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VC-118 Independence
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Photo: Robert Deering
2012 National Museum of the USAF Wright-Patterson AFB (FFO) Dayton, Ohio |
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The VC-118 was a military
variation of the Douglas DC-6 commercial airliner. In
1947 USAAF officials ordered the 29th production DC-6 to
be modified as a replacement for the aging
VC-54C Sacred Cow
presidential aircraft. It differs from the standard DC-6
configuration in that the aft fuselage was converted
into a stateroom; the main cabin seated 24 passengers or
could be made up into 12 “sleeper” berths. The VC-118
was formally commissioned into the AAF on July 4, 1947,
and was nicknamed Independence for the President Harry
Truman’s hometown in Missouri. Probably the plane’s most
historic flight occurred when it carried President
Truman to Wake Island in October 1950 to discuss the
Korean situation with Gen. Douglas MacArthur.
Beginning in 1951, the USAF purchased 165 C-118A “Liftmasters” that were about six feet longer than the Independence. C-118As played a key role in “Operation Safe Haven” when 14,000 Hungarian refugees were airlifted to the United States in 1956-1957. In May 1953, after nearly six years of White House service, the Independence was retired as a presidential aircraft and subsequently served several Air Force organizations as a VIP transport. The aircraft was retired for display at the museum in 1965. In 1977-1978 museum personnel restored Independence to its former presidential markings and eagle-like paint scheme. |
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 Photo: Robert Deering 1985 National Museum of the USAF Dayton, Ohio |
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