Delivered to the USAF as 53-3281 in 1955. To the US Border Patrol as N2816J in 1965 then to Bellomy Lawson Aviation in 1973. To SAHSA as HR-SHB in 1973. Returned to Bellomy Lawson Aviation as N2816J in 1977. To other owners from 1978 then to EXPLA as TI-ARM in 1984. Cancelled by 1987. Presumably scrapped.

now used as an Airbnb (together with a B727 and a DC-9)

the combined age of the two cargo sisters below don't even reach a third of the lady above.. VTS650 to McGrath is leaving ANC with a typical low climb rate

Photo by Jim Tunney.

Built as US Navy R6D-1 BuNo 131595 but diverted to USAF as C-118A 51-17645. It was retired to MASDC at Tucson in May 1975 and civilianised as N2901F in June 1976. In April 1984 it landed after dark at the closed Johnstown Airport, PA., left the paved area and became stuck in mud. The police were alerted but when they arrived the crew had disappeared, and the aircraft was found to contain bales of marijuana. It was later re-registered N76AF and was later photographed, (qv), at McAllen Airport, TX., in 1987. Its fate is obscured but the registration was cancelled as "Destroyed" in July 1990.

Photographer: Al Rodriguez. K25 slide scan. Built 1953 as R6D-1 131580 for USN, transferred to USAF 1958 as C-118A 51-17636, returned to USN after Korean war. Retired to MASDC 1976 and auctioned to Bellomy Lawson. Civilianized and leased to Guyana Airways 1978, crashed Saint Lucia-Vigie 30 November 1981 while trying to return after engine failure on take off.

Delivered to the USAF in October 1952 as serial 51-3830 it served until consigned to MASDC at Tucson in December 1974. It was sold in May 1976 and registered N44916, but appears to have never been converted for legitimate use and was impounded with a cargo of Marijuana at Valledupar, Colombia in 1990. In November 2001 it was moved to the Parque de los Helados, (Ice Cream Park), in Valledupar where it became an education centre. Remarkably it can still be seen there on Google Earth at what is now called the Parque De La Provincia. Thanks to Ruud Leeuw's excellent web site for much of the above.

Photographer: Al Rodriguez. K25 slide scan. Built 1956 as 53-5304 for USAF. Civilanized 1976 as N888DG for Pacific Alaska Airlines. Northern Pacific Transport 1985, Universal Airlines 1989. Everts Air Fuel 1995, transferred to Everts Air Cargo 1996 , withdrawn and parted out by 2019.

Aircraft written off at NAS Keflavik 1 October 1983 after a ground fire.

owned by Trans Air Congo, ex YV-501C. Became EL-WIL in 1997

Operated by 7101 ABW. To N9045P July 1993, XA-SNT February 1994.

To N9045P July 1993, XA-SNT February 1994.

Photographer: Al Rodriguez. K25 slide scan. Built 1952 as 51-3827 for USAF, converted to VC-118A, retired to MASDC 1975. Auctioned 1976, civilianized by Bellomy Lawson as N3492F from 1979. Leased to Challenge Air Transport 1980, returned 1983. Leased to Aerial Transit as N96BL 1990, scrapped Opa Locka around 1993.

Well-preserved C-118A Liftmaster on the huge tarmac of McGuire AFB (NJ).