DC10FE

He was one of the good guys. Don R. Click here: Obituary For: Douglas M. Smith CMSgt USAF (Ret.) | Piersall - Benton Funeral Directors

Quite a collection! Don R.

Laurent, I did a rotation to Evreux back in the early 1960's as a 1-striper with the B-models from Langley AFB, Virginia. There was a bar not far from the base called The Viking. I wonder, is it still there? Don R.

T'was the night before Christmas and out on the ramp, Not an airplane was stirring, not even a Champ. The aircraft were fastened to tie downs with care, In hopes that -- come morning -- they all would be there. The fuel trucks were nestled, all snug in their spots, With gusts from two-forty at 39 knots. I slumped at the fuel desk, now finally caught up, And settled down comfortably, resting my butt. When the radio lit up with noise and with chatter, I turned up the scanner to see what was the matter. A voice clearly heard over static and snow, Called for clearance to land at the airport below. He barked his transmission so lively and quick, I'd have sworn that the call sign he used was "St. Nick." I ran to the panel to turn up the lights, The better to welcome this magical flight. He called his position, no room for denial, "St. Nicholas One, turnin' left onto final." And what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a Rutan-built sleigh, with eight Rotax Reindeer! With vectors to final, down the glideslope he came, As he passed all fixes, he called them by name: "Now Ringo! Now Tolga! Now Trini and Bacun! On Comet! On Cupid!" What pills was he takin'? While controllers were sittin', and scratchin' their heads, They phoned to my office, and I heard it with dread, The message they left was both urgent and dour: "When Santa pulls in, have him please call the tower." He landed like silk, with the sled runners sparking, Then I heard, "Left at Charlie," and "Taxi to parking." He slowed to a taxi, turned off of three-oh, And stopped on the ramp with a "Ho! Ho! Ho!" He stepped out of the sleigh, but before he could talk, I ran out to meet him with my best set of chocks. His red helmet and goggles were covered with frost, And his beard was all blackened from Reindeer exhaust. His breath smelled like peppermint, gone slightly stale, And he puffed on a pipe, but he didn't inhale. His cheeks were all rosy and jiggled like jelly, His boots were as black as a cropduster's belly. He was chubby and plump, in his suit of bright red, And he asked me to "fill it, with hundred low-lead." He came dashing in from the snow-covered pump, I knew he was anxious for drainin' the sump. I spoke not a word, but went straight to my work, And I filled up the sleigh, but I spilled like a jerk. He came out of the restroom, and sighed in relief, Then he picked up a phone for a Flight Service brief. And I thought as he silently scribed in his log, These reindeer could land in an eighth-mile fog. He completed his pre-flight, from the front to the rear, Then he put on his headset, and I heard him yell, "Clear!" And laying a finger on his push-to-talk, He called up the tower for clearance and squawk. "Take taxiway Charlie, the southbound direction, Turn right three-two-zero at pilot's discretion" He sped down the runway, the best of the best, "Your traffic's a Grumman, inbound from the west." Then I heard him proclaim, as he climbed through the night, "Merry Christmas to all! I have traffic in sight."

Have you checked the gallery? I have seen photos of some A-models parked on the ramp at Evreux in there. Joyeux Noël to you, too. Don R.

Sorry about getting off the subject of drinking beer (one of my favorite pastimes), but didn't the rescue Hercs have 2 actuators because of the flare tubes in the door and the ODS rails? BTW, a few cases of San Miguel fit up there pretty well, too. Better than drinking that Black Label out of rusty cans when in Vietnam. Don R.

For any ex-Transafrik crewmembers or mechanics, I thought you should know that Cecil "Moon" Mullins passed away recently. He was 77. He was Transafrik's chief DC-8 pilot and also flew the Electra. Don R.

I forwarded that video to some friends of mine. One replied that yes, it was a full time job. The musicans are recruited from civilian professional orchestras and bypass basic training and tech schools and enter the USAF as NCO's. He also sent me this website. Bob D. was correct in the number of USAF bands. Much more important that that ugly old Warthog. Don R. Click here: Air Force Bands > U.S. Air Force > Fact Sheet Display

BS is also an acronym for the above post. Don R.

Like Casey, I'm not usually interested in things like that, but it was one of the most enjoyable 6 1/2 minutes I've spent in a long time. Just curious though. Is that a full time AFSC? That SMSgt's only job in the USAF is to play a harp? No sarcasm intended, but we have airmen doing some extremely hazardous jobs in places like Afghanistan and here's a SMSgt playing a harp at a museum for the same pay. I'll probably take some hits for this post, but, as I said, it's not sarcasm -- just curiosity. Don R.

Robert, The 6594th Test Group was based at Hickam AFB, Hawaii up until the mid-1980's. They flew a combination of JC-130B's & H's & some helicopters. Their motto was "Catch a Falling Star." Go to the gallery and look up 3504c. Don R.

Robert, Actually, the proper nomenclature is Adverse Weather Aerial Delivery System. Don R.

As with most of the threads on this forum, we certainly have digressed here. The thread is titled "C-130 Related Acronyms." This is not a complaint -- just an observation. Don R.

Yep, Dyess AFB, TX, 1973. I was a brand new FE on one of my first rides without an instructor. Blocking out on a training mission, the crew chief marshalled us out of parking and saluted with the pin in his hand! He got a well-deserved case of beer. Don R.

Steve, Dave Davenport had a book out many, many years ago. The address to get it was: Herky Bird Unlimited PO Box 25 Spring Lake, NC 28390 Don't know if it's still good. That was back in the early 1980's. Don R.

Fifty years ago today was a dark day for America and the world. For you old farts, do you remember what you were doing when you heard the news? As for me, I was a young A/3C with 4 months under my belt at Langley AFB, VA. It must've been a weekend because I remember sitting in the dayroom watching TV when the news broke. The CQ was T/Sgt Clevenger, a crew chief on one of the B-models. I remember going over to him and telling him the news. I'll never forget the look on his face! Don R.

Anyone remember the big wedge-shaped NLG downlock? As a one-striper on my first TDY by myself, I really got my butt chewed out by the FE, Msgt Marchman over it. Don R.

Ronc, Very tactfully done. Don R.

The Navy used TAD in place of TDY. It meant Temporary Attached(?) Duty. The Navy guys knew it actually meant Travelling Around Drunk. Don R.

Need a little help here. What is it, a book? Don R.

Wonder what an An-12 is doing in Huntsville? Back when I was flying out of Miami in early 2000, on my days off, I'd take a drive up to Opa-locka and wander around the airport. There were a couple of An-26's and an An-12 based there. They had a Uzbekistan "UK" registration. Never found out what they were doing there. Don R.

Bill, I have quite a few Filipino friends that I flew with in Angola when I was with Transafrik. I've tried to contact some of them, but with no luck. I wonder if they're doing anything to protect the C-130's at Mactan? Don R. Clark AB 1965-1967

Bill, My browser won't let me go to Google Earth (the computer's headed to the shop on Monday), but when I used to wander around my old stomping grounds in Africa, I'd come across what looked like a C-130, but was actually an An-12 with the swept back leading edge and straight trailing edge. Could that be what you're seeing? Don R.

Yeah, it's like my daughter tells me, "Your brain doesn't know how old your body is." I guess that's why I still mow my yard, plant shrubbery, etc. Wears me out, but I love it. Don R.

Kim, Send me your email address by PM. I have some photos that you might like. Here's an example; Norm Brander & Chief Grinrod (RUG) at some gathering at the Rhein Main Rod & Gun Club. Both Wing Stan/Eval FE's -- they're probably hatching some plan to terrorize innocent FE's. Don R.