C-54 at Harlingen 1984

Wed Mar 19, 2008 3:40 pm

Anyone know anything about this C-54?
Is this a CAF bird? Hanger? Did they ever fly it?

Thanks,

Wed Mar 19, 2008 7:47 pm

If I recall correctly, when the CAF moved from Harligen to Midland, this plane was chopped up, and the nose was saved.

Wed Mar 19, 2008 8:23 pm

Wasn't there but it looks like it flew in. Was restored for static display just before the move then chopped up with the cockpit going to Midland where it is displayed in the museum.

Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:55 am

Why on earth would they beak up that plane???

Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:50 am

I don't know how the C-54 arrived but by 1991, as the CAF was starting to move to Midland, the plane was inspected for a possible move to Brownsville for static display at the Rio Grande Valley Wing and found to have so much corrosion that it wasn't practical to move it even by towing any distance.

I joined the CAF in May of 1984 and never saw the C-54 be anything but a static display but others may have more info.

Randy

Thu Mar 20, 2008 1:43 pm

If memory serves, the C-54 was owned by the USAF Museum, who was the party who actually had it scrapped due to the significant corrosion present (as Randy says).