Aircraft of the Berlin Airlift: The C-54 Skymaster
While the C-47/Dakota -- the military versions of the DC-3 -- became the symbol of the Berlin Airlift because they were the first aircraft Britain and the United States sent to Berlin with supplies, the DC-3 did not make the greatest contribution. That honour goes to the larger, four-engine C-54. The C-54 'Skymaster' was born out of a commercial design by Douglas Aircraft corporation which had been developed to meet commercial demands for a larger, long-range passenger transport. It was designated the DC-4. By the time the design was ready for testing, however, the United States had entered WWII. The US military immediately appropriated all 80 aircraft already ordered and pressed them into service. The government needed a plane that could rapidly deliver people and dispatches over long distances, notably across the Atlantic. Within months, however, more orders were placed for a cargo version of the DC-4. These versions had removable seats and could carry either passengers o...