Nice to see a DC-4 in service. Delivered to the USAAF as C-54D 42-72442 then transferred to the RAF as KL977 in 1945. To the US Navy as R5D-3 91994 in 1946. Redesignated as a C-54Q in 1962. Stored at Davis-Monthan AFB with park code 3C065 in 1970. To Aero Union as N62296 in 1974. Converted to a firebomber and reregistered as N76AU in 1976. Deconverted from a firebomber in 1990 and painted in USAAF colours by 1992. To Aero Flite as N3054V in 2001 then to Brooks Fuel in 2007 and Alaska Air Fuel in 2013. Sadly, this aircraft, with its two crew, was lost in a crash immediately after take-off from Fairbanks, Alaska on 23 April 2024. By then, it was the last DC-4 flying commercially in the USA.

Still hauling fuel on a daily basis, 77 years after being built. Sadly, this aircraft, with its two crew, was lost in a crash immediately after take-off from Fairbanks, Alaska on 23 April 2024. By then, it was the last DC-4 flying commercially in the USA.

Ex USAF 42-72685 and USN Bu87758. Final US military unit was the Naval Air Reserve Training Unit (NARTU) at Lakehurst NJ. Withdrawn the MASDC in May 1970 and sold onto the civilian market as N62441 in December 1974. Purchased by Frigorifico Reyes in January 1975 and flown by them until sold to Servicio Aero Santiago in June 1994. Still present in very poor condition at La Paz and advertised for sale at $50,000 in December 2021.

K25 slide scan. Built 1944 as R5D-3 56493 for USN. Redesignated C-54Q 1962. Auctioned 1975, Biegert Aviation N44910 1977 as sprayer. Initially Falcon Field, Chandler Memorial from 1980. Stored from early 1980's. Acquired by Brooks Fuel for spares 1997, remained at Chandler for part out, becoming derelict.

Being restored at North Weald under 'Save the Skymaster' project.

Originally delivered to the USAAF as a C-54D, serial 42-72746. Later transferred to the Navy as an R5D-3, serial 56527, and redesignated as a C-54Q in 1962. At the time of the photo the aircraft was reportedly being used in fog dispersal experiments.

Built as 43-17222 and delivered to the US Navy as bu 56536, this C-54 was retired by the military in September 1971. It was put back into civil service in 1975 and is pictured withdrawn by Sea-Bear Air Transport. Last with Commercial Air Transport as RP-C325 in the Philippines circa 1995, the aircraft was stored at Manila and presumably scrapped.

Built for the USAAF as 42-72636, but immediately diverted to the Navy as Bu56514. Served with them until transferred to MASDC in Oct 1965. Remained stored there until Apr 1975, when it was sold on the civil market as N67062. The next year this DC-4 was converted to airtanker (with belly tank) and based at Avra Valley as Tanker 148. Withdrawn from use there in the early 1990s and stored. On 19 Jan 2002 it was flown from Avra Valley to March ARB on delivery to the museum. Between 2005 and 2008 it was slowly repainted in these markings.

This aircraft, one of two that had been in open storage since 2002, looked to be in good condition. The other was broken up in 2017 but this one is in far better condition. There are plans to return it to the air, though that will be a very costly exercise.

Ex N96448, registered Sep 1989, owned by Commercial Air Transport. Stored at Manila by 2006 and broken up there in 2008/2009.

This aircraft had been parked along with another C-54 at North Weald for many years. There are plans, perhaps hopes, to return this to the air. The other aircraft, N31356 was scrapped in 2016

By 1995 there were only 21.051 flighthours on the airframe. More than 50 years after its initial delivery it was bought, in 1996, by Atlantic Warbirds Inc (New Hampshire, USA) and they were responsible for a complete restoration in magnificent MATS colourscheme with BuNo 56498. In September 2002 it was bought by Sherman Aircraft Sales Inc and registered that same date to Aces High US Ltd. It arrived together with N31356 at North Weald on 27 September 2002.

Not wearing any exterior markings apart from the remains of the airtanker number, the former N62342 had been registered in Canada with Buffalo Airways on July 17, 2007. As such, it is remaining for sale by mid-2020 with 14201 flying hours, which is a really low number for a 1945 C-54.