Spectre623

Hi Bob, you are correct on the 4 bladed props but again they appear to be on a B model which has had the tail number fiddled with. If you scale the tail numbers they are larger than the US AIR FORCE on the side. The tail numbers are clearer than the lettering on the side. This did not happen in real life. Also see the open GTC exhaust with the closed intake door? On the A models back when this picture was taken the loadmaster was still opening the intake and exhaust doors with camlocks. B model had no door over the exhaust outlet. Look down the picture to the left and you again see the supposed 0041. In this view you can see plainly that it is a B model GTC exhaust outlet as the B didn't have a door over the exhaust like the A.There is not enough detail to see how many drain masts there are on the engine. These are just my observations and I may be wrong but having an A model down the road and having looked at it a lot lately, I think I'm spot on, as our British buddies would say. Bill :)

Correct, also note the overboard urinal tube at the ramp hinge point...another B model innovation, not to mention the B model engines and props. Bill .

Postfade, your A model looks to have the tail number photo shopped onto the vert fin. There were no 4 bladed props on A models in 1963. Also note the single saber drain mast on the bottom of each engine. All A models hade two drain masts on the bottom of the engine. And when you blow the pic up you cannot see the center mounted pressure safety valve in the cargo door which the A model has. The GTC exhaust and the intake door do not look like an A model. Sorry but you have a B model here. Bill

The Air Force museum has approved the proposed paint colors for Ghostrider. It will be painted all black with red fin flash" FT "as pictured in the gallery on this website. If anyone has pictures of 54-1623 or crewed it "flt. and ground" during Vietnam please PM me as we are wanting to put together a display showing pics during the Vietnam era. Thanks, Bill

Since the first post was a question about the Credible Sport aircraft I am posting pics of the model built by Lockheed. Bill

It ain't a 2 engine model but it is right the opposite. How bout an L-100-60! Bill:)

Just came across a 5 min. clip of the 130s being built at "How Stuff Works". For those who haven't toured the Herk plant it gives a thumb nail view of the operation. Also on U Tube , type in C-130 and scroll down to "C-130 Hercules Progress Report 1955" ...13 very interesting minutes on building and testing the "New Herk". Bill P.S. can anyone post a link?

Check out Lockheed Service News number Vol.28 No.1 2003. Everything you ever wanted to know about the strips and where to get more info. Bill

Whats the story behind the elongated dent in the fuselage to LM wheel well fairing?

The elongated wheel well pod on the left side was to house the FLIR ball when the gunships were modified to the "Surprise Package" configuration. The FLIR ball was removed and the fairing installed to ferry the plane to Dobbins in 1995. We have the fairing for the ball and will install a dummy FLIR as time permits. Bill

Took pictures today of Ghost Rider after she is winged up, engined up, cowled up and buttoned up. Awaiting decision on how she will be positioned in relation to Atlanta Road which runs by the museum. She will receive a good scrubbing and then we put the lipstick on ha ha. The guys at the museum have put in a huge amount of man hours getting this puppy to where she is now and deserve a big THANK YOU from the C-130 world for saving her. Bill :)

Hard for me to believe anyone with acft.maintenance experience could sign off on this.

GVS, the sad part is maint. don't get to sign off on any of the STUPID regs that comes down from ground safety and higher . Most STUPID regs come from the brass that are so far detached from aircraft maint. that they have NO earthly idea how their CYA rules affect the actual effort to fly and maintain airplanes. The STUPID regs come after an incident so that there are no more black marks on the higher ups record on his watch. These people will never understand there will always be broken, smashed or bent body parts in aircraft maint! That is the nature of the beast. They need to suck it up and press on...the STUPID rule makers that is! Bill

Another primo day at the museum. The rain held off and we hung all 4 engines...again in 4 hours same as the wings. Of coarse they aren't hooked up, ha ha...but still a fine job by a dedicated bunch of airplane lovers here in Marietta. I think it is ironic that ghost Rider after all these years, since 1954, ended up being restored and displayed within sight of the plant (1/2 mile) where she was built. A fine day. Bill:)

Excellent RONC, just what I was looking for. Would it be possible to get 2-3 different angles and close up? Let me know and I will PM you my email address. Thanks a bunch! Bill

Hey folks the powers that be decided the gunsight in GhostRider had to be removed before they would turn it over to the museum. I need a picture so we can build a dummy gunsight. I have pics of every gunship sight from AC-47 to the AC-130U. Have hunted the webb over but can not find an A model gunsight. It was 10 years ago that I gave up GhostRider and can't remember enough detail about the sight. Post a pic here if you have it. THANKS!!! Also we will be hanging engines tomorrow if weather permits:) Bill

Another good day at the museum. Installed the MLG doors and installed the 40MM gun barrels in their mounts. Took 4 men to lift just the barrels. Looks like a real gunship now. Opened the ramp also and lowered it to the ground. HAND PUMPED it closed..whew. I forgot how handy the aux pump is. For you none A model troops the A model don't have an aux pump like the B's on up. I remember we had 2 or 3 A's at Sewart that had Utility Prime and they had a crossover hose that would operate sorta like an aux pump. The early birds like 623 don't have it. Planning to hang engines next week if all goes well. Nice write up with pics today in the Marietta Journal about a pilot from here in Marietta that flew Ghost Rider in Nam. He came out to the Herk and the paper got a pic of him in the seat. Lot of interest from the locals about the Herk in the museum. (NOTE: THERE ARE NO COMPLETE GUNS ON THE ACFT. ONLY THE BARRELS) Bill

Sparks, our prayers are going up for your son...God bless. Bill

Graywolf88 you need to write a letter to your congressman and tell him your problem with your local VA rep. I was short by 2-3 days of 6 months in-country so I am not eligible for the VN campaign ribbon( the green and white one) as a full 6 months are required. This did not stop them from giving me the DD-215 with VN service ribbon and a letter confirming boots on the ground. Atlanta VA looked at the paperwork and put me on the Agent Orange Roster. ONE DAY ON THE GROUND QUALIFIES YOU FOR PROOF OF EXPOSURE! The VA AIN'T your friend....in a lot of cases. Bill :(

No Ken my ugly mug is not in that pic as I was taking the pic. You might check a couple of post back and see me with a big grin in front of the crew door. The museum crew covers everybody from pilots, navs, FE's and mechanics from B-52's to C-130's. The biggest group are retired Lockheed workers with 30 years or more building everything Lockheed built here in Georgia. Their background of experience is mind boggling. But the main thing they all have in common is their love of everything airplane! This is a great thing for me as I took care of GhostRider the last 7 years before I retired in 2003 and with not much prospects of putting her at the front gate at Dobbins after 911, I had no idea she would make it to a museum. These guys in the pics saved her from becoming beer cans. yeahhhhhhh! Bill :)

Tues. weather was perfect and with the great crane operator and a museum crew with about a million years of aircraft experience both wings were hung in an amazing 4 hours. A good time was had by all. A few pics attached. Bill

Well, as of today GhostRider is on museum property positioned between the wings. If weather is good tomorrow we will attach the wings.As you can see I'm a happy happy guy about this move. Attached are a few pics. Bill :)

Ghost Rider was moved off base this morning as scheduled. No problems were encountered due to good planning by the museum crew. 27 overhead wires had to be dropped to get Herk off Dobbins ARB. It is sitting outside the museum fence till in the morning and will make its final move then. Will post pics after tomorrow. Bill

Ghost Rider rolls off base tomorrow 8-10-2013, 0800 to the museum. Bill :)

Heychief, you are absolutely correct in the fact the 37th did great work during that time...and still do. As in my post about the -7 engine. No outfit is perfect, and because we all stumble and sometimes fall, we are all in on these operations together...to hack the mission for the old red,white and blue. We pickup and backup each other in the C-130 world. In my time in I've cleaned up behind other units and they have surly cleaned up some of my messes. Bill :)

Funny Railrunner you said that...while working at Lockheed from 83-85 we built a batch of H's for the Coast Guard with -7 engines. They called them H-7's. They were to upgrade later with -15's. The old Navy captain in charge didn't want sealed starters or QD's on the generators and a couple of new fangled gagets that I don't remember. Soooo, H's will fly with -7's as long as they have 4 of them on the same plane, ha ha. Bill :)

Uh, no...Ray I don't think we are talking bout the same kind of queen bee here...ha ha . Bill