Thread: The ADA Bird ...........

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.... thought I'd show y'all a picture of tail number 23583 ........... the ADA Bird (Airborne Data Automation) ............... this was the Boeing EC-135A Looking Glass Airborne Command Post aircraft I served on for 14 months from May 1970 to July 1971 ............... the ADA bird was the first Looking Glass with the SAC real time system computer on board ................. we were testing the system back then .............. my job on board was the computer operator ...... she's shown on the hardstand at Offutt AFB in Bellevue, Nebraska during a "Buckskin Rider" exercise

Loved that plane .............. she took us all over the world ))

well, have you made a model of it?????

Those 707's are still one of my favorite old airliners. I got to walk through John Travolta's when he had it up in Hamilton, Canada filming a movie. I was kinda surprised it just looked like an old winnibego on the inside, nothing too fancy except for the giant kitchen in the rear, guess he likes his food! I don't know were he gets the money to fuel that thing, it burns twice what we burn in the 737's. Here's a picture of mine, 44 000 lbs of thrust, and another of my favorite, the first job I had.

Sean

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

well, have you made a model of it?????

Hi Jerry ................ no sir, for some reason I've never built a model of a 135 .............. maybe I should look into that

Hope all is well with you

Originally Posted by sgo70

Those 707's are still one of my favorite old airliners. I got to walk through John Travolta's when he had it up in Hamilton, Canada filming a movie. I was kinda surprised it just looked like an old winnibego on the inside, nothing too fancy except for the giant kitchen in the rear, guess he likes his food! I don't know were he gets the money to fuel that thing, it burns twice what we burn in the 737's. Here's a picture of mine, 44 000 lbs of thrust, and another of my favorite, the first job I had.

Sean

We didn't have those fuel efficient turbo fans either ............ but we had the American public paying for our fuel ............. and I agree, ya gotta love the DC-3 ........... what a classic bird

course jet fuel was about $.11 and no taxes on it

If I remember correctly, the 707/720s engines only had about 11-12000 # thrust and the 737-300 engines were like 28,000# before they derated them, so the 737-300 had more t-o power than the 707 at half the weight--true hotrod--

John---I don't have a 707 kit but I do have a 767-300 that Revell Germany sent me in KLM markings ( helped to have some leverage) and I'll see if I can get a 135 from them next contract talk.

Hey Coyote,

I wondered if you were still hanging around. That is an impressive picture. I miss the old Car Enthusiasts Site. Did you ever get the one that you were building while it was up finished?

Ron

Great pic John. Funny how certain birds build a lasting relationship. Here's one from a slightly earlier time period with a different mission that I'm pretty fond of;

Originally Posted by Ron75

Hey Coyote,

I wondered if you were still hanging around. That is an impressive picture. I miss the old Car Enthusiasts Site. Did you ever get the one that you were building while it was up finished?

Ron

Hi Ron ............... how are you doing sir ? We're still working on the Thames .... hope to have it finished this time next year ............. I post update photos in the Hot Rod section on this board ....... Did you ever get your Cobra Daytona coupe ??

John

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

Great pic John. Funny how certain birds build a lasting relationship. Here's one from a slightly earlier time period with a different mission that I'm pretty fond of;

Ahhhh ................ a C-121 .............. is that an EC version without the radome attached to the dorsal surface ?? In the mid to late '60's those birds were flying ops command & contrrol missions over Southeast Asia ........... our Looking Glass aircraft had communications capabilities to talk with them ................ marvelous birds ........... laid the groundwork for our mission

John,

It is still at the racing shop guy's house while he re-does the wiring and replaces that hoked up computer with a carb and MSD ignition. At the rate he is going I may not live long enough to ever see it again. His shop is always full of cars and engines, so he has it and a person from Washington's show car over at his home in his big garage there. I drive the 69 once in awhile but my health has been so bad the past 9 months that I just can't hardly do anything. About the only driving I do now is to Redding to get my medicine when I am able to and then around here a little. My gas bill for all of last month was $40.85. And the cheapest gas we have right here is now $4.19.

Ron

Originally Posted by Ron75

John,

It is still at the racing shop guy's house while he re-does the wiring and replaces that hoked up computer with a carb and MSD ignition. At the rate he is going I may not live long enough to ever see it again. His shop is always full of cars and engines, so he has it and a person from Washington's show car over at his home in his big garage there. I drive the 69 once in awhile but my health has been so bad the past 9 months that I just can't hardly do anything. About the only driving I do now is to Redding to get my medicine when I am able to and then around here a little. My gas bill for all of last month was $40.85. And the cheapest gas we have right here is now $4.19.

Ron

Sorry to hear about your health ............. take care of yourself, I'm not ready for you to go just yet

I know the feeling about driving ............. The Super Sport doesn't get much mileage since I retired ............ he gets a fill-up about every three weeks or so ............ I get him out just to keep him lubricated (that's what I tell my wife ....... I just feel stupid driving her Vibe all the time ....... ya know, that 4 cylinder won't outrun a Vette )

Take care sir,

John

John,

One of the guys over on CC just came back from a cross country trip and they took his 2002 Vette. He said he averaged 25.5 MPG, which surprised me. I would like to have a car that gets around 50 MPG and will top out at 180 MPH. May as well be ridiculous if I am going to wish.

Ron

Originally Posted by Old Coyote

...... is that an EC version without the radome attached to the dorsal surface ??

Designation was EC-121-R. They were converted from the old Navy config by removing the upper and lower raydomes, and stuffing a bunch of electronics inside. Damned elegant bird! Our primary mission was recon up and down the Ho Chi Minh trail. Mostly 8 hr racetracks at 3 locations 24/7. High enough that most ground fire wasn't an issue, but an occasional SAM lock causd some excitement. God bless those EWOs!

Originally Posted by Ron75

John,

One of the guys over on CC just came back from a cross country trip and they took his 2002 Vette. He said he averaged 25.5 MPG, which surprised me. I would like to have a car that gets around 50 MPG and will top out at 180 MPH. May as well be ridiculous if I am going to wish.

Ron

I can believe the Vette mileage ................ my 2002 Camaro SS will approach 30mpg on the highway with the a/c turned off ............ with 5th and 6th gears both being overdrives (5th=0.74:1 and 6th=0.50:1) it allows those cars to cruise efficiently .............. at 70 mph in 6th my LS1 is loafing along at 1,600 rpm .............. did a trip to Skyline Drive a few years back and averaged 28.5 on the way up and 29.8 on the way back ........... that aint bad for 335 horsepower