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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

 

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