Plastic Model Airplane Kits

Douglas C-124 Globemaster II

Old Shaky or so it was known the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, California was a heavy lift aircraft for cargo.

From the 1950 all the way to the 1960s the C-124 was the heavy lift transport aircraft of the USAF Military Air Transport Service. By the early 1960s it was replaced by the C-141 Starlifter. The C-124 served the Military Air Transport Service and the Military Airlift Command on active duty. C-124 Globemaster II later served the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard up until 1974.

Developed by Douglas Aircraft the C-124 prototype came out of lessons learned from the Berlin Airlift and the C-74 Globemaster. The C-124 is powered by 4 Pratt & Whitney R-4360 engines that put out 3,800 hp each. The Globemaster will carry 68,500 lbs of cargo. The aircraft had two clamshell doors that were very large and a cargo elevator under the rear fuselage. Inside the 77 ft cargo bay there were two hoists capable of lifting 8000 lbs each. The C-124 Globemaster could carry just about anything. The Globemaster was built to carry tanks, guns, heavy equipment or as many as 200 troops with all their gear. On its double decks 127 litter patients with attendants could also be carried. It was a major advantage to carring tanks and heavy equipment without disassembly.

C-124As were being delivered starting in May of 1950. The first one to fly was in November of 1949. Later upgrades included engines that had a lot more power and radar installed in a thimble one the nose for weather detection. The plane needed deicing capability and cabin heat which was solved with wingtip combustion heaters. All C-124As included the enhancements in later versions.

Service began with the Korean War for the C-124s and they were used in Operation Deep Freeze in Antarctica. The C-124 Globemaster performed heavy lift cargo operations for the military around the world. By 1959 the C-124 was transporting Thor missiles to England across the Atlantic.

C-124 Globemaster Used Extensively in Vietnam

There was a lot of heavy cargo carried to Vietnam from the U.S. until the C-5A Galaxy became available. At the time the U.S. aircraft available to carry heavy cargo was the C-124 and the C-133 a sister aircraft.

The C-124 Globemaster went into service first with the USAF Strategic Air Command or (SAC) as its initial operator. It remained in service with SAC through 1962 to airlift nuclear weapon, heavy cargo and troops on overseas deployments.

Military Air Transport Service and later Military Airlift Command operated the C-124 until 1966. By 1970 all remaining C-124s finished their duty with the Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard. The very last C-124 Globemaster to retire was in September of 1974 of the Georgia Air National Guard the 165th Airlift Wing.

The Douglas C-124 Globemaster II is such an unusual aircraft it would make a fantastic addition to any model airplane collection.