I just scanned a small batch of slides from September, 1960 - these were taken in San Francisco (at SFO airport, presumably) and feature a bunch of cool military aircraft. Regular folks could see them up close! I'll be sharing more of those over the next few months, but thought I'd select three that showed an enormous aircraft of some kind. BUT WHAT IS IT? I'm sure many of you know it on sight, but I had to do a little bit of research. It's the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II! The Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, nicknamed "Old Shaky", is a retired American heavy-lift cargo aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, California. The C-124 was the primary heavy-lift transport for United States Air Force (USAF) Military Air Transport Service (MATS) during the 1950s and early 1960s, until the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter entered service. It served in MATS, later Military Airlift Command (MAC), and units of the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard until retired in 1974.
"READING?? If I wanted to read, I'd go to the liberry!".
Any idea what that twin-tail plane is that is closer to us?? I couldn't ID it.
Just look at the size of that thing! It's huge! Douglas Aircraft developed the C-124 from 1947 to 1949, from a prototype they created from a World War II–design Douglas C-74 Globemaster, and based on lessons learned during the Berlin Airlift. The aircraft was powered by four, large Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major piston engines producing 3,800 hp (2,800 kW) each. The C-124's design featured two, large, clamshell doors and a hydraulically actuated ramp in the nose, as well as a cargo elevator under the aft fuselage. The C-124 was capable of carrying 68,500 lb (31,100 kg) of cargo, and the 77 ft (23 m) cargo bay featured two overhead hoists, each capable of lifting 8,000 lb (3,600 kg). As a cargo hauler, it could carry tanks, guns, trucks, and other heavy equipment, while in its passenger-carrying role, it could carry 200 fully equipped troops on its double decks or 127 litter patients and their nurses. It was the only aircraft of its time capable of transporting fully assembled heavy equipment such as tanks and bulldozers.
From what I can gather, the plane in these photos is actually a model C-124 C, featuring more powerful engines, and an APS-42 weather radar fitted in a "thimble"-like structure on the nose. Wingtip-mounted combustion heaters were added to heat the cabin, and enable wing and tail surface deicing.
I have no doubt that some of you will have lots to add (or a bunch of corrections) regarding the Douglas Globemaster II!
The size of that thing is kinda scary! It looks way too bulky to fly! (Why does it have a Mickey Mouse nose?) Seeing the tiny people milling around below, even the big prop engines are scary. The mystery plane appears to be a Tiger Swallowtail 876 Skyfloater, Chuck would probably disagree. But what does he know!?!? ;-) I think we can see a space shuttle over thee on the extreme right. :-p
ReplyDeleteIn addition to all the tanks, bulldozers, and other equipment, the C-124 could also carry 71,000 bags of peanut m&ms (family size bags!). Or maybe not, I dozed off when doing my research... I'm not sure where the m&ms come into the picture.
Ah, so the Mickey Mouse nose houses a radar. Does Mickey's nose also house a radar?
Interesting Saturday post! Thanks, Major.
Yup.
ReplyDeleteThat's a big 'un.
I wonder if it still exists?
A quick search shows that, yep several are still around, but none are airworthy. They're all sitting in (around?) museums. By the wsy, I also found out that they called it 'Old Shakey" because the structural loads on it during flight made it sound like it was falling apart!
Thanks, Major!
Oh, goody - hairplanes (as my nephew used to say when he was three)!
ReplyDeleteAnd…oh, poop! I wrote out a long comment, copied it, and then it somehow disappeared. Now I have to rewrite it from memory. Argh!
I was going to guess these were probably taken at Hamilton AFB in Marin County rather than at SFO as that’s a more logical place for a military open house than a busy commercial airport, but the “United Air Lines” hangar in the background in the last photo puts the kabosh on that.
In the first photo, in front of the C-124, we see a Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar. The ‘119 was a tactical transport developed shortly after WW II from the C-82 Packet. Used by the Air Force as well as the Navy and Marine Corps (as the R4Q until 1962), it saw extensive use during the Korean War as well as by several US allies like France, Belgium, and the Republic of China. By 1960, it was being replaced in frontline service by the Lockheed C-130 Hercules and gradually being transferred to Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard units. This airplane might be from Hamilton, which had an AFRES C-119 unit in 1960.
The ‘119 saw combat service again from 1969-75 with the USAF and RVNAF when around 50 were converted to side firing gunships for service in Southeast Asia. The last combat mission flown by the RVNAF was executed by a RVNAF AC-119K in defense of the perimeter of Tan Son Nhut AB on the outskirts of Saigon.
My father flew AC-119Ks from 1969-70.
This particular airplane, 53-7876, was transferred to the Republic of China Air Force in 1966.
As the Major says, the next aircraft is a C-124. There were several ‘124 squadrons stationed at nearby Travis AFB in 1960, and I think there’s a good chance this airplane came from there. Happily, Stu, this airframe, 51-0089, is preserved and on display at Robins AFB in Marietta, Georgia.
The C-124 was the first airplane my father flew after completing pilot training in 1965. He flew them for about a year before his unit transitioned to the then-brand-new Lockheed C-141 Starlifter, which itself was retired in 2006.
In an incredible coincidence, I will be seeing a C-119, a C-124, and a C-141 (with my dad’s signature preserved on the front cargo compartment bulkhead) at the National Museum of the US Air Force later today!
Continuing on to the right from the ‘124, we see three USAF interceptors - a McDonnell (they won’t merge with Douglas until 1967) F-101 Voodoo (also probably from Hamilton), a Convair F-102 Delta Dagger, and a Convair F-106 Delta Dart. I had to look at the next photo to tell those last two apart; at this angle, they look nearly identical, and I had to look at their tails in the next picture to be sure.
ReplyDeletePassing over the crowd, there are a couple of tails I can’t quite place, followed by a USN Vought F8U Crusader (which will be redesignated F-8 with the implementation of the Tri-Service Designation System in 1962) and the nose and front rotor of a US Army Piasecki H-21C Shawnee twin-rotor helicopter.
That’s about all I have to say about that. Sorry I couldn’t contribute more to the conversation.
The US excels in production of enormous planes that get the job done. I think the former USSR flew what may have been the biggest plane, but we have always had more of them, and critically, ones that actually flew reliably.
ReplyDeleteI think I may have seen one of these up close. When I was a kid, my Dad had a civil aviation pilots license (just for fun) and he often took me to air shows. Tulare had a big one and there were always big military planes that you could climb into.
Chuck, good guess about Hamilton Field. Thanks for IDing so many of these.
Thanks Major for aerospace pics today.
JG
Folks, I apologize for my absence, I am dealing with a family crisis that is a real gut-punch. Thanks to all of you for your comments.
ReplyDeleteHope things work out quickly and in a good way, Major. KS
ReplyDeleteMajor, keeping you and your family close in prayer.
ReplyDeleteJG
Major, I'm sending positive thoughts to you and your family!
ReplyDeleteThanks everybody
ReplyDelete