DC10FE

Casey, That looks great!! I forgot to mention in my last PM to you, but, if possible, could you change the radome to the black one? With the white radome on the white background, from a distance, it's hard to see it. Thanks, Don R.

Hi Casey, I've noticed some advertisements showing up on the web site. I guess if more people had donated to your cause, the ads wouldn't have been a neccessity. I know you have put a lot of your own money into this site. Too bad more people couldn't have sent you a few bucks. Don R.

kingair200, S9-BOQ is now registered as ZS-ORC. AKLOAD, BAT is the highest time Herc. Interestingly, the person who sent me the time on S9-BAT was JB Ramos. He's a Filipino captain with Transafrik & is currently flying BAT out of Fujhaira (sp?). Last year, he received his 30,000 hour certificate from Lockheed! Those hours were as of 12/07. Don R.

FYI As of today, 6/27/09, S9-BAT (4234) has 97,866:36 hours on it. It's with Transafrik flying in Afghanistan in the colors of National Air Cargo. Don R.

The following were sent to me by a Canadian loadmaster friend of mine. Check the date of the news release -- almost 41 years ago! Don R.

Tiny -- Amen to that, bro!!! In my 23 years, I may hold the record for being jacked up for no hat. Most of the time, it was not by an officer (except for maybe some 20-year bitter major), but by E-8's & 9's. I can't count the times I've had the crew bus stop by clothing sales so I could run in (with the loadie's hat) & buy another one because I left my hat on the airplane. Don R.

As I said, I don't have the t-shirt you're asking for. I do have this one sent to me by Joe Holt -- an ex-Southern mechanic. Don R.

SergF I don't have the t-shirt, but here's the Southern sticker. Is this the one you're referring to? Sorry for the quality -- it's on my home's fuse panel in the garage. Don R.

The only 3-bladed prop A-model that is still flying is N131EC flown by Cherry Aviation. It was painted gray for the movie "American Gangster." Is this the airplane? Don R.

I flew the second airplane (msn 5225) listed on the above DERCO web site for 1 1/2 years with Frameair in Angola. When we showed up in Luanda, it had 66 hours on it. It's a really good airplane, but it would probably take an extra million bucks to get the avionics up to real world standards. When it was new (1991), it had state-of-the-art Omega, INS & an aftermarket GPS. I don't know what H-model variant it would equate to, but it has the Rosemount pitot system, digital fuel gauges, a flushing loo and a reclining FE seat (beautiful!!). Don R.

How about cleaning the exhaust tracks on a C-118 with a hose hooked up to the fuel boost pump in the wheel well? In 1967, during a short 6-month break in my Air Force career, I worked for Eastern Airlines at Logan Airport in Boston. We used to wash the exhaust tracks on the Connies from a tank filled with Varsol, which was actually 115/145 Avgas. It's a wonder I never saw an airplane catch fire during any of those cleaning procedures! Don R.

I've had this photo bouncing around in my Herc photo collection for quite a few years. Although I got it from a friend at Lockheed, no one there (or anywhere else) seems to know the story behind it. All I've been told is that a flight engineer was either doing an engine runup or taxiing and ran it into a hanger. It was repaired using the nose from a TACAMO bird. Anyone out there know the story or the date & location. Thanks, Don R.

Bob, As purdy as she is, he had to crate her up to keep the other loadmasters away from her. It is a "she," right? Don R.

If it refers to me, where do I obtain the forms to have the government bail me out? Don R.

The FE on that one had just left the 37th for the 16th. His name started with an "M," I'm pretty sure. Something like "Mantel?" Don R.

The ironic thing about the 1982 crash was that the loadmaster, A1C Sekula, had an older brother, Paul Sekula, also a loadmaster at Dyess. Don R.

Got the following from a Southern Air loadmaster friend of mine. Don R. Little known aviation fact: The Julian Calendar assigns each day its own number sequentially labeled from the 1st of January, the C001 day to the 31st of December, the C365 day or C366 day in Leap-Years. The ‘C’ is used to ensure the reader knows that the Julian calendar is the system being used. The C130 day, 10 May, is the greatest day of the year owing to its namesake the greatest aircraft either built or flown by, not only mankind, but even by any, every and all yet unknown extraterrestrial species. An interesting coincidental bit of serendipity is that this year Mother’s Day also falls on May 10th. This is so fascinating because of the many lovely ladies who became mothers, in large part, due to exhaustive efforts of Trash-Haulers! Happy Trash-hauler day.

Well, Roy, I guess WE are both old farts -- although I really don't feel like one. Don R.

My how times have changed! TOLD card pouches? Back in the day (I sound like some old fart), the TOLD card was stuck in the flap on on inside cover of the -1-1 and the grease pencil was in the shoulder pocket beside the plastic spoon. Don R.

Joe/Roy, Wasn't the AC also in stan/eval? Pretty good pilot, as I remember. Don R.

Skip, I don't want to come across as a nit-picker, but MSgt Joe Mayo was an FE on "Republic 4." The helo's call sign was "Bluebeard 3." Thigpen's book, "The Praetorian Starship" has an excellent detailed account of the entire operation. All heros. Don R.

This just about says it all. Don R.

Remember the Carling Black Label cans with the rusted out bottoms? They still brew Black Label in South Africa. I think it's labeled "The Strong Man's Beer." Don R.

I always thought that all dumping did was lead the fire department to the scene of the crash. Don R.

I'm betting it's 55-0047 (3074). Don R.