Only ten Skymasters saw service with the RAF. The first was EW999, Churchill's personal aircraft, and this was the second, US serial 42-72442. It reached Britain in February 1945 and was sent to No 232 Sqn in India together with KL978. Uncle Sam wanted these capable Lend-Lease transports back after the end of the war and KL977 became a US Navy R5D-3, 91994. The airframe was still airworthy in the 2010s as N3054V with Alaska Air Fuel at Palmer, Alaska. Information from Airscape. Photo from: Nationaal Archief (Netherlands)

This aircraft was built as a C-54D for USAAF, serial 42-72633, but it was transferred to the US Navy as R5D-3 BuNo 56516, and then sold to Spain.

One of Aer Lingus' three Carvairs undergoing cold weather modification for Eastern Provincial Airways to whom it had been sold as CF-EPV. It first flew as such just sixteen days later on 21st May 1968.

Preserved at the former Tempelhof airfield

VH-INX soon after arrival from Melbourne-Essendon. It had been trucked to Melton to be converted to an airport cafe. Sometime in 1972 the undercarriage retracted and it lay on its belly with the Ansett-ANA markings blacked out. Back on its undercarriage the tail was painted white but from then on it was all downhill. Parts went missing including the cargo doors and the rudder and the paint flaked off. INX eventually fell back on its tail and remained that way until scrapped in the early 1990s.

Seen on the ramp at DCA during trials, thus the NX registration. PCA became Capital Airlines in 1948.

For some time TWA was 'Trans World Airline' rather than 'Airlines' and the TWA logo had an arrow through it. This C-54E, ex 44-9053, was in the TWA fleet between 1946 and 1951. The KLM DC-4 behind can be identified as PH-TAS Schiedam. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

Skymasters acquired by KLM in 1945 received semi-military markings with orange triangle insignia as civil operation was still difficult on the route to the Far East. They were already inscribed in the civil register. NL-309, ex 42-107445, was PH-TAK but the civil mark was probably never applied as the aircraft was sold as G-AJPL in June 1947. Photo by: Willem van de Poll / Nationaal Archief (Netherlands)

Operated by Soundair.

Carried name on port side only. From Dharan. Later preserved at Berlin - Tempelhof.

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

Taken at Perth, the terminus of South African Airways' Wallaby service from Johannesburg via Mauritius and the Cocos Islands. DC-7Bs were used on the Wallaby route until 1967, but they frequently suffered from engine problems and a DC-4 was used to transport spares. Delivered new to South African 10 May 1946 remaining with the airline until transferred to the SAAF's 44 Sqd 29 September 1967 as 6905. To the SAA Historical Flight as ZS-AUB December 1995. Leased to Swissair as ZU-ILI and painted in period colours and the fake registration HB-ILI celebrating 50 years of trans-Atlantic service by Swissair during the summer of 1997. Preserved at the SAA Museum at Rand. Photographer unknown

Delivered new to South African 10 May 1946 remaining with the airline until transferred to the SAAF's 44 Sqd 29 September 1967 as 6905. To the SAA Historical Flight as ZS-AUB December 1995. Leased to Swissair as ZU-ILI and painted in period colours and the fake registration HB-ILI celebrating 50 years of trans-Atlantic service by Swissair during the summer of 1997. Preserved at the SAA Museum at Rand. Photographer unknown

"Commander MIddle East Force" painted below cockpit