Most Beautiful Aircraft

[Chingachgook]

X

 

[davparlr]

See that's what I'm talking about! C-17 kicks ass!

The C-17 is just a baby with a lot of promise (I believe that it has, or had the same displays that I helped develop for the B-2), but will have to serve long and well to fill the shoes of the C-141.
Vietnam
Grenada
Panama
Somalia
Kosovo
Afghanistan
Iraq (two wars)
A multitude of air evacs and emergency support
10.5 million hours flying time
1 million full stop landings

and the C-141 will never be beautiful...........

I'll bet the Vietnam War POWs would not agree with you. I suspect it will always look like an angel from heaven to them. Here's a quote from an AF magazine.

"Hanoi Taxi shuttles C-141 into history books



by Eugene Vandeventer
Air Force Reserve Command History Office

5/5/2006 - ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Arguably the most famous C-141 Starlifter in the Air Force inventory touched down for the last time at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio on May 6. The "Hanoi Taxi," tail number 66-0177 flew its final scheduled mission in preparation for permanent display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

The "Hanoi Taxi" is best remembered for its role in Operation HOMECOMING carrying the first 40 American prisoners of war from Hanoi's Gia Lam Airport to Clark Air Base, The Philippines.

On May 5, the Hanoi Taxi repeated the moment in history by flying approximately 100 former Vietnam POWs in what was the last mission for the cargo workhorse.
There was much pride and melancholy in the final flight as airmen reminisced about the distinguished history of the C-141, this particular tail number, and the thought that it will never take flight again. "

I had flown C-141 66-0177, but not on the POW mission.

Now I will tell my only interesting war story (not really war). McGuire AFB had the responsibility for Presidential support, flying his car around, Secret Service, etc. As such, we had a C-141 on standby at all times and crewed, either in alpha alert (launch in three hours) or in bravo alert (launch in twelve, I think). I had pulled duty as aircraft commander on Oct. 10, 1973. We were ordered into alpha alert and, sure enough we launched. First indication that all was not normal was when my Loadmaster informed me that they had loaded a forklift improperly (no plywood to distribute the weigh) and Operations told me not to worry, I would have waivers for any discrepancy. We flew to Harrisburg, Pa., where they actually opened the field for us (it was the middle of the night and the field was closed). There was only a guy in the tower. Harrisburg has a armory and we had to load 40,000 lbs of shrike missiles by hand, and previously the mentioned forklift. Shrike missiles were anti-radar missiles. The tower guy called me up and said I had a telephone call from the Joint Chief Staff office!!! Quite a shock for a new captain. He told me I had to get the plane off. I told him we were loading it by hand!

After loading, we took off for Oceana NAS, which has parallel runways. We were told to land, taxi to end of the runway and shut down on the runway. VERY unusual. On the parallel runway was a Boeing 707 completely covered in wrapping paper. It looked like a BIG package. The cargo loading doors were open and we could see El Al written on the inside. They loaded the shrikes on the 707, which already had a load of sidewinders on it. It took the entire runway (12000 ft., I believe) to take off. On our arrival back at McGuire I turned on the news and Walter Cronkite, who said "Today, the US flew its first support flight for Israel. Here is a Boeing 747 (sic) taking off from Oceana NAS for Israel". So much for secrecy. In reality it was my C-141 taking (you can't miss telling the difference between the two). So, I made national television! My only claim to fame. That, and going to the same high school as Emmitt Smith, only much earlier.

Later on we flew shuttles out of the Azores (Lajes) to Israel. We had to split the straits of Gibraltar and avoid all national airspace (no European nations would provide support except a few in an emergency). The Navy stationed a couple of carriers in Med for protection from Libya and others. Near Cyprus we picked up Israeli fighter escort into Tel Aviv. Upon unloading one of the Israelis said that the ammunition we were unloading would be fired in 30 minutes. Close front! Then we turned around and flew back to Lajes. Because of this, the C-141 was upgraded to the B version with inflight refueling and a two fuselage plugs adding three pallets. If we had not had the Azores, we could not have resupplied Israel. Also we were almost always limited by space and not weight.

Last quote.

"The C-141 served the Air Force and our nation well and will be missed by all who had the opportunity to fly the Starlifter". It tore me up to see them cutting up the C-141s but they had flown the life out of her. A gallant, strong, and reliable old friend, an indeed beautiful bird.

 

[Matt308]

Matt308, that's cool, looks like pure evil. (Tu-95?)

Tu-95/Tu-142

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

10.5 million hours flying time

they've already racked up well over 1 million and this will only continue to rocket, i'm sticking with everyone else here, the C-17 is, as Les would put it, a "Bangin' peice of @ss"!

 

[Matt308]

Lanc, don't quote Les. It's not becoming of you.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

you're right, my own quotes are far better

 

[mkloby]

dav - I'm not disputing that the 141 was an excellent A/C. I'm just partial to the looks of the C-17. She's hot! Of course - beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, and thank goodness for that - because someone even married me

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

mk's got a point, a female- yes a real woman once said i was attractive in a special way

 

[Matt308]

In a special way. Is that kinda like how one sympathizes with a three legged dog? Sounds kinda like a backhanded comment.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

she also described herself in the same way of course i did my gentlemanly duty and reassured her of how stunningly beautiful she is, on account of the fact she's fit as

 

[Chingachgook]

X

 

[mkloby]

You too?

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

Man alive she's fit

 

[mkloby]

Man alive she's fit

British expressions always makes me laugh

 

[Matt308]

God your fit as, mkloby.

And Chingachgook, you must have married up. Welcome to my and mkloby's world.

 

[mkloby]

God your fit as, mkloby.

And Chingachgook, you must have married up. Welcome to my and mkloby's world.

I'm not sure what the first part of your post means??? But she'll be improving the looks of my bloodline for sure

 

[Matt308]

Sarcasm, Matt. Sarcasm. I'm still trying to figure out the new British youth lingo.

Put your gay shields down.

 

[mkloby]

Sarcasm, Matt. Sarcasm. I'm still trying to figure out the new British youth lingo.

Put your gay shields down.

it wasn't that - I just had no idea what you meant

 

[Matt308]

No harm. No foul. Now that we have established your wife is "fit as", perhaps you should ask her what she 'thinks' she is "fit as". Being preggy, I bet it wouldn't match Lanc's definition.

She is cute mkloby. Hang on to her.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

God your fit as, mkloby.

And Chingachgook, you must have married up. Welcome to my and mkloby's world.

Make that the 3 of us.