DC10FE

I sent an email to Peter Gardiner -- he was supposed to be the ferry captain. I\'ll let you know who the crew was if he replies (he\'s not very reliable about replying). Also sent an email to JB. He\'s the one who told me about the high approach & landing long. Don R.

Bob, Are you trying to post the photo of Vanessa Dobos on the \"suppossed\" AC-130? Keep trying -- it\'s worth posting again. As TalonOneTF suggests though, just make sure the format & size is correct. Don R.

All I\'ve heard is that it was a Transafrik Herc -- don\'t know the registration. I\'m told it made a very high approach, landed long & went off the end. They ferried it somewhere for repairs with the gear chained down (for some reason). Don R.

They look like the \"invasion stripes\" that were used on the C-47\'s during the D-Day drops. Neat spinners, too. Don R.

bbuech, I\'m afraid I have to correct you on the -20 dimensions. The -20 had a forward plug measuring 60 inches & an aft plug measuring 40 inches. Don R.

Since the caption says the photo was taken at an Air Tattoo in the early 80\'s, I would think that the location is RAF Greenham Common in England. Don R.

I wonder if some of the youngsters out there even know what a \"church key\" is; or a P-38? I agree with Bob, though -- that Carling Black Label had to be the worst. Don R.

Thanks, Casey. Don R.

We had a 727-82 at Transafrik, S9-NAZ, that had fuel guages that read in kilos instead of pounds. Many times in flight on that airplane, I\'d have a momentary major heart attack when I glanced at the guages & thought we were almost out of gas!! It was an ex-TAP Air Portugal airplane. Like most of Transafrik\'s fleet, this one crashed on the runway at Luanda in 2000. Don R.

I think we all knew some \"Hillary\" bragging in the stag bar (pc?) at the NCO/Officers Club in their flight suits & their \"There I was\" story & every one else at the table with their \"Yeah, right\" looks. She really stepped on her broomstick this time! Don R.

Casey, I dug this drawing out of an old training manual I had from the Herc Flight Training Center @ Marietta. It\'s the fuselage stations for a -30. If you have a hard time reading it, I can email you a copy in a higher resolution. Don R. I tried to attach it, but if I get the size down to maximum size for this board, it\'s just about unreadable. I\'ll just email it to you. Don R.

Transafrik, or Uganda Air Cargo? Don R.

Gordon, I was the crew chief on 66-0220 for about 8 months & then went to QC. I used to party with Tom Jones & Bob Ramirez. I remember you, too. Gordon H, right? I remember your roommate, too, Jim & I used to tip quite a few Singas at the SP Hotel. An FE I really respected there was the late Don Stewart. Don R.

That\'s a shame. I first met Gene in 1972 at Korat at the NCO Club; he was in the 7th ACCS & I was next door in the 56th ARRS. I ran into him again when he was at the Rock & I was there going through instructor school. He & his knowledge of the Herc will be missed. Don R.

Roy, If you maximize your screen, it might help to see the \"big picture.\" It works for me. Don R.

Mike, Check the size -- that\'s usually the problem when I try to upload a photo. Don R.

This has been around a while, but a friend sent it to me this morning & I think it needs to be read again. Don R. YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN AVIATION MECHANIC IF YOU HAVE EVER WORKED AT OR DONE AT LEAST 1 OF THE FOLLOWING.......... Ever drank castor-oil -- and not because of your mother. Slept on concrete under your jet. Ever said, \"Oh, yes sir, it’s supposed to look like that.\" You know what a pointy head is. You consider \"2380\" finger prints on food an \"acquired taste.\" Have sucked O2 to cure a hang-over. You know what JetA1 tastes like. Used a black grease pencil to fix a worn tire. You have a better store\'s supply in your coveralls or tool box than store\'s does. Used a piece of safetywire as a tooth pick. You refer to a pilot as a \"Control Stick Actuator.\" You\'ve ever been told to go and get \"a yard of flightline\" or a \"bucket of propwash\" from stores. Worked a 16 hour shift on a jet and then be told by operations that we aren\'t going to fly it till the next day. Know that R & R doesn’t always mean remove and replace, but raise and rotate. You\'ve ever said, \"As long as it\'ll start every other try, you\'ll be fine sir.\" You\'ve ever considered a traditional Thanksgiving dinner to be a sandwich off of the roach-coach in one hand and a wrench in the other. You know what a roach-coach is. And you like the food. You have ever sat underneath the heat exchangers to get warm. You\'ve ever towed airplanes around to match the board in operations. You believe that your \"bird\" has a soul. You talk to your bird (In your head still counts). Your spouse refuses to watch any aviation shows with you. You\'ve ever said, \"That nav light burned out when you turned it on this morning sir.\" You\'ve ever used a wheel chock as a hammer. The only thing you know about any city is where the good bars are. You know more about your co-workers than your own family. While watching commercials on TV, you look for tail numbers on your birds. You\'ve ever wished a pilot would just say \"Great bird, thanks.\" You\'ve ever passed gas in the work truck just to clear it out. You can\'t figure out why your 2 week advance per-diem is gone after 2 days. You can\'t get through a trip without finding an ATM. On a trip, the first place that you go is to the local store on a beer run. Most of your advance is spent in $1.00 increments in a \"club.\" You can sleep anywhere -- anytime, but as soon as the engines shut down you are wide awake. Everyone thinks that your job mainly consists of waving your arms at airplanes. You have scars on you that aren’t from your spouse or significant other. You\'ve ever used a seat cushion as a pillow. Been gouged by the pig tail end of a safety wired cannon plug. You\'ve ever stood on wheel chocks to keep your feet dry. You change underwear and t-shirts more times than your coveralls. Used dikes to trim your finger nails. Used RTV to fix a stripped screw. Made tampons out of paper towels for drain hole leaks. Knocked back a rivet stem that was hanging out of a drain hole. Wiped leaks down right before a crew show. The person held with the highest regard is the person that can drink a 6-pack with in a 5 minute period and not puke. You\'ve ever driven home after working a 36 hour shift, and don’t remember the drive. You tell your peers that you are getting a divorce and the first thing that they ask is \"selling anything?\" Everyone you know has some kind of nickname.

Stevoe, Couldn\'t find a 06-5586, although there is a c/n 5586 for a USAF C-130J-30 06-1437. Maximus A6-MAC is c/n 5024; ex-UAE AF 1215. Trigana Air is 4248; Safair registered as ZS-ORB, although I\'ve heard that is now has the Indonesian prefix PK. Hope this helps. Don R.

Too bad the engine sound wasn\'t on the video. That would\'ve been pretty awesome, too!! In the comments section, someone said that the pilot got canned for the antic. Don R.

Wow! Do they still preach that? I always thought that was a holdover from the recip days. I used to get jacked up all the time for that felony!! Don R.

Bob, I\'m sure you just overlooked it, but 57-0462 (3169) is still wingless & tailless & being used as a fuels trainer at MacDill. I just saw it last month while doing my bi-annual trip out there. Don R. Don, He just asked about Sheppard. Bob Oops. I misread it. Don R.

OK, thanks for the explanation Don R.

And the engine shop. Real shade tree mechanics. [img size=600]http://herkybirds.com/images/fbfiles/images/Sudan_engine_shop.JPG

Southern Sudan prop shop -- where they put the prop together. Don R. [img size=530]http://herkybirds.com/images/fbfiles/images/Sudan_prop_shop.JPG

Casey,I\'m confused. The other day, we celebrated our 500th member & the name was mhlarsen from Denmark. I just checked this morning & we\'re now at 505 members with the latest member to join still being listed as mhlarsen. Don R.