The Big Lift

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The Big Lift movie poster.

Movie (1950)
French title : La ville écartelée

Starring:
Montgomery Clift (Sgt. 1st Class Danny MacCullough)
Paul Douglas (MSgt. Henry 'Hank' Kowalski)
Cornell Borchers (Frederica Burkhardt)
Bruni Löbel (Gerda)
Otto Eduard Hasse (Stieber)

Experiences of two Air Force sergeants during the 1948 Berlin Airlift.

Douglas C-54D Skymaster

Douglas C-54 Skymasters from the 19th Troop Carrier Squadron of the MATS (Military Air Transport Service, established in 1948 by merge of the ATC-Air Transport Command of the USAF and the NATS-Navy Air Transport Service) are seen throughout the movie.
The 5 stars actor in this movie is the Douglas C-54D-15-DC Skymaster s/n 43-17223 c/n 22173/DC625 delivered to USAAF during Summer 1945. Involved in a minor landing accident near Montevideo, Uruguay on 17 July 1947. And in another one at Tachikawa Air Base, Japan on the 1st March 1951. Bought by Americada Corp on September 1966 and registered as N68783. Withdrawn From Usage and stored on 1970.
Seen here as "The white Hibiscus".

AVION AC LVE.JPG
AVION AG LVE.JPG
AVION AH LVE.JPG

On approach to Flughafen Berlin-Tempelhof.

AVION AM LVE.JPG
AVION AZB LVE.JPG

Later renamed "Der Schwarze Hibiscus" as the aircraft is used to haul coal and soot has accumulated in it.

TheBigLift 001905.jpg

Douglas C-47A-30-DK

Douglas C-47A-30-DK s/n 43-48251 (c/n 14067/25512) delivered to USAAF on July 1944. At (Paris) Le Bourget, France on November 1944 where it was equipped for operations in artic conditions. Then ferried to Northern Sweden to support special forces fighting in German occupied Norway during December 1944. Years later sold to Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force. Ultimate fate obscure.

TheBigLift 348251.jpg

Republic P-47D Thunderbolt

Soviet Air Force did actually operated around 200 P-47D Thunderbolt during WWII mainly on units dedicated to high-altitude air defense over major cities. Their use once VE Day passed were limited and withdrawn from usage was a matter of months. But those might be “American P-47” rebadged as USSR forces.

Republic P-47D Thunderbolt seen very briefly at the 14th minute.

Douglas C-47 Skytrain

Another actor of this historical event. The Douglas C-47 Skytrain, at Flughafen Berlin-Tempelhof.

Douglas C-47 Skytrain of the MATS/USAF.

Douglas C-54G-1-DO Skymaster

Douglas C-54G-1-DO Skymaster 45-514 (c/n 35967) ran off end of runway into ditch and caught fire while landing at Flughafen Berlin-Tempelhof 13 August 1948 during Berlin Airlift. Crew survived.
Same aircraft in other movies at IMPDb: Frequently Seen Aircraft (Military Fixed-Wing).

Seen at 1h39mn, Douglas C-54 Skymaster of the MATS/USAF wearing 5514 on the nose.


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