A special C-54?

[Steijger]

Found on the Internet. C-54D, according to Baugher it is a VC-54D that was assigned to 60th TCW, Wiesbaden, West Germany Feb-Apr 1951.But was it? See the number of antennas on the plane, here seen at RAF Northolt. Was the MATS livery and the assignment to 60TCW a cover-up? Who knows the story?

 

[Sabrejet]

Certainly not a VC-54D: as a C-54D it goes from Middletown AMA at Olmsted to 8th AF at Carswell on 9 January 1951 and stayed thus assigned until sometime after 1 January 1955. Its time at Wiesbaden was purely for transient maintenance, not an assignment.

 

[Steijger]

Certainly not a VC-54D: as a C-54D it goes from Middletown AMA at Olmsted to 8th AF at Carswell on 9 January 1951 and stayed thus assigned until sometime after 1 January 1955. Its time at Wiesbaden was purely for transient maintenance, not an assignment.

And its role in Europe?

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

And its role in Europe?

Probably transporting troops or cargo. Planes go TDY on a regular basis.

 

[Sabrejet]

I'd say its assignment to 8th AF is of interest: I'd expect it to be assigned to a Bombardment Wing/Group if supporting a TDY.

Incidentally, to explain the 'Wiesbaden' confusion: if an aircraft goes u/s away from base, it is usually handed over to the maintenance organization where it is physically located for rectification. This gives the impression when reading record cards, that it has been 'assigned'. However in cases where transient maintenance is being performed, the aircraft's status is changed on the record card. Thus in the case above, it goes from being 'CC' (combat ready) with 8th AF to 'RT' (transient maint) at Wiesbaden and also one in a similar way to another occurrence in 1951, but this time at Ernest Harmon AFB.

So it would seem that someone didn't spot the subtle change in aircraft status when previously interpreting the record card. It can be a challenge!

 

[Steijger]

I'd say its assignment to 8th AF is of interest: I'd expect it to be assigned to a Bombardment Wing/Group if supporting a TDY.

Incidentally, to explain the 'Wiesbaden' confusion: if an aircraft goes u/s away from base, it is usually handed over to the maintenance organization where it is physically located for rectification. This gives the impression when reading record cards, that it has been 'assigned'. However in cases where transient maintenance is being performed, the aircraft's status is changed on the record card. Thus in the case above, it goes from being 'CC' (combat ready) with 8th AF to 'RT' (transient maint) at Wiesbaden and also one in a similar way to another occurrence in 1951, but this time at Ernest Harmon AFB.

So it would seem that someone didn't spot the subtle change in aircraft status when previously interpreting the record card. It can be a challenge!

Interesting! But what explains all the antenna's on this C-54. Nothing to do with 'Wiesbaden', but what than?

 

[Sabrejet]

Interesting! But what explains all the antenna's on this C-54. Nothing to do with 'Wiesbaden', but what than?

Maybe 8th AF airborne comms? Certainly it is related to 8th AF.

 

[DDonSS3]

Antenna fit doesn't seem to be out of the ordinary to me. I see an ADF football and what looks like to me as HF longwire, VOR antenna over the cockpit and probably VHF comms antennae.

 

[RAMROD1944]

Captained a C-54 twice. They were incredible ships.