' 6"2
Length	93' 10"1,3 28.6 m1	93' 10"2
Height	27' 6"1, 27' 9"3 8.38 m1	27' 6"2
Wing area
Weight
Empty		37,300 lb1 16,919 kg1	38,200 lb1 17,327 kg1
Loaded	52,000 lb3	62,000 lb2, 68,000 lb1 30,845 kg1
Maximum load			73,000 lb1 33,113 kg1
Performance
Speed	250 mph3	265 mph2
Speed @ 14,000' / 4,267 m		275 mph1 442 kph1
Cruising speed		190 - 239 mph1 306 -385 kph1
Climb		1,010'/minute1 308 m/minute1
Service ceiling		22,000'2, 22,500'1 6,858 m1
Range with maximum payload		1,500 miles1 2,414 km1
Maximum range	2,540 miles3	3,900 miles1,2 6,276 km1
Armament		None2