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| In response to the requirements of five major US airlines, Douglas designed and built the large 52-passenger DC-4, which made its first flight on 7 June 1938. This type was not put into production; instead a smaller unpressurised development was ordered by American, Eastern and United Air Lines. This, too, bore the designation DC-4 and the original aeroplane became the DC-4E. The new aircraft flew on 14 February 1942, by which time the US was at war and all 24 DC-4A built were taken by the armed forces.
The DC-4 had a retractable nosewheel undercarriage and was powered by four 820-1,080kW Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasps. It was, for its time, an ideal long-range heavy logistic transport with a payload of up to 9,980kg. The military production version was the C-54. A total of 207 C-54A were built, followed by increased-capacity C-54B, similar C-54D with Pratt & Whitney R-2000-11 radials, C-54E with convertible cargo/passenger interiors, and C-54G with new engines. Nine hundred and fifty-two Skymasters were completed for the USAAF and 211 for the US Navy which designated them as R5D Skymasters.
Used in all theatres of war, none achieved a more impressive record than those operated by the USAAF's Air Transport Command. With this Command C-54 established the first regular transport service across the North Atlantic, averaging for a long period 20 double-crossings per day. One, the VC-54C-DO Sacred Cow, served as President Roosevelt's special aircraft and a C-54B-1-DO was used by Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
After the war Douglas built 79 civil DC-4-1009 and many of the military aircraft became available for airline operation - mostly with 44 seats but later with as many as 86. On 7 March 1946 American Airlines was first to introduce DC-4 on US domestic services, between New York and Los Angeles. However in October 1945 American Overseas Airlines had introduced DC-4 on North Atlantic services.
| CREW | 4 |
| PASSENGERS | 40-44 |
| ENGINE | 4 x P+W R-2000-25, 1065kW |
| WEIGHTS |
| Take-off weight | 33140 kg | 73062 lb |
| Empty weight | 20000 kg | 44093 lb |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 35.8 m | 117 ft 5 in |
| Length | 28.6 m | 94 ft 10 in |
| Height | 8.4 m | 28 ft 7 in |
| Wing area | 136.0 m2 | 1463.89 sq ft |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Max. speed | 450 km/h | 280 mph |
| Cruise speed | 365 km/h | 227 mph |
| Ceiling | 6900 m | 22650 ft |
| Range w/max.fuel | 6000 km | 3728 miles |
| Range w/max payload | 2200 km | 1367 miles |
| Chuck Williams, e-mail, 28.08.2010 07:16 I flew on C-54s out of Kodiak Alaska in 1963. We flew all over Alaska, and down to the lower 48 on "milk and bread" runs. We flew the USO shows out to Adak and Shemia (sp?) Islands, on the Aleutian chain. I flew as an orderly and load-master. We flew with an "all" enlisted crew, which stirred some heads at some of our destinations. One US military base, which will remain nameless, thought we had stolen the aircraft. Chief Drum was the Plane Commander, I believe. We operated two or three C-54s and one HU-16D Albatross. "Big AL" was one of our radio operators. The flight engineers were called "Plane Captains" in those days. I'd love to hear from anyone that was stationed at AMD NS Kodiak Alaska in 1962-63. Chuck Williams AMSC USN Ret. reply | | Bud Smith ADCS USN (Ret), e-mail, 08.03.2010 21:46 Was crew chief for USN Project RAINBO at NAS Anacostia then Project RAM at NAS PT MUGU CA. Flew C-54 Buno 90413,
special project A /C with VIP section aft and electronics package fwd section of the A /C. Flew it all over the US and across the Atlantic to Paris for an International Aerospace medical convention circa 1961. Great memories of
duty in a small special project team. reply | | Eddie Stough, e-mail, 22.02.2010 22:00 Berline Airlift 1948-1949 at Frankfort and Wiesbaden, Germany (333rd Troop Carrier Sqdn.) reply | | Don Wilson, e-mail, 07.02.2010 02:53 Another great airplane that I was priveleged to fly for about 1200 hours, including doing the airlift from the British Zone (Celle) to the French Zone airport in Berlin. That was a dirty job (as we flew nothing but COAL) and the poor aircraft were dirty as we. When overhauls were done at Burtonwwood, England, I heard that as much as a ton of coal dust was removed from underneath the floor boards in the belly. Subsequently I flew the C-54 for admin purposes out of Puerto Rico (Ramey AFB) and other assignements. It was a good airplane but as ALL Douglas products, the designers didn't leave much room for the pilots. In that at the gooney I kept bumping my head on the overhead radio controls getting in and out of the pilot's seat!! Then they came along withe the B-29 and 50 that gave us a cockpit with the windshield about five feet ahead and three feet in front of the instrument panel. reply | |
| | Joe Roberts, e-mail, 26.01.2010 02:39 I was radio officer in C-54s 1943 unil end of WW2 Flying Air Transport Command from Miami to India. Crews were employees of Pan American Airways and the planes were government owned We were not in the US Air Force, but wore military style uniforms and in many respects were treated as military. We carried military cargo and personnel from Miamito Natal, Brazil, to Ascension Island, to Accra, Gold Coast, Africa (now Ghana) across Africa to Chabua, eastern India. Pan Amerian flew four flights a day from Miami on this route. US Air Force aircraft took the passengers and cargo from Chabua into China. The C-54 was a beautiful airplane for its time. reply | | Joe ciavardone, e-mail, 15.01.2010 04:34 When I was in the Air Force I was stationed in Alaska at Elemndorf AFB, and was a flight engineer on General Frank Armstrong's VC-54E, he was head of the Alaska Air Command. he was also the man the picture Twelve O"clock High was about. reply | | Roy b, e-mail, 08.01.2010 20:41 Where did RC-54D tail No. 42-72536 go? She was my bird while in GB Lab. I shipped into Det (2) 48th ARS in 61 and a month later we were 54th ARS. SAC was still doing their "broken Arrows", and I would catch a round robin to Pease (home) on a KC-97 back in 62 reply | | Jack Wichmann, e-mail, 29.09.2009 21:14 My cousins husband was the stewart on the Sacred Cow with F.D.R. and Harry Truman.His name was Rodrick ROBITAILLE,TECH SGT. reply | | Wouter Hobe, e-mail, 25.09.2009 03:33 I flew as a paseenger from Lisboa to Madrid on Iberia, No pressurized cabin, flying low over the mountains, almost shearing the trees. reply | | Leo Rudnicki, e-mail, 28.08.2009 21:12 Rolls- Royce salesmen were superior to Bristol salesmen. A special model was custom-built for the North Star and it actually worked better than one might presume. The cumulative effect of noise in the pre-rock concert days was not appreciated and attempts to quiet the engines were indeed unsuccessful. Hearing aid sales in later years flourished. A connection??? reply | | Steve, e-mail, 28.08.2009 19:03 Postwar, Canadair built a modified version powered by Rolls-Royce Merlins, supposedly to keep some of the money within the sterling area. While politically-inspired industrial offsets are a way of life in the aviation industry, why did they choose the Merlin? The Bristol Hercules offered the same output, and was a less uncomfortably noisy engine. (For the latter, see C.F. Rawnsley's "Night Fighter", in which the flight comfort of the Mosquito was compared unfavorably with that of the Beaufighter on that account.) reply | | Pam Shewan, e-mail, 03.07.2009 23:35 When did Eastern Airlines stop using the DC-4 ? Thanks for your reply ? reply | | ed nowakowski, e-mail, 28.07.2008 22:11 my dad built this c54 at chicago 1942 reply | | Mark Grudt, e-mail, 14.03.2008 04:24 When did the last DC-3 and DC-4 roll off their production lines? reply | |
| | Dave Buckerfield, e-mail, 03.05.2007 00:49 Buffalo Airways in the Northweste Territories of Canada still offers daily DC-3 scheduled service and uses DC-4 and DC-6 for cargo and firefighting. The radial engines sound great roaring overhead everyday. reply | | Tom Setcoski, e-mail, 19.12.2006 07:52 Dear Sirs: My Dad was the flight engineer for many years on this plane. Do you know where he can see one, or better yet, fly in one. He's
michigans most decoreated world war 2 vet, he's getting old now,,,. I'am doing a doucumentary, and would love for him to talk inside one near to him.. He lives in Michigan now.... Thanks for your help... Rom reply |
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