During the Berlin Airlift, the United States Air Force 86th Tactical Fighter Wing at Neubiberg air base in West Germany operated a C- 47 Skytrain support aircraft. On 22nd October 1948, as a gift for the children of Berlin, the C-47 was used to fly 7,000lb (3175kg) of Candy, along with a baby Camel called ‘Clarence’ into Tempelhof airport in the US sector of Berlin. The camel was the mascot of the 525th Fighter Squadron based at Neubiberg and had been bought by a member of the squadron in Tripoli for $50 and shipped to Germany in the bomb bay of a B-26 Invader bomber. When Berlin was besieged the base personnel decided to present both it and the candy to the children as a gesture of goodwill for Christmas.