The “Wet Lift”

Asides the American and British occupation forces, various British civilian airlines were the third major contributor of planes and personnel in support of the Berlin Airlift's success. The USAF, by repositioning planes from various global locations, managed to assemble an impressive fleet of C-54 four-engine cargo aircraft, sometimes augmented with even larger planes such as the C-74 Globemaster. In terms of resources, the UK was outmatched. Despite dedicating its entire operational Transport Command fleet, the RAF found this to be insufficient to meet the demands. Consequently, in July 1948, the RAF began contracting with private sector firms to enhance their operations. This led to the delegation of liquid fuel transport to UK civilian operators, most notably "Flight Refuelling," an innovative company that repurposed Lancaster bombers, and "Air Freight," founded by the former Pathfinder leader, Air Vice-Marshal Donald Bennett, which utilized modified Tudors.

Eventually the civil “wet lift” consisted of 14 Lancastrians, seven Tudors, 17 Halifaxes/Haltons and two Liberators capable of lifting 550 tons per day. By the conclusion of the airlift operation, these civilian companies based in the UK had transported a cumulative total of 92,345 tons of liquid fuel to the encircled city, representing the entirety of liquid fuel deliveries conducted during the duration of the airlift.