DC10FE

Rorey, Email me @ [email protected]. I have an article from the Rhein Main AB newspaper you might be interested in. No sense clogging up this forum. Don R.

Are you Rorey Nugent? I agree, you don't mix "Skipper" with "Major." The crew was Major Bill Gunkel (aircraft commander), 1st Lt. Ed Gallagher (co-pilot), Capt Charles Gaetze (navigator), SSgt Carl L. Thomas (flight engineer) & SSgt Richard McClure (loadmaster). The airplane was the 37th TAS' first desert camouflaged C-130, but I don't remember the tail number. The airplane was never based at a special ops base in Egypt. Don R.

The Internet has drastically shortened my attention span, but I sat through all 24 minutes of this video and enjoyed every minute of it. I was never in Special Operations, but I spent my 2nd tour at Rhein Main in the 37 TAS (1977 -- 1983) flying with the 7th SOS a lot. Went on quite a few Flintlock's at RAF Sculthorpe with them. Knew a lot of the 7th guys and gals. They really knew how to party! Great video, although Rhein Main was spelled wrong in the captions. Don R.

Oh, also 68-10946 was a hard landing at Giebelstadt AAF, West Germany in 1984. If I remember correctly, it was during an ORI with a mostly stan/eval crew. I think this photo was taken by the loadmaster. Don That is the one I listed above, Thanks, Bob

Bob, how about the 37th TAS 69-6581 (4357) at Ramstein crash 1/14/81 -- fin stall on takeoff? Had some good friends on that crew. Don R. Don I was only putting up the most recent accidents Bob

I tried to get a friend visiting from Ireland a tour of the factory. Was told that because of security reasons, it was not available. Don R.

I flew with a Filipino captain at Transafrik who retired from there with over 35.000 Herc hours. Lockheed presented him with a 30.000 hour certificate. Can't remember if her received a pin or not. Probably not. I have the 10,000 hour pin. Don R.

Looks nice, Sonny. Not a very good photo, but here's a wall of my man cave with prints of 74-2063 (picked it up new at the factory), J6-SLO (St Lucia Airways 1985 - 1988) & S9-NAD (Transafrik 1989 - 1995). Don R.

What burns my ass is, enlisted or officer, they "earn" air medals, too. I think, but am not sure, they also get combat pay. Don R.

I don't reply to much here anymore, but this thread really brought back some memories -- good and bad. I remember one night being rousted out of bed in the barracks (no, it wasn't a "dorm" back then) at Tan Son Nhut. My airplane had blown 2 tires on some mud strip; I don't remember where. My assistant and I were put on a C-123 with 2 mlg tires a jack and all the other paraphernalia needed for a tire change. To make a long story short, we landed on a mud runway, offloaded the stuff and had the tires changed in no time. What I remember most was the lighting being a reversed taxi light and the crew all holding flashlights -- all with the running GTC blasting in our ears. We were so covered with mud, we sat back in the cargo compartment for the tip back. Got a letter of commendation from the AC out of it -- lost, of course, from one of my divorces. OK, stepping down from my soapbox. Next? Don R.

OK, posted 6 new patches to the gallery. More to come. Don R.

Wonder why RC is listed as a "junior member?" He;s been around this forum since Day #1. Anyway, good to see you back, RC. Don R.

Wow, Dutch. Thanks, I didn't even realize there was a patch section in the gallery. I got a buch. Don R.

I agree with hehe; it was on the panel above the FE's head. I don't know about the newer C-130's, but out brand new L-382G (msn 5225) in Angola also had the same data plate on the left bottom side of the vertical stabilizer.Somewhere on my extremely cluttered hard drive, I have a photo of the data plate. Although its not labeled, here it is from my old OM 382G.. Don R.

OK, I remember that we called "Hilda" in Vietnam/Pacific and "Phantom 85" in Europe. I can't remember the call signs of 21st and 22nd Air Forces. Any help? Thanks, Don R.

It's been a very long time since I've been in a Herc, but, if I remember correctly, the nav & FE seats were identical except that the nave seat had no armrests. Don R.

Well, here we go again. From what I've learned, the Ethiopians have a couple of L-100-30's that have been parked for a number of years. As soon as the novelty of this "new" airplane wears of, it'll probably wind up parked in some desolate corner of an airport along with all their other donated aircraft. That's just the way it is in Africa.Don R.

Anyone know the tail number of the Herc?Don R.

Reminds me of the C-123 sprayers at Langley AFB in the early 1960 spraying for mosquitos. Looking back, I imagine they were also training for the Ranch Hand missions in Vietnam. Don R.

Diogo, I don't have time to check all your L-100's, but I have the Transafrik list right in front of me. 4385 is now 5X-TUE, 4472 was written off at Lokichoggio, Kenya in 2006, 4299 is 5X-TUD, 4383 is 5X-TUF and 4301 is 5X-TUA. The last 7 of the msn's on your list are actually military C-130's. Don R.

Click here: More than 110 killed in Indonesian military plane crash - Al Jazeera English

Thanks, guys. I guess it's back to Google Earth. Well, the rest of my morning is shot. Google Earth is extremely addictive. Don R.

Interesting. When I went to the Google Earth street view, it looks like there are 3 A-models parked there. Don R.

509th? Now there's the irony! Don R.