Air Freighters – Propeller Driven Scrapbook
This Universal Airlines’ DC-6B freighter likely hauled auto parts during the 1980s and 1990s
Photos by Scott Jankowski and Ken Kula
Here’s a scrapbook of “older” air freighters (and newer ones too) which are propeller-driven. Whether they’re radial piston or turboprop powered, many (but not all) of these airframes were modified from their initial uses and added internal (such as flooring) and/or external modifications (such as new cargo doors) to help carry freight around the world.
Canadair CL-44D of Wrangler Air Freight/Blue Bell Aviation, a total of 39 airframes of different versions were built
The CL-44 was loosely based upon the Bristol Britannia design
This Canadair CL-44-D4 version has a swingtail, another version of this aircraft was equipped with twin fuselage cargo doors.
Short 360 conversion operated by FlamencoCargo
Air Cargo Carriers’ Shorts 360-300F cargo conversion
BeechC-45H Volpar Turboliner II conversion
Beech 99 of Wiggins Airways
Another Wiggins Airways Beech 99
Wiggins Airways – a newer Beech C99 Airliner
FedEx ATR-72-200 freighter
Beech 1900C cargo conversion – Alaska Central Express
Beech 1900C of Ravn Connect
Another Beech 1900C cargo plane converted from passenger service
Curtiss Wright C-465D o0f Tatonduk Outfitters – commonly known as Everts Air Cargo
Everts Air Cargo Douglas C-118A Liftmaster (DC-6A)
Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
Aviation Traders Carvair ATL-98, 21 examples were produced from C-54/DC-4 airframes
Convair 640 turboprop; originally this was a Convair 340 powered by piston engines
Northern Air Cargo DC-6A, it was originally a VC-118A in the USAF
Yes, another swingtail! This DC-6B ST began life as a passenger aircraft; records show only two DC-6B airframes gained a “swingtail” and became freighters.
Aeronaves TSM SA-227AC Metro III
Trans Northern Swearingen Metro III
Short SHD3-30 conversion
Pro Aire Cargo and Consulting’s Cessna 402B
Short SC-7 Skyvan
Airborne Express NAMC YS-11A began its life flying passengers for Piedmont Airlines
Short SH5 Belfast was one of ten originally built as freighters for the Royal Air Force
A Saab 2000 converted into a freighter
IFL Group’s Convair 580, it was originally a CV-440 powered by radial engines
Civilian-operated Lockheed L100-30 version of the C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed L-100-30 is also known as the model L-382G
Zantop International Airlines operated a large number of Lockheed L-188C Electra freighter conversions
Kelowna Flightcraft added fuselage plugs to create this stretched CV-5800 freighter from a Convair 580\
One of the dozen Convair 640s that were operated by Zantop International Airlines
A Convair 580 freighter
Aeronaves TSM Convair 640
A Convair 440 airliner-turned-freighter. Basler Aviation also modified Convairs with turboprop engines, replacing the piston radials
A Fokker 27 Friendship converted into a freight hauler for FedEx, operated by Mountain Air.
Freight Runners Embraer 120ER Brasilia
Berry Airlines Embraer 120ER(F) Brasilia
This Embraer E-110P1 Bandeirante was used feed United Parcel Srvice (UPS) cargo in New England
This Trans Air Link DC-7C (“Seven Seas”) freighter was modified with a two-cargo door system
Desert Air’s DC-3C still operates in Alaska, where its ruggedness is appreciated
