[shaggy eel]

[shaggy eel]

FYI

[Viking2002]

Forty-seven United States Air Force staff flew out on a C-141 yesterday – also taking leave of Christchurch and their involvement with the Antarctic programme.' Inference being that we're totally abandoning federal involvement with McMurdo and Scott, or the entire continent?

[Hank Rearden]

Had the "pleasure" of flying 141s a few times. Great aircraft, but noisy and cold in the back.

[ErnBatavia]

it was not the most comfortable of rides

I hope the thing at least had a heater...

[R. Scott]

40 Years! How time flies.

[Professional Engineer]

Hey, some air transport just became available for the Foxhole armor and artillery.

[Jack Deth]

My Reserve Unit at Andrews had the Christchurch/McMurdo run for years while we had the "Speckled Trout" and "Slate Gray" painted C-141s. The trips lasted between ten days and two weeks, depending on the weather "Down Under".

The C-141 was a dog, maintenance-wise. Very labor intensive. Yet, incredibly versatile. And when dialed in just right, could fly for weeks.

Originally, the plane was never made to handle passengers. Just cargo. LOTS of cargo!

Which explains the floor heating, instead of ducted ceiling air, ala C-130s. The idea of passengers and paratroops was an afterthought.

Which brought about the plane being lengthened and troop door added to either side, behind the main landing gear pods. Though the 141 had to drop to nearly stall speed for Mass Troop Drops through the rear Petal and Troop Doors.

As the 141 proved itself adept at getting troops into harm's way. With the addition of Mid-Air Refueling. It also evolved into one of the great Aero-Med Evac aircraft ever created. Able to carry up to 48 Litter patients and twelve ambulatory patients in Airliner seats. Plus Monitoring and Emergency equpment, and up to another dozen Areo-Med Technicians and Doctors. Which made for a crowded flight.

The C-141 carved itself niches throughout the AF Mission. It's going to be hard to find another plane to do so much so well!

Jack.

[SuziQ]

That's one honking big airplane!

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[SkyPilot]

Thanks for posting this. I flew C-141s for years.......it was the C-47 of its era, a wonderful airplane.

[Cogadh na Sith]

Gee Whiz... I jumped out of those things in the Army.

[Inge_CAV]

Got a ride from Kadena AB, Okinawa to the states in one of those, back in 1968. The takeoff roll was aborted when it was discovered the rear doors had not been closed. We returned to the ramp where the doors were properly fastened and took off without any further problems.

The funny part was that we landed at our home base exactly one hour before we departed from Kadena AB......

[Barney59]

I remember seeing these monsters fly over my home in Alabama back in the 70's... Maxwell AFB or maybe Ft. Benning...

[Nowhere Man]

Just the other day, I saw a C-141 fly here into Pittsburgh as I was driving to work. Magnificent plane.

[Centurion2000]

I have a better idea .... why not just fill it with a time Capsule and leave it out on the ice to be buried under the ice ?

[Veloxherc]

I heard a story about a C-141 I do not know if it is true or not, but it makes for a good tale.

When Lockheed went to stretch the C-141 there were two sections to install one in front of the wing and one behind the wing. They once accidental mix up the two sections and this one C-141 ended up have a center of gravity that was messed up.

Now this C-141 can't move cargo or people, it is only use for training.

Maybe there is someone out there that can back me up?

Like I said may be fake but makes a good story.

[luvie]

When my husband and I lived in Germany, we once had to fly back to the states on emergency leave on a Starlifter! It truly was not made for passengers! There was no insulation, so we heard every hydraulic or other noise (and I think I jumped every time!), the seats faced backwards (for safety) and watching the tail bounce around for 8 hours was sooooo much fun! Plus, the meals provided were sandwiches in a box. It was only my second time to fly (the first was when we went over to Germany) so I was a basket case by the time we landed in the United States! It is a beautiful bird to watch though!

[bubbles2]

I had the pleasure of a tour thru the plane before she left & watcheded as a band set up it's instruments for photo's with the crew, the guys on this plane were great & we'll miss them now they aren't coming back.