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Douglas C-74 Globemaster

Douglas C-74 Globemaster




The Douglas C-74 Globemaster was a large transport aircraft developed for the US military during the latter part of the second world war - although its first flight was actually a few weeks after the war ended.

The Douglas C-74 Globemaster was born out of a need for a long distance heavy transport aircraft which military planners thought would be vital to help carry heavy weapons and troops to combat areas across the Pacific ocean towards Japan.

The design was first put forward by the Douglas Aircraft Company in 1942. It was a large four-engined aircraft with a long cylindrical fuselage providing plenty of room for vehicles or troops. Perhaps the most unusual feature of the early C-74 Globemasters were the double canopies - one for the pilot and one for the copilot. Later aircraft were fitted with a larger single canopy cockpit as the separated design proved unpopular with crews.

The first Douglas C-74 Globmaster flew on September 5th 1945. At the time of its introduction it was the largest aircraft built (not including seaplanes). It had a maximum weight of 172,000 lbs (78,000 kgs), and was able to carry up to 48,150 lbs (21,840 kgs) of cargo or 125 soldiers. Its spacious fuselage was also designed to accommodate large vehicles, including light tanks, howitzers and bulldozers.

The second aircraft to be built crashed during dive testing in 1946 when one of the wings broke away. Thankfully all four crew onboard managed to bail out safely. The fourth aircraft scheduled to be built was instead created as a static test model, and all structural components were tested to destruction over the next two years to evaluate the strength of the design. The fifth aircraft to be built was modified and used as a prototype for the even larger Douglas C-124 Globemaster II transport aircraft - of which nearly 450 were eventually built.

Douglas intended to build a civilian version of the C-74 Globemaster, and they even received orders for the aircraft (called the DC-7) from Pan American World Airways. However with the end of the war, the military need for the C-74 was reduced and the number of aircraft ordered totaled just 14 - significantly increasing the unit cost of the civilian version.

Despite being built in very small numbers. C-74 Globemasters were used by the USAAF during the Berlin Airlift, and shortly after it was used in the Korean war to transport troops and cargo to Korea, and return with wounded soldiers back to Hawaii, and then onward to the US mainland.

The USAAF continued to regularly fly the C-74 Globemaster until 1955. It kept some of the aircraft in "flyable storage" until 1965 when they were scrapped. Four were sold on to civilian companies. The last aircraft was dismantled in Italy in 1972.
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Douglas C-74 Globemaster
Douglas C-74 Globemaster
Douglas C-74 Globemaster
Douglas C-74 Globemaster
Douglas C-74 Globemaster



Douglas C-74 Globemaster
Douglas C-74 Globemaster
Douglas C-74 Globemaster
Douglas C-74 Globemaster
Douglas C-74 Globemaster

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