In my previous post on Braniff, I'd shown one picture each of a Douglas C-47 and a Lockheed L-049, and had mentioned that, prior to 1970, the airline flew an impressive variety of different kinds of propellor aircraft...beginning with its very first (ever) scheduled airline service with a Stinson Detroiter (SM-1) ...

"...The SM-1 monoplanes were buxom, rather large and almost awkward looking but they delivered a good performance and handled surprisingly well in spite of their size...a good "Stinson Pilot" was indeed a special breed of man and could really perform many wonders with this plane..."

The plane was flown by the Braniff brothers...in 1928...

Later on, in the evolution of its prop fleet, e.g., from DC-2/DC-3 through DC-6/DC-7, one significant (interim) transition point was the deployment of ten DC-4/C-54 Skymasters. As the first 4-engined a/c for Braniff (must have felt like a milestone), the DC-4 was inaugurated on a flight between San Antonio and Chicago. Then, in the (strategic) route expansions to South America, the DC-4s played a crucial role by flying to La Paz (Bolivia) and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). Braniff was the first U.S. airline authorized by the CAB to operate JATO (Jet Assisted Take-Off) DC-4 aircraft at La Paz, which is the highest airport in the world, resting on the Andes’ plateau at nearly 12,000 ft above sea level. This is one of those very few international/major airports, where pilots must wear oxygen masks, even during departure and landing...!

Please find below 5 pictures of the Braniff C-54 Skymaster (a military derivative of DC-4, just as the C-47 was derived from the DC-3). This particular a/c (N65145) was a former USAF Douglas C-54A and was in service with Braniff International Airways from November 1945 until May 1954.

[BTW, since I'd recently acquired the Flight Replicas DC-4/C-54, I naturally wondered if I could, maybe, find a C-54 repaint in the Braniff color.... And, of course, the repainters never seem to stop amazing me. A Braniff C-54 repaint was a quick find from my search in the library...]

Thanks for viewing...!

Edited May 29, 20224 yr by P_7878

My first plane ride was on a Braniff, (I think a DC6) from Panama to Bogota Colombia in 1957. I was five years old then and have been an incurable Av geek since. 

Classy shots Sir !! . 

Great shots! 😉 

5 hours ago, Patco Lch said:

My first plane ride was on a Braniff, (I think a DC6) from Panama to Bogota Colombia in 1957. I was five years old then and have been an incurable Av geek since. 

One of my first memories of a flight (but not sure it was my 1st) was a Braniff DC-8 I believe.  I do remember it was the only blue plane I saw at the terminal. 🙂 

 

Another great set @P_7878! 

Edited May 30, 20224 yr by Steve Dra

Great pictures! And I'm happy that you like the paint.

A great looking plane in your collection. And very nice pics to prove it, P_7878. 

The (historically) significant "DC-4", the replacement for the legendary (and ubiquitous DC-3) ...was, so to speak, the unsung hero in aviation history...born, at a tumultuous point in history, under the darkening clouds of the WAR...so, not been able to deploy immediately, for civil transport... (and, of course, soon to be replaced by the DC-6) ...it was the DC-4 that had finally (commercially) got to tame the vast Atlantic....!

With its Tricycle Landing Gear... (no more tailwheel and taildragger of the DC-3 with pax having to climb up a slope to get to their seats...) ...If one has ever climbed up a DC-3 cabin (in static display...my case, or in an active a/c) ...one'll know what I mean. I read, "Climbing into the cockpit makes it obvious why a DC-3 pilot should not be required to undergo periodic medical exams to be given a medical certificate. Climbing the long and steeply sloped cabin several times a day should be a sufficient testament of health...."

 

Vic, johnb, Alaska, Steve, Tim, bernd:

Many thanks for the comments...!!

 

22 hours ago, Patco Lch said:

My first plane ride was on a Braniff, (I think a DC6) from Panama to Bogota Colombia in 1957. I was five years old then and have been an incurable Av geek since. 

Vic: So, you got a great (and early) start at "5" into aviation...🙂...And Bogota...being another extra-high-altitude capital city airport...that DC-6 flight must be a good piece of memory to hold on to...

 

16 hours ago, Steve Dra said:

One of my first memories of a flight (but not sure it was my 1st) was a Braniff DC-8 I believe.  I do remember it was the only blue plane I saw at the terminal. 🙂

Steve: Yes, Braniff been from around your backyard...🙂..."In February 1958, Braniff opened a new headquarters building at Exchange Park, a high-rise office development within sight of Dallas Love Field...."... (BTW, I know Austin well...but Dallas...not so much, but its freeway traffic in Summer...from a couple of occasions...I remember quite well...) ...

Of course, around airports, the vivid Braniff colors must have made these planes easily detectable.... And a "blue" DC-8 was most likely a Braniff...

BTW, Steve, Braniff's (intricate) blue shades, alone, are a bit too much for the layman...meant for (painting) aficionados like you...

1. Baby Blue (or/and Light Blue)
2. Medium Blue
3. Dark Blue
4. Turquoise Blue
5. Mercury Blue (Ultra)
6. Metallic Blue (Ultra)
7. Etc... (Oh well) ...

 

5 hours ago, Tim-HH said:

Great pictures! And I'm happy that you like the paint.

Tim: Thanks for stopping by and chiming in... it's not often that one runs into a repainter, here, entirely "fortuitously"....🙂...I picked up more of your DC-4 repaints (below, please see, all over again...🙂 ...for just a few) ...I will fly these, for sure...

Very nice. Is this the pay ware JF DC4/C54 available for FSX? I toy with the idea of reinstalling FSX or even buying a used copy of FS9 just for so many historical prop birds not ported to the 64bit sims. I have a few such as the A2A Connie and PMDG DC6 in P3DV5 but would love to toy around with the A2A Stratocruiser and JF C46 Commando and even the DC4. There is also a good number of freeware props as well as classic jets available for these sims. 

4 hours ago, Patco Lch said:

Very nice. Is this the pay ware JF DC4/C54 available for FSX? I toy with the idea of reinstalling FSX or even buying a used copy of FS9 just for so many historical prop birds not ported to the 64bit sims. I have a few such as the A2A Connie and PMDG DC6 in P3DV5 but would love to toy around with the A2A Stratocruiser and JF C46 Commando and even the DC4. There is also a good number of freeware props as well as classic jets available for these sims. 

Vic: Thanks for the inquiry, thoughts, and comments ... (I see here the Av geek speaking...🙂...) ...!

Basically, the way I look at it...even after my FSX is relegated to the basement...🙂... (in preference for MSFS) ...it will still have the vintage and historical planes that I've come to love...the planes that sustained and nurtured my interest in the hobby...and taught me much of what I know about aviation...myself being a non-pilot. MSFS, of course, is lately catching up admirably fast in the a/c department...But just like P3D"v5" is missing the classic planes that I still like to fly (727/737-200/707/A300/DC10/PMDG-JS41/PMDG-MD11 etc.), not counting numerous others such as this DC-4/C-54, all sufficient to engage my historical inclination...MSFS will take its time to replicate the lot...

So, I too sometimes feel there is no choice but to sustain two platforms...depending on my interest and with the time I can afford for this hobby...

Yes, this (specific) DC-4/C-54 FR/Flight Replicas package is from vendors like JF / Sim Market (I see two packages there (1) FSX/P3Dv1-v3 (2) P3Dv4), supplemented by a great set of liveries from the repainters. It's your call, Vic...but, unless you're only looking to explore the vintage and historic a/c....not much scenery, you may be disappointed...for reasons well-known...🙂...

Anyway, glad to know of your active interest in classic planes...!! Cheers ...!!

22 hours ago, P_7878 said:

Tim: Thanks for stopping by and chiming in... it's not often that one runs into a repainter, here, entirely "fortuitously"....🙂...I picked up more of your DC-4 repaints (below, please see, all over again...🙂 ...for just a few) ...I will fly these, for sure...

It was a great surprise for me to see your screenshots of the Braniff livery. I haven't flown the DC-4 for quite a while so it brought back lots of great memories. After I had purchased the FR DC-4 I remember how surprised I was that there were hardly any airline liveries for it. Initially I only wanted to do the United livery. But the FR DC-4 is such a great model that I had to create a few more.

Thanks once again for the great screenshots and I'm really happy that you like'em   

 

***Spectacular*** I Always Appreciate your Aviation History clips.

Great shots from that classic bird !

cheers 😉

Patrick, pmplayer:

Many thanks for the comments...!! 

 

On 5/31/2022 at 12:18 PM, Tim-HH said:

...Initially I only wanted to do the United livery...

Looks like I didn't then include, above, your "initial" (and nice) choice of repaint....🙂...though the UAL DC-4 was no less significant...(I believe the United DC-3 through DC-7 wore variations of this interesting dark-blue MAINLINER livery pattern...)...