Ex 42-72274. Fragment of 1946 panoramic photo which also shows DC-4 PH-TAS, dating the shot in May 1946 at the earliest. Photo from: Rijksmuseum Amsterdam

'Members of the General Commison [for the Netherlands East Indies] have left for Indonesia again by KLM plane.' NL-312 is still in military uniform but on the far right is PH-TAA, ex NL-303, already in KLM livery. The NGAT aircraft always had paper PH registrations. NL-312 never wore PH-TAN, as this was changed to PH-TBT in February 1946. The Skymasters were formally transferred to KLM in August 1947 but as PH-TAA shows, repainting started earlier. Photo by: Harry Sagers / Nationaal Archief

The source wrongly states that this photo shows the departure of Skymaster '313' to the East Indies with members of parliament in 1946. Since the aircraft is NL-300, what we see here is almost certainly the departure of the first postwar flight to the East Indies (Indonesia) on 10 November 1945, captained by KLM chief pilot Dirk Parmentier. Photo by: Willem van de Poll / Nationaal Archief (Netherlands)

Painted as "NL-316" in Netherlands Government Air Transport colours for Aviodrome's museum display

Delivered to the USAAF as 41-107469 in 1944. To Chicago & Southern Airlines as NC53103 in 1946, Philippine Air Lines as PI-C102 in 1948 and Pacific Overseas Airlines as HS-POE in 1951. To Thai Airways as HS-TSA in 1958 then to the Thai Air Force as L.3-2/03? in 1960. Returned to Thai Airways in 1965 then to Botswana National Airways as VQ-ZEF in 1966. Reregistered as A2-ZEF in 1968. To Suidwes Lugdiens as ZS-IPR in 1972. Renamed to Namib Air in 1978. To The SAAF as 6906 in 1981. Back to ZS-IPR in 1995 then to the Dutch Dakota Association as PH-DDY in 1997. Preserved at Lelystad from 2004.

One of the C-54s acquired by KLM in 1945, and operated as military aircraft for some time. This aircraft was standing together with a DC-4 in full KLM colours which is almost certainly PH-TAR, not yet named. NL-313 was delivered to KLM at the end of 1945 and was registered in the Dutch Civilian Register on 8 January 1946 as PH-TAO but not painted on. NL-313 flew Amsterdam-New York on 27/29 March 1946. It then returned to Amsterdam. Another flight on 13/14 April 1946 continued on to Santa Monica. It then went to Glenn L. Martin, Baltimore, for conversion to seat 42 passengers. It was re-registered PJ-ALK and arrived on 2 November 1946 in Curacao. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Instiution

Rebuilding Schiphol. The photo shows three of the Skymasters obtained by the Dutch in 1945. NL-303, centre, was 42-72316, later PH-TAA, F-BELC, 7T-VAC. On the left is 42-107445, which became NL-309, PH-TAK, G-AJPL. Photo by: Luuk Vrind

Behind the Netherlands Government Air Transport C-54 is PK-DSC, one of four Skymasters delivered to the Netherlands Indies air force in 1946. Given civil registrations, they were briefly used by the resurrected KNILM airline for a Batavia (Jakarta) - Los Angeles service through Biak, Kwajalein and Honolulu - total flying time, almost 50 hours! NL-305 and PK-DSC to KLM in August 1947 as PH-TAG and TSC, respectively. We think the photo must have been taken at Kemayoran and the hedges do show in some other pictures. Photo from: Nationaal Archief (Netherlands)

Skymasters acquired by KLM in 1945 received semi-military markings with orange triangle insignia as civil operation was still difficult on the route to the Far East. They were already inscribed in the civil register. NL-309, ex 42-107445, was PH-TAK but the civil mark was probably never applied as the aircraft was sold as G-AJPL in June 1947. Photo by: Willem van de Poll / Nationaal Archief (Netherlands)

Delivered to the USAAF as 41-107469 in 1944. To Chicago & Southern Airlines as NC53103 in 1946, Philippine Air Lines as PI-C102 in 1948 and Pacific Overseas Airlines as HS-POE in 1951. To Thai Airways as HS-TSA in 1958 then to the Thai Air Force in 1960. Returned to Thai Airways in 1965 then to Botswana National Airways as VQ-ZEF in 1966. Reregistered as A2-ZEF in 1968. To Suidwes Lugdiens as ZS-IPR in 1972. To the SAAF as 6906 in 1981. Back to ZS-IPR in 1995 then to the Dutch Dakota Association as PH-DDY in 1997. Preserved at Lelystad from 2004.

The clearest shot I ever got of this interesting exhibit at the Aviodrome. After WWII KLM boss Albert Plesman was quick to obtain a number of C-54s. Initially they operated as government aircraft, including wartime orange triangle military markings, until things normalised along the airline's route to the East Indies. This airframe is not the real NL-316 / PH-TCD, which was c/n 10312. Being repainted in KLM colours in 2019 to celebrate the airline's 100th anniversary.

Painted as one of 17 C-54s acquired by the Dutch in 1945.

Ex PH-DDY.

Just about the only way to get a decent picture with all the clutter gathered around this magnificent old bird - up the replica AMS tower!

Wears the markings of the early post-war Netherlands Government Air Transport which was formed to serve the Dutch East and West Indies. Ex PH-DDY (cancelled Jan 1999).