The C-54 Skymaster was the military version of the Douglas DC-4 airliner and replaced the ageing C-47, carrying almost three times its load and cruising around 30mph faster. The C-54s began operating on 1 July 1948 and were responsible for around a third of the total airlift, completely replacing the US C-47 fleet by 1 October 1948. The USAF C-54s were joined by US Navy R5Ds, with the fleet eventually growing to 225 aircraft. The aircraft shown is C-54M 44-9030 (tail number 49030) of the USAF Military Air Transport Service (MATS), Atlantic Division. It was specially converted to carry coal during the airlift and was assigned to 513th Air Transport Group, Rhein Main AB, Germany in January 1949, and then to 316th Troop Carrier Group Heavy, at Celle AB, Germany in April 1949. (Artwork by Tom Cooper)