European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 29, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday july 29, 1990the stars and stripes a a a Pago 9 Over Here this c-54 cargo plane undergoing renovation in a hangar at Rhein main a West Germany will be added to the Berlin Airlift memorial Park at the base on planet a last Landing site is Airlift memorial by Ron Jensen staff writer Rhein main a West Germany a it when chief master sgt. Robert Barbour first saw the c-54 spymaster that will be added to the Berlin Airlift memorial Here in september he thought a wow this is a two year project Quot the cargo plane was covered with grease on the outside and littered with animal droppings on the inside a testament to its Workmanlike career in a variety of countries. A it did no to smell too Good Quot Barbour said. A i spent four Days with a steam cleaner  that was last september when the air plane made its final flight to Rhein main a to become part of the memorial. Now it sits in a hangar stripped to its Bare Metal Anatomy and awaiting a coat of Silver  a in be probably had 25 Guys working on this for eight months Quot said Barbour the Wing maintenance superintendent for the 435th tac air Wing at the base. A a there a been several thousand Man hours invested  this air plane delivered to the air Force in 1945, did not take part in the famous Airlift that lasted from june 1948 to May 1949. But Many of its Brethren did helping to carry 2.3 million tons of supplies to Berlin during the time the soviets blockaded the City. The fact that it was not an Active participant does not matter to the members of the Luft Briecke chapter of the Airlift association which administers the Airlift memorial. A we really tried for four years to get one a said Gerdi Rausch the chapters business manager. A we Are very Happy that we received  a it was hard enough getting this done Quot said col. Dale Overman the chapter president and Deputy director of operations at the base. The plane will be dedicated at the memorial on sept. 17, Merman said joining a c-47 that has been on the site since the Spring of 1986. The site originally was built to accommodate two air planes or a c-47 and a c-54, Oderman said. Although a Fleet of c-47s was heavily involved in the Airlift the plane was too Small to do the task. The c-54, he said a was the  this particular air plane has a colourful history despite missing out on the Airlift. After the War it was converted into a civilian dc-4 Type plane and used by fan am until 1952, carrying the name Quot Clipper  it was then sold to Swissair which sold it to Balkan air in 1959. In 1969, an Irish airline bought the air plane and used. It to transport beef and cattle throughout Europe. In 1972, the plane was loaned to the red Cross to carry disaster Relief supplies to Sudan and Bangladesh. In 1977, Globe Aero Ltd. Bought the plane and flew it in the United states. The plane changed hands a number of times m the following years. During the Early 1980s, it was used As a cargo plane in South Africa. The plane again changed hands and spent the Winter and Spring of 1987-88 carrying flow Era from Spain and the Netherlands to England and Switzerland. On May 5, 1988, a Cylinder exploded after Takeoff from Zurich Switzerland and the plane made an emergency Landing. Two weeks later three engines carried the plane to Basel Switzerland where it awaited repairs that never came. In september 1989, with help from the air Force museum at Wright Pat Treaon fab in Dayton Ohio the Airlift chapter obtained the air plane. It was flown on three engines to Rhein main a where Barbour and his Crew began preparing it for display. They have been help i Ney Nave been helped by a donation of1t 15,000 in paint plus some expertise and special equipment from the Herberts co. Of the hic hot group. Gerhard h. Rausch a member of the chapters executive committee says this is a Good time to make the addition to the Berlin Airlift memorial. Events of the past year threaten to overwhelm the memory of this chapter of history. A we Don t want the Berlin Airlift to be for got ten a he said. A amps Jim Durheim members of the 402nd combat support so from Robins fab a Are among those who have spent thousands of hours preparing the plane to take its place in history