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The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1959. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with the Lockheed Constellation in the long-range transport market. More than 700 were built, and many still fly today in cargo, military, and wildfire control roles.
The DC-6 was known as the C-118 Liftmaster in United States Air Force service, and as the R6D in United States Navy service.
The United States Army Air Forces commissioned the DC-6 project as the XC-112 in 1944. The Air Force wanted an expanded, pressurized version of the popular C-54 Skymaster transport with improved engines. By the time the XC-112 flew, the war was over, and the USAAF had rescinded its requirement.
Douglas converted its prototype into a civil transport (redesignated YC-112A, having significant differences from subsequent production DC-6 aircraft) and delivered the first production DC-6 in March of 1947. However, a series of mysterious in-flight fires (including the fatal crash of United Airlines Flight 608) grounded the DC-6 fleet later that year. The cause was found to be a fuel vent located adjacent to the cabin cooling turbine intake. All DC-6's in service were modified to correct the problem, and the fleet was flying again after just four months on the ground.
Pan Am used DC-6 aircraft to inaugurate its first trans-Atlantic tourist class flights, starting in 1952.
On November 1, 1955 a time bomb exploded aboard a DC-6 killing 44 people above Longmont, Colorado.
The USAF Strategic Air Command had C-118 Liftmasters in service from 1957 through 1975.
Douglas designed four basic variants of the DC-6: the "basic DC-6," and higher-gross-weight, longer range versions-the "DC-6A" had a large cargo door and was designed for cargo work, while the "DC-6B" was designed for passenger work and the "DC-6C" was a "convertible" aircraft that could accommodate both. The military version, essentially similar to the DC-6A, was the C-118. The DC-6B, powered by Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CB-17 engines with Hamilton Standard 43E60 constant speed reversing propellers, was regarded by many to be the ultimate piston-engine airliner from the standpoint of ruggedness, reliability, economical operation, and handling qualities.
The military renewed its interest in the DC-6 during the Korean War, and commissioned a number of aircraft that later found their way into civilian service. Harry Truman's first presidential aircraft was an Air Force VC-118 called The Independence.
In 2003, about 100 were still flying (or potentially capable of flight) and 49 were fully active.
Two DC-6 were used as freighters by Atlantic Airlines, Coventry, UK.
One was in use by Red Bull in Salzburg, Austria.
One DC-6 was used by Namibia Commercial Aviation.
An unknown number were in use as freighters or waterbombers in Canada and Alaska.
Several DC-6 are preserved in museums. The most well known is President Harry S. Truman's Independence, which is preserved at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.
Aerolíneas Argentinas, SABENA of Belgium, Panair do Brasil, Canadian Pacific Air Lines, Transocean (Cayman Islands), LAN Chile, TEAL (El Salvador), Olympic Airways, Aviateca (Guatemala), Iran Air, Alitalia, Mexicana , KLM, TEAL (New Zealand), Philippine Airlines, TAP Portugal, SATA, TAIP (Portugal), Air Vietnam, SAS, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Great Lakes Airlines, Capital Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Mackey Airlines, National Airlines, Northeast Airlines, Northwest Orient, Pan American World Airways, Trans American Airlines, United Airlines, Western Airlines, Yemen Airlines, JAT Jugoslovenski Aero Transport, Adria Airways (Yugoslavia)
Argentine Air Force, Belgian Air Force, Bolivian Air Force, Brazilian Air Force, Chilean Air Force, Chinese Nationalist Air Force, Colombian Air Force, Ecuadorian Air Force, El Salvador Air Force, French Air Force, French Navy, Luftwaffe,
Guatemalan Air Force, Honduran Air Force, Italian Air Force, Republic of Korea Air Force, Mexican Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, Paraguayan Air Force, Peruvian Air Force, Portuguese Air Force, United States Air Force, nited States Navy, Vietnam Air Force, Yugoslav Air Force, Zambian Air Force.
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