After serving as a regular USN transport from 1943, BuNo 12418 was transferred to VX-6, NAS Patuxent River in 1955 and converted next year to R4D-5L for use in Antarctica. On 31st October 1956, it made the first ever landing at the South Pole, the crew of seven becoming the first humans there since the Royal Navy's Captain Scott reached the pole in 1912. Qué Será Será was presented to the Smithsonian Institute in 1958 and placed in store at its Silver Hill facility. In 1974 it was loaned to the Naval Aviation Museum but was damaged by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Restored for display inside by 2011

Photographer unknown - ex USAAF 42-23496. Converted to R4D-5L in 1956. Named 'Que Sera Sera' after a popular song of the time, landed on the ice at the South Pole Oct 31, 1956. The aircraft's crew of seven were the first Americans to set foot on the South Pole and the first humans since Capt Robert F. Scott of the Royal Navy reached it in 1912.

Famous as the first aircraft to land at the South Pole on October 31, 1956. Now preserved at the Smithsonian. The aircraft of Operation Deep Freeze II were gathered at Wigram for the the long flight to McMurdo. Nearby Christchurch International later became the base for US flights to Antarctica and remains so today. Photo from: Air Force Museum of New Zealand

VX-6

This a/c made the first landing at the geographic south pole on 31 October 1956. Here it is next to the restoration hangar at the museum. It was undergoing some final cleaning and touch up in preparation for being suspended from the ceiling in the new (opened fall 2010) Hangar Bay One building.

Ordered for the USAAF as C-47A 42-23496. Delivered to the US Navy as R4D-5 12418 in 1943. Converted to an R4D-5L in 1956 and became the first plane to land on the ice at the South Pole. To the Smithsonian Institute in 1958 and stored at Silver Hill. To the Naval Air Museum in 1974.

In open storage on the National Museum of Naval Aviation's restoration ramp.

"Que Sera Sera" was the first aircraft to land on the South Pole when it did so on October 31, 1956. The aircraft needed assistance from JATO rockets to take off.

First aircraft to land at the South Pole on 31 October 1956 when operated by VX-6 Squadron U.S. Navy. Displayed in the open air section of the Pensacola Museum tetaining its wheeled ski landing gear.