DC10FE

If you go to Google Earth, you can see one parked on the ramp at Tehran and another at Shiraz AB. They may be the same one -- Google Earth does not put a date on the photos anymore. At both places, you can see a bunch of C-130's parked there, too. A couple of them are just the fuselages with the wings removed. Don R.

I'd like to help with the cost, too. I know Casey spends a lot of his own money on this site. Perhaps if more people contributed, he wouldn't have to use his own money to defray the cost of running it. Of course, he is a MSgt now so he's rolling in dough. Don R.

Interesting. Those black dots are not on earlier photos I have of that airplane. I was going to suggest going to the gallery, but all the photos of 4796 are missing -- along with 4798 & 4799. I agree with loadsmith -- they look like some sort of defensive sensors, although they are in unusual locations. Don R.

Another photo ruined by that extremely annoying airliners.net watermark. Don R.

I never flew the H2's in the USAF (after my time), but our L-100-30 in Angola had the digital fuel gauges, plus the reclining FE seat & a flushable lav. It also had a different TD amp, Rosemount pitot system & the oil cooler augmentation system. I guess it was the commercial version of an H2. Don R.

Charles, Each fuel gauge had a test button next to it. If I remember correctly, as part of the preflight, you had to test them to see that they moved toward zero. Don R.

At Transafrik, we just about wore them out. It was common practice to dip the tanks on every preflight & after every refuel. Most of the time, half the gauges didn't work & the ones that did work were not very reliable. Don R.

Thanks for the replies, guys. Anyone remember the technical term for the dip stick? I can recall back when I was going through FTD as a A/3C at Langley, the instructor called it a maple gauge. Odd, I can remember garbage like that, but I'll be damned if I can remember what I had for dinner last night! Don R.

I got this question from a friend of mine @ Lynden. I haven't been on a Herc since 12/95 so I'm stumped. Any help? Don R. "A student asked me how to adjust the dip stick readings for the different fuels. JP-4, JP-5, JET-A, JET-A-1 and so on. Any ideas? Is there a chart? Which fuel is the dip stick calibrated to?"

Looks like they were landing on the moon! Don R.

I've flown with that colonel --I think we all have. When the 37th was brand new at Rhein Main, the wing king was C-9 qualified, I think. Anyway, he was in the left seat with an IP in the right. We were doing a formation flight and were starting to overtake lead. The colonel yanked the throttles back and started to lift them over the gate. I reached down and just beat the IP in grabbing his arm and said, "Oh, no, no, no. I don't think we want to do that, sir." The IP (I think it was John Riebie, now with UPS) bought me a beer after landing. Aah, the things I will do for a free beer! Don R.

Kurt, Are you referring to the C-130 pics or Dutch's avatar? Don R.

Pardon my ignorance, but is he being buried in Arlington because of his 2 years' military (where he attained the rank of PFC) or is it because he's a Kennedy or a part-time senator? Don R.

Bob, Is that the same Ferrier who was the wing king at Dyess when we busted 2 ORI's in a row? Don R. Yes He is the one. 37CC from 69 to late 71.

I thought Sabena Tenicks went down to Lagos a few years ago & refurbished the Nigerian C-130's. I knew the crew that flew the FCF's on them; Bonzo Von Haven, Peter Gardiner & Steve Luster. I guess after the FCF's, they just left them parked again. Like my South African captain used to say, "AWA - Africa Wins Again." BTW, Tiny, 1 Nigerian niara = 0.00638 USD. Don R.

OK, I forgot the commercial operator First Air in Yellowknife. They're wet leasing C-GUSI (msn 4600) to Stallion Aviation. Don R.

2/13/83 pob

Kurt, I have to agree with you. My next door neighbor at Dyess was a SAC B-52H stan/eval co-pilot. Don R.

My favorite Thunderbirds were the Huns -- the F-100 Super Sabers. The first time I saw them was at an open house at Langley back in the 60's. The worst, in my opinion, were the F-5/T-38's. I can see another hijacked thread evolving. Don R.

So, Bob, what you're saying is that the C-18, the E-8 and the VC-137 were the only ones with a 707-type FE panel -- the FE's on all the rest were basically flying crew chiefs sitting on a jump seat. I guess that explains why Boeing designated the KC-135 as a 717-100 or 148 depending on the series and the VC-137 as a 707-153 or 353. Of course, we're talking only of the US military. Lots of other countries' military tankers are designated 707-???(KC) -- converted from commercial airliners, Israel, Colombia, Brazil, to name a few. By the way, 67-19417 flew mainly in the colors of British Caledonian as G-AVEX, although it also flew in the livery of Airlift International and St. Lucia Airways in its past. Thanks to all who have responded to my question. Don R.

Thanks, Sip. Check your PM. Don R.

Skip, I was at Rhein Main from 1977 to 1983 with the 37th. I was on one of the SOLL crews & we used to go to RAF Scullthorp with you guys for the Flintlock exercises. Perhaps you knew my AC -- Captain Steve Sullivan (Sully)? Don R.

I can think of only 4 companies that operate commercial Hercs -- Lynden, Transafrik, Safair & Maximus. I would imagine that Stallion Aviation is probably wet leasing one of those. Of course, there are the other guys on the dark side -- Prescott, Tepper, etc. Don R.

OK, Mike. Now I got it. Thanks, Don R.

Mike, Thanks for the info. I was referring to the 135's where the FE rode side-saddle with an FE panel like the 707's. Don R.