They Don't make 'em like they used to!

bruno

bruno

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/world...-in-colombia/2012/03/07/gIQATlOz6R_story.html
Aging DC-3s serve as ‘buses of the jungle’ in Colombia

Talk about building something that lasts. Imagine flying a DC3 built in 1943 into the jungle- it's like something from an old movie.:thumb:
When I was living in McAllen Texas there was a freight company based there that was still flying two of these - last week when I was there I noticed that the planes are gone so I assume that they finally succumbed to old age, though it's always possible that they are still flying in Columbia.
 
It's amazing what you can accomplish with ingenuity and duct tape.
 
I flew a C-53C (DC-3A) that rolled of the factory line in Long Beach, CA, on 14 October 1942...

We took it from Mesa, AZ to Eindhoven, Holland via the "typical" WWII routes.

The plane was amazing!!

http://jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=5899156&nseq=1

Sadly it's now sitting grounded in a museum... :thumbdown:

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
Basler Turbo Conversions in Oshkosh still takes the old DC-3 airframes and adds P&W turboprop engines, upgraded avionics, a 40 inch fuselage extension, and long range fuel tanks to create the BT-67. Any time you drive by the airport you will see several of these parked by Basler's building. It's not unusual to see them flying around the area here.

Stealth_81
 
What would have been the most beautiful photo...

When we flew the C-53 to Holland, we went to Bangor, Maine for our overwater equipment. While flying near there, we "teamed up" with another "Gooney" that was flying...

http://www.douglasdc3.com/float/float.htm

It would have made a WONDERFUL photo! I'd never seen this before!

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
A couple of oldies but goodies:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-130_Hercules

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-52_Stratofortress

C-130, web seats down the middle and both sides. One engine dies. Crew Chief says "No problem, this is designed to fly on two." Sgt tells him that if it has four it should have all four working.:shake: Upon landing approach, gear will not come down. Crew Chief breaks out the hand cranks. You should have seen the Sgt then.:yllol: A real workhorse. I think they still make this Bird.
 
AF6872 said:
A couple of oldies but goodies:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-130_Hercules

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-52_Stratofortress

C-130, web seats down the middle and both sides. One engine dies. Crew Chief says "No problem, this is designed to fly on two." Sgt tells him that if it has four it should have all four working.:shake: Upon landing approach, gear will not come down. Crew Chief breaks out the hand cranks. You should have seen the Sgt then.:yllol: A real workhorse. I think they still make this Bird.
Click to expand...

The last one I flew on was a factory-fresh MC-130J. Those new engines and props will throw you to the ramp if you aren't tethered.

They had a bad cross feed valve and one of our maintenance pilots had to fix it for them. He's an old Herc crew chief from his AF days. The young AF crewdog didn't know how.
 
flieger83 said:
I flew a C-53C (DC-3A) that rolled of the factory line in Long Beach, CA, on 14 October 1942...

We took it from Mesa, AZ to Eindhoven, Holland via the "typical" WWII routes.

The plane was amazing!!

http://jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=5899156&nseq=1

Sadly it's now sitting grounded in a museum... :thumbdown:

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
Click to expand...


Jumped out of one years ago in a heritage jump... It was a blast, but we had to borrow 5 ft static line extenders from the US Forest Service smokejumpers to make the drop...

Best :biggrin:
 
If you can sleep in a web seat on a C-130 you can sleep anywhere.:thumb:
 
"Sleep When You Can" is a military thing learned early, wherever and whenever.:thumb:
 
WOW! They had Heaters? Then again it was about 90 plus outside temperatures.
 
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