Chicago built Skymaster C-54D-10-DC s/n: 42-72683 was one of five
sold to Turkey who operated the Skymaster from 1959 to 1975,
this aircraft carried Turkish Air Force s/n: ETI-683.
Turkish Air Force Museum, Istanbul, Turkey, 2005.
DOUGLAS DC-4 / C-54 SKYMASTER
DC-4 / C-54 SERVICE
| Manufacturer: | The Douglas Aircraft Co. Inc., Santa Monica, California, USA |
| Model: | DC-4 |
| Designations: | C-54; C-112, C-114, C-115, C-116, R5D |
| Names: | Skymaster; Rescuemaster
(SC-54D), North Star & Argonaut (C-54GM, DC-4M & C-4 - Canada) |
| First official flight: | (DC-4) 07/06/1938 (C-54) 14/02/1942 |
| Factory production period: | 1937 - 1947 |
| Primary service period: | 1942 - 1950's |
| Last official flight: | ? |
DC-4 / C-54 VARIANTS
| 1938 | Model DC-4 | DC-4 | 1 | Grand Total: 0001 |
| 1942 | Model DC-4A | C-54 | 24 | |
| 1942 | Model DC-4A | C-54A | 252 | |
| 1943 | Model DC-4A | C-54B | 220 | |
| 1944 | Model DC-4A | C-54D | 380 | |
| 1944 | Model DC-4A | C-54E | 125 | |
| 1945 | Model DC-4A | C-54G | 162 | Total: 1163 |
| 1945 | Model DC-4A | XC-114 | 1 | |
| 1945 | Model DC-4A | XC-116 | 1 | Total: 0002 |
| 1945 | Model DC-4 | DC-4-1009 | 79 | Total: 0079 |
|
Grand Total: 1244 |
| 1946 | Foreign built - Canada: Model CL-2/CL-4/CL-5 |
C-54GM / DC-4M C-4 / C-5 |
71 |
Grand Total: 0071 |
|
GRAND TOTAL: 1316 |
DC-4 / C-54 PRODUCTION
Civil Aircraft (pre WW2)
DC-4
Prototype 4-engined airliner, Co. owned, triple fins.
Redesignated as DC-4E in 1939, sent to Japan.
Produced 1937 - 1938
Douglas Santa Monica, California
| NX18100 (civil reg.) | 1601 | 1 | Total: 0001 |
DC-4A - 1940, 61 redesigned civil aircraft already on production line impressed by
USAAF and designated as the 24 C-54 / first 37 C-54A.
Military Aircraft
C-54
Military personnel transport, 4 engines.
Produced
Douglas Santa Monica, California (DO)
| 41-20137 / 41-20145 | mixed 3050 to 3075 | ||
| 42-32936 / 42-32950 | 3111 / 3125 | 24 | Total: 0024 |
C-54A
As C-54, cargo door, reinforced floor, increased fuel.
Produced
Douglas Santa Monica, California (DO)
| 41-37268 / 41-37319 | mixed 3054 to 3110 | ||
| 42-107426 / 42-107470 | 7445 / 7489 |
97 |
Douglas Chicago, Illinois (DC)
| 42-72165 / 42-72319 | 10270 / 10424 |
155 |
Total: 0252 |
C-54B
As C-54A, more fuel, stretcher accommadation.
Produced
Douglas Santa Monica, California (DO)
| 43-17124 / 43-17198 | 18324 / 18398 | ||
| 44-9001 / 44-9025 | 27227 / 27251 |
100 |
Douglas Chicago, Illinois (DC)
| 42-72320 / 42-72439 | 10425 / 10544 | 120 | Total: 0220 |
C-54D
As C-54B, engine upgrade.
Produced
Douglas Chicago, Illinois (DC)
| 42-72440 / 42-72764 | 10545 / 10869 | ||
| 43-17199 / 43-17253 | 22149 / 22203 | 380 | Total: 0380 |
Chicago built Skymaster C-54D-10-DC s/n:
42-72683 was one of five
sold to Turkey who operated the Skymaster from 1959 to 1975,
this aircraft carried Turkish Air Force s/n: ETI-683.
Turkish Air Force Museum, Istanbul, Turkey, 2005.
C-54E
As C-54D, passenger / cargo convertible, more fuel.
Produced
Douglas Santa Monica, California (DO)
| 44-9026 / 44-9150 | 27252 / 27376 | 125 | Total: 0125 |
C-54G
C-54E, troop carrier, engine upgrade.
Produced
Douglas Santa Monica, California (DO)
| 45-476 / 45-637 | 35929 / 36090 | 162 | Total: 0162 |
| 235 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
C-54H - Proposed paratroop version, cancelled.
C-54I - Not used.
C-54J - Proposed staff transport version, cancelled.
XC-112 - Proposed pressurized cabin version, cancelled.
Designation given to DC-6 prototype as XC-112A.
XC-114
As C-54G, prototype, lengthened fuselage, engine upgrade.
Produced 1945
Douglas Santa Monica, California (DO)
| 45-874 | 36327 | 1 | Total: 0001 |
XC-115 - Proposed XC-114 development, cancelled.
XC-116
As XC-114, thermal de-icing fitted.
Produced 1945
Douglas Santa Monica, California (DO)
| 45-875 | 36328 | 1 | Total: 0001 |
Civil Aircraft (post WW2)
DC-4-1009
As C-54G, post WW2 civil variant.
Produced 1945 - 1947
Douglas Santa Monica, California
| civil reg. | mixed 42904 to 43157 | 79 | Total: 0079 |
|
Grand Total: 1245 |
DC-4 / C-54 CONVERSIONS
Military Conversions
USAAF / USAF
| ZC-54A | 1+ | C-54A, 1948, redesignation as "obsolete". |
| (ZJC-54A) | 1 | ZC-54A, conversion for flight test duties. |
| MC-54A | 1+ | C-54A, 1945-1946, optional designation for medical evac. duties. |
| VC-54C | 1 | C-54A(42-107451), 1944, named:
"Sacred Cow". First US Presidential aircraft, served F. Roosevelt and H. Truman from 1944-1947. |
| AC-54D | 1+ | C-54D, modified aircraft for Airways Checks. |
| (EC-54D) | 1+ | 1962, redesignation of AC-54D. |
| JC-54D | 9 | C-54D, 1960, conversions for missile nose-cone recovery. |
| SC-54D | 38 | Rescuemaster C-54D, 1955, Convair modified aircraft for air-rescue services. |
| (HC-54D) | 38 | 1962, redesignation of SC-54D. |
| TC-54D7 | 1+ | C-54D, multi-engine trainers. |
| VC-54D | 1+ | C-54D, staff transports. |
| WC-54D | 1+ | C-54D, weather reconn. conversions. |
| AC-54E | 1+ | C-54E, modified aircraft for airways checks. |
| (EC-54E) | 1+ | 1962, redesignation of AC-54E. |
| SC-54E | 1+ | C-54E, air-sea rescue conversions. |
| (HC-54E) | 1+ | 1962, redesignation of SC-54E. |
| VC-54E | 1+ | C-54E, staff transports, 1
(44-9027), used in 1945 by General MacArthur and named "Bataan". |
| XC-54F | 1 | C-54B(42-72321), prototype for paratroop duties, mock-up only completed. |
| JC-54G | 1+ | C-54G, conversions for temporary testing. |
| SC-54G | 1+ | C-54G, air-sea rescue conversions. |
| (HC-54G) | 1+ | 1962, redesignation of SC-54G. |
| VC-54G | 1+ | C-54G, staff transports. |
| XC-54K | 1 | C-54D, 1945, prototype with upgraded engines, new s/n: 45-59602. |
| C-54L | 1 | C-54A, 1947, conversion to test a new fuel system. |
| C-54M | 38 | C-54E, 1948, coal carriers for the 1948-1949 Berlin Airlift. |
| MC-54M | 30 | C-54E, 1951, medical evacuation conversions in Korean War. |
| (VC-54M) | 1 | MC-54M, single conversion as executive transport. |
US Navy
| R5D-1 |
58 |
C-54A, aircraft in service with the US
Navy. Assigned BuNo. 39137 / 39181, 50840 / 50849, 57988, 57989, 91105. Modifications with 1962 redesignations: R5D-1 (C-54N) Base model. R5D-1c (C-54N) C-54B fuel system. R5D-1F (VC-54N) Staff transports. R5D-1Z, Interim designation for R5D-1F. |
| R5D-2 | 47 | C-54B, aircraft in service with the US
Navy. Assigned BuNo. 39112 / 39128 (later released to civil airlines), 50850 / 50868, 90385 / 90395. Modifications with 1962 redesignations: R5D-2 (C-54P) Base model. R5D-2F (VC-54P) staff transports. R5D-2Z, Interim designation for R5D-2F. |
| R5D-3 | 92 | C-54D, aircraft in service with the US
Navy. Assigned BuNo. 50869 / 50878, 56484 / 56549, 87754 / 87759, 91994 / 92003 (ex. RAF aircraft). 127 additional conversions cancelled. Modifications with 1962 redesignations: R5D-3 (C-54Q) Base model. R5D-3Z (VC-54Q) Staff transports. R5D-3P (RC-54V) Photographic conversions. |
| (R5D-5) | 86 | R5D-2 / R5D-3, conversions with
engine upgrade to C-54G standard. Original BuNo.'s retained. Modifications with 1962 redesignations: R5D-5 (C-54S) Base model. R5D-5R (VC-54T) Personnel transports. R5D-5Z (VC-54S) Staff transports. |
| R5D-4 | 20 | C-54E, aircraft in service with the US
Navy. Assigned BuNo. 90396 / 90415. Modifications with 1962 redesignations: R5D-4 (C-54R) Base model. R5D-4R (C-54R) Personnel transports. ? (EC-54U) ECM conversions. |
| R5D-6 | - | Projected US Navy version of C-54J, cancelled. |
British RAF
| Skymaster Mk. I | 1 | C-54B(43-17126), 1944-1945,
personal transport for Winston Churchill. Assigned RAF s/n: EW999. |
| 22 | C-54D, 1945, aircraft in
service with the RAF. Assigned RAF s/n: KL977 / KL986, KL988 / KL999. 10 returned to the US Navy after WWII as R5D-3. |
Civil Conversions
| AT(E)L.98 Carvair |
21 |
C-54A/B/E/DC-4, 1961, conversions as vehicle-ferry
aircraft. Conversions by Aviation Traders (Engineering) Ltd., England. New c/n: 1 / 21. |
FOREIGN MILITARY / CIVIL SERVICE
- DC-4 / C-54 operated by the armed forces of over 15 countries
from 1945 uo to the 1970's.
- Many surplus DC-4 / C-54's sold on civil market as airliners
and freighters etc.
DC-4 / C-54 FOREIGN MANUFACTURE
CANADA
Canadair DC-4M / C-54GM North
Star
Canadian built RR Merlin powered version of the C-54G.
Served both military and civil operators from 1947-1966.
Produced 1946 - 1950
Canadair Ltd., Cartierville, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
(prior to 1944 was Canadian-Vickers Ltd.)
| DC-4M-1X | 1946, Model
CL-2, prototype, later to
C-54GM with s/n: (RCAF) 17525. |
||
| civil reg. | 101 | Total: 01 | |
| C-54GM | 1947, Model
CL-2, North Star Mk. 1, unpressurized version for the RCAF. |
||
| (RCAF) 17501 / 17517 | 108 / 124 | ||
| (RCAF) 17518 / 17523 | 102 / 107 | Total: 23 | |
| Conversions: North Star Mk. 1 ST: 17, RCAF passenger conversions. (DC-4M-1) North Star M-1: 1947, 6, temp. civil conversions. North Star Mk. M1 ST: 1949, 5, civil DC-4M-1 back to RCAF. |
|||
| DC-4M-2/3 | 1947, Model
CL-2, North Star M2-3, pressurized version for civil airline TCA. |
||
| civil reg. | 125 / 144 | Total: 20 | |
| DC-4M-2/4 | 1947, Model
CL-2, North Star M2-4, as M2-3, engine / prop upgrade, for civil airline TCA. |
||
| civil reg. | between 125 / 144 | Total: ?? | |
|
Conversions: (DC-4M-2/4C) North Star M2-4C: 1954-1961, cargo conversions. |
|||
| C-4 | 1949, Model
CL-4, Argonaut, pressurized version for civil airline BOAC. |
||
| civil reg. | 145, 146 | ||
| civil reg. | 151 / 170 | Total: 22 | |
| C-4-1 | 1949, Model
CL-4, North Star C-4-1, as C-4, for civil airline CPA. |
||
| civil reg. | 147 / 150 | Total: 04 | |
|
Conversions: (C-4-1C) North Star C-4-1C: cargo conversions. |
|||
| C-5 | 1950, Model
CL-5, RCAF VIP / crew trainer, radial engines. Later reserialled: (RCAF) 10000. |
||
| (RCAF) 17524 | 171 |
Total: 01 |
|
|
Grand Total: 71 |