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Mar 28 2009, 3:25 AM EDT (current) Toxisch 7 words added, 3 words deleted
Dec 25 2006, 11:24 AM EST LaurentH

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In 1950 the Belgian Air Force obtained a Douglas C54A Skymaster from Sabena, to make the passengerflights from and to the Belgian Congo a bit more comfortable. In 1954 a second example was bought from S.A.S..
When in 1958 the larger C-118 (DC-6) entered service, both aircraft were mainly used as a cargoplane.
They were operated by the 15th Transportwing - 21 Squadron, based at Melsbroek.
In 1971 both aircraft were withdrawn from use.

Douglas C54A-10-DC
KX-1 c/n 10326/57 Callsign OT-CWU
  • 000644: roll out Douglas Aircraft Co, Chicago, Illinois
  • 150644: delivered USAAF as 42-72221
  • 150644: transferred to US Navy as Bu39174
  • 280646: returned to Douglas Aircraft Co as NC49539
  • 000447: converted by Pacific Overseas Airlines, California, USA
  • 000000: bought by Sabena
  • 300447: Bill of Sale (price : 291.791,20 USD)
  • 050547: delivered Brussels-Haren (tt.36,51 hrs)
  • 300547: registered in Belgium as OO-CBS
  • 030648: registered in the Belgian Congo as OO-CBS (CofA C.115), initally used as cargo plane
  • 000000: modified for the transport of 72 passengers
  • 000050: sold to the Belgian Air Force (price : 12.098.000 BFR)
  • 260650: modified prior to sale to the Belgian Air Force
  • 021050: delivered to Belgian Air Force as KX1/OT-CWU (tt.7900 hrs)
  • 141050: tt 7495,45 hrs
  • 261050 tested and accepted by the military authorities, an acceptance flight was performed by Captain Gueuffen
  • 081150: cancelled as OO-CBS from the Belgian Civil Register
  • 081250: first flight Belgium - Congo, via Tripoli-Kano and Leopoldville. Crew : pilot Captain Gueuffen, co-pilot Prosper Cocquyt (Sabena)
  • 281250: second flight Belgium - Congo. Crew : pilot Captain Gueuffen, co-pilot Captain Kaizin, assisted by Sabena Chief Pilot Captain Jo Van Ackere
  • 000151: flight to Singapore to bring vital cargo to the ''Kamina'', which was berthed in this port. Crew : pilot Captain Gueuffen, co-pilot Captain Kaizin, Lt.Bodart (wireless operator), Major Rulmont (navigator), Sgt.Moreau (flight engineer), Sgt.Van Nieuwenhuize (flight engineer)
  • 171057: damaged during hangar-fire (Strabed-hangar) at Zaventem, a tractor pulled the aircraft out of the hangar in time (tt.12040 hrs)
  • 130760: used to fly paratroops from Kamina to N'Djili during Congolese hostilities
  • 290570: last operational flight (tt 17933,40 hrs)
  • 010171: officially wfu, stored in Brussels (tt.17933,40 hrs)
  • 300471: official farewell ceremony at Melsbroek
  • 140671: to Dienst der Domeinen/Administration des Domaines for sale
    191071: public sale by Dienst der Domeinen in the town of Vilvoorde; buyer : J.Vermeersch, Torhout
  • 001271: dismantled at Melsbroek
  • 290372: transported by road to Torhout; the goal was to convert the aircraft to a bar near the bar-restaurant 'Chantilly', lacking the necessary permits this project was abandoned.
  • 000484: sold for scrap at Torhout, went to Mr.O. De Poortere
  • 000584: finally scrapped at Torhout

Short History : 42-72221, Bu39174 NC49539, OO-CBS, KX-1/OT-CWU
Douglas C54A-10-DC - DC4 Skymaster - Belgian Military Aircraft Database
Collection Laurent Heyligen

Douglas DC4-1009
KX-2 c/n 42987/41 Callsign OT-CWV
  • 251043: ordered by SILA (Sweden) as an aircraft in a batch of 10.
  • 000546: roll out Douglas Aircraft Co, Santa Monica, CA.
  • 170546: first flight at Clover Field of OY-DFO "Rolf Viking"
  • 200546: acceptance flight by Det Danske Luftfarselskab A/S crew
  • 210546: accepted by Det Danske Luftfarselskab A/S. (tt 3,05 hrs)
  • 210546: delivery flight : Clover Field - Las Vegas - New York - Gander - Copenhagen
  • 250546: arrived in Copenhagen (07.28 hrs)
  • 290546: first flight after delivery (training flight)
  • 130646: used until this date for crew training
  • 300646: first commercial flight : Copenhagen - Oslo
  • 010846: the three Scandinavian national airlines form S.A.S.
  • 020946: D.L.L. transfers its DC4-aircraft to S.A.S. in Stockholm and handed over to A.B.A. for conversion to S.A.S. standard. (615,12 hrs in 288 flight for D.L.L., tt.618,17 hrs)
  • 100946-041046: used by SAS for crew training.
  • 111046: test-flight after conversion to Atlantic Version
  • 121046: second test-flight
  • 131046: officially handed-over to SAS and first SAS service (SK1690 - Stockholm (via Oslo) to New York)
  • 311246: tt 926,09 hrs
  • 170450: tt 7783 hrs
  • 211253: tt 15636 hrs
  • 290154: last commercial flight for SAS (SK451 - Oslo - Copenhagen)
    240354: tt. 15786 hrs
  • 000554: bought by Belgian Air Force from S.A.S.
  • 130554: tt 15791,20 hrs
  • 180554: acceptance flight by a Belgian crew assisted by team from SAS crew at Copenhagen as OT-CWV
  • 180554: delivered at Melsbroek wearing Belgian Air Force colors and registered KX2/OT-CWV. Crew: Captain Mouillard and Captain Pacco.
  • 130760: used to fly paratroops from Kamina to N'Djili during Congolese hostilities
  • 280471: wfu (tt.24584 hrs)
  • 300471: official farewell ceremony at Melsbroek
  • 300471: ferry-flight to Koksijde for storage. Crew : Cdt.De Pauw (captain), Adj.Chef Richard (first officer), Adj.Chef Van Herp (flight engineer)
  • 300471: tt 24591,10 hrs
  • 140671: to Dienst der Domeinen/Administration des Domaines for sale
  • 181071: public sale by Dienst der Domeinen at Hotel 'Rivela' at Koksijde; buyer : A.J.Walker (UK) Aviation Ltd., Horley, Surrey (240000 BFR)
  • 001171: offered for sale again at Koksijde
  • 000372: seen with registration LN-TUR for Norwegian Overseas Airways, Oslo. During the month of March the Belgian Air Force markings were removed and the registration LN-TUR was painted on the fuselage (reservation for this registration was made on 140372, cancelled on 240372 after the sale was cancelled)
  • 110472: registered for A.J.Walker (UK) Aviation Ltd. as G-AZSI
  • 120572: ferry-flight to Southend in Belgian Air Force colours by West London Air Charter
  • 130672: ferry-flight to Stansted by a Captain Jones and broken up for spares for the British Air Ferries Carvair-fleet. The wings of OT-CWV were used on Carvair G-ASKN 'Big Bill'
  • 000072: transferred to Stansted Fire Brigade for fire practice
  • 140377: registration cancelled from the British Civil Register
  • 000077: used for fire practice at Stansted airport (marked as GM-791UR)
  • 000079: derelict at fire dump at Stansted
  • 000000: broken up

Short History: OY-DFO, KX-2/OT-CWV, LN-TUR (ntu), G-AZSI
Douglas C54A-10-DC - DC4 Skymaster - Belgian Military Aircraft Database
CollectionPhoto LaurentBelgian HeyligenAir Force - Robert Thesias

1910-1929 - Belgian Military Aircraft Database