Years In Service: 1942-1975
Initial Flight: February 14, 1942
During World War II they saw service in every theater and were the primary airlifter across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans making nearly 80,000 crossings with the loss of only 3 aircraft. They crossed over the rugged North Atlantic alone, they flew more than 20 round trips a day, a million miles a month. A special VC-54C, nicknamed the “Sacred Cow” by the White House press corps, became the first presidential aircraft, ordered for Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Presidential version was outfitted with a hydraulic elevator for the President’s use.
Aircraft Specifications
Height: 27′ 7″ Wingspan: 117′ 6″ Length: 93′ 5″ Crew: 4 Payload: 44-80 passengers, 50 troops, or 32,500 pounds of cargo Horsepower: 1,450 hp. No. of Engines: 4 Cruise speed: 239 mph Max Speed: 274 mph Ceiling: 22,000 ft.