WWII main menu

American WWII's aircraft

QUICK LINKS

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Also know in civil form as the DC-4. Production began with military aircraft. In three years, C-54's made 79642 crossings of the Atlantic; only three were lost. After WWII production reverted to airliners. There also was a SC-54 SAR version, a TC-54 trainer, an EC-54, a RC-54, and a MC-54 casevac aircraft.
C-54s began service with the USAAC in 1942, carrying up to 26 passengers. (Later versions carried up to 49 passengers.) The U.S. Navy also acquired the type, under the designation R5D. The C-54/R5D was one of the most commonly used transports by the U.S. armed forces in World War II. One C-54 Skymaster - the "Sacred Cow" - was put into service for President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

General characteristics C-54G
Primary function	transport
Power plant	Four Pratt&Whitney R-2000-9 engines
Thrust	4x 1,435 HP		4x 1,070 kW
Wingspan	117 ft 6 in		35.81 m
Length	93 ft 11 in		28.63 m
Height	27 ft 6.25 in		8.39 m
Wingarea	1,463 sq ft		135.91 sq m
Weight	empty	38,000 lb	17,237 kg
	max.	73,000 lb	33,112 kg
Speed	273 mph		440 km/h
Ceiling	22,506 ft		6,860 m
Range	3,877 miles		6,240 km
Date deployed	1941

Source: David Hanson´s American Aircraft of World War II

Jirka Wagner

Comment this page now or read other comments!

Please let us know if you find any mistake or problem. If you would like to help me or if you have pictures or anything interesting for these pages, write me.
You can also use our discussion forum.

Last updated 01.10.2008