"DaveS" wrote in message
...
On Dec 15, 2:49 pm, "Bill McKee" wrote:
"David LaCourse" wrote in message

news:2009121515141217709-dplacourse@aolcom...





On 2009-12-15 13:59:06 -0500, DaveS said:

"Speaking of the 121, did you see how those composite wings flex on the
takeoff?"

Yeah! At first I thought it was my imagination, but then I said, "NO.
Those things are up several feet from their no-fly position." Cool.

And, on the 121: I flew from Travis AFB to Hawaii, then to Kwajalein and
onto Guam in one, sitting backwards of course. Then to Japan. Flew all
the way from Japan to Midway and then back to Travis. Another great
aircraft and a great company (Lockheed) too.

Dave

Funny about that. I worked on a lot of C-121's in the unit I was in, but
never rode in one. When I was first assigned to Travis in 1965, there were
a bunch of Radial engines for them on stands at the back of the shop we
used. Mobile Comm squadron. Never saw one used. Then went to Hamilton,
and a wing there flew 121's. So got to work on the radios. As to
airplanes. When in Costa Rica last year, ate at El Avion in Manual
Antonio.
The surviving Ollie North airplane converted to a restaurant. One of the
few types of Air Force planes I flew on during my service. Normally they
gave me a ticket on a major or was a charter flight.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

They used to have a beautiful Curtis-Wright radial on a display stand
at the Seatac main terminal, absolutely a tribute to American
machining. Wonder what happened to the engines you saw at Travis? They
would be a great inspiration for Voc-ed kids in the JCs and HSs.

Dave

Probably shipped to a base that had C121's for a reserve unit, or went to
the scrap yard. A couple years later, I was back at Travis, and did not see
any radials or planes that used them. Last radial I flew in was an Otter
out of Kenai 3 years ago.
Forgot about 2 years ago, I got to fly front seat in an T-6G Texan as a gift
from the family.
http://www.americanwarbird.com/