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mark18mwm

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Everything posted by mark18mwm

  1. I may well be mistaken, but wasn't there a hand held signal light (like a hand help spot light) on board to communicate in Morse code with out radios? i seem to remember one being there with several different colored lenses, I think red and green.
  2. Thanks Bob. I was crew chief on 1819 in 85-86, and never knew about the MEAFSA history, I had never heard of it. I like that this is all declassified now as I am learning more and more of what I wish I knew then about these birds. Thanks for shedding some light as to why so many 62 E models had been modified. I was just wondering if there was a particular difference in the air frame, or electric sys etc. for this, but your explanation with the 61's makes sense. Now I gotta study up on MEAFSA history, thanks. I pity them guys that sat in SR-71 & U-2's, couldn't get up and stretch their legs on the way back to take a leak get a fresh cup of Coffey, and warm up their dinner. All they would have needed to do is get back down to a reasonable altitude, slow the hell down and cross train to a 130 to do the same thing, Ha-Ha.
  3. Those three were turned into what amounted to EC-130 in the mid-late 70's and sent to Germany to "eaves drop" on E. Germany until the wall came down. I think later they were turned back to cargo before being scrapped. The thing that made me curious was, on a couple other forums as well as here I have seen guys talking a fair amount about that series of 130's that had been converted from cargo to other variants, mostly EC's. It just seems to me that there was a lot of them, maybe more than others, that had some kind of mod's installed. Kind of like the 64-05XX seemed to be the popular plane for MC-130's, and am curious if there is anything in particular that made the 18's the choice for the EC's. Maybe they did not even have any more mods than any other series and I am just reading more into it then there is because I worked the three at RM. and notice the 18XX series number more often when I see it.
  4. Is there a reason that the 62-18xx planes seem to have been modified so often compared to other year E models? For instance at Rhein Main we had 62-1819, 62-1822, 62, 1828 that where all highly modified and may as well have been EC-130's. Then there where a bunch that where EC's, and some ABCCC's. To me it seems that the 62-18 planes are some of the most modified 130's. Is it just me thinking this or where they modified more often and if so, why them?
  5. Casey, I don't know if you noticed both prints are listed as V2 above. Just thought I would point that out to you. Thanks for the work you did on this, I'm looking forward to getting it. Thanks, they look great.
  6. Thanks, I was skeptical, but kind of hoping it to be true. Back at Rhien Main the bathroom in our hallway had a decal of her in her exercise tights with the name Hanoi Jane on it stuck to the back of a urinal...... the most used urinal in the barracks. Giz, Ha-Ha, yup, seems a guy can't believe anything any more. Especially the interwebs, pictures because of photo shop, or any thing from Washington DC. Ha-Ha.
  7. I can not vouch for the accuracy of this , I received it as a email from a friend. If it is true, which I nope it is, this place deserves all the business it can get. LOVE This!!! Montana Restaurant The radio station “America FM†was doing one of its 'Is Anyone Listening?' bits this morning. The first question was; “Ever have a celebrity come up with the 'Do you know who I am? ‘routine.†A woman called in and said that a few years ago, while visiting her cattle rancher uncle in Billings, MT, she had occasion to go to dinner at a restaurant that does not take reservations. The wait was about 45 minutes. Many local ranchers and their wives were waiting. Ted Turner and his ex-wife Jane Fonda came in the restaurant and wanted a table. The hostess informed them that they'd have to wait 45 minutes. Jane Fonda asked the hostess, 'Do you know who I am?' The hostess answered, 'Yes, but you'll have to wait 45 minutes.' Then Jane asked if the manager was in. When the manager came out, he asked, 'May I help you?' 'Do you know who we are?' both Ted and Jane asked. Yes, but these folks have been waiting, and I can't put you ahead of them.' Then Ted asked to speak to the owner. The owner came out, and Jane again asked, 'Do you know who I am?' The owner answered, 'Yes, I do. Do you know who I am? I am the owner of this restaurant and I am a Vietnam Veteran. Not only will you not get a table ahead of my friends and neighbors who have been waiting here, but you also will not be eating in my restaurant tonight or any other night. Good bye." Only in America, is this a great country or what? To all who received this, this is a true story and the name of the steak house is: Sir Scott's Oasis Steakhouse 204 W. Main, Manhattan, MT 59741 (406) 284-6929 If you ever get there, give this fellow a sharp salute, buy yourself a steak, and tip the waitress. They have ten steaks on their simple menu, from 32 oz. down to 12 oz. Toothpicks on every table! Keep passing this on. We should never forget our “national traitor"!
  8. Bodo....I spent a very lonely , very cold night, alone on a Rhien Main 130 there. The bad part was knowing the rest of the crew was in going to be partying that night. The WORST part was knowing it was my own fault. I got called to go TDY on very short notice, like if you wanna go grab your junk, crews waiting for a crew chief. I was suffering the after affects of dopple bach beer and in my foggy condition I left my Passport, money, etc at RM and didn't realize it until every one was leaving. Just one more night on the Herky Hilton, albeit a very cold one.
  9. Casey, Can you tell me what you charge for these prints, and would you be able to make one of 62-1819? I think you do a excellent job with these, real nice!
  10. Just about any vehicle that had brakes used asbestos for brake lining / pads years ago. I'm sure all the planes you listed would be included. Working on heavy trucks we used to use grinders to grind the glazed over brake shoes down to good material again. I can only imagine how much of that stuff we inhaled. At the time,"who knew". I'm not sure about hangers, but I live in northern Wi. and many "old" pole buildings around here where insulated with a sprayed on asbestos insulation, so I would think it may have been often used in hangers also.
  11. Here is a sad, short video of 64-0539 AKA "Franken Herc" being dismantled. The nose section was off 68-10946 from the Giebelstadt Germany crash was used to repair 64-0539 from the Lajes crash.
  12. Wow, " Members assigned to a premier band (The USAF Band or The USAF Academy Band) will be awarded the rank of Technical Sergeant or E-6 upon graduation from basic training". I guess that explains so many young senior NCO's. To Bad someone having a A&P certificate couldn't be a E-6 crew chief out of basic training. maybe I just have a grudge that I had to earn my stripes (and actualy re-earn one, oops) the hard way with work and time.
  13. Am I just getting old or are there some young looking senior NCO's in the video? Maybe band members get promoted rapidly?
  14. Another acronym that might follow after you guys visited them " establishment's" mentioned here is DNIF, but only until the penicillin kicked in. Ha-Ha. I'm not making fun of you VN guys, 10 years later on the other side of the world in Germany down town Frankfurt had a place named Kaiser Strasse. that place put a new meaning to the phrase window shopping. K street was the start of a lot of fun stories. As you guys say, or so I'v heard.
  15. FUBAR = F*#@ked up beyond all recognition
  16. We were TDY from Rhein Main to RAF Sculthorp once and had a plane pre flighted, locked and sealed. It sat in the sun locked up for a day or two, must have been the only time the sun ever came out in England, HOT. Well, unbeknownst to any one, a specialist used the honey bucket before the plane was locked. Talk about ripe!!! As I recall it was made a big deal of and the plane was even late for launch after the crew wouldn't take it until they found the specialist and made him clean the honey bucket out.
  17. I was just thinking of my TDY's out of Germany, now mind you I was only a crew chief and spent the vast majority of my time at my home base, Rhine Main. Aviano AB. and Pisa Italy (you know the one with the crooked tower) many times, Athens Greece several times, Madrid Spain, Bodo Norway, Morocco, Sudan, Israel, England RAF Weathersfield & RAF Skullthorp, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Adana Turkey, Bilund Denmark.... and the list goes on. In the states you will never get the opportunity to see the world you will there. I don't know about now but in the 80's the 37th. had real world missions that made headlines around the world, and a lot of them, and also many that probably still can't be talked about now. So if it's the "cool factor" of MC-130's, take into consideration you will get to do plenty cool and important stuff also in a slick from a base like Ramstien.
  18. I was not a loadmaster, I was a crew chief so I cant say anything about your job and where you are stationed. But I spent a few years in Rhien Main back when the 37th tas. was still there. I would never go to the desert and give up a chance to go to Germany again. The TDY's and missions you take out of Germany as well as living in Germany itself are something you some thing you will always be glad you did, the desert not so mutch. As a loadmaster you will eventually be all around the world, but by starting in Germany just about every time you leave home station you will be in a different country, you may well be in several countries in one day. If later you decide to not re-enlist you may never get a chance to see that much of the world again. You will never regret Germany.
  19. Don, The wing span was longer. They had false (fiberglass) wing tips that were longer than standard E models. If you ever looked there were also other differences you could see on the ground if you looked hard enough. They also had a false beaver tail that was bigger than usual. The troop doors around the window if you looked close you could see a square cut out to remove the round window and put in a large observation blister. If you ever watched some one pre-flight one you would notice the ground test valve was in (not behind) the wheel well, among other differences. Less obvious was when 1819 came back from depot in about 85 she had H model wings and - 15 engines. 1822 got the same in about 86, I assume 1828 had them installed also later. One thing that was a pain with these planes was ruining some ones day when they accidentally came on board and had to turned in, then they had to go get a "debrief" as to what they didn't see. That usually happened to visiting crews because most people at RM were well aware to stay clear of them. One time a friend of mine passing threw from Little Rock seen me and and unbeknownst to me not only followed me on board but all the way to the back of the cargo compartment before I seen him. It kind of took the fun out of a reunion for me to have him "jacked up" by the sky cops.But on the bright side of that, at least I was able to go explain to his crew why thier crew chief suddenly disappeared how they could get him back, ha-ha.
  20. Larry, I was fortunate enough to be crew chief on 62-1819 my last year at Rhein-Main. My room mate was cc on 62-1828. As crew chiefs we where pretty sure as to what their mission and there capabilities. However, I went with 1828 on a 10 hr. nav. over water one time and they stumbled on something apparently of interest and they took some of their toys out to play with. Everything I thought I knew was nothing compared to what I saw that night. That was only with a "skeleton"crew on 28 witch was the least modified plane of the three, at that time. I can only imagine the things that went on with these guys on there daily missions. It was great to crew these birds as when I was on "trash haulers" (no offence, I loved them also) I rarely felt the satisfaction of knowing they had a real mission during peace time where as 1819, 1822, 1822 all did something "real world" and maybe a little more important.
  21. Thanks, I had seen that pic in the gallery before and I was wondering what the story was with it. I guess now I know.
  22. I found this video. Does anyone know any thing about this plane, tail number, why and from where it was scrapped etc.? I'm not sure what I think about this. I guess it's better than being turned into beer cans, but just don't seem right somehow......
  23. Thank's for the pics and updates on progress for this bird!! i'm glad at least one of these things is going to be around for the public to see and learn about.The history of the gunships is too important to let slip quietly by. I have never been close to a gunship, I was a trash hauler and 18 series (elint platform) c/c, so I don't know much about gunships except what I have read. The one thing I do know, unfortunately, is I lost a good friend on Spirit 03 in the first gulf war. he and the 13 others on that plane, plus all the lost crew members on other gunships deserve recognition for their bravery and sacrifice. Thank you!! Mark Kralicek, c/c 62-1819
  24. AFOSH at it's best .When I was at Rhien Main 84-86 some rocket scientist decided that it was no longer safe to walk between the fuselage and the inboard engines, ( yes, while the engines where not running, Ha-Ha). Well, that was a little inconvenient but "whatever". Later they decided that wasn't good enough so someone came up with a "prop bungee chord" that stretched from #1 eng. prop (they slipped snugly around the prop blade pointed toward the ground) under the belly of the plane to the # 4 prop blade. One can only imagine the lives saved by that device (sarcasm alert).
  25. The 37 th. TAS flew air drops, don't know if they landed at all. I wasn't there I already separated but had friends doing it.
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