The DC-4 1009 was produced at the Douglas Aircraft Company plant at Santa Monica, California. The aircraft did two test flights on the 7th and 8th of August 1947 with Captain G.D.B. Williams. The aircraft was delivered to SAA on the 9th of August 1947, registered ZS-BMH and was named “Lebombo”. This was the last DC-4 Skymaster off the Douglas factory production line. The aircraft was delivered by SAA Captains G.D.B. Williams, Captain G.W. Williams and Captain William J. Morrisey, assistant chief pilot of Douglas Aircraft Company.
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09th August 1947
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Los Angeles – Chicago
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8 hours 20 min.
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10th August 1947
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Chicago – Gander (New Foundland)
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8 hours 10 min.
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11th August 1947
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Gander – London
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10 hours 10 min.
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15th August 1947
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London – Amsterdam
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1 hour 30 min.
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16th August 1947
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Amsterdam – Castel Benito – Khartoum
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8 hours 10 min
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17th August 1947
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Khartoum – Kisumu – Nairobi
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6 hours
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18th August 1947
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Nairobi – Palmietfontein
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8 hours 15 min.
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Total hours
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50 hours 35 min.
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On the 30th of June 1962 the Skymaster was involved in a collision with a SAAF Harvard, number 7464 from 5 Squadron, during the approach into Durban Airport. The rudder and elevators were damaged but the aircraft landed safely, the Harvard crashed near a bowling club on the Bluff, both pilots parachuted and landed without injuries. The pilot of the Skymaster was Captain Archie Nasmith.
The aircraft was sold to the SAAF on the 21st of January 1966, allocated the tail number 6904 and was operated by 44 Squadron. The aircraft was leased to Safair in February 1977 using the registration ZS-BMH and was used for carrying mineworkers from neighbouring states to South Africa and was returned to the SAAF three months later.
During 1991 the SAAF began phasing out the DC-4 and in 1992 SAA bought the most noteworthy of the DC-4's back from the Air Force. It was ZS-BMH, "Lebombo". After an extensive rebuild she re-entered service with the SAA Historic Flight on 8 April 1993, exactly 46 years after she rolled off the Douglas assembly line in 1947. ZS-BMH was the last DC-4 ever built.
In July 1994 Lebombo flew to the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Fly-in at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in the USA. The journey to Oshkosh was over 15 000 kilometres and she set a new world record for the longest, time and distance, propliner flight in one direction, with an unchanged passenger group.
Famous film actor, aircraft owner, enthusiast and pilot, John Travolta was aboard Lebombo.
Lebombo did SAA proud by winning the award for best transport aircraft, in the classic category, at the show.
In June 1996 she attended the 50th anniversary celebrartions of Heathrow Airport in London.
The aircraft was in Germany in June 1998 to celebtate the 50th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift.
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Douglas DC-4 ZS-BMH at Zurich Airport which celebrated its 50th birthday on 23 August 1998.
Photo: Rainer Spoddig
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The ownership of the aircraft was transferred to the Transnet Heritage Foundation on the 25th of January 2001.
On the 18th of September 2006 the airliner transferred to Rand Airport with the Transnet Heritage Foundation.
The airliner is operated by charter operator Skyclass Aviation who specialise in African Flying Safaris to Southern Africa.
Powered by four Pratt & Whitney R2000 radial piston engines, ZS-AUB and ZS-BMH are two of the very few passenger-licensed Douglas DC-4 Skymasters operating in the world today and are great favourites in the Africa Fly-in tourism industry, venturing as far as North America and Europe. The aircraft seat 50 passengers each, in a Business Class configuration. The DC-4's range of over 3000 km puts it in easy reach of exotic destinations such as Central and East Africa as well as many of the spectacular tropical islands in the Indian Ocean.
Photo: Athol Franz |
Photo: Bruce Perkins
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Photo: Athol Franz |
Photo: John Austin-Williams
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Photo: Marilyn Andre
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Photo: Bruce Perkins |
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The two Lebombos ZS-BMH and big brother ZS-SAN
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Technical details Douglas DC-4 1009 Skymaster
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Wingspan
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35.81 meters / 117.5 feet
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Length
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28.60 meters / 93.9 feet.
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Height
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8.40 meters /27.6 feet.
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Weight empty
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19,641 kgs / 43,300 lbs.
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Weight loaded
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28,804 kgs / 63,500 lbs.
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Maximum speed
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451 kph / 280 mph.
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Cruising speed
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329 kph / 205 mph
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Ceiling
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6,900 meters / 22,600 feet.
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Range, normal load
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5,630 kilometres / 3,500 miles.
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Engines
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4 Pratt & Whitney R-2000 D5, 14 Cylinder, two row, air-cooled radials developing 1,081 Kw/ 1450 HP Driving Hamilton Standard 3 blade constant Speed propellers.
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Crew
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3 Flight deck, 2 cabin.
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Max t/o weight (structural)
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73,000 lbs
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Max landing weight (structural)
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63,500 lbs
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Max zero fuel weight
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60,700 lbs
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Max T/O weight 3 engines
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55,700 lbs
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C of G max t/o
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16 % - 32 %
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Desired
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24.8 %
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C of G 3 engine t/o
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16 % - 24.8 %
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Min fuel press idle
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9 psi
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Max fuel press
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22 psi
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Max fuel Qty overnight
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1640 USG / 1680 USG
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Max fuel Qty landing
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max 395 in inboards or 395 total outboards
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Fuel tank capacities
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1+4 mains
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495 USG each
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2+3 mains
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508 USG each
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1+4 aux.
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431 USG each total BMH = 2868 USG
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2+3 aux. (AUA only)
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362 USG each total AUA = 3592 USG
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Fuel dump time 6 tanks
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3.5 minutes
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Fuel dump rate 6 tanks
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382 / 472 USG/min
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Safe endurance after dump
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45min @ 75% of METO i.e. 2550rpm 33.5”
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Max diving
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218 kts
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Max cruising
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180 kts
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Max gear down
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156 kts recommended 140 kts
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Flap Limits
20
30
40 - 45
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176 kts
134 kts
137kts
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Max fuel dump
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191 kts
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Turbulence
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140 kts
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Max landing lights extended
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130 kts
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Max speed for unfeathering
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120 kts
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Max x/wind take-off
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25 kts
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Max x/wind landing
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20 kts
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Two retractable single shock strut dual wheel units
Hydraulic disc type two units per wheel
Steerable, hydraulically retractable single shock strut
Single hinge shock strut with telescopic fairing filled with Hydraulic fluid & 800psi air press.
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8 tank system
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ZS AUA – ZS AUB
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6 tank system
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ZS BMH
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Fuel distribution for landing:
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Max 395 USG in 2 & 3 mains or max 395 total in 1&4 mains and 1&4 Aux’s
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Max Zero fuel weight
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60700 lbs.
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1&4 mains
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495 USG each
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1&4 Aux’s
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431 USG each
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2&3 Mains
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508 USG each
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2&3 Aux’s
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362 USG each
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Min dipped fuel in 1&4 mains
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360 USG
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T/O
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193 / hr / eng
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METO
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130 / hr / eng
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Climb
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81-92 / hr / eng
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Cruise 3
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56 / hr / eng
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Cruise 4
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50 / hr / eng
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Pratt & Whitney
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Wasp R2000 D5 Twin wasp 14 cylinder twin row
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Impeller reduction gear ratio
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2:1
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Master cylinder no.
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6 in front, 9 at rear.
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Min. oil temp. for T/O
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40°C
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Min. CHT for T/O
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120°C
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Max RPM for T/O
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2700
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Max Boost for T/O
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48” Hg
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Mixture
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Auto rich
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Time Limit
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2 minutes
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Max CHT
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262°C
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Max oil temp.
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93°C
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Min. oil press.
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40psi (Within 30 seconds)
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Max mag. Drop
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100 rpm
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Overspeed limit
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3050 for 30 sec.
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Restricted RPM
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1510 - 2310 & vicinity of 1900
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Rpm when feather button released
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800 -1000rpm
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Oil Press to feather
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500 psi
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Oil Press to unfeather
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600 psi
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Normal voltage
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24 - 28 Volts
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Generator rating
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200 amps
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A/C voltage
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115 volts / 26volts @ 400cycles
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Max speed for landing light
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130 Kts
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Landing light limit
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2 min.
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Engine Starter motor limit
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45 sec.
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Cooling time for starter
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3 min.
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Photo: Marilyn Andre
Photo: Marilyn Andre
