C-118 at McGuire AFB

[Cuauhtla]

Just posted this in the New Jersey forum, and thought someone here might be able to help as well:

Hope this isn't too off-topic, but I was an aircrewman aboard C-118s at the Keflavik, Iceland naval station in the 70s (my "U.S. Navy Retired" license plate holder on my car with my "Progressive Democrat" and "Liberal" bumper stickers makes for a nice effect, I think). One of our aircraft is now on a stick at McGuire AFB in NJ. Does anyone have a photo/photos?

Here's the satellite picture I found:
http://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/7360/

[Felinity]

1. Why is this significant?

What is this aircraft designed to do?

Edit to add pic:

[Up2Late]

4. C-118 Liftmaster, Navy’s R6D transports or as MC-118As for aeromedical evacuation...

Looks like it was the B-707 of it's day. <http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/c-118.htm>

C-118 Liftmaster

The Douglas DC-6 was one of the first airplanes to fly a regularly scheduled around-the-world route. With its higher performance, increased accommodation, greater payload and pressurized cabin, it was a natural evolution of the DC-4. During its 11-year production run, Douglas delivered 704 DC-6s, 167 of them military versions.

Although the DC-6 had the same wingspan as the DC-4, its engines helped it fly 90 mph faster than the DC-4, carry 3,000 pounds more payload and fly 850 miles farther. The DC-6 could maintain the cabin pressure of 5,000 feet while flying at 20,000 feet.

American Airlines and United Airlines ordered the commercial DC-6 in 1946, and Pan American Airways used the DC-6 to start tourist-class service across the North Atlantic. The 29th DC-6 was ordered by the Air Force, adapted as the Presidential aircraft and designated the VC-118. It was delivered on July 1, 1947, and called The Independence after President Harry Truman’s hometown, Independence, Missouri.

The larger, all-cargo DC-6A first flew Sept. 29, 1949; the larger capacity DC-6B, which could seat up 102 people, first flew Feb. 10, 1951. After the Korean War broke out in 1951, the military ordered DC-6As modified as either C-118A "Liftmaster" personnel carriers, as the Navy’s R6D transports or as MC-118As for aeromedical evacuation. Between 1947 and 1959, Douglas built a total of 704 DC-6s. By 1998, the DC-6 was still flying with smaller airlines around the world.

[StClone]

2. There are hunderds on Google "images"

[StClone]

5. But not the static display

C-118 at McGuire AFB in NJ. I wonder if local papers, or military papers have photos accessible in their searchable data bases?

[liam_laddie]

3. C-118, Iceland

This link has three pix. The URL is reeeealy long (3-1/2 lines), so in case it doesn't come thru as usable, go to: airliners.net, use search engine for Douglas DC-6, then service branch and location. HTH... Also, McGuire may have its own PR site.

<http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?aircraft_genericsearch=Douglas+DC-6+%28C-118%2FR6D%2F[br />Liftmaster%29&airlinesearch=USA+-+Navy&countrysearch=-+Keflavik+%28KEF+%2F+BIKF%29&specialsearch=
&daterange=&keywords=&range=2&sort_order=&page_limit=30&thumbnails=&calccount=1125343&truecount=
false&engine_version=6.0]

[Cuauhtla]

7. Gracias

Thanks for the help and welcome messages. I've been on a slooooow posting pace- 34 spread across a year plus, but I think this was my first in this forum.

I was recently contacted by a friend from the era via military.com- we called him "Rocky Aircrew"- who is now a policeman. Got me looking to see what had happened to our two C-118s (I helped prepare our C-117 to be put on a stick in Iceland in 1978). 131592 was given to the Icelandic crash crew for drills and rescue practice, and 152687- shown flying at the link sent by Liam- is the aircraft on display at McGuire. I'm keeping my eyes out for pictures of it on the stick.

Some young Navy guys asked me today how I could remember the BUNOs from so long ago- hey, they were my first....

We used the aircraft for cargo, some important, some not (incl beer from Oktoberfest in Munich, which I categorize as important), but mostly for R&R flights to Europe and the US.

[BOSSHOG]

6. Welcome shipmate

Glad to have you with us. I'm USN retired, an insane liberal and proud of both facts. Not familiar with the C-118 but the folks at DU are very helpful with the technical stuff like pictures. We look forward to your future posts.