Douglas C-54D Skymaster - Travis AFB, Fairfield, CA - Static Aircraft Displays on Waymarking.com

The Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) and British forces in WW II and the Korean War. Besides transport of cargo, it also carried presidents, British heads of government, and military staff. Dozens of variants of the C-54 were employed in a wide variety of non-combat roles such as air-sea rescue, scientific and military research and missile tracking and recovery. During the Berlin Airlift it hauled coal and food supplies to West Berlin.

After the Korean War it continued to be used for military and civilian uses by more than thirty countries. This was one of the first aircraft to carry the President of the United States and to assume the call sign 'Air Force One'.

The C-54 was derived from the DC-4 commercial airliner and was introduced in 1942. Built as a C-54D-5-DC s/n 42-72560 by Douglas Aircraft Co and delivered to the USAF in 1943. In April 1945, it was transferred to the US Navy as R5D-3 BuNo 56505.

This aircraft was assigned to VX-6, named "Have Gum, Will Travel", and was involved in Operation Deep Freeze from October 1955 to February 1964. Initial fly-in to McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, was in December 1955. It flew transport and photographic missions and far ranging exploratory flights over the South Polar Plateau, including over the South Geographic Pole during January 1956. It was equipped with dual inertial navigation systems for polar navigation.

When the tri-service designation system went into effect in 1962, it was redesignated C-54Q. Surplussed in February 1975, it was sold to Central Air Service for aerial firefighting as N67041 and assigned Air Tanker number 149. In December 1989, it went to Travis Air Museum and is now displayed in its original USAF serial number.

Specifications:
Crew: 4
Power Plant: 4× 1,450 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2000-9 Twin Wasp 14-cylinder radial engines
Dimensions:
- Span: 117' 6"
- Length: 93' 10"
- Height: 27' 6"
Weight:
- Empty: 38,930 lb
- Maximum: 73,000 lb
Performance:
- Speed:
- - Max: 275 mph
- - Cruise: 190 mph
- Range: 4,000 miles
- Ceiling: 22,300 ft
- Climb: 1,130 fpm

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Type of Aircraft: (make/model): Douglas C-54D Skymaster Tail Number: (S/N): s/n 42-72560 Construction:: original aircraft Location (park, airport, museum, etc.): Located at Travis AFB, Fairfield, CA inside / outside: outside Access restrictions: Located in the traffic circle on Mather St in front of the BX, Travis AFB, CA Other Information:: Not listed

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