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Jcapsparkchaser

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Everything posted by Jcapsparkchaser

  1. Also a Welcome Home to you Ken! Being a Naha guy it was always fun being with you CCK Guys!
  2. Tyrus have you done a check of the flux valve? sounds like 1 is lagging? We didnt have a rose at the Grove so everytime I changesd a flux valve, I made sure I scribed the old and new with a sharp point (ETCH) then have aircraft towed N-S-E-W and check how both sides sync. I also had Bear Kramer fly FCF and check it over the Grove. Good Luck Ty! I know you'll fix it! I know it was a pain working the C-12 when we went to Desert in 90-91 cause we had 5 WC-130s (Es) from Kessler with us at Thumb Rat!
  3. Since I was assigned to the 374th FMS "Sparkchaser" shop I got to work on All 21st, 40worst, "E" flt, 35th, 815th they just handed me the work orders! Throughout my career I started with "A"s, Then "B"s and "E"s in country, back to "E"s in the states to "WC"s converted for the Desert and then finished at Pope in 2009 with 87 and 88 model "H"s except for a year on F-4s and B57Gs at Ubon The Herc was and still is my favorite. Been in a couple flaming engine shutdowns but the Herc always got me on the ground again!
  4. Happy Birthday Ken! Always will have a warm spot in my heart for you CCK guys who came down to Naha and helped us new guys get up to speed on the "A" models! I myself got to enjoy working on "E"S whens I became an ART in 85 we had 8 (63) "E"s until the "A" model crash in 2000 fighten fires in Calf. Then active duty came and took ours.I did go to Pope and was able to hook onto Milwaukees "H"s which were built in late 88's by then I was the Branch Chief of Avionics but I know you will forgive me for that! Happy Birthday again "BROTHER BAT"!
  5. Sonny do you remember an instrument techat Naha by the name of Jim Ovary? He was at Willow Grove when I got there in 85. Then he moved on to General Electric last time I saw him was 2 years ago at our annual luncheon but sadly he passed away from A.O. related illness I gave him the Blind Bat hat I sent to you and he displayed it with his beret.
  6. I started working on "A"s in 68 Naha Okinawa 55-56-57 year serial #s ( 815th, 41st, 35th, and 21st) which had 3 bladed props which were converted to 4 blades in late 70's The "B"s are 4 bladed but no external tanks between 1-2 & 3-4 engines. Worked them in country with the boys from Clark in the P.I. In 85 I joined a reserve unit in P.A. Willow Grove 913th A/W 327th flying Squadron we had "E"s built in 63, they had external tanks between 1-2 & 3-4, the "E"s had HF antennas running from top of fuselage just above crew compartment to below top of rudder. Although some early "H"s had the antenna but they had T-56-15s (Dyess AFB) compared to the "E"s which had T56-7s. Worked on newer "H"s at C-Springs, Pittsburgh, Niagara, Maxwell, Dobbins etc etc and the best way I could tell difference was no wired HF antenna running length of upper fuselage. And od course they were newer looking. But as a Pro Super late in my career I always just checked the forms! Al Udeid 05-06 we had 63 model "E"S and "H"s built in the late 80s early 90s retired Pope 09 we had 87-88 model "H"s.
  7. Naminoue sounds better makes me think of my second home when back at Naha and not in country. Have you Ken or Sonny heard of or read Sam McGowans "Jacks Steakhouse" ? Of the books he has written finally us "maintenance pukes" getting some recognition !! I am sure 2 Crew/Chiefs as yourselves will identify with the characters involved. As a rebuttal I apologise for using the "Maintenance Pukes"
  8. I have to agree with Ken, Hope all you Herc guys a happy Thanksgiving and many more! November 1968 Chow Hall in Monsoon weather Naha Okinawa the first of what my calender was telling me 2 more to goafter this one. Little did I know the next year and a half would be spent in places like Ubon, Soc Trang, Bien How, Pleiku, Phu Cat ! Would do it all over again just to hang with all the magnificent Band Of Brothers I met along the way! Feb 68 -Mar 09!
  9. Sonny , you must be the reason all Reserve C-130's had pad locks for Crew entrance door bench when work was done locker up! some very interesting stories of places like Pope, Lil Rock, and Dyess thru the eyes of a Herc Technician 1984 to 2009 we must must !
  10. Ken forgets while he was at Naha he was TDY from CCK, so Sonny is 1 up on him here! Ha Ha!
  11. Sonny I have a copy of the paper and will somehow get it to you!
  12. Sonny, got back from Eglin cant sleep thought I'd get back to you about the Ubon Reunion. Only ran into 1 Blind Bat person just as we were assembling for outside picture by the SR-71. We talked a bit he saw my7 BB pin told him i would see him and give him 1 on return from Hurlburt, this was Wednesday did not see him rest of reunion did not get his name. I will post and see if he responds. A lot of Spectre people in fack the local newspaper did an interview with Spectre guys who crewed First Lady which sits outside munitions museum by Eglin. Hurlburt was pretty cool. We walked around MC - 130 and were let insiude AC-130U with sensor operators to answer questions later we were given brief on the new AC-130J. I think I surprised the Flight Engineer with the Questions I asked but I finally found out what the bubble or protrusion is just forward of the right wing root up top. I dont think I can talk about it on thgis website for its classified. Hey Ken you still look young in the photos!
  13. Tiny, we thought the APN/241 colored radar was the nuts ! just take a look at this mean nosed MC-130J gives it a mean look doesn't it? far cry from the AWADS at Pope!
  14. Naha Okinawa 374th FMS Electric shop 4 Sqdns of C-130As, 21st, 35th, 817th, 40yworst (41St) being so close to ocean Anti Skid, and anyone out there who was there will back me up the "A" Model fire light (fire warning) was a nightmare. And 1 of the S@#$ jobs was replacing or repairing terminal strips under flt deck just inches from the removable steps about 8 inches from floor upside down on a shelf. I would do it all over again in a minute!
  15. I was Pro Sup at Masera in 03-04 there is a monument of the 8 Airman lost Desert ! the mission coin has the monument on the 1 side dedication on the 1 side.
  16. Sonny, after Chanute Aircraft Electricians school I went straight to Naha, took a bus from Kadena to Naha was put in FMS barracks "the hill" looked down on flight line and gasped what in the world is this the A model Herc. I worked a few other frames most notable the F-4 at Ubon 71-72, but spent the rest of my career as an ART on E model 130s 63 models to be exact. I spent the last 4 years of my career at Pope as Avionics Branch Chief the 440th on 87-88 models from Milwaukee . Yes the Herc is was and always will be a great aircraft . Anytime, Anywhere, you call we haul!
  17. Thanks Bob, now there are ! pictures to show my son, to help him understand how life was for a nineteen yr old kid from Pennsylvasnia first time away from home doing 90 - 120 days TDY in country then to fly 8 hrs to Okinawa, shower catch a skoshie cab and head down town Namanoue
  18. Sonny, what can I say I am speechless! It was a time 65- to 72 where we grew up real quick! Naha for me was my first real time away from home and at 19 yrs old . I met some of the greatest people and to this day I would do it all over again! Ken will remember being sent down from CCK because we were undermanned in the FMS. When I got to the 374th FMS Electric shop Tsgt Lucero was the NCOIC, most of our 5-7 levels were either at TSN, CRB, or up in Ubon, plus can't forget "E" flt ( Vinny A.) oh and we were working 12's with no days off. When I left in June of 70 we had a SMSGT as NCOIC, the work schedule was 8 hr rolling shifts 4 on 3 off and each shift had at least 4 MSgt.s
  19. Thanks Ken, now I'm getting nostalgic, time to hit you tube for that song again, you know the road to Naminoue!! Have an Orion on me Ken!
  20. I remember a C-141 which went in after takeoff sometime around 1968-1969. And theres a B-52 in the water at Anderson which went in on takeoff don't remember the date on that one.
  21. T.C. I guess now I am passed the staute of limitations having been retired since 09, but I remember back in the 90s as we were sending our old "E"s to Sheppard there were 2 airframes I went along to CANN (oops) E-4 auto pilot, Directional Gyros, N-1 compass parts (stash) strictly for trouble shooting purposes only! I once canned a fire loop from a T-56 we were taking to Kelly so I could get our bird home to Pa. from Texas on a Sunday but thats another story. Take care T.C.
  22. I should have said us maintainence guys were pissed when then (C/C) s were told to remove the art work because the Spectre guys were upset at Ubon. "E" Flt and Blind Bat birds always got a little more special attention.
  23. Yes remember Charlie from the many times I paralleled the generators on his bird either on the line or over in engine conditioning after ISO.
  24. Sonny , do you remember all the "BAT" planes that had names such as Batmobile, Azreal, pissed a lot of us flt line main guys off when they did that!
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