Colonel Gail Halvorsen Berlin Airlift C-54D Skymaster

Description

This aircraft was created in memory of Colonel Gail Halvorsen, the Berlin Airlift “Candy Bomber” who passed away in Feb 2022 at the age of 101. As a 1Lt flying missions into Tempelhof Airfield, he delivered life-saving supplies during the Russian blockade of West Berlin. 1Lt Halvorsen dropped gum and candy to the children waiting on the fenceline of the airfield. This operation became known as “Operation Little Vittles”, part of the larger effort nicknamed “Operation Vittles” supplying food and coal to West Berliners when the Russians shut off all entryways into their sector. From July 1948 to May 1949, the eleven-month-long operation broke the blockade delivering 4.6 billion tons of supplies via three airfields in the city, a feat never before accomplished in aviation history. Aircraft were landing and taking off every three minutes. Col Halvorsen is a rockstar in the airlift and German community, being inducted into several aviation Halls of Fame.