Douglas DC-4 C-54R Skymaster

Douglas DC-4 C-54R Skymaster

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09/30/2007. Remarks by Jack Mckillop: "During World War II, all DC-4s for Allied air forces were ordered by the USAAF. This aircraft was one of 20 ordered for the USN by the USAAF as a C-54E-15-DO, USAAF serial number 44-9144 and was delivered to the USN on May 30, 1945 as an R5D-4R, BuNo. 90414. The R5D-4Rs was a personnel transport modification. Under the new designation system introduced in 1962, this aircraft was redesignated C-54R and was later transferred to the USMC. Withdrawn from use, it was placed in storage at the MASDC at Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, Arizona, in June 1973.

It was sold to an American company located in Arizona in 1975 and initially registered N48163 and re-registered N904DS in 1977. In February 1978, it was sold to the Canadian freight airline Millardair, registered C-GQIB and named "The Sky Trader". The Berlin Airlift Foundation purchased this Skymaster on December 22, 1992 and began the restoration to her current state, including the creation of a Flying Museum filled with artifacts, displays, and information explaining the Berlin Airlift."


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09/30/2007. Remarks by Jack Mckillop: "During World War II, all DC-4s for Allied air forces were ordered by the USAAF. This aircraft was one of 20 ordered for the USN by the USAAF as a C-54E-15-DO, USAAF serial number 44-9144 and was delivered to the USN on May 30, 1945 as an R5D-4R, BuNo. 90414. The R5D-4Rs was a personnel transport modification. Under the new designation system introduced in 1962, this aircraft was redesignated C-54R and was later transferred to the USMC. Withdrawn from use, it was placed in storage at the MASDC at Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, Arizona, in June 1973. It was sold to an American company located in Arizona in 1975 and initially registered N48163 and re-registered N904DS in 1977. In February 1978, it was sold to the Canadian freight airline Millardair, registered C-GQIB and named "The Sky Trader". The Berlin Airlift Foundation purchased this Skymaster on December 22, 1992 and began the restoration to her current state, including the creation of a Flying Museum filled with artifacts, displays, and information explaining the Berlin Airlift."