The Budd RB-1 Conestoga, an innovative design at the time, had an electrically powered cargo ramp and the cargo hold was designed to be the height of the standard US Army truck. The cargo area measured 25 feet in length by 8 feet wide by 8 feet high with a capacity of 9,600 pounds. The original military version of this aircraft was intended to carry up to 24 paratroopers, stretchers casualties, or a vehicle. By the time enough steel was available to build the aircraft, and flight testing delayed until late 1943, the Budd Conestoga was no longer needed and the US Army cancelled their order and the Navy reduced their order to only 20 units. The 3 prototypes and 17 production aircraft were delivery by March 1944 and never made it to an operational squadron. By January 1945, 6 of the original 20 aircraft were lost in accidents and the remaining 14 were put on the “disposal list” and were available for sale. And just a few months later, Robert Prescott bought the fleet.
The document below is a clickable link to document with a listing of all 17 Budd Conestoga aircraft ever built and the “known” history for each ship. It must be noted that records were not quite as detailed in the 1940s as they are today.