RON DUPAS COLLECTION
No. 238. Canadair CL-2 C-54GM North Star Mk.M1 ST (17520 c/n 104) Royal Canadian Air Force
Photographed by Ron Dupas

Canadair CL-2 C-54GM North Star Mk.M1 ST

08/12/2006. Remarks by Jack McKillop: "The C-54GM was essentially an unpressurized Douglas C-54G Skymaster with Rolls-Royce Merlin liquid cooled engines. This aircraft was ordered by the RCAF as a North Star Mk. M1 equivalent to the DC-4M-1 built to Trans Canada Air Lines (TCA) specifications. Before it was delivered to the RCAF, it was leased by TCA on January 21, 1947 and registered CF-TEM.

It was returned to the RCAF on March 4, 1949 and converted to the North Star Mk. M1 ST, a DC-4M-1 used for passenger service. It spent most if not all of its service with No. 412 (Transport) Squadron, Air Transport Command, based at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario, Canada (March 4, 1949-August 31, 1955) and RCAF Station Uplands, Ontario (September 1, 1955-February 1, 1962). No. 412 Squadron was tasked with transporting VIPs such as British royalty and Canadian Prime Ministers.

On February 1, 1962, this aircraft crashed shortly after take off from Hall Beach Airport, Northwest Territories, Canada, and was written off."

Remarks by Ernie Szelepcsenyi: "This photo depicts a Canadair CL-4 (DC-4M) North Star. The North Star was unique in that it mated the airframe of the DC-4 with Merlin engines and these be seen in the photo."


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