Photographer: Martin Siegrist. K25 slide scan. Built as C-54A 42-72277 for USAAF, further registrations NC12491, LN-HAU, N1221V, LX-BBP. Its career as Carvair began on 29 July 1963 when it first flew as conversion #10 from Stansted as G-ASKG for Channel Air Bridge. Leased immediately to Alisud , returned to BUAF 1964. Leased to Air Ferry 1965 to 1966. Cie Air Transport F-BRPT 1969, TAR 1972, BAF G-ASKG 1973. SOACO TR-LUP 1975, Aero Service TN-ADX past 1980, stored Brazzaville. Overhauled 1993 for EclAir as 9Q-CTI, Transair Cargo 1995. Scrapped Kinshasa 1995.

Ready to be loaded for the next flight on a grey day at Rotterdam.

Captain boarding "Big Joe" at Southend. Became 9Q-CTI and destroyed at Kinshasa in September 1995.

"Porky Pete" on turnround at Southend. Leased to Pauling Construction Co from June 1974. To F-BYCL June 1977, N83FA August 1979. Crashed into a shopping mall on take-off from Griffin, GA on 4th April 1997.

US Air Force 42-72343 C-54 was later operated by C&S Chicago And Southern Air Lines as NC88819 until withdrawn in 1951. Flown by Resort Airlines as N88819, the aircraft was bought by Aer Lingus and converted to ATL-98 Carvair EI-AMR in 1963. Sold to Eastern Provincial Airways in 1968 to operate passenger and freight flights in Eastern Canada. Sold to BAF British Air Ferries in 1973, the aircraft was stored at Southend, UK. It was to become LN-NAB, but the sale fell through and it was broken up in 1978. The cockpit section was saved and preserved at Beccles Suffolk (Halesworth Airfield). In late 2025 the cockpit was in private ownership undergoing restoration in Hadleigh, Essex, UK.

In transit at Prestwick's Main Terminal with Eastern Provincial Airways titles removed. Converted from C-54A G-ASKD, became EI-ANJ with Aer Lingus in 1964. Joined Eastern Provincial of Canada in June 1968. Later in 1973 restored as G-ASKD with British Air Ferries (BAF), where it spent 15 months before becoming LN-NAA with the Red Cross. Scrapped in 1986 at Bangkok.

Later N80FA and N103. Written off 28th June 1997

Photographed after I disembarked from it having arrived on flight VF320 from Southend. Note that at this time it carried British United Airways titles (not British United Air Ferries).

Previously 43-17133, N37477 and to G-APNH. Delivered as a Carvair in September 1964

A typically smoky start from "Big John" as it prepares for another cross-channel trip. In its later colour scheme with dark blue undersides. WFU in 1977 and stored at Southend. Scrapped in 1983.

from my collecvtion, photo by T.Sogalla

slide scan from the NK collection. - Since 1974, "Big John" was operated in a revised BAF-colour scheme - single-tone blue cheatline, and a dark underside. It was withdrawn at Southend in 1977 and later broken up.

Had been returned to ATEL for maintenance in November 1971 and placed in storage. It was removed from storage on 18th December 1972 and brought back into service at considerable expense to re-enter service with BAF on 27th May 1973, named "Big Bill". Sold in June 1976 to SOACO as TR-LWP. Broken up at Brazzaville in 1986.

Offloading one of the first Hillman Avenger cars sent to Malta.

Seen at Geneva on one of the airlines 'deep penetration' flight into Europe. First flown as a Carvair on 19th March 1963 and sold to Falcon Airways as N80FA in April 1979. Registered to Pacific Air Express as N103 in April 1983 and flew with several operators before crashing on take off from Venetie Alaska in June 1997.

Ex C-54 with the USAAF and American Airlines, EC AEP arrived to Spain in 1950 to serve with Iberia. In 1963 it was leased to Aviaco and was sent for conversion to Carvair the next year. It was destroyed in a crash already with Dominicana (HI-168) 23 June 1969 after a double engine failure on take off from Miami, perishing the 4 occupants and 6 people in the ground.

About to roll on runway 06. On charter to BAF from Cie Air Transport and now wearing almost full BAF colours and named "Porky Pete". Purchased by BAF in February 1973 as G-AREK.

About to board G-ASHZ for the scheduled flight to Ostend. It had been recently renamed "Fat Annie". Reported as stored at Gainesville TX as N89FA in 2021.