C-124 Globemaster, San Francisco - September 1960

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!