Douglas C-54D-DC N44914 (c/n 10630/361) looks really brilliant, while parked here at North Weald. It's decorated with a fake USAF serial: 44-42914.


It's history does date back to the US Army Air Force, to which it was delivered on 20Mar45, but the serial assigned was 42-72525. It was transferred immediately to the U.S.Navy, as BuNo 56498. It was converted to a C-54Q during 1962. This veteran retired in Apr72, stored at Davis Monthan AFB,AZ.
It went to civvie street for Biegert Aviation of Arizona as N44914 in Oct75. Biegert converted it to a bug-sprayer. During 1979 it operated its last bug-spraying mission when Biegert's contract ended. N44914 sat in the Arizona desert, awaiting better times. By 1995 there were only 21.051 flighthours on the airframe.
More than 50 years after its initial delivery it was bought, in 1996, by Atlantic Warbirds Inc (New Hampshire, USA) and they were responsible for a complete restoration and this magnificent (MATS Atlantic Division) colourscheme ! With (BuNo) 56498 on its tail it was seen on various air shows. By June 2002 the airframe hours totalled 21.085.
On 03Sep03 it was bought by Sherman Aircraft Sales Inc and registered that same date to Aces High US Ltd. It arrived together with N31356 at North Weald on 27Sep02 from Reykjavik, for Aces High UK.