Cockpit of "Spirit of Freedom," BAHF's flying museum open to visitors at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025. Built in 1945, this C-54D was delivered to the USAAF with s/n 43-17228. It is a veteran of the Berlin Airlift of 1948-49, being stationed with 61st TCS at Rhein Main, 317th TCS at Celle, 513th TCS at Rhein Main and 313th TCS at Faßberg. During the Berlin Airlift these aircraft hauled coal, which made up 65% of the tonnage, and food supplies via the three air corridors available through the Soviet Zone. Lt. Gail Halvorsen's famous candy drops to Berlin's children were from a Skymaster.

The unorthodox tail serial is a corruption of the USAAF serial 43-17228 which would normally be displayed as 17228 or 0-17228, however similar things happened back in the day too.

C-54D "Spirit of Freedom" participated in a Celebration of Life event for "Candy Bomber" Gail Halvorsen at Provo, UT on the 20th of May. I photographed it the next day taking off at Spanish Fork Airport for a candy drop re-enactment. It formed up with a USAF C-17 with the C-54 dropping about 500 candy laden miniature parachutes to a large crowd of enthusiastic youngsters who had gathered at the airport for the event.

Looking very pretty just one day out of the paint shop.