List of Douglas DC-4 variants

This is a list of civil and military variants of the Douglas DC-4:

Civil variants

 * DC-4
 * Initial prototype. One built.


 * DC-4-1009
 * Postwar passenger model. This civil model could carry up to 88 passengers.


 * DC-4-1037
 * Postwar freight model.


 * DC-4A
 * Civilian model designation for the C-54 Skymaster.


 * DC-4M-1X North Star
 * The initial prototype that was later part of the TCA order.


 * DC-4M-2/3 North Star
 * Four-engined civil transport aircraft for Trans Canada Airlines, powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlin 622 piston engines. A total of 20 built for Trans-Canada Airlines. Also known as the North Star M2-3.
 * DC-4M-2/4 North Star
 * Four-engined civil transport aircraft for Trans Canada Airlines, powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlin 624 piston engines. Also known as the North Star M2-4.
 * DC-4M-2/4C North Star
 * DC-4M-2/4 North Star cargo conversions done between 1954-1961. Also known as the North Star M2-4C.


 * DC-4M-1 North Star Mk M1
 * Six aircraft operated by Trans Canada Airlines, on loan from the RCAF.


 * C-4 Argonaut
 * A total of 22 built for use by BOAC.
 * North Star C-4-1
 * Four aircraft identical to BOAC's Argonauts built to Canadian Pacific Airlines specifications. Also known as the Canadair Four
 * North Star C-4-1C
 * North Star C-4-1s converted into freight or cargo aircraft.


 * C-5 North Star
 * One RCAF VIP transport version powered by four Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial piston engines.


 * CL-2
 * Canadair model number for the DC-4M-1X, DC-4M-2/3, DC-4M-2/4 and C-54GM North Star.


 * CL-4
 * Canadair model number for the C-4 Argonaut and C-4-1 Canadair Four.


 * CL-5
 * Canadair model number for the sole C-5 North Star.


 * Aviation Traders Carvair
 * Starting in 1959, 21 DC-4s and C-54s found new life as ATL-98 Carvairs. The Carvair was designed to carry 22 passengers and five automobiles. This was accomplished by extending the fuselage, moving the cockpit above the fuselage, adding a side-opening nose, and enlarging the vertical stabilizer to offset the larger forward fuselage. These aircraft served as flying ferries well into the 1970s, and two are still airworthy as of March 2008 - one each in Texas and South Africa.


 * DC-4 Swingtail
 * A C-54B (c/n 10452) converted to a swing tail by Sabena for Air Congo. It flew for Air Congo and later Air Zaire from 1966 to 1976 and then sold to Zaire Air Service in 1976 and flew until 1984. Sold to Kinair Cargo and flew until it crashed in 1988.

Military variants

 * C-54
 * First production variant adapted from DC-4, 24 built.


 * First military version with strengthened airframe, increased fuel capacity, provision for passengers or cargo, Navy equivalent R5D-1, 252 built.
 * First military version with strengthened airframe, increased fuel capacity, provision for passengers or cargo, Navy equivalent R5D-1, 252 built.


 * MC-54A
 * Optional designation for C-54As used for medical evacuation.


 * ZC-54A
 * Redesignation for "obsolete" C-54As.


 * ZJC-54A
 * One ZC-54A converted for flight testing.


 * C-54B
 * Increased fuel capacity in the wing, One was used by Winston Churchill, 220 built.


 * VC-54C: One C-54A converted as presidential transport version (Sacred Cow colloq.) delivered to Air Transport Command in June 1944 for Franklin D. Roosevelt and used by Harry Truman (officially retired July 1961, transferred to "National Air Museum of the Smithsonian Institution" on December 4, 1961)
 * Same as C-54B but with R-2000-11 engines, 380 built.
 * Same as C-54B but with R-2000-11 engines, 380 built.


 * AC-54D
 * Small number of aircraft modified with special electronic calibration and communications equipment. The aircraft were redesignated EC-54D.


 * EC-54D
 * Redesignation of the AC-54D.


 * HC-54D Rescuemaster
 * Redesignation of the SC-54D.


 * JC-54D
 * Nine C-54Ds temporary converted for missile tracking and nose-cone recovery.


 * SC-54D
 * 38 aircraft converted by Convair, as search and rescue aircraft. Later redesignated HC-54D.


 * TC-54D
 * C-54Ds converted into multi-engine training aircraft.


 * VC-54D
 * C-54Ds converted into VIP transport aircraft.


 * WC-54D
 * C-54Ds converted for weather reconnaissance.


 * Further revision to fuel tanks and provision for rapid conversion from passenger to cargo, 125 built.
 * Further revision to fuel tanks and provision for rapid conversion from passenger to cargo, 125 built.


 * AC-54E
 * C-54Es converted for airways calibration, redesignated EC-54E in 1962.


 * EC-54E
 * AC-54E redesignated in 1962.


 * HC-54E
 * SC-54E redesignated in 1962.


 * SC-54E
 * C-54E converted for air-sea rescue, redesignated HC-54E in 1962.


 * VC-54E
 * C-54Es converted as a staff transport.


 * XC-54F
 * Proposed experimental paratroop version, not built.


 * Same as C-54E but with different version of the R2000 engine. 400 ordered of which 162 were completed, remainder cancelled.


 * HC-54G
 * SC-54G redesignated in 1962.


 * JC-54G
 * C-54Gs used for temporary testing.


 * SC-54G
 * C-54Gs converted for air-sea rescue, redesignated HC-54G in 1962.


 * VC-54G
 * C-54Gs converted into VIP/staff transport aircraft.


 * C-54GM North Star Mk 1
 * Four-engined military transport aircraft for the RCAF, powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlin 620 piston engines. A total of 24 built for RCAF transport use, (the first six actually modified DC-4s).
 * C-54GM North Star Mk M1 ST
 * North Star Mk M1s converted into passenger transport aircraft.


 * C-54H
 * Paratroop transport. None built.


 * C-54J
 * Staff transport project, none built. Navy designation R5D-6.


 * XC-54K
 * Long range version, one aircraft built with Wright R-1820 engines.


 * C-54L
 * One C-54A aircraft tested in 1947 with an experimental fuel system.


 * C-54M
 * Specialized modification of C-54 to carry coal during the Berlin Airlift, 38 conversions.


 * MC-54M
 * Specialized modification of C-54E for medical evacuation, 30 conversions.


 * VC-54M
 * Single MC-54M converted to a VIP transport.


 * VC-54N
 * R5D-1Z redesignated in 1962.


 * C-54P
 * R5D-2 redesignated in 1962.


 * VC-54P
 * R5D-2Z redesignated in 1962.


 * C-54Q
 * R5D-3 redesignated in 1962.


 * VC-54Q
 * R5D-3Z redesignated in 1962.


 * C-54R
 * R5D-4R redesignated in 1962.


 * C-54S
 * R5D-5 redesignated in 1962.


 * VC-54S
 * R5D-5Z redesignated in 1962.


 * C-54T
 * R5D-5R redesignated in 1962.


 * EC-54U
 * R5D-4 redesignated in 1962.


 * RC-54V
 * R5D-3P redesignated in 1962.


 * R5D-1
 * 56 C-54As transferred to the United States Navy.


 * R5D-1C
 * R5D-1s modified in US Navy service, with a fuel system based on the one used in the C-54B.


 * R5D-1F
 * Naval staff transport conversions of the R5D-1, redesignated R5D-1Z then VC-54N.


 * R5D-1Z
 * Interim designation of the R5D-1F.


 * R5D-2
 * 30 C-54Bs transferred to the United States Navy, redesignated C-54P in 1962.


 * R5D-2F
 * Naval staff transport conversion of the R5D-2, redesignated R5D-2Z then VC-54P in 1962.


 * R5D-2Z
 * Interim designation of the R5D-2F.


 * R5D-2-2
 * R5D-2 converted to a radar and radio testbed with a dorsal mast and wingtip pods.


 * R5D-3
 * 95 C-54Ds transferred to the United States Navy, redesignated C-54Q in 1962.


 * R5D-3P
 * Photo survey conversions of the R5D-3, redesignated RC-54V in 1962.


 * R5D-3Z
 * Naval staff transport conversions of the R5D-3, redesignated VC-54Q in 1962.


 * R5D-4
 * 20 C-54Es transferred to the United States Navy, redesignated EC-54U in 1962.


 * R5D-4R
 * Passenger only conversion of the R5D-4, redesignated C-54R in 1962.


 * R5D-5
 * R5D-2 and R5D-3s re-engined to approximate C-54G standards, redesignated C-54S in 1962.


 * R5D-5R
 * Passenger only conversion of the R5D-5, redesignated C-54T in 1962, 86 conversion.


 * R5D-5Z
 * Staff transport conversion of the R5D-5, redesignated VC-54S in 1962.


 * R5D-6
 * Proposed USN version of the C-54J with passenger interior, not built.


 * XC-112
 * Pressurized variant of the C-54B with Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engines. None built.


 * XC-112A
 * As XC-112. One built. Developed into DC-6 / C-118 family. Later redesignated YC-112A.


 * XC-114
 * Stretched C-54E powered by Allison V-1710 engines. One built.


 * XC-115
 * XC-114 with Packard V-1650 engines. None Built.


 * YC-116
 * XC-114 with thermal de-icing rather than rubber boots for testing, one built.


 * Skymaster I
 * Royal Air Force designation for 22 C-54Ds.