tinwhistle

I think Casey should award me a medal for surviving "in person" meeting and greeting two forum brothers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I noticed what appears to be toggle switches for engine start: per the conversation in another thread.

Ditto to what Bill and Don both just posted!!!! Twenty years old, single, workin' on a big ol' C-130, seein' the world; I loved it!!!!!!!

Just started reading the book and I am amazed how TAC seemed to have no regard for its people in those early days of the 50' and 60's. People and machines were moved around without any regard it seems to the well being of the folks. Coming from a pretty stable SAC in 1966 I found that PACAF and later TAc itself still seemed to have no regard for the airmen even until I retired in 75. Being assigned to troop carrier in the 50's and 60's had to be hell.

I don't know if it was hell, not having served anywhere but TAC or PACAF, I have nothing to compare. However, after several decades of "looking back", researching old records, a lot of reading, listening to "war stories", etc. it would seem that TAC and PACAF made a habit, at least in the early and mid 1960s (Vietnam War) of moving man and machine in an almost, it seems now, reckless manner. That is one of the things that we had to contend with in C-130 maintainance was the constant movement: never having parts, no place to stay (I had never heard of Herky Hill 'til a couple years ago), sometimes wouldn't see pay or mail for a month or two. I have to give credit to the US Army and the USMC. Those guys were really good at lending a hand when needed. More than once Airman Plantz or myself would have borrow a jeep , pickup truck, nuts bolts, rope, who knows what and the ground pounders always helped out.

I should add here that the Commanders back at CCK or earlier at MacTan were aware of the miserable conditions and eventually things improved, at least that's what I've been told!!!!! Another post script: in the 1965-1966 time frame we Herky healers had never seen or heard of such a thing as a unit patch or the like. Our "Espre de Corp" came from keeping planes in the air, and on occasion begging beer from the Aussies!!!!!!!

tinwhistle

I just went to "My Gallery" and checked out a couple pics of my old bird #877 that I have of the flight deck. I suffer greatly from CRS, but if I'm not mistaken, you will see the Engine Start Buttons located on the panel just above the pilot windshield. I noticed that the windshield wiper is stoped in the verticle position and if you look at the panel just above the wiper that should be the start buttons, nestled inside their protective shields. At least that's what I think I'm looking at!!!!! Keep in mind that that bird is a 1963 model "E" !!!!!!!!

Elderly???? ELDERLY?????? Who are you callin' elderly????????????????? Just because we have cheated Mr. Death to the point 'Depends" is a noun instead of a verb, you call us elderly?????????? Old, senile, infirm, aged, decrepit, etc but never elderly!!!!!!!!!! LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What Giz just said!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't recall ever being at the end of the cord for engine start for an actual flight, however, I did hold down the cord for engine run-ups, preparing for a taxi check,etc. and always said "turnin' 3", or something to that effect. After getting my engine run card and sitting in the left seat on engine run-ups I kinda missed being outside (especially at night), for all the exciting things happening!!!

That would be why my signature is "turnin' 3"......:)

I've often wondered if Jim Watts is around, somewhere. He was the crew chief on that bird, was not with it when it went down, and took the loss pretty hard.

Giz...You are a poet. And to those of us that are forever wedded to a Herk, those sights, sounds, smells, and memories are, forever,a part of our lives.

That evening last fall when I stood at the ramp and watched and listened to those two C-130Hs go through the ritual, that I once knew so well, a chill came over me; 40 years fell away. I will never, ever, forget the smell of JP-4, the "whoomp" of ignition.......shoot!you know what I mean!!!!!!

Chris

Don't know about that, Giz, but I've noticed that present day crew chiefs move the props (if they position them at all) to the X configuration. The folks in Peoria found it interesting that we old timers positioned the props in the "square" (or is that what you mean by "ground idle") position and that a prop that was in the X position was a "red X" indication.

Time marches on......

Chris

Hi guy's and gals

I read an article in this mornings Wisconsin State Journal that I highly reccomend to each one of us. Written by Paul Greenberg titled "The turret gunner was a woman". Please google either the "Wisconsin State Journal" or "Paul Greenberg" and read this piece. If you go to the newspaper site it will be under the "Opinion" section, if you google Greenberg you will find it by scrolling down a bit. It's worth a couple minutes of searching!!!!!

tinwhistle (Chris)

Hey Ken!!!!!! Happy birthday!!!!!!!!

you are probably correct, Chris.....................reckon it is also dependent on how the stuff was filed to begin with. If they threw away body parts at Dover, they sure as hell would have trashed some paper, don't ya think????????

No doubt Giz,

In light of the many times that the USAF lost such things as my medical records, my tool box inventory, and several other files on my various TDY's, I can imagine what it was like keeping paper work up to date and located at the same place as the individual!!!! Having said that, the US Military has been doing this for more than 200 years; you would think they'd have it figgered out by the 1960s!!!!!!!!!

In my minds eye I picture a pallett load of of personell files all boxed up ready to be shipped to the states from CCK in 1969 (or whenever), and that pallett sits there, yet today, on the edge of the flight line!!!!!!!!!! :)

The last time I requested documents I asked for every piece of paper that had my name on it. I received several interesting items in return, however, the actual number of documents was slight. I can't help but think that there was more to my enlistment than what I received. I think it's a crap shoot: depends on who gets the job assigned to them and what kind of day they're having. Having said that: You need to make the request, more than once if need be.

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.

Ya know Don, I had forgotten all about that until just now!!!!!! And you're correct, I remember being told the same thing about ice and snow. It's amazing how much I've forgotten about those years!!!!! It's also amazing to think how young I was and how much I knew (at the time) about the C -130!!!!! CRS!!

Chris

P.S. Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I, no doubt, am looking at the retread tire from the viewpoint of a former "big rigger" who has had more than my share of retread tire problems. As a 20 or 21 year old Herky Fixer I don't recall if I ever knew or cared if the tire was a retread, just as you pointed out Larry! I wish this thread would have been going last fall when I reunited with 877, it would have been interesting to look at the tires on the ol' gal!!!!!! I certainly didn't think of it at the time!!

I must be missing something here. I know that technology has changed a lot in the almost 50 years since I changed tires on my Herk, but I simply cannot imagine retreads on an assault landing......

All,

Is the home page news story slider causing any of you issues? (slow page load etc...)

Casey

Casey, I don't have any problems with it at all. At least as far as actual operation of the slider, however at the risk of offending, I find it rather annoying. But there is so much super good stuff on this site I over look it. Keek up the good work!!!!

Chris

I just uploaded a picture of 64-0535 to the gallery.

Jim

I sure like the looks of those "all silver" C-130s!!!!!!!!!

10-4 you got it my friend!!!!!!

I seem to remember calling the "squat switch" the "touchdown switch" and the only thing I remember for sure about it is that it controlled the anti skid system. But the more I think about it, didn't it also prevent accidental retraction of the landing gear while on the ground? I'll bet that little switch has all kinds of neat things it controlls!!!

When I can't any longer, just shovel me under!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My guess is you want to be sitting in a little yellow pickup truck when we start shoveling?!?!?!

That has happened, there are even , shall we say, urban legends about firefighter versions of fragging..... Two rules of thumb......never go into a burning building with someone who is always wearin' bandaids, and, if possible, always go in with a guy you owe money to..............

Hey giz...can I borrow 20 bucks????

I was just going over an old thread, C-130 Crash at Taiwan 1965, and ran across some information that is a bit startling!. That thread mentions specifics on 4 or 5 C-130 crashes. The crew chief on the first crash listed, 64-0536, an A1C Bosnick was an aquaintance of mine. I didn't know 'til 10 minutes ago that he died in the crash of his aircraft. Rather sobering. Another on that list is 63-7878. The assistant crew chief for that aircraft (he was not with the plane on that flight) was Jim Watts, a personal friend. Jim was absolutely horrified over the loss of that plane. I don't know if he ever got over that loss. Not to mention the fact that that aircraft was the sister to mine, # 877.

"There but for the grace of God go I".

I'm pretty sure the whole federal Government, and most government bodies, are run that way.

I'd sure like to know what happened to "Becky" that started this whole thing back before Christmas. :(