Mt.crewchief Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 This post is another one started while laying in bed thinking about my life in the USAF and my time on the Hercules. Do you guys at Naha remember the civilian company that had a hangar right next to or near our squadron areas (at least near the 35th) ? The guys that worked there had Dyna Electron on their coveralls and they were doing some kind of TCTO an our A-Models I think! The company was based in Kansas I think, as I know a guy that was working for them at that time! I don't see him anymore, but he was one of my old gun shop customers that I got to know quite well! I guess I never did ask him what they were working on there or if I did I can't remember now!! Do any of you guys remember what I am talking about?? Sonny, and some of you other guys surely remember what I am talking about don't you? Thanks in advance for your replies, Ken PS, another brain fart!!! Anybody remember the plane with LOCKHEEDS EDSEL stenciled above the crew door??? Acft. # 56-0468?? Crewed by my room mate Gary Levesque?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donwon Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 Ken I think 56-468 did not make it to Naha. That was my first plane at Sewart after I got out of Tec school. Well It may have made it over there after I got out in Nov.66. Someone told me it was totaled at Ft Campbell in 86 due to a runaway prop on landing . I don't remember the group you are talking about but that don't mean nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 Ken, Are you talking about the big hanger on the other side of the fighters plains, if so, they did an upgrade on the landing gear, I know they did it on 56 0543 in I think early 68 when I was the ACC. It was in there for about 3 or 4 days. Cliff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mt.crewchief Posted December 3, 2011 Author Share Posted December 3, 2011 (edited) donwon, thanks for the reply. It definitely did make it to Naha, as I confirmed the acft. number with Gary just last week over the phone. Gary, also came to Naha from Sewart but I think in 1967 or early 68. He was my room mate from sometime in 68 until I left in 69. The story is a funny one as that plane was always broke down mostly, in Viet Nam ! When it got back to Naha, there were some Lock Heed people there doing some major maint on it and while it was broke down, Gary got a stencil made that said Lockheed's Edsel on it and painted it over the crew door. When the right/wrong people saw it, they chewed his butt and made him remove it almost immediately! I got to see it and I also remember the guy making the stencil. His name was Ed Cielaki from Mass. Cliff, you may be right about the location of the hangar, but I remember it being just across to the North of where we had "roll call" every day!! I wonder if they were installing anti-skid brakes as we got them new while I was there. I remember the brake upgrade as it was done to my airplane 56-0475 while I was there!! Thanks for your replies guys, Ken Hightide, do you remember Gary doing that?? I know you knew him! Edited December 3, 2011 by Mt.crewchief dinking around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spectre623 Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 Hey Ken, about the brake upgrade...sure would have been nice if AF had put the multiple disc brakes on the A & B that were on the E model . I always protected my small piece of hex stock we had to use to take the bolts off with. I had fresh outta the box single rotor disc brakes that I sweated and grunted over to to change leak like a stuck hog when I leak checked them...usually at night at CRB. Years later we had brakes on our H models that were almost bullet proof...so to speak. Those were the days. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donwon Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 Ken that does sound like the 468 that was at Sewart. That is the one that had the Flt deck painted red at one time. I think Specter, Bill told me about it. It surprises me that it would make it to Naha. Pappy Hayse was the CC and Red Hutchens was an assistant and I was one of the third wipers. I think it had something like around 1800 flying hours on it when I got to Sewart, and most of the other "A"s had around 2500 hrs.or more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mt.crewchief Posted December 7, 2011 Author Share Posted December 7, 2011 Ken that does sound like the 468 that was at Sewart. That is the one that had the Flt deck painted red at one time. I think Specter, Bill told me about it. It surprises me that it would make it to Naha. Pappy Hayse was the CC and Red Hutchens was an assistant and I was one of the third wipers. I think it had something like around 1800 flying hours on it when I got to Sewart, and most of the other "A"s had around 2500 hrs.or more. You know, my roommate,Gary Levesque, was stationed at Sewart before coming to Naha! Maybe he knew 468's history before he got to Naha!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crbchief Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 The hydraulic shop was in the same hanger as the Dynalectron people were in. They were doing all kinds of mods and sheet metal work on the A's. We had to go thru the hanger to the latrines and to the FMS orderly room. I remember the hanger was really noisey and rhw work went on 24 hrs a day. At CRB the mlg brake wear got so bad we began overhauling them on the aircraft. The crew chief and hyd man would jack the wheel up, pop it off ( i remember the ones with the wire in them ) and begin over hauling the brake. At CRB it seemed the differant shops were helping any one who needed it. I can remember helping out when a A model was being rigged for max pack. Those were truley " The Good Old Days". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mt.crewchief Posted December 9, 2011 Author Share Posted December 9, 2011 The hydraulic shop was in the same hanger as the Dynalectron people were in. They were doing all kinds of mods and sheet metal work on the A's. We had to go thru the hanger to the latrines and to the FMS orderly room. I remember the hanger was really noisey and rhw work went on 24 hrs a day. At CRB the mlg brake wear got so bad we began overhauling them on the aircraft. The crew chief and hyd man would jack the wheel up, pop it off ( i remember the ones with the wire in them ) and begin over hauling the brake. At CRB it seemed the differant shops were helping any one who needed it. I can remember helping out when a A model was being rigged for max pack. Those were truley " The Good Old Days". crbchief, Thanks for the post, I knew my memory was still working-----at least part-time Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ang012 Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 They were putting in wing tip taxi lights and stall warning system. They put probe out on the wing. They had to pull the c/b on the wing tip taxi lights because of the compass system in the left wing tip. They did all the c-130 in that area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mt.crewchief Posted January 13, 2012 Author Share Posted January 13, 2012 They were putting in wing tip taxi lights and stall warning system. They put probe out on the wing. They had to pull the c/b on the wing tip taxi lights because of the compass system in the left wing tip. They did all the c-130 in that area. Melvin, Thanks for helping clear that question up for me! I took my plane there from CCK once to have the wing tip taxi lights installed but didn't remember who did it! I got the hell out of there and went over to the 35th barracks to renew old acquaintances and then went downtown and renewed a few more there!!! You're right about the compass problem!!! I have a post from awhile back that addresses that experience!! Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nascarpop Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 I don't know if this was part of the upgrade, but I do remember the ECM gear being put on the plane I crewed. It was very secretive and the Nav panel was kept covered all the time. Need to know and all that. Dallas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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