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alanwbaker

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Posts posted by alanwbaker

    Google map of Vietnam airfields

    in C-130 Historical

    Posted

    Hi Ken,

    I originally just wanted an overview map of South Vietnam for http://vietnamairlift.com. Then I realized that with Google maps I could zoom in on the actual airfields and index them for other folks' use.

    It took a few hours to find all those fields, but the Tactical Airdrome Directory gave me the coordinates I needed for the more obscure ones like Dong Ha. Glad you were able to "visit" those old places again.

    Alan

    A prop decoupled during a buddy start, May 1971

    in C-130 Historical

    Posted

    We couldn't give a buddy start with just 2 working engines.

    http://vietnamairlift.com/mechanical.html

    Quang Tri was just 3500' long, which called for a max effort landing with touchdown a few knots above stall speed. But at our weight that touchdown speed was below the airplane's crosswind limits.

    http://vietnamairlift.com/quangtri2.html

    A Phu Cat radar controller got a sudden curtailment and wanted to catch his freedom bird at Cam Ranh Bay.

    http://vietnamairlift.com/banmethuot.html

    Mac said, "Hey look at that guy with the long hair--he must be a queer."

    http://vietnamairlift.com/mac.html

    Enjoy,

    Alan

    Flying with C-130 squadron commanders

    in C-130 Historical

    Posted

    Talk about enduring designs. Those T-38's have been flying for almost 50 years; C-130's for even more. By those standards the B-25 and T-33 were short-lived! I also flew C-141's and when those were retired they had 40,000 to 50,000 hours on the airframes--they'd earned their rest at Davis-Monthan.

    Alan

    http://vietnamairlift.com

    in C-130 Historical

    Posted

    Hello All,

    A few weeks ago I began writing down my experiences flying C-130's in Vietnam in 1970 and 1971. FYI, they are now at a new web URL:

    http://vietnamairlift.com

    The old URL's still work, but to minimize confusion I've edited my posts here to reflect the new name. More stories will follow. Enjoy.

    Alan

    P.S. Thanks for your feedback. It's great to hear your experiences too! :)

    Tactical VFR in Vietnam, November 1970

    in C-130 Historical

    Posted

    The Nav on my crew (Jim Walcher) would set an alarm clock for our ETA to make sure someone was awake at a critical time. Poor "george" never gets a nap.

    That's an idea the Northwest pilots should have used when they overflew Minneapolis last year. Of course those pilots didn't have a navigator to keep them in line. :D

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