The Big Lift
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 Withdrawn From Usage and stored on 1970.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".
On approach to Flughafen Berlin-Tempelhof.
Later renamed "Der Schwarze Hibiscus" as the aircraft is used to haul coal and soot has accumulated in it.
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.
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 Their use once VE Day passed were limited and withdrawn from usage was a matter of months.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.
Douglas C-47 Skytrain
Another actor of this historical event. The Douglas C-47 Skytrain, at Flughafen Berlin-Tempelhof.
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).
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