and how it got its name
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=share&v=ehwvZXVKmPU
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and how it got its name
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=share&v=ehwvZXVKmPU
Cool deal! I heard Uncle Bob was the Crew Chief on that one!!!!
He was too old already, didn't make the cut....Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Severson
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I flew on a Super G once, I guess that dates me.
Thanks for the link Charlie. I didn't know that. The collision they speak about must not have been terribly bad? The plane seems pretty intact for a mid air collision?
Listen to the first part of the recording again, Ryan. It was "....a near mid-air collision...." and they didn't mention how close the two planes were to each other. A very interesting story, to say the least.Quote:
Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe
Thanks Charlie, I knew the first AF One was a Connie, but had no idea it was still around in any form.
I actually do have quite a few hours logged riding in Connies, though not this one. All of the ones we used were turned into beer cans long ago.
I took a guided tour of the Reagan Library last week and the tour guide told this story. The whole museum/library is quite impressive!Quote:
Originally Posted by cffisher
TWA was headquartered in KC, and their central maintenance facility was out adjacent to the airport in the northland. There's a large, active group of former TWA people in the area, and they've been instrumental in the National Airline History Museum which is down at the old airport by the river in the down town area, and in finding and restoring a Constellation which is once again airworthy. I've only seen it flying over the area once, but it's still a beautiful sight in flight.
One of the stories that used to go around, back in earlier times, was that the pilot of a Connie was always under 50 years old, because it was too much tail for an old man.....;):LOL::LOL: Uncle Bob may be able to confirm or deny the historical accuracy of that tale ;)
Sounds like yet another fallacy promulgated by a certain political entity who shall remain nameless.................no such thing as "too much tail"....Quote:
Originally Posted by rspears
downtown airport by the river---didn't twa or continental put one in the water there???
Jerry, back in the day they said that the Kansas City's Municipal Airport was one of the most hated airports by pilots in the continental US because the main approach from the NNE comes in over a hill with the end of the runway near the bottom of a bluff, and the SSW end is very close to the Missouri River. It's location is in a spot where the river makes a near 160 degree bend, so there's water on both sides, too, and as they extended the runways over the years going closer to the river was the only option. Landing from the south passengers got instructions on water landings, just like on the coasts. Pilots hated it because from the north they had to skirt low over the hill top and then drop down quickly to use the whole runway, and from the south they came in low over the river and had to skirt the dikes surrounding the entire south end, and again drop down to make use of the whole runway. Takeoffs were not liked either, as they needed to get airborne quickly and gain altitude to clear the bluffs or the dike. I think that a TWA Connie came in during a heavy rain in '65, hydroplaned on the runway and broke into three pieces as it slid over the dike to the river, but amazingly all passengers survived. They no longer allow the bigger planes to use the old Muni airport. Lots of the bigger planes, including presidential & VP flights, use New Century, the old US Navy Air Station near Olathe/Gardner.Quote:
Originally Posted by jerry clayton
checked my airline history sources---July 1, 1965 , Continental 12 from Lax
This all reminds me how old I am. My first airline flight was on a DC-3 from Peoria, IL to the NORAD facility in Madison, WI while I was in AFROTC. The second was on a Martin 404 when I flew from Peoria, IL to a job interview in Omaha, NE.
Oh Wow...
I was a Crew Chief on the last of the EC121's. Stationed in Keflavic Iceland on the NATO Base which is now the International airport. We sent the last one to the bone yard at Davis Monthan Air Force Base in 1979. I remember we spent a ton of time making our baby beautiful for its retirement . This one was special because it had the tail number 121. It was a pretty crappy day and the 121 was ready to take off on its final flight to the museum. It taxied out lined up on the runway and started rolling hard. Just before rotation the nose gear snapped right in half. Ground to stop where she burned to the ground. We dug a big hole and put all the tools for the squadron in it and pushed the plane in behind it with a dozer. Back then we were the Aerospace Defense Command and shut down the squadron to usher in the new AWACS Squadron.
Boy it seems like a different lifetime ago... Thanks for posting that up. http://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/ec-121.htm
Attachment 61514
My first flight was on a Connie from Dayton, Ohio to NYC with a stop In Pittsburgh, I believe in 56. Changed airports and boarded a DC 3 to Worcester, Mass. That was the worst flight I was ever on. There was some severe turbulence between NYC and Worcester and the plane was bouncing around in the sky and of course somebody got sick. My Mom and I were sitting on the port side all the way front, 2 seats on the port side and only one on the starboard and the only carpet was in the aisle. The plane was going up and down and someone in the back got sick and missed the barf bag and every time the plane would go down the barf would come up between the seats and every time it gained altitude the barf would head towards the back. It didn't take long before it was quite a mess and stunk to high heaven. Neither Mom or I got sick enough to throw up and I was over joyed when we finally touched down in Worcester
I never met anyone who was overjoyed to be in Worcester, MA!... of course that must've been a LLLOOOOOOOoonnngggg time ago! :eek::eek::LOL::LOL::LOL::rolleyes::rolleyes::p:p:D
I believe 1956 and it was the closet to Fitchburg as I remember. I had an aunt that lived in Fitchburg.Quote:
Originally Posted by 34_40
3 Bobs, I bet that was hard to watch. That's some neat history there.
By then we just about had everything shut down as far as the squadron went. Iceland REALLY, REALLY, SUCKS! So we were ready to get off the rock. My next duty station was Travis AFB in Fairfield Ca. As you could imagine it was a "Ready Set Go" attitude at that point. I would of jumped on the dozer and pushed it in the pit still on fire if I thought I could leave quicker! LOL
It was a job and these things were flying antiques even then. I have hundreds of hours on them flying from Iceland to England to Scotland and then to the home base at Homestead AFB in Miami Florida. We made the trip just about every two weeks so I was ready to become a Jet Jokey on the 141's and turn that page of my life. Seems to me that everyone was just amused at the whole incident. No biggie at the time. LOL I was engine run qualified and must admit I had a good time running up those smoke belching oil puking Pratt and Whitneys R3350 engines. Quite an experience.
Thanks for all of your guys's service and sacrifices!!!!
