DC10FE

Gus, I remember the name, but that's about it. Don R.

Back when I was in my last year in the USAF, somehow we wound up on a trip to Adak, Alaska. After finishing off loading our crap, we begin the starting engine checklist. The tower calls and said there's a cook who just got notified he has a family emergency and has to go on emergency leave. They ask if we could wait for him since there wouldn't be any traffic there for about a week. The AC gets all antsy wanting to go, so he tries calling 22nd AF, but couldn't raise them. Our loadmaster was a Chief (E9). He pipes up and says we will wait for the cook. The AC spins around in his seat ready to jump on him. The Chief puts up his hands and says, "Don't worry Captain, my decision. I'm the only one on the crew who can't get promoted." Don R.

This has absolutely nothing to do with the C-130 or even aviation in any way, but it should bring a smile to your face. Don R. Click here: The Girls On Fox News Song - YouTube

I got the Vietnam sticker at an Army Navy store here. Thanks for the pickup complement, Ken. I bought it new in 1983 in Abilene, TX. Still have the build sheet and owners manual. On its second engine & third transmission. Giz, I had heard about your yellow truck -- that is yellow!!!! Don R.

With the exception of stories like George's above, minor leaks didn't bother me too much (remember, I flew on Transafrik's clapped out Hercs and 727's for 7 years), it was when it quit leaking that concerned me! Plus, sitting on the ramp was not making me any money. Don R.

When Casey sent me my latest print a few months ago, he included some of his "Real Planes Have Props" stickers. Here's how I utilized one of them. Don R.

Hi Kim, Aah yes, Leslie Nolon. He certainly earned that nickname. I can't think of any other FE's there that would rather sit around waiting than fly -- well, maybe Amort, too. Don R.

I think that question was answered in your other thread. Don R.

Back to the original thread, I got this from Bob Daley a few minutes ago. The drone medal ranks right up there with these. Don R.

Chris, I couldn't have said it better. Although I crosstrained from crew chief to FE back in 1974, when I was a crew chief, first & foremost was to turn over a safe and clean airplane to the flight crew -- and that's what I expected as an FE. I don't think I've ever chased a mandatory metric, though. Don R.

We had an FE in the 37th at Rhein Main back in the late 70's that was notorious for breaking airplanes. He was on every crew chief's $hit list. I won't name any names, but his last name was an animal that builds dams. I gave him a checkride once and we went through at least 3 airplanes. Legitimate, but nit-picking discrepancies. My theory has always been that I can fly with a lot of crap (7 years with Transafrik), I just don't like surprises. Don R.

Not sure if this thread should be here or in the technical section, so Casey can move it anywhere he wants. The photo below is the FE panel for Tepper's N2731G (4582), or whatever its numbers are now. I say N2731G because all of their other Hercs have a real APU. This one has the Boeing 727 aftermarket APU and still has the fire handle labeled GTC. Anyway, the most glaring thing I noticed is that there's only one inverter. WTF? I know I've been out of the Herc loop for a while, but I've never seen this. I heard many, many years ago that Southern Air Transport had a Herc with no inverters. Never saw that, though. It also appears that #2 main tank might be off scale high, but there's no DMI sticker attached. Of course, Tepper and the other "dark operators" can operate above the law in most cases. Don R.

I wonder if that's "bischoffm" from this forum. Don R.

I was on my second 90 day rote from Langley to Clark back in 1964 when we were told to go home and pack because the whole wing (463rd TCW) was moving PCS to the Philippines in a very short time. It wasn't difficult for me -- I was a single 2-striper, but I remember some of the married guys with families had a hard time. My crew chief, Tsgt Stanley Craft decided to hang up his almost 20 years rather than leave his family at Buckroe Beach. He was going to Mactan which was an unaccompanied tour. Of course, the Vietnam war was building at a furious pace then and regard for personel and their families were secondary. As Bill above said -- "Still loved it though!!!" Don R.

I think what's confusing some of the more elderly gentlemen on this forum is that some airplanes were modified and later ones came from the factory with a spring loaded toggle switch instead of the starter button. These planes also had a red "start valve open" light that the FE would call open on start & then closed. Don R.

Nope. That's one of the airplanes on Bob Daley's list of missing Herc photos. Don R.

Check out the Pentago Network on TV sometime. Some of the newsreaders with 2 & 3 stripes have more decorations on their chest that I did when I retired after more than 23 years! Don R.

Thanks, FEC130 If I remember correctly, Tom King showed up at Rhein Main as a captain from Little Rock. A great guy to fly with. I ran into him at DM back in 1988 when I was putting together an A-model at the Western International salvage yard. I think he was a major then. Don R.

FEC130, Do you remember the AC's name? I was stationed with him in the 37th at Rhein Main -- along with Bill Speice. Don R.

Giz, I may be wrong (and if I am, I'm sure someone here will quickly correct me), but I think "Strela" was the Russian name and "Grail" was the NATO designation. Or maybe it was the other way around. Don R.

Sorry to hijack this thread again, but I thought that verbage sounded familiar. Don R. http://www.c-130hercules.net/showthread.php?t=3402

Here's AC-130A 55-0044 (3071) from the gallery in Ubon in 3/72. According to Lars' book, #4 gearbox disintegrated and took out #3. It also took out #2 (you can see the feathered #2 prop in photo #1). They landed on one engine. It was repaired but later shot down over Laos by a SA-7. Don R.

Chris, Did you ever install a tire in SEA that just cut your hands to shreds? The treads were full of small wires that were like little razor blades. I seem to remember I was told that they were to be used on ice or snow. Just what we needed to safely taxi onto the ramp at Saigon!! Don R.

Huh?

Another funny tale about Non-sked Fred. We both got hired by St Lucia Airways at the same time (10/85). As we were taxiing to the Khartoum terminal on the Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt, I heard Fred mutter, "Oh crap." (Fred muttered a lot.) When I asked him what the problem was, he replied that there were 2 Transamerica Hercs loading up on the ramp. He then said he was on a medical leave of absence from Transamerica and this was gonna be a difficult thing to explain. It all turned out OK, though. Don R.