Douglas Aircraft
R5D-3 / C-54Q Skymaster
 
56528   R5D-3
Douglas C/N 10854
Side Number 5
"Admiral's Plane"
 
R5D_56528.jpg (98425 bytes)
Photo from Larry Lister
 
Was originally ordered by the USAAF in 1942 as a C-54D-15-DC,  USAAF Serial Number 42-72749.
It was transferred to the US Navy as an R5D-3 BUNO 56528 on 1 Aug 1945.
The aircraft was transferred to Operation Deep Freeze / VX-6 in Oct 1958 and was the first aircraft to land at McMurdo Sound during the IGY
It was redesigned as a C-54Q in 1962 and retired to Litchfield Park, AZ in Dec 1964 and struck from the Navy record.
 
56505   R5D-3
Douglas C/N 10665
Side Number 6
"Have Gum, Will Travel"
 
vx6travisr5d1.jpg (10980 bytes) vx6travisr5d.jpg (111354 bytes)
Photos from the Travis AFB Historical Air Museum
 
Was originally ordered by the USAAF in 1942 as a C-54D-5-DC, USAAF Serial Number 42-72560
It was transferred to the US Navy as an R5D-3, BUNO 56505 on 13 April 1945.
The aircraft was transferred to Operation Deep Freeze / VX-6 in October 1958.
In 1964 it went to NAS Glenview, IL.
It was sold as surplus in  Feb 1975.
It was sold to Central Air Service, CA for aerial firefighting, assigned Air Tanker number 149.
Sold to Travis Air Museum Dec1989, on display at Travis AFB, Cal
 
 
vx6r5d1.JPG (25849 bytes)
Photo from VXE-6 DE-Com CD
 
vx6r5d2.JPG (24356 bytes)
Photo from VXE-6 DE-Com CD
 
vx6r5d3.JPG (17539 bytes)
Photo from VXE-6 DE-Com CD
 
vx6r5dgroupphoto.JPG (17611 bytes)
Photo from VXE-6 DE-Com CD
 
vx656528jato.JPG (56943 bytes)
Photo from  Bob Nyden
 
R5D_1.jpg (20338 bytes)
Photo from  Bob Nyden
 
56528_JATO1.jpg (35650 bytes)
Photo from Larry Lister
 
 
firebomber.jpg (26077 bytes)
 
Email from BUZ Dryfoose, a VX-6 R5D pilot:
Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2000
From: BUZSAM@aol.com
Re: R5D / C-54 CO

Joe,
Thanks much for the info on 56505!!
When we got her she was rigged for Tri-Met camerawork, with two camera blisters on the lower side aft of the wings and a chin blister forward.
We removed those after I flew her and gained almost 30 knots. If I can ever get my slide scanner, I have some fine pictures of the old girl when we polished her in Ch Ch. At this time(1957) we could STILL find coal dust in her tail section and bilge's. Quite a work horse!!!!
Buz
 
From: BUZSAM@aol.com 
Date: Sun, 28 May 2000
Subject: R5D info - CO

Joe,
When I got to the squadron in 1957, they had two R5D's: 56528, which was the Admiral's plane and piloted by Lcdr. Hank Hansen and 56505 piloted by myself (Lcdr. E.D. "Buz" Dryfoose) and Lcdr. John Henning.
56528 was Number 5;
56505 was Number 6.
56505 was named Have Gum, Will Travel......a travesty on the then new TV program Have Gun, Will Travel. The thought behind that was that we could patch it up with chewing gum and bailing wire if we had to do so.
I don't know of any name for 56528. Both planes at the time were fitted with tri-met camera systems for mapping. The camera fixtures on the outside of each aircraft (which slowed them down 10 kts) were removed after the first deployment in 1957.
Both planes had been used on the Berlin Airlift by a Navy MATS squadron (either 6, 7, or 8......I don't know which) and we could still find traces of coaldust in the stringers aft of the after bulkhead.
I have flown both planes......and they were both great aircraft. The Admiral's plane (at one time) was rigged with a complete galley, all kinds of electronic gear for the Admiral's benefit (even a screen to show movies......just like PanAm!). Hank Hansen had a nickname of "The Gadget Man";.....that's what Gus Shinn still calls him.
'Hope this helps in some way.
Buz
 
 
BERLIN AIRLIFT HISTORICAL FOUNDATION
http://www.spiritoffreedom.org/
 
DOUGLAS R5D SKYMASTER by Jack McKillop
http://www.microworks.net/pacific/aviation/r5d_skymaster.htm
 
Travis AFB Historical Air Museum
http://public.travis.amc.af.mil/museum/c-54sky.htm
 
Associated Airtanker Pilots
http://airtanker.com/tankers.htm