The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor increased the urgency of needing a large global transport. The Douglas Aircraft Company began studies at their Santa Monica division towards developing a transport capable of fulfilling the needs of the U.S. military. The 'C-74 Project Group' used their company's DC-4 as a basis and concentrated on extending it's capabilities. This new model number aircraft became the Douglas Model 415. Their design philosophy was to build a 'no-frills' airplane that was able to accomodate many of the Army's large equipment. This included T-9 Aero tanks, 105mm Howitzers with transporting vehicles, angle dozers, and smaller utility vehicles like jeeps. Their transport design needed to be simple enough to allow for production without much delay.

Sales negotiations between Douglas and the government began with Generals Arnold and Echols in 1942. A letter of intent was issued in March 1942 and the aircraft was given the Army Air Force designation C-74. A contract worth over $50 million was signed June 25, 1942 for 50 aircraft and one static test article. There were no XC- or YC-74 models produced, in order to speed it's delivery to operational units. After all production modifications were made, the C-74 Globemaster was the largest land-based transport in the world!

Douglas had every intention to adapt the aircraft into a civil airliner once the war ended.
Pan American World Airways began negotiations in 1944. Their civilian model would be dubbed a DC-7 by Douglas and the 'Clipper Type 9' by Pan American. Pan American intended to use the 108-passenger aircraft for international travel between New York, Rio de Janeiro, and other cities. In June, 1944, an order was placed for 26 aircraft. However, in November of that same year, the cost per aircraft was already over $1,412,000 and Pan American canceled its order in October 1945. Combining this with the end of the war, the government's contract was also canceled and only 14 C-74's were built including the test article.

This first flight of a C-74 occured on September 5th, 1945. The first C-74, 42-65402, was airborne just two months after after it rolled off the assembly line. The 1 hour and 35 minute flight was from Long Beach Municipal Airport and the crew reported the aircraft handled "with characteristic ease".

The Globemaster's engines were equipped with full-feathering, reversible Curtiss electric propellers. They shortened the aircraft's landing role and saved brake wear. They also enabled the airplane to back up for positioning on the ground.

In an aerodynamic sense, the airpland was remarkably efficient. Douglas engineers chose a full span flap arrangement consisting of split flaps under the fuselage center section, double-slotted inboard wing flaps, and complicated triple-slotted 'flaperons' on the outboard sections which served as both flaps and ailerons. Low drag airfoil sections were used to cover the 16 protruding flap hinges, giving the aircraft a distinctive 'toothed' look.

The aircraft had unusual 'bug-eye' canopies which were chosen more for safety than aerodynamics. They allowed the pilots a nearly unobstructed 360-degree view around the aircraft. The crew was provided with quarters, though compact. The engineer's station was behind the copilot, the radio operator was stationed behind the pilot and the navigator was stationed behind him. A toilet, buffet and sleeping quarters were also provided for a relief crew.

The landing gear was patterned after that used on the C-54 (DC-4) but expanded in size to withstand greater tolerances. Hydraulic pressure was only applied to gear after take off in order to retract the gear. Extending the gear was done by gravity alone with the gear lever simply releasing an 'up' latch and letting the gear free-fall. Hydraulic gear extension was available in case of emergencies and there was even a passageway provided so the crew could access each engine nacelle and manually lower the gear.

Of the 14 Globemasters built, 12 were delivered between October 1945 and April 1947.
Of these 14, the second built crashed during flight testing in August 1946. The fourth was diverted to a static test article at Wright Field, Ohio and virtually every component was tested to destruction between August 1946 and November 1948. This was done inorder to determine the individual component's ability to withstand design loads.

The 'C-74 squadron' was activated along with the 'C-74 Project' in September 1946. They were attached to the 554th AAF Base Unit located in Memphis, Tennessee. The 554th was a part of the Air Transport Command. Col. George S. Cassady was put in charge of the project and Maj. Lorris Moomaw temporarily commanded the new squadron.

The C-74 Squadron's mission was threefold: 1) To establish a flight program which would accumulate 300 hours of service time on the Globemaster's original R-4360-27 engines in the shortest possible time; 2) to gather and record all technical data from tests performed on the C-74; and 3) to train sufficient crew members and aircraft mechanics with which to conduct these tests. The R-4360 engine was earmarked for the B-35 and B-36 so Air Material Command was especially anxious to see the results of the squadron's use of the aircraft.

Original qualifications for a perspective C-74 pilot required 2,000 hours total military flying time; 250 hours first pilot time on the C-54, B-29, or C-69; 500 hours of night flying; and 75 hours of instrument time. These were minimal qualifications even though it was acknowledged that "the aircraft is actually easier to fly than the C-54 and the pilot and copilot have even less to do." Due to the complexity of the flight engineer's job, only the most qualified men were considered for this assignment.

Operations in 1947 included two weekly trips from Morrison Field to Albrook Field, Panama using Rio Hato as an alternate field. The squadron was now based at Morrison Field, West Palm Beach, Florida after the 554th AAF Base Unit was deactivated in the Fall of 1946. This was presumably due to the fact that the runways at Memphis were not stressed to take the large gross weight of the C-74.

In March, a Globemaster was flown to Pope Field, North Carolina for inspection and flight testing by the Troop Carrier Command to determine the airplane's adaptability as a troop carrier. The aircraft was flown for 17 hours to determine its flying characteristics during formation flying and simulated parachute supply drops. The inspecting board of six officers had a favorable impression of the airplane. However, they concluded the C-74 would not make a suitable patatroop platform.

In May, an aircraft was flown to Churchill, Manitoba to assist in cargo operations on the 'Beetle Project' to Cambridge Bay, Victoria Island, Canada.

As a result of the Cambridge Bay operations, it was felt that the C-74 could satisfactorily land on ice and operate in artic weather provided that: 1) a sufficient supply of parts was available; 2) the aircraft was moved at least every 24 hours to prevent flat spots from developing on the tires; 3) strut pressures were checked frequently; and 4) all fuel, oil and hydraulic lines were winterized to prevent leakage due to condensation. Humanitarian missions flown in 1947 included flood relief to Florida, and Hurricane relief for the southern area of the U.S.

Operations in 1948 continued with regularly scheduled flights to Panama. Preperations continued towards allowing passenger flights on a regular basis by installing airling-type seats and a galley. On March 21, the first authorized regular passenger flight was made from Brookley Field to Panama with 19 passengers aboard. At this time, passengers were restricted to male military personnel and only with provisions for parachutes.

June 1st of 1948 marked to birth of the Military Air Transport Service (MATS) with the merging of the Air Force's Air Transport Command and the Navy's Naval Air Transport Service. Within MATS, three major air transport divisions were formed: the Pacific Division, Continental division, and Atlantic Division. Of these, all of the Globemasters were assigned to the Atlantic Division. It had operational jurisdicition over the East Coast of the U.S., across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe and North Africa. Also, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean were included in the Atlantic Division.

Three weeks later on June 24th, the Russians closed all land routes into the divided western sectors of the city of Berlin. On the 25th, the Air Force was requested to airlift 25 tons of supplies into Berlin. It responded the next day with over 80 tons, thus begining what was to become the largest single airlift operation in history. 'Operation Vittles' later to be known as the Berlin Airlift was a distinct operation in which the Globemaster played a significant part of helping to introduce the need of large transport aircraft.

A single Globemaster arrived at Rhein-Main Airfield on the 14th of August and landed for the first time on the 17th at Berlin's Gatow Airfield carrying 20 tons of flour. Over the next six weeks, the Globemaster crew flew 24 missions into the city delivering 1,234,000 pounds of supplies. The aircraft that was flown during the Berlin Airlift was the 13th airframe built, 42-65414. Several airlift records were set by the crew in 414 during Operation Vittles. On September 18th, Air Force Day, the crew flew six round trips into Berlin hauling a total of 250,000 pounds of caol setting a new Airlift Task Force utilization record by flying 20 hours during the 24 hour effort.

During the construction of Tegel airfield in the French sector of Berlin, large construction equipment was needed to build new runways. But this equipment, including a rock crusher, was too big for even the Globemaster to accommodate. The mission was accomplished by having the equipment cut into pieces by welding torch at Rhein-Main and flown aboard the C-74 into Tegal for reassembly.

After six weeks of Vittles flights, the Globemaster returned to Brookley AFB. Reportedly, the Russians complained that the Globemaster could be used as a a bomber via the open elevator well. The fact that the runways in Berlin were not stressed for the airlifter's weight and the aircraft was not compatible with the corridor's scheduling were other factors considered for it's withdrawl.

The Commander of MATS, General William H. Tunner summed up the Globemaster's performance in the airlift by saying:

"The lessons we've learned from the Airlift
are tremendously important...we've proved
concretely here some important things we
believed all along; that the future of
military air transport is in the big
aircraft.  With one plane which could do
the work of three, all of our major problems
would have been proportionally reduced.  
If we had had a full fleet of the Douglas
C-74s for the Airlift, we would have been
able to deliver 8,000 tons daily using only
two bases in West Germany and one in Berlin." 

Support for the Berlin Airlift by the C-74 changed to flying regularly scheduled flights between the U.S. and Germany. This mission was called the 'Goliath' and was constantly transporting C-54 engines and parts for use in the airlift. Other flights were the 'Panamanian' runs between and the Brookley and Albrook Field, Balboa, Canal Zone and the 'Puerto Rican' mission from Brookley to Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico.

Operations in 1949 included more records set for speed and tonnage. During January, C-74 413 completed a record 84-hour round trip to Germany, although actual flying time was only 42.5 hours. In May, a C-74 carried 75 passengers plus a crew of 12 to England-at the timethe largest military passenger load to fly the Atlantic. Six months later, on November 25, C-74 414, dubbed 'THE CHAMP' by it's crew, flew the Atlantic with a record 103 people aboard, setting down in Marham, England. They arrived 24 hours after their departure from Brookley AFB. The 'Goliath' flights continued as well as the 'Panamanian' and the 'Puerto Rican' flights into the Caribbean.

Operations in 1950 saw the addition of 'The Hawaiian', a weekly, round-trip between Brookley AFB and Hickam AFB, Hawaii with one stop at Fairfield-Suisun AFB, California. 'The Jonathan' mission operaed three times a week to Anchorage, Alaska with intermediate stops at Kelly AFB, Texas, McClellan AFB, California, and McChord AFB, Washington. The 'Goliath' run was reduced to once weekly.

The invasion of the Republic of Korea by North Korea began another supporting phase of the C-74's career. From July 1st to December, the Globemasters logged over 7000 hours in flights to Hawaii hauling troops and high priority cargo westward toward the Korean War and returning eastward with wounded GIs. During the seven months between July 1950 and January 1951, the Globemasters transported 2,486 patients, 550 passengers, and 128,000 pounds of cargo from Hawaii to the U.S. while hauling just under a million pounds of cargo westward. These figures, coupled with the fact that, since 1946, the C-74 had flown over six million miles and 31,000 flying hours without a single injury to crewmen or passengers, give testimony to the Globemaster's reliability.

Operations in 1951 continued with the C-74 being used in a utility role. This was primarily due to the increasingly low number of spare parts for the aircraft. The aircraft averaged utilization rates over 10 hours a day. Flights now included 28 scheduled trips to Tripoli and three to Iceland. One nontop flight from Keflavik, Iceland to Brookley AFB was made in under 19 hours, a distinct accomplishment during 1951. During October, the first C-124 Globemaster II was delivered from the factory joining the 1258th Air Transport Squadron (ATS). This made the 1703rd Air Transport Group the service testing agency for both the C-74 and the C-124.

In January and February 1952, 1260th ATS C-74's made 26 round trips to Tripoli, 18 flights to Casablance and 7 to Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico. Two flights to Tripoli were even extended to Khartoum in late February in order to transport a group of scientists and technichians to record an eclipse of the sun. Despite the shortage of spare parts and increasing maintenance problems, the Globemasters continued to serve the Air Force well. Due to the shortage of propeller parts and engines, the Group received authorization from Continental Division Headquarters to reduce the aircraft's utilization rate to six hours per day. This allowed fo an increase in the needed maintenance hours.

Throughout the remainder of 1952, the C-74 Squadron, now the 6th ATS, continued their logistic support flights to North Africa, the Middle East, Europe, the Caribbean, and within the U.S. Additional support was given to Strategic Air Command (SAC), and Tactical Air Command (TAC). Two C-74's were used to support the first TAC F-84 flight across the Pacific Ocean to Japan. SAC also continued to use the Globemasters to rotate Medium Bombardment Groups on temporary duty in England and North Africa.

**Operations during 1953 through 1955 saw the aircraft's utilization rate gradually lower due to increased maintenance 'downtime' caused by the shortage of parts and an influx of untrained personnel as maintainers. One aircraft was grounded due to an unexplained, mysterious severe vibration during flight. It was pronounced fit to fly after interchanging two engines and balancing all four propellers.

In 1953, the C-74 received a flying safety award but a year later, an inflight fire marred its safety record. The crew extinguished the fire and landed safely but another aircraft flown by the 6th ATS also experienced a fire. These mishaps significantly lowered the squadron's utilization rate.

In March 1954, a study of the Globemaster was summarized as the 'C-74 Modernization', seemingly signaling a continued use and modernization of the aircraft. Though this study was forwarded to Continental Division Headquarters for consideration, it was recognized by late 1954, that the deterioration of the C-74's components were progressing more rapidly than predicted. Plans were made for the eventual retirement of the Air Force's only fleet of Globemasters.

In 1955, the C-74's maintenance man-hour requirements were so high that a two-hour a day utilization rate was requested and approved. During the Spring, a program was begun to cross-flow C-74 pilots and engineers to the C-124 in preperation for the C-74's retirement. The 6th ATS flew 45 scheduled and special trips during their last six months. Their destinations included Europe, North Africa, South America, and the Middle East carrying over six million pounds of cargo, nearly one million pounds of mail, and 1,750 passengers. They accomplished this despite being grounded twice during this periode due to failers in their fuel selector valves and elevator pins. Before the end of June, the 6th ATS was merged with the 3rd ATS and was flying operational missions with them. On July 1, the 6th ATS (Heavy) was officially deactivated and its C-74s and crews were transferred to the 1703rd ATG's 3rd ATS (Heavy). On November 1st, the C-74s were placed in flyable storage at Brookley AFB while the group waited for instructions as to the disposition of the aircraft.

During the first three months of 1956, the 11 remaining C-74s were officially remove from the Military Air Transport Service's inventory and were flown one by one to Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona for permanent storage. Colonel George S. Cassady, who had accepted the first C-74 for the Air Force and now a Brigadier General, was attending a Continental Division Commander's Conference when he learned of the C-74's last flight. Brig. General Cassady received special permission to pilot the aircraft on it's last flight and on March 31, flew the last C-74 from Brookley AFB to Davis-Monthan AFB.

C-74 Squadron
1103rd Army Air Field Base Unit
Morrison Field
West Palm Beach, Florida
Air Transport Command, Atlantic Division
USAAF
Oct 1946

21st Air Transport Squadron (Provisional)
22nd Air Transport Squadron (Provisional)
2nd Air Transport Group (Provisional)
1103rd Army Air Field Base Unit
Morrison Field
West Palm Beach, Florida
Air Transport Command, Atlantic Division
USAAF
March 1947

31st Air Transport Squadron (Provisional)
32nd Air Transport Squadron (Provisional)
3rd Air Transport Group (Provisional)
1103rd Army Air Field Base Unit
Morrison Field
West Palm Beach, Florida
Air Transport Command, Atlantic Division
USAAF
May 1947

17th Air Transport Squadron
19th Air Transport Squadron
521st Air Transport Group
Brookley AFB
Mobile, Alabama
Military Air Transport Service, Atlantic Division
USAF
June 1948

1260th Air Transport Squadron
1601st Air Transport Group
Brookley AFB
Mobile, Alabama
Military Air Transport Service, Atlantic Division
USAF
Oct 1948

1260th Air Transport Squadron
1703rd Air Transport Group
Brookley AFB
Mobile, Alabama
Military Air Transport Service, Continental Division
USAF
Oct 1949

6th Air Transport Squadron (Heavy)
1703rd Air Transport Group
Brookley AFB
Mobile, Alabama
Military Air Transport Service, Continental Division
USAF
July 1952

3rd Air Transport Squadron (Heavy)
1703rd Air Transport Group
Brookley AFB
Mobile, Alabama
Military Air Transport Service, Continental Division
USAF
July 1955 - March 31, 1956

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