Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Douglas · United States · first flew 1942 · transport aircraft
The Douglas C-54 Skymaster was the military version of the Douglas DC-4, serving as the USAAF's principal long-range strategic transport throughout World War II and the backbone of the Berlin Airlift in 1948–49. President Roosevelt's personal transport 'Sacred Cow' was a C-54.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 28.63 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Four-engine WWII strategic transport derived from DC-4
- Tricycle undercarriage (a WWII rarity for large transports)
- Pratt & Whitney R-2000 Twin Wasp engines, round windows
The C-54/DC-4 has four Twin Wasp engines, a low wing, tricycle undercarriage (unusual for wartime four-engine types), a circular fuselage cross-section with round windows, and no pressurisation — less elegant than the DC-6 but serviceable and reliable.
Specifications
- The Douglas C-54 Skymaster has a length of 28.63 m (94 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 35.81 m (117 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 442 km/h (275 mph).
- Typical crew: 5, up to 50 passengers.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The prototype DC-4E had been a complex failure, but the simplified DC-4 was developed and immediately requisitioned by the USAAF as the C-54 before any civil deliveries could be made. First flown in January 1942 in military form, the C-54 flew the South Atlantic route, supplied China over the Hump, and was the primary aircraft of the Berlin Airlift — landing at Tempelhof every three minutes at the airlift's peak.
Variants
The C-54A through C-54G differed in cargo/passenger configuration; the Navy designation was R5D. The VC-54C 'Sacred Cow' was FDR's personal transport.
Where you'll see it
Operated by USAAF/USAF, US Navy, and numerous allied air forces during and after WWII; civil DC-4s served with airlines worldwide into the 1960s; some military surplus examples flew freight into the 1980s.
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