FS2004 Fairchild C119

HH-AHX 'Haitian Girl'
TradeWind Caribbean Freight Lines

The C-119 was a redesign of an earlier Fairchild transport design, the C-82 Packet, which was built for the USAAF between 1945 and 1948. While the Packet provided valuable service to the Air Force's Tactical Air Command and Military Air Transport Service for nearly nine years, its design had some limitations, and these were addressed in the new C-119 transport.

First, the cockpit was moved into the nose of the airplane from its previous location over the cargo compartment. This resulted in much more usable cargo space and larger loads. The C-119 also featured more powerful engines (Pratt & Whitney R-4360s), a widened fuselage, and a strengthened structure. The first C-119 prototype (actually called the XC-82B) flew in 1947, and deliveries began in December 1949 as the C-119B.

The C-119B saw extensive action in Korea and Vietnam, and many were provided to other nations as part of the Military Assistance Program, including Belgium, Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Italy, Nationalist China, and South Vietnam. The type was also used by the Royal Canadian Air Force, and by the US Marine Corps under the designations R4Q-1 and R4Q-2.

It was in Vietnam that the lowly troop-carrying C-119 took on various tactical, offensive roles which its designers never could have foreseen. In its AC-119G "Shadow" variant, it was fitted with four six-barrel 7.62-mm miniguns, armor plating, flare-launchers, and night-capable infrared equipment. Now a potent weapon, the C-119 was made even more so by the introduction of the AC-119K "Stinger," which featured the addition of two 20-mm cannon, improved avionics, and two underwing-mounted J-85-GE-17 turbojet engines, adding nearly 6,000 lbs. of thrust.

Other major variants included the EC-119J, used for satellite tracking; and the YC-119H Skyvan, with larger wings and tail. Another variant still seen today is the "Jet-Pack" version, which incorporates a 3,400-lb thrust Westinghouse J34 turbojet engine in a nacelle above the fuselage. In a reversal of the normal course of events when airplanes are improved and modified, most variants after the C-119B incorporated lower-powered Wright R-3350 Cyclone engines.

After its retirement from active duty, many C-119s soldiered on in the US Air National Guard until the mid-1970s, and until recently they were still in use by the Taiwanese Air Force. In recent years, several civilian-operated C-119s have found work as firebombers in the northwest United States, and a few have even begun making appearances at warbird airshows. TradeWind Caribbean and TradeWind Alaska have operated the type for a number of years.

Nicknames: Crowd Killer; Dollar-19; Shadow (AC-119G gunship); Stinger (AC-119K gunship).

Small but worthwhile MODEL UPDATE

Additional texture set:

N119TA 'Village of Sleetmute'

TradeWind Alaska Freight Lines

TradeWind Alaska Textures

Main package must be installed first

FS2004 Douglas DC-3

PJ-TRL TDM pax version

The Douglas DC-3 revolutionized air transportation and airline service during the 1930s and 1940s. It was a luxury airliner that boasted cabin heat and running water in its on-board lavatory. With the right balance of efficiency, range, speed, and payload, the DC-3 was the first aircraft to earn a profit for its owners just by carrying passengers. The hero of early airlines, a handful of DC-3s are still at work today

FS2002 Lockheed Super Constellation PJ-SUS 'Susannah'

in 60s TradeWind Caribbean Airlines livery

History: Super Constellation

Introduction Designed and built by the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation to the specification of the legendary Howard Hughes, the Constellation, the world's first commercially successful pressurized airliner, heralded a new post-war era of safe, comfortable and fast transatlantic air travel. This graceful looking aircraft with its long sinuous fuselage - curving downward at the nose and upward at the rear to its distinctive tripletail, became synonymous with the halcyon days of the big Propliners and is still widely regarded with awe and affection.

In all, 856 Constellations were built, ranging from the first C-69 variant to the magnificent L-1649 Starliner. Sadly 55 years after the first aircraft flew, only a handful remains airworthy as a vibrant reminder of perhaps the most beautiful propliner of them all.

Aircraft design - Born out of a requirement for a long range commercial transport, capable of non-stop travel between New York and Los Angeles, the Constellation was a product of Lockheed's design office staff lead by their chief designer, Clarence L. Kelly Johnson. The same team had already been responsible for the successful series of commercial aircraft including the twin engined Electra and Lodestar and was now working on the design of a new airliner for Pan American (PAA). Known as the model 44 Excalibur, it offered a similar layout to their previous products but with the capacity to accommodate up to 40 passengers. During project discussions, the customer called for a larger aircraft with a pressurized fuselage and, while thought was being given as to how this could be achieved, a significant development occurred. In June 1939, Howard Hughes, a majority shareholder in Transcontinental & Western Airlines (TWA), joined the project with a requirement for a completely new commercial transport capable of sustaining 250 mph at 20'000 ft, with a 6'000 lbs payload over a range of 3'500 miles. The definitive design of this new aircraft was produced by the end of the same year and although it bore the model 49, there were considerable similarities between it and the model 44. The cost of a production aircraft in 1939 was expected to be US$ 425'000.--

To produce an aircraft which would meet the exacting specification set by Howard Hughes, a number of major issues had to be addressed and in particular, the choice of engines and propellers. Eventually, it was decided to equip the aircraft with new and extremely powerful, Wright 18 cylinder R-3350 engines. Each engine produced over 2'200 hp and turned a huge, 15'2 " diameter propeller. However, this combination gave rise to a few specific design challenges. Ground clearance on the massive propellers necessitated an unusually long undercarriage although careful design of the forward fuselage shape helped to reduce this. Again the size of the propellers dictated the wide spacing of the engines along the wing. This, in turn, created a need for considerable tail area to ensure that directional-control was maintained during any asymmetric configuration. Thus, the large tailplane with its distinctive triple fin arrangement was raised out of the engines' slipstream and mounted high on the rear fuselage. It was for these reasons that the unique cambered shape of the fuselage evolved, resulting in the now legendary "Connie" shape. The beautiful elliptical wing shape was a direct adaptation of the Lockheed's P-38 Lightning wing section, which offered the best compromise between lift and drag with excellent stall characteristics. The wing conferred such high performance on the Constellation that, when first built, it was faster than any contemporary for engined bomber and could actually exceed the speed of some versions of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter.

Airline orders - The confidence of both PAA and TWA in the L-049 design was such that even before construction had begun the latter carrier had placed an order for nine aircraft, which it later increased to 40, whilst PAA followed suit soon after with an initial order for 40. However, history conspired to deny Lockheed their commercial triumph when, following America's entry into World War II, all civil contracts were frozen and the production lines were taken over by the U.S. Army.

World War II - The L-049 was redesignated the C-69 by the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) and orders were placed for a total of 180 of the aircraft with the prototype first flying on the January 9, 1943. By early 1945, the C-69 had been incorporated into the USAAF's Air Transport Command Service and was being flown, on behalf of the USAAF, by crews from both PAA and TWA on routes between the United States and Europe. However, as hostilities drew to a close, only fifteen C-69's had been delivered and the military order was subsequently reduced to 73 aircraft.

Consequently, Lockheed were left with surplus airframes and the Company decided to steal a march on their competitors by introducing a modification program to convert the C-69s for civilian use whilst developing a true civilian variant for airline customers. This prudent move gave Lockheed a significant lead over their rivals, the Douglas DC-6 and the Boeing Stratocruiser (both of which were almost 18 months behind their development) and resulted in orders for over 100 L-049s, from eight airlines, within a week of V-Day.

Further Connie development - The L-049 was little more than an interim version in the development process and the first true commercial variant of the Constellation was the L-649. This model incorporated the first of many performance and system updates that were to be a feature of the Constellation's development. Eastern Airlines was the only customer for the L-649. The subsequent L-749 variant represented the culmination of the original design. Enhanced capability, through increased power, extended range and higher operating weights, made the L-749 a far more attractive proposition for the airlines.

The L-1049 Super Constellation, which first flew in July 1951, offered major improvements in range and payload and these aspects continued to be refined as the series was developed. Progressive engine developments resulted in the turbo-compound version, which produced 3250 hp through the addition of power recovery turbines (PRT). This modification drew energy from spent exhaust gases and fed the recovered power back into the rear of the engine crankshaft, through a geared coupling, to provide a 20 % increase power. The most noticeable visual changes came from its increased length of 18 ft 4 in, through the insertion of two fuselage plugs, one forward of wing and one aft and the replacement of main cabin portholes with squared windows. The flight deck environment was also improved to aid crew comfort and included redesigned flight deck glazing. Most national flag carriers including Air France, BOAC, IBERIA, KLM and Lufthansa in Europe, Northwest and TWA in the United States and Air India and Qantas in the Far East flew Super Constellations.

The ultimate Constellation was the L-1649 Starliner. Driven by the requirements of TWA for an extra long range aircraft to counter the competition from the Douglas DC-7C, the Starliner was created by a marriage of the L-1049G fuselage to a totally new wing design, which offered the aircraft transoceanic range and a significantly improved performance.

Representing the pinnacle of piston-engined air transport design, the Starliner's operational career was curtailed by the dawning of the jet age. In fact, the first jet services began very shortly after the Starliner's debut on the North-Atlantic routes, and effectively made the type redundant, which resulted in a production run of only 44 aircraft. The Starliner, which cost Lockheed US $60 million to develop, was the company's only unprofitable Constellation variant.

TradeWind operated the type in the mid 60s, during the transition from 'Airways' to 'Airlines'. As a consequence a variety of schemes were seen across the then fleet.

FS2002 Boeing 377 Super Stratocruiser
GMAX Version 1 6/2003

TradeWind Caribbean Airways (1960s)

PJ-TPQ 'Ocean Voyager'

and

FS2002 Boeing 377 Super Stratofreighter
GMAX Version 1 6/2003

Tradewind Freightlines (1960s)

HI 377 'Bugsy'

(ex USAF C-97C 0-22648 of the New York Air Guard
with nose radar dome)

When Boeing developed the B-29 Stratofortress during WW II, it was soon realized that it was the beginning of a new plateau of aircraft technology. The USAAF and Boeing soon realized that an impressive transport aircraft could be developed from the bomber, and the Model 367 (C-97) was flying by the end of the war. The B-29's wings, engines, and tail were mated with a completely new fuselage, whose dimensions at that time looked fantastic. The front looked bluff and unstreamlined, but the maximum speed was calculated to be as high as the bomber's. The plane was tailored to the military's needs, but as the war was winding down, the aircraft manufacturer began to think of ways this new technology could be translated into an airliner derivative.

Pan American was very interested in the plane, but thought that it would be even better equipped with the new Wasp Major engine, then in development for the B-29's successor, the B-50. With the promise of an order from Pan Am, Boeing had refined the Model 377 with the new engines by 1946, with all the latest refinements, including full anti-icing, light alloy structure, and foldable tail. The interior would feature a two-deck arrangement, with luxurious furnishings and a spiral staircase to a downstairs bar/lounge.

In June 1946 Pan American cancelled it's DC-7 order (an earlier model quite different from the eventual DC-7) and ordered 20 377's, now named the Stratocruiser. Further orders came from TradeWind, Northwest, American Overseas, SAS, BOAC, and United. TheTradewind, Northwest and United examples were built slightly differently, the most obvious change being the square passenger windows. However, total production of the Stratocruiser only came to 56, with most airlines shying away from the complex Wasp Major engines with their twin General Electric turbos and Hamilton Standard hollow-steel square-tipped props. There were indeed many problems with the "Strat" as it was placed into service, but the competing Connies and DC-6's also had problems that even lead to their temporary grounding. SAS never actually took delivery, their four planes being added to the BOAC order.

The Stratocruiser was typically used in first class transatlantic service (except for the United and Northwest planes), and other international routes. However, they were rapidly replaced by other more economical aircraft in the late 50's and by jets in the early 60's, and were sold to other operators. Many of these were converted to cargo operations, and several were used in the "Guppy" rebuildings, resulting in grossly outsized fuselages for hauling such things as rocket sections and airplane parts. Others became transports for the Israeli air force.

A number of ex USAF examples were use byTtradewind Freightlines for many years after passenger services concluded.

Click here for 3 missing gauges

FS2002 Douglas DC-6B Super Cloudmaster (includes panel and sound)

PJ-ACA 'Palmiste Royal' TDM pax version and
PJ-ACF 'Lignum Vitae' TradeWind Domestic SkyFreighter

The DC-6 was developed as a faster, larger, and pressurized version of the DC-4 which first flew in 1946. This popular airliner was faster than TWA's new 049 Constellation, and
allowed one-stop transcontinental service in 10 hours.  When more powerful P&W R-2800 engines became available, Douglas decided to stretch the DC-6 by over 4.5 feet to produce the DC-6B. The first DC-6B flew in February, 1951, and the first operator was American Air Lines. Production of the DC-6B reached 288 by the close of the production line in November, 1958. Produced in parallel with the DC-7 series, many airlines found the DC-6B to be preferable to the DC-7's. The DC-6A was a very similar plane designed especially for freighter service.

The reason for this preference is due to the impressive operating statistics of the DC-6B. It had the best operating economics of any large piston airliner of it's time, and passengers also appreciated it's quietness, smoothness, and general comfort. Douglas sold more DC-6B's than any other civil airliner in the DC-4 to DC-7C series, which indicates it's popularity with the public and the airlines. TradeWind operated the type for many years in both passenger and cargo roles. The virtues of the DC-6B have endeared it to many recent operators, and several are still flying today.

FS2002 Curtis C-46 Commando HH-AHD 'Haitian Glory'

in 60s TradeWind Caribbean Airways livery

The Curtiss Commando came into widespread civilian service as both an airliner and a freighter after a large number were built as transports for the US military during World War 2, although the original Curtiss design was intended as an airliner.

Originally intended as a competitor to the highly successful Douglas DC-3, which was the preeminent airliner of the time, the Curtiss CW20 was designed to operate on routes of up to 1000km (540nm), which at the time accounted for 90% of the US domestic airline system. The CW-20 featured two 1270kW (1700hp) Wright R2600 Twin Cyclone radial engines, twin vertical tails and a pressurised double lobe, or `double bubble' fuselage. Accommodation would have been for 36 passengers plus four crew.

Later in timing than the DC-3, the CW20 first flew on March 26 1940. In July that year an impressed US Army Air Force ordered 20 unpressurised CW20s, which it named the C46 Commando. The first production aircraft was completed in May 1942, by which time the powerplant choice had been switched to P&W R2800s, and the first deliveries to the US Army occurred that July.

Initially the C46 was troubled with reliability problems in military service, but these were soon overcome and the Commando proved to be a useful transport with its relatively cavernous freight hold.

A proposed postwar commercial version was the CW20E, but it failed to attract customer interest and thus all Commandos to enter civilian service were ex military aircraft. Most were purchased by American operators for freight work. One postwar version though was the Riddles Airlines C46R which had more powerful engines and better performance. Thirty or so were converted.

TradeWind operated the type in the mid 60s.

In late 1998 five Commandos were believed to be operational in Alaska, four in Canada, and as many as seven in Bolivia.

FS2002 Douglas DC-2 P4-AJJ 'Antillean Flyer'

in 30s TradeWind Caribbean Airways livery

Inspired by the technical success of the DC-1, the DC-2 was introduced less than a year after the DC-1's first flight.

The new plane was similar in shape to the DC-1 but had more powerful engines, was faster and capable of longer flights. More importantly, it was two feet longer and could carry two more passengers.

The DC-2 was an instant hit. In its first six months of service, the DC-2 established 19 American speed and distance records. In 1934, TWA put DC-2s on overnight flights from New York to Los Angeles. Called The Sky Chief, the flight left New York at 4 p.m. and, after stops in Chicago, Kansas City and Albuquerque, arrived in Los Angeles at 7 a.m. For the first time, the air traveler could fly from coast to coast without losing the business day.

The DC-2 was the first Douglas airliner to enter service with an airline outside the United States. In October 1934, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines entered one of its DC-2s in the London-to-Melbourne air race. It made every scheduled passenger stop on KLM's regular 9,000-mile route (1,000 miles longer than the official race route), carried mail, and even turned back once to pick up a stranded passenger. Yet the DC-2 finished in second place behind a racing plane built especially for the competition. After that, the DC-2's reputation was assured and it became the airplane of choice for many of the world's largest airlines.

In 1935, the DC-2 became the first Douglas aircraft to receive the prestigious Collier Trophy for outstanding achievements in flight. Between 1934 and 1937, Douglas built 156 DC-2s at its Santa Monica, Calif., plant.

TCA 'TradeWind Caribbean Airways' as it was then known operated six of the type in the late thirties and early forties.

DC-2 Uiver site

FS2002 Junkers Ju-52 H-AAAN and Junkers Ju-52 Seaplane H-AAAH

in 30s TradeWind Caribbean Airways livery

Nicknamed "Tante Ju" (Auntie Ju) and "Iron Annie" by Axis and Allied troops, the Junkers Ju-52 was the most famous German transport of the war. The Ju-52 was built of corrugated metal skin and paid little attention to beauty, features of a typical Junkers design. Parts and pieces stuck out of the airframe, and the corrugated skin, though much stronger than fabric and metal tubes, created stronger air resistance.
In April 1931, the originally single-engined Ju-52 prototype was fitted with three engines. Performance improved tremendously and production of the new model immediately began. The Ju-52 served as an airliner for many nations. Finland, Spain, Sweden and Germany were just a few. It served as a mail carrier in China, and, fitted with floats, hauled lumber in remote places in Canada. Its most commom work, however, was done with the German Lufthansa. Equipped with luxaries like a typewriter and oxygen masks, the Ju-52 could fly from Berlin to Rome in eight hours over the Alps, an impressive feat for contemporary aircraft, let alone an airliner.
The military potentials of the Ju-52 was not overlooked by the Luftwaffe. It entered service as a troop transport and bomber. In the Spanish Civil War, the Ju-52 ferried some 10'000 Moorish troops from Morocco to Spain, and bombed Madrid while, quite embarrassingly, some Lufthansa Ju-52s were in the airport serving as airliners. Later in World War II, the Ju-52 served in every theater in which Germany participated. It dropped paratroopers in the Netherlands, Crete and later the Ardennes. It carried supplies to beleagued troops in North Africa, Stalingrad and the Baltic states. The Ju-52 was slow and very lightly armed against fighters. As a result, it suffered horrible losses in almost all actions, especially over Crete, the Mediterranean and Stalingrad. Many types of replacement were built, but none was as popular or reliable as good old Auntie Ju. Right until the end of the war the Ju-52 was still soldiering on to help stave off defeat. The last Ju-52s went out of service with the Swiss Air Force in the late 1980s ­ over 50 years after the first of these durable aircraft first took to the air. Some Ju-52s are still flying today.
TCA 'TradeWind Caribbean Airways' as it was then known operated four of the type and two float versions in the late thirties and early forties.

FS2002 Beechcraft Super "G"18 PJ-HTB

in 70s TradeWind Domestic livery

Produced from 1939 to 1969

Wartime Beech 18's were designated C-45's & AT-11's USAAF & USN production (approx. 5,200 but scarce today) all these and subsequent models had two P&W R985 Wasp Jr. engines of 450 hp each.

Post-war civil model designated D18's production (1035)

1950's through 1969, Civil Super E18S (460), G18S (156) & H18 (40) taildragger production. Factory trigear H18 (109) and trigear conversions of E18S (68), G18S (12), H18 (3), C-45H (99) miscellaneous models (19) & D18S (39) for a grand total of 350 trigear 18's.
"E, G, & H" Airframe modifications such as single vertical stabilizer, revised nose, extended nose, raised cabin, floats, wing tips and engine modifications such as intake & exhaust changes, turboprop power or horizontally opposed engine power.

Distinguishing features of the categories:

"A" & "B" Pre-war and wartime production both had short & stubby overwing engine nacelles and the landing gear strut forks had a distinctive circular flat surface as the forks bent downward. The wing leading edge between the engines and fuselage continued at the same angle as outboard of the engines.

"C" & "D")Post-war aircraft had longer overwing engine nacelles, new landing gear forks (rounded as fork bent downward) and new wheels and brakes. The wing leading edge at the inboard side of each engine nacelle was extended forward to a point about six inches ahead of where the earlier models attached to the nose section. Flush riveting was used on the nacelles, cowling and nacelle fairing as well as the nose section and on the leading edge of the top and bottom of the wings. The leading edge of the stabilizer was raised a degree and a half from its previous setting of 3.5 degrees negative to the longitudinal axis and full feathering Hamilton Standard Hydromatic 22D30 propellers were available.

"E" "G" & "H" Super 18's have a higher cabin which meant the fuselage top came over the top of the horizontal stabilizer and that the cabin windows would be larger, different shaped eyebrow windows, different shaped nose, squared off wing tips, and new landing gear, wheels & brakes. However, to complicate model identification, many improvements were incorporated into earlier models through STC modifications. The only way to be certain of the original Beech 18 model is to ascertain its Beech c/n and model from the dataplate or records.

Maximum gross weight ranges (numerous variables affect exact allowed maximum gross weight).
Pre-war 6500 lbs. to 7200 lbs.
Wartime production 7660 lbs. to 8727 lbs.
Post-war civil D18S, C-45H and C-45J 8500 lbs. to 9500 lbs.
Super E18S, G18S & H18 taildragger 9300 lbs. to 9900 lbs.
Factory tri-gear H18 9900 lbs.

This ship was used as a crew hack ..........

FS2002 Ford Trimotor 5-AT-C gear and floatplane (5-AT-CS)

H-FTMA and H-FTMF

in 30s TradeWind Mail Service livery

The Ford Tri-Motor
------------------
The Ford "Tin Goose", created by the Ford Motor Co. at a time when most aircraft were made of wood covered with fabric, was the first all metal multi-engined airplane built in the USA.
The Ford Tri-Motor was originally developed and produced by Bill Stout of Stout Air Lines, and was based on European Fokker aircraft.
The Tri-Motor was composed of three models: the Stout 2-AT, which Ford purchased and assimilated; the Ford-developed 4-AT, epitomized by Admiral Byrd's "Floyd Bennett" plane and Texaco 4-AT aircraft; and the Ford 5-AT which comprised the majority of the 198 or so Tri-Motors which were produced.
The 5-AT characteristics, which distinguished it from the 4-AT, included a different cockpit shape with glass on the top, a snub nose vs. the pointed nose of the 4-AT and ring cowls on the outboard engines. The Ford 5-AT-C was a improved 5-AT-B "De-Luxe Club Model" with increased performance, cowlings and wheel pants options.
The 5-AT-CS was the Floatplane Version.