Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Wishlist => Topic started by: bearclaw on January 28, 2012, 10:06:07 PM
-
History: When it was decided that the
President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt, should have a personal airplane to
transport him to meetings around the world, the aircraft of choice was the US Army Air
Corps’ (USAAC) C-54A Skymaster. Dubbed ‘The Sacred Cow’, this was the plane
that took the president to Tehran, Casablanca, Hawaii and other less exotic spots in the
USA.
The C-54 was the military derivative of the Douglas DC-4, a
four-engine long range airliner with a three-man crew and accommodations for up to 49
passengers or 26 troops. Originally designed to a specification from United Airlines, the
DC-4 had a maximum speed of 274 mph and a range of 3900 miles. The first 61 civilian
orders were followed by a further buy for 71 from the USAAC though, in the end, most ended
up in Army service.
To meet the military’s more stringent needs, the DC-4
was given a cargo door, stronger floor, cargo boom hoist and larger wing tanks. First
flight of the military C-54 occurred on 26 March 1942. During the war years, 1242 C-54s
were delivered with a wide variety of modifications. A few of the major ones were the C-54A,
the original, fully militarized model capable of lifting 50 soldiers or 32,500 pounds of
cargo; the JC-54D, which was modified for missile nose cone
recovery; the C-54E, with larger Pratt & Whitney engines,
bigger fuel tanks for longer range and a specially designed cabin for quick conversion
between passenger and cargo roles; the C-54M, which was a C-54E
stripped out to serve as a coal-carrier during the Berlin Airlift; the EC-54U,
a post-war modification as an electronic counter-measures platform; and at least 14
sub-variants built for the US Navy originally called the R5D.
There were numerous other variants which performed countless other roles, from VIP
transport to multi-engine training.
The C-54 offered sterling service for both the USAF and the
US Navy after the war, and was not fully retired until the late 1960’s. Ex-military
Skymasters became popular as cargo transports and fire bombers, and many are still in
active use around the world in these roles. A lucky few have been acquired by appreciative
warbird groups in the USA. [History by Jeff
VanDerford]
Nicknames: The Sacred Cow (FDR's
personal transport); Rescuemaster (US Air Force's SC-54D
air-sea rescue variant.)
Specifications:
Engines: Four 1,450-hp Pratt & Whitney R-2000-2SD-13G Twin Wasp radial piston engines.
Weight: Empty 43,300 lbs., Max
Takeoff 73,000 lbs.
Wing Span: 117ft. 6in.
Length: 93ft. 10in.
Height: 27ft. 6in.
Performance:
Maximum Speed:
280 mph at 14,000 ft.
Ceiling: 22,300
ft.
Range: 2,500
miles
Armament: None
Number Built: 1000+ (military versions)(http://[img])[/img]
-
well, i guess not everyone can fly a fighter or bomber... :noid
-
really hate to sound stupid but I dont feel like researching. did they drop troops anywhere on this thing? bombs? anything? or are we just gonna used them to fly LTOWN around the knightland so he can inspect all our positions.
semp
-
+1 :aok
-
26 troops :banana:
-
26 troops :banana:
Hitech has said that if they added a plane that could carry more troops as in 28 in this case, then it would take 28 troops to capture a field.
-
really hate to sound stupid but I dont feel like researching. did they drop troops anywhere on this thing? bombs? anything? or are we just gonna used them to fly LTOWN around the knightland so he can inspect all our positions.
semp
^ This.
Didn't fly in combat.
wrongway
-
Hitech has said that if they added a plane that could carry more troops as in 28 in this case, then it would take 28 troops to capture a field.
fugi but you dont understand it wont carry 28 troops we can ask for a delay and it will be 2 sets of 10 plus 1 of 8 :rofl :rofl :rofl.
semp
-
I have some time in one a of these things, we had good maintenance, we took good care of it, but every time we fired that thing up, something fell off. If they put it in they would have to model random engine fires, blown jugs, and hydraulic failures.
-
If they put it in they would have to model random engine fires, blown jugs, and hydraulic failures.
None of that stuff is modeled in planes in AH, so why should the C-54 be any different?
ack-ack