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| Built as an enlarged and pressurised DC-4 in order to compete with the Lockheed Constellation, the DC-6 (as the XC-112A) first flew on 15 February 1946. It had a 2.06m longer fuselage than the DC-4, accommodation for 48-52 passengers and was powered by four 1,565kW Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp CA15 engines. American Airlines and United Air Lines introduced the DC-6 on 27 April 1946. A total of 175 DC-6 were built. The windowless DC-6A freighter followed in 1949, powered by 1,788.5kW Double Wasps, with reinforced floor and double cargo doors - 74 were built.
The DC-6A was 1.52m longer than the DC-6 (101 going to the USAF as C-118A transports). The DC-6B, with accommodation for 54-102 passengers, first flew on 2 February 1951 and also had the longer fuselage. American Airlines introduced DC-6B on its US transcontinental services on 29 April 1951. It was one of the finest and most economical piston-engined transports. It remained in production until 1958 and 288 were built. Many of the DC-6 series were later converted to freighters.
| CREW | 3-5 |
| PASSENGERS | 64-92 |
| ENGINE | 4 x P+W R-2800-CB17, 1840kW |
| WEIGHTS |
| Take-off weight | 48125 kg | 106098 lb |
| Empty weight | 24583 kg | 54197 lb |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 35.8 m | 117 ft 5 in |
| Length | 32.2 m | 106 ft 8 in |
| Height | 8.7 m | 29 ft 7 in |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Max. speed | 575 km/h | 357 mph |
| Cruise speed | 495 km/h | 308 mph |
| Range w/max.fuel | 7856 km | 4882 miles |
| Robert Atwell, e-mail, 06.01.2012 06:25 I started on C-118s out of McGuire as a FTS and went to Hamilton to fly C-121 /C-47 /T-29 /C131s. Later back to Hickam and flew C-118s (3305) and on to Andrews to C-9s /C-140 /VC 135s /Vc137s on to Offutt on E-4A. Finally retired as F /SGT. At McGuire I was in the 30th ATS. reply | | Robert C Atwell, e-mail, 07.11.2011 07:12 Flew as a FTS on C-118s out of McGuire on all routes and flew C-118 from 63-70 (To include SEA). Ended up with about 7,000 on it. Last flight was out of Hickam on 3305. First Sgt in 30th 1964 was M /sgt Lopez. Went to FTS school Tinker with Fred Mattingly.Two other FTS Fran Guras /Eddie Wawru. Lost a lot of engines on the C-118. reply | | mike donavon, e-mail, 04.11.2011 02:53 I worked on the C-118A's, at Wiesbanden Air Base, from late 1968, until they were transferred (think in 1970 or so). Was in the Instrument shop. The comment about "low BMEP was correct"! All of the instrument systems were "bears". The fuel quantity indicating system would work two men and a boy to death! :-) Overall, a great airplane - loved those R-2800's! reply | | Mitch Allen, e-mail, 04.11.2011 02:22 I was honored to fly the C-118A out of Andrews AFB from 1972 to 1975. In 1975, the USAF went pure jet. I remember the old guys telling me about the great flight, they performed with Round Engines in 1948 and after. But after the T-38, I perfer jets. I feel that the real thrill of the Round Engines was in the exploration of flight. After 20,000 hours of flying, I thank all of those Real Airman of the Round Engines. Retired Captain Mitch Allen reply | |
| | Mary Vernoy, e-mail, 19.10.2011 20:46 As an AT3, I flew as a FCFCO (Flight Communications Operator) in VR 54 out of NAS New Orleans in the early 1970's (one of the few female Aircrew). Loved it! reply | | ADCS Patrick Mc Closkey, e-mail, 07.10.2011 22:26 I FLEW IN THE R6D CII8 AS A FLIGHT ENGINEER IN VR3 AT NAVY MOFFETT FIELD CALIFORNIA IN 1952 UNDER THE COMMAND OF "MATS" WE HAD BRAND NEW AIRCRAFT AN ALSO SOME OLDER R5D C54 IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE TO FLY SOME TRIPS PRESSURIZED AND OTHERS NON'.IN THE RESERVE PROGRAM WE TRANSITIONED TO C9B'S IN ABOUT THE END OF 1983 I HAVE BEEN A "VR SAILOR"MOST OF MY NAVY CARRER {39 YEARS ACTIVE & RESERVE] I LOVED IT !!! VR3 [ACTIVE] VR721 VR723 VR51 (RESERVE "FLY NAVY"!!!! reply | | John mahoney, e-mail, 25.09.2011 19:39 I worked on the DC-6 /C-118 for Trans Continental Airlines at Willow Run Airport; Trans Air Link at Opa Locka Airport and Challenge Air Transport in Miami. It was a wonderful freightliner for hops around 500 miles radius. I went to Alaska with TCA in 1980 and flew salmon back to the cannery in Kenai. The airframe never let us down. I was blessed to have wrenched on this type from 1978-1983. I still have fond memories of the DC-6. reply | | Charles Dickerson, e-mail, 03.08.2011 04:15 I was stationed at Floyd Bennett Field, NAS New York from 1964-1968. I flew as a flt /eng in and out of Viet Nam 67-68.I am having trouble getting my fight records. I would like to know if anyone else is having this problem? If you or anyone you know has pictures or flew with me I would appreciate you passing them along. Those were the good days and great people. reply | | Waldo A Molina, e-mail, 01.07.2011 21:04 Flt.Eng.PAA Atlantic & Pacific. R-2800 a reliable engine. In cold and hot climates. Cruise Control a very important part of Flt. Eng.duties.
wam reply | | Floyd W. Smith, e-mail, 24.05.2011 09:00 I was attached to VR-21 as an ADR3 Mech. from 10 /1962 to 10 /1964. Worked 2nd shifr LINE TROUBLE SHOOTING crew. Earl Wigham was section leader. Ace Johnson was CO. Had preflight and engine runup quals. Many fond memories of those times. Would like to contact former squadrons members. reply | | sally adams, e-mail, 21.05.2011 22:53 hey Dianne, I think you married my boyfriend, Gary Weitzel.. We broke up when I called it off, I suddenly realized I didn't really know him, most of our "going together" was through letters. There wasn't that "best friend" thing going on. He was a great guy, really cute. reply | | Russ Colombo, e-mail, 21.05.2011 17:32 After a 43-year career as Professional Flight Engineer with American Airlines, (America's Leading Airline; Something Special In The Air; The On-Time Machine), I look back with a genuine fondness towards my time on the DC-6, 6B, and 7. Before the turbines took over, these aircraft were honest machines that lent themselves easily to logic and common sense but still retained a facility to forgive those lacking such virtues. The less forgiving turbine age, of course, required on board computers to fill that gap...(sigh). reply |
| Nick Messina, e-mail, 12.05.2011 02:53 I was attached to VR-3 NAS Moffett Field, CA, and McGuire AFB, NJ. from 1956 to 1958. This was the best Navy duty I had and would be interested in hearing from anyone that was also serving at the same place and time. We had a fleet of R6D's based at hangar 3 at Moffett. reply | | ken miller,USAF,class61E, e-mail, 06.05.2011 17:06 As Dave Stockbridge above, I also was in the 29ATS (McGurire) and also the 48TH ATS (Hickam) flying the C-118. The C-118 had a very reliable engine, R-2800 and when the squadron closed down, I was transferred to Hill flying the C-124 with the R-4360 (a rougher running engine). I had an engine quit climbing out of Pago-Pago on a hot day on the equator in the C-124 at max gross at a crosswind only runway with no tower and it took all my skills (the few skills that I had) to get it back on the ground safely! I flew for United for 29years with 10 years on the B-747. I now live in Reno after 42 years of flying! reply | |
| | Lynn H Hackett, e-mail, 15.04.2011 21:05 I was 10 years old in January 1960 when my family and I flew from McGuire AFB to somewhere in Newfoundland, then to Prestwick, then to Mildenhall. A staff car took us from there to Alconbury AFB, where we arrived at Headquarters in what seemed to me to have been the middle of the night. There was no housing for us, so we moved into two barely heated rooms in an English hotel in Huntingdon and lived there for six weeks. Just as in Mark's note above, in Newfoundland the snow towered above us. Us kids found that pretty cool, but mother was 5 months pregnant and had her hands full with me, my 11 year old brother, and my six year old sister (we were of course bored by the long flight). Mother has always remembered a young Navy officer giving her a glass of juice, with the comment, "Compliments of the US Navy." Our Dad, who had been a squadron commander with the Eighth Air Force in WWII, and a POW at Stalag Luft III, took it all in stride. I always wondered what aircraft we had taken to England (I recalled props and backward seats) until I met a retired USAF flight mechanic who told me that likely we were in a C-118. reply | | Marvin Webb, e-mail, 06.03.2011 05:28 My only flight(Jan 1959) in a C-118A was scheduled McQuire-Harmon-Prestwick-Frankfurt. It did not turn out that way. We took off and lost an engine and circled back to McQuire for repairs, then took off again with an engine "cowl? left off, and returned again to replace the cowl. We flew to Harmon(and spent the night awaiting repairs on the same engine, then we flew close to Prestwick(fogged in) and so were diverted to the Azores for re-fueling(I think for the plane and the passngrs). Then we finally flew to Frankfurt. It was a horrible smelly airplane by that time with full toilets and dirty diapers. What a memory! reply | | Vern Baisden, e-mail, 01.03.2011 22:04 Only flew the DC-6B once. As co-pilot on first leg, then Captains seat on second leg. Having flown the same engines
in Cv-340 and 440, The thing that made flying this airplane so easy was the flight engineer. Just call METO and it happens, climb and cruise power the same way. It was an easy airplane to fly. Just fly the gauges and let the flight engineer do the work. Lots of fun. reply | | Dick Spencer, e-mail, 08.02.2011 16:27 I was in the 30th ATS at McGuire From Nov. 1960 until Feb. 1965. I left the USAF to go to work for American Airline. The 4000 hours of C-118 time made new hire school (DC-6 /DC-7) with American a "piece of cake". The MATS experience was great training for an airline career. I married Nancy Darrough in 1962 who was a FTS in the 38th squadron. I remember flying with Mel Mendelson and Dianne Weitzel. I still have fond memories of Mcguire and the C-118! Would love to fly one again. reply | | byron bies msgt usaf retired, e-mail, 29.01.2011 01:44 jack i was at hickam 1963-64-65 iwas aflight engineer in the 48th ats i remember acrew chief by the name arrowwood,i also remember flying with col nordyk,i left after thesquadron was deactivated in 1965, we went with 3 airplanes to clark,in 66 iwent to c141s at travis then c5s retired in 1978.the c118 was one of the greatest airplanes and a flight engineers fun time to fly.i think i remember stockbridge. reply | | byron bies msgt usaf retired, e-mail, 29.01.2011 01:40 jack i was at hickam 1963-64-65 iwas aflight engineer in the 48th ats i remember acrew chief by the name arrowwood,i also remember flying with col nordyk,i left after thesquadron was deactivated in 1965, we went with 3 airplanes to clark,in 66 iwent to c141s at travis then c5s retired in 1978.the c118 was one of the greatest airplanes and a flight engineers fun time to fly. reply |
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Were you in the airforce and based in Germany in the late sixties?
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