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United States' Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport1
Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport:
Design
The Douglas C-54 Skymaster was based on the DC-4.1 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 State 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
- C-54: 241
- C-54A: 2071
- C-54B: 2201
- C-54D: 3501
- C-54E: 751
- C-54G: 761
- XC-54K: 11
- R5D-1: 581
- R5D-2: 301
- R5D-3: 981
- R5D-4: 201
- XC-114: 11
- YC-116: 11
- DC-4: 791
- Total: 1,2421
Variants
- C-54:
- C-54A / R5D-1: Had a stronger floor.1 Added a cargo door and freight hoist.1 Could be converted from passengers, troops, or freight.1
- C-54B / R5D-2: Had integral wing tanks.1 Could carry stretchers.1
- C-54C: Conversion of one C-54A for use by President Roosevelt.1
- C-54D / R5D-3: Had R-2000-11 engines.1
- C-54E / R5D-4: Had extra fuel capacity.1
- C-54G / R5D-5: Had R-2000-9 engines (1,450 HP).1
- XC-54K: Long range.1
- XC-114 / 116: Allison V-1710 engines.1
Usage
Britain and the United States used the C-54.1
The C-54s flew ~80,000 ocean crossings and only lost three aircraft.1
United Kingdom
The Royal Air Force (RAF) received 23 C-54s and designated them Skymaster Mk. Is.1 Winston Churchill used one.1
| Douglas C-54 Skymaster1 | Douglas C-54A Skymaster1 | Douglas C-54B Skymaster1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Transport1 | ||
| Crew | |||
| Engine (Type) | 4: Pratt & Whitney R-2000-71 | ||
| OR | 4: Pratt & Whitney R-2000-11 Twin Wasp1 | ||
| Cylinders | Radial 141 | ||
| Cooling | |||
| HP | 1,350 each1 | ||
| Propeller blades | 3 each1 | ||
| Capacity | |||
| Dimensions | |||
| Span | 117' 6"1 35.81 m1 |
||
| Length | 93' 10"1 28.6 m1 |
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| Height | 27' 6"1 8.38 m1 |
||
| Wing area | |||
| Weight | |||
| Empty | 37,300 lb1 16,919 kg1 |
38,200 lb1 17,327 kg1 |
|
| Loaded | 68,000 lb1 30,845 kg1 |
||
| Maximum load | 73,000 lb1 33,113 kg1 |
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| Performance | |||
| 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 |
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| Service ceiling | 22,500'1 6,858 m1 |
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| Range with maximum payload |
1,500 miles1 2,414 km1 |
||
| Maximum range | 3,900 miles1 6,276 km1 |
||
| Armament | |||
| Cargo | |||
| OR | 50 troops1 |
Sources:
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
