The cold wind of the North Atlantic whipped across the waves as the sun set on March 23, 1951. Somewhere in the frigid expanse, a massive C124 Globemaster II with a doubledecked cargo hold cut through the sky. This powerhouse of an airlifter, designed to carry the most oversized and unwieldy cargo, had become an unsung hero of the Cold War, ferrying everything from tanks to missiles across continents. Yet, tonight, something had gone terribly wrong.

Flying over the desolate expanse, the crew of C124A 490244 sent out a frantic Mayday—a fire had erupted in the cargo hold. Desperation set in as they jettisoned mysterious crates into the icy waters below, hoping to save themselves from the flames. But the fire was unforgiving. With no other option, they prepared to ditch the plane 700 miles southwest of Ireland.
The Globemaster touched down on the ocean, miraculously intact. The crew quickly deployed life rafts, igniting flares in the cold darkness. A B29 pilot flying out of England spotted their desperate signals and reported their location before fuel forced him to leave. Rescue seemed within reach.
But when help finally arrived, nearly 19 hours later, all that remained were empty, partially deflated rafts and charred debris from the crates. The men of C124A 490244 had vanished without a trace.

Whether the Atlantic claimed the brave airmen or whether they fell victim to a Soviet attack, the remains of the 490244 would uncover one of the Cold War's most perplexing mysteries...



Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, topsecret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between.

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