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Post by doubs43 on Jul 1, 2006 22:49:07 GMT -5
There's an Air Force Museum near me and here are a few pictures I've taken of the planes. The B-57 isn't much of a picture but I thought you'd like to see one that was modified for survailence work. This one may have been used by NASA but I can't confirm that right now. The first two pictures were taken with an Ikoflex TLR with uncoated Tessar lens and an orange filter IIRC. The last image was taken with an Exakta..... again, IIRC. B-57 Canbera  This B-52 looks menacing.  C-124 "Globemaster II" built by Douglas. This is the first model aircraft I worked on in the Air Force. Most of ours were 1951~1954 vintage.  Walker |
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Post by nikonbob on Jul 2, 2006 4:14:58 GMT -5
That Globemaster II looks like it has personality. It must have been interesting to work on. What lens did you have on the Exacta? It sure does the job.
Bob Hammond
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Post by Randy on Jul 2, 2006 7:31:37 GMT -5
I think the Globemaster looks like a Muppet, you can see the jaw and the nose.
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Post by doubs43 on Jul 2, 2006 10:29:09 GMT -5
That Globemaster II looks like it has personality. It must have been interesting to work on. What lens did you have on the Exacta? It sure does the job. Bob Hammond Hi Bob, I enjoyed working on the C-124 - called "Ol' Shakey" because it vibrated like nothing else that's ever flown - more than any other plane. I was "Radar" or Airborne Navigation Equipment repair and we had equipment from the radome (Radar antenna) to the tail (Trailing Wire Antenna). The lens, as I recall, was the 35mm f/2.8 Flektagon made by Carl Zeiss, Jena. Here's another plane taken with it....... a Navy PBY modified for Air Force use. This PBY is painted mat black for night use I imagine.  The Exakta I used is a VX-IIa that I rebuilt, including new curtains. It belonged to my father so it was a project of the heart. It's unbelieveably smooth in operation. Walker |
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Post by doubs43 on Jul 2, 2006 10:52:12 GMT -5
I think the Globemaster looks like a Muppet, you can see the jaw and the nose. Hi Randy, LOL..... you're right, it does look like a muppet! The whole front of the plane opened up via "clamshell" doors. Then the cavernous interior became accessable for loading vehicles and large pallets. There were folding ramps that extended to the ground for wheeled vehicles to go up and down. The cargo deck was about on the same level as the wing where it joined the fusilage. Here are a couple more shots of it. The plane in the background of the second picture is a "stretched" C-141. Another shot of the C-124 taken with an Ikoflex and orange filter.  A C-124 with a C-141 "Starlifter" in the background.  Walker |
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PeterW
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Post by PeterW on Jul 2, 2006 13:05:52 GMT -5
The C-141 Starlifter looks so close to the ground, with so little room for suspension movement, that there can't be room for a lot of error if the pilot 'feels for the ground' with his main wheels and then lowers the nose.
Peter W.
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Post by doubs43 on Jul 2, 2006 13:18:36 GMT -5
The C-141 Starlifter looks so close to the ground, with so little room for suspension movement, that there can't be room for a lot of error if the pilot 'feels for the ground' with his main wheels and then lowers the nose. Peter W. Peter, my guess is that the struts on all of the aircraft have been bled, dropping them to their lowest position. It would take a lot of effort and equipment to keep them serviced and extended. However, the C-141 sat fairly low even when normal. That was the second model A/C I worked on beginning in late 1967 when they began replacing the C-124's at McChord AFB in Washington State. When I left McChord on the last day of May, 1968, the fleet was just about even with approximately 24 of each type. The C-141's were the "A" models, and not yet stretched. Walker |
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Post by nikonbob on Jul 2, 2006 18:11:17 GMT -5
Man, that Flektagon is a razor and looks pretty 3D too.
Bob Hammond
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Post by kiev4a on Jul 2, 2006 18:42:11 GMT -5
Flew to northern Norway in fall 1979 in a c-141. At that time they were stretching the older models but ours was the original version. A crew member said they were adding a section -- 20 of 40 feet, can't remember which He said it didn't even require more powerful engines as the originals had more power than the A model needed, anyway. Coming home was somethin like 14 hours in web seats, landing at Goose Bay and Charleston before coming on to Idaho.
Also saw a lot of 141s when I was going through basic training at Ft. Lewis Washington in 1967. As we marched along the Starlifters from McCord flew right over our heads. Wished we could be on them instead of marching until we found out where they were going--hauling the 4th Infantry Division to "Nam!!
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Post by doubs43 on Jul 2, 2006 19:41:40 GMT -5
Flew to northern Norway in fall 1979 in a c-141. At that time they were stretching the older models but ours was the original version. A crew member said they were adding a section -- 20 of 40 feet, can't remember which He said it didn't even require more powerful engines as the originals had more power than the A model needed, anyway. Coming home was somethin like 14 hours in web seats, landing at Goose Bay and Charleston before coming on to Idaho. Also saw a lot of 141s when I was going through basic training at Ft. Lewis Washington in 1967. As we marched along the Starlifters from McCord flew right over our heads. Wished we could be on them instead of marching until we found out where they were going--hauling the 4th Infantry Division to "Nam!! Wayne, I was at McChord when we hauled the 4th ID to 'Nam. I still feel bad for those guys. They took some heavy casualties in their first combat. The Tacoma paper followed them extensively. We lost two of our 141's in 'Nam to accidents. The actual extension added to the C-141 was 21 feet and began just behind the wing "box". Only one or two of them weren't converted and I believe they were assigned to NASA. One was overhauled at Robins AFB about 12 years ago. Robins provided depot maitenance for the 141's. I made three trips across the Pacific in 141's and one trip in a C-135. I was stationed at a small air base in the Southern PI in early 1967; a place called Mactan. They sure beat the C-130's which I have many more hours in. I've been into and out of Goose Bay a few times and Keflavic, Iceland too. Always in the middle of the Winter, wouldn't ya know? LOL Walker |
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Post by kiev4a on Jul 3, 2006 9:24:48 GMT -5
Walker:
One of the most memorable moments I have experienced was on that Starlifter, oubound for Norway. About 2 a.m. in the morning I was allowed to go up on the flight deck. We were just passing Greenland. The entire northern sky was a huge shimmering curtain --Northern Lights. It beat any Independence Day fireworks display I have ever seen!!
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Post by doubs43 on Jul 3, 2006 22:57:25 GMT -5
Walker: I think the Black Aircraft is a P2v Neptune modified for "special use" as an RB69. I got to see a P2V neptune at Andrews at an Air Show. www.vectorsite.net/avp2v.htmlThe PBY Catalina is a Flying Boat. Also got to see one fly in and land at Manassas Airport a few years ago. www.pby.com/Somebodies got to explain these Navy planes to you Air Force guys! My Father was in B29's during WW-II and took us to most of the museums and air shows when we were Kids. You're correct, of course. I was going from memory which I acknowledge isn't always the best. When it cools down a little here (high 90's right now) I'll go back to the museum and take some more pictures of the planes. They're not as well displayed as I'd like.... except for those that are inside of hangars and too many of them are too close together to permit decent pictures. But, it's good to see them anyway. Walker |
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