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Description
| Notes: Cargo/passenger transport similar to commercial douglas DC-6A (6 CREW, 79 TROOPS, OR 60 LITTERS) . | ||
| Manufacturer: | Douglas | |
| Base model: | C-118 | |
| Designation: | C-118 | |
| Version: | B | |
| Nickname: | Liftmaster | |
| Equivalent to: | R6D-1 DC-6A | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Air Force | |
| Designation Period: | 1925-1962 | |
| Basic role: | Transport | |
| See Also: | ||
Specifications
| Length: | 105' 7" | 32.1 m | |
| Height: | 28' 8" | 8.7 m | |
| Wingspan: | 117' 6" | 35.8 m | |
| Wingarea: | 1,463.0 sq ft | 135.9 sq m | |
| Empty Weight: | 49,767 lb | 22,570 kg | |
| Gross Weight: | 107,000 lb | 48,526 kg | |
Propulsion
| No. of Engines: | 4 | ||
| Powerplant: | Pratt & Whitney R-2800-52W | ||
| Horsepower (each): | 2500 | ||
Performance
| Range: | 2,925 miles | 4,710 km | |
| Cruise Speed: | 315 mph | 507 km/h | 274 kt |
| Climb: | 1,010 ft/min | 307 m/min | |
Known serial numbers
Examples of this type may be found at
| Museum | City | State |
| Altus AFB | Altus AFB | Oklahoma |
| National Museum of Naval Aviation | NAS Pensacola | Florida |
C-118B on display
Altus AFB | National Museum of Naval Aviation |
Recent comments by our visitors
| Wayne L. Williams hillsboro, OR | I flew as a loadmaster from 1968 until Oct. 1970. Those days are the most memorable times of my life. I would have missed a huge part of life without the travel and the crazy things my buddies and I did in the air and on the ground. 07/23/2008 @ 08:07 [ref: 22229] |
| JIM \"RED\" FREEHAUF MANAHAWKIN, NJ | I WAS IN VR-21 FROM 66 TO 69 FLEW AS PLANE CAPT GREAT TIMES GREAT SHIPMATES 07/22/2008 @ 13:27 [ref: 22213] |
| Ross Page Herrin, IL | Was stationed at BP from 1966 to 68 then transfered to USS Constellation which I hated and wished I was back at VR-21. I was a fueler defueler on the C118's til I was sent to the metal shop to repair and paint them. Remember my first day there and running from hanger to hanger looking for a skyhook. Don't ask. If I hadn't been transfered I probably would have stayed in the Navy. I painted the logo on the quarter deck. And lettering over the doorway. That was great. I'll never for get how shiney we kept the Captain's plane. It looked like a mirror. Beautiful. Ross at rossepage@yahoo.com 04/27/2008 @ 14:44 [ref: 20734] |
| Nick Waverly, IA | I was with VR-21 from February 1967 through September 1969. I spent my time mostly in the Atsugi and Alameda C-118B and C-130F detachments as a "Tweet" ATN2 as I didn't enjoy the headquarters chicken*#@%. I felt like I was in heaven when I first saw that the squadron flew C-118s as I loved those thundering old R-2800s, but I hated working in the airplane's various "hell holes"...especially after a "lobster run" to Alaska when some of the water leaked through the floor and cooked below deck on a hot Hawaiian day! But, there was nothing like watching a sunset over the mid-Pacific while cruising westward!
For those who are interested, some 25 years ago I wrote a comprehensive, two-part history of VR-21 and its antecedent squadrons that was published in the JOURNAL of the American Aviation Historical Society. I've made copies for past VR-21 reunion attendees and will send a copy to anyone who wants one if you'll contact me via e-mail. 04/22/2008 @ 08:52 [ref: 20676] |
| jim richardson salt lake, UT | I was one of the last to decomission vr-21 at nas barber's point mar 1977. Being an overseas land base, waves did their seaduty there resulting in 85% women,with 2 beaches on the base.
I moved to Ewa Beach, out the back gate,& lived there for 2 years. The last job I had there was to remove the USN & VR-21 from all the tools and give them away. I came back with a 66 convertable Mustang I bought on the north shore picking mushrooms. Great duty. The people and place was the best. The alclad vip c118 prop planes were like they just rolled off the showroom floor. Loved it. 01/05/2008 @ 07:36 [ref: 19158] |
| Smokey Beucus , TX | Anyone remember a R6D-1 going down with loss of all hands on a flight from Lakenheath UK to Lajies Azores in October 1956? On board were 9 Navy and 46 Air Force coming back from a TDY in the UK. Have the names of the AF passengers, wondering the names and rank of the flight crew. I was a flight crew memeber in the 307th Air Refueling Sq and the AF passengers were support staff from my Sq. A very tragic loss. Thanks,
Smokey 11/27/2007 @ 14:24 [ref: 18690] |
| Jack Foster Pensacola, FL | I was in VR-21 1962-1965, ADR-3, got married, made 2nd, qualified 1st Mech fairly quick. Lived on base after making 2nd, and made a lot of runs westpac. Wake, Guam, Subic Bay, Atsugi, Midway, 1 trip to Townsville Australia, Johnson Is. Kwajalein, Okinawa and others I can't remember. Had many many hours of boring flight interrupted with some really scary incidents. Almost lost all 4 engines at 23,000 Ft. over the north Pacific due to ice. Before the squadron started using enlisted mech's as engineers I was 1st mech watching over a LTJG in the jump seat on landing at Subic in a heavy rain storm. The AC called for reverse thrust but didn't wait for the blue reverse lights and tube locked the throttles. When the prop blades hit flat pitch the engine RPM on 3 engines went to over speed, made a hell of a noise then definitely stopped the airplane. Afterwards I ask the JG what RPM they went to and he told me he only saw one and it was above 3,000. I told the AC (Aircraft Commander) that 3100 RPM overspeed requires automatic engine change. He refused to down the plane for that and got permission from the Squadron to fly it home if the engine oil filters checked ok after whats called a engine torture test. The oil strainers checked ok and we flew it home. Within the next 2 weeks 3 of the 4 engines failed.
I enjoyed my tour in 21, I worked grave shift line trouble shooters and days on the engine calendar check crews The only names I can remember is Chief Duncan, Chief Terpak, P.O. Smith, my line crew supervisor, Bobby Downs and John Baldree, my two buds from Florida and Commander Roushman the Maintenance officer who qualified me for 1st Mech after a calendar check test flight, ah but that's another hairy flight story. I retired CPO in 1987 with 27 yr. 6 mo in the Pensacola area. 11/21/2007 @ 06:24 [ref: 18611] |
| Floyd W. Smith , FL | I was a member of VR-21 from 10/1962 to 10/1964. I worked in the Line Troubleshooting crew. After making ADR3 I was sent to C-118b ground school. Shortly thereafter I qualified for preflight/runup. One evening while performing a runup after #1 engine change. The engine became engulfed in flames on start-up. Following the emergency procedures I attempted to put out the flames, all without success. I order the others to abandoned the aircraft using the aft cargo door and ditching rope. When I got to the door I could not use the rope as I had a cast on my right arm. I had to jump to the concrete ramp. By this time the fire had gone out. The crash crew showed up. But there was no fire to put out.
The following inquiry decided that it was a carburetor fire and the carb. was change as a precaution. The whole experience of VR-21 and Hawaii are forever seared in my memory. You had to be there! I would like to hear form the following fellow crew members: George Kenndy, Gordon Goodall, Ron Neilson, Jim Hurbst and John Poestel or anyone who cares to. email me at: carl783@juno.com Time is short, so act soon. 11/10/2007 @ 10:32 [ref: 18490] |
| David J Dyar Hampton, GA | flew as an loadmaster from 1964 and 1965 on c118b with vr21 know as pineapple airlines i remember flying all into vietnam would like to hear from anyone who flew during that time 10/02/2007 @ 17:39 [ref: 18082] |
| David J Dyar Hampton, GA | flew as an loadmaster from 1964 and 1965 on c118b with vr21 know as pineapple airlines i remember flying all into vietnam would like to hear from anyone who flew during that time 10/02/2007 @ 17:39 [ref: 18081] |
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