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  • MIKE WISKEY
    interesting.
    I was going to school in Missoula in the late 1960's. the 'smoke jumpers' were still using a Ford tri-motor, if you were going in the same direction you could pass one with your car. They had a big air show in early summer and the air force flew in one of their then new C5a's, it landed and taxied up to the terminal.............and then sank 3' into the soft asphalt :o
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  • fatcat458
    l remember when the Air Force took delivery of the first C5A at Charleston Air Force Base 1968-69. As the plane landed one of the wheels fell off... U.S. Congressman L. Mendel Rivers of South Carolina was there at the landing. At that time Congressman Rivers was chairman of the House Arm Services Committee. When asked about the wheel mishap Rivers replied, ''Hell, lt's got 27 more. Why all the big fuss ? Besides,when the first B52 bomber was delivered to the Air Force one of the WINGS fell off''!
    Not only was Rivers the most powerful man in Concress at the time, he was also well armed too. He always carried a nickel plated 38 revolver with him EVERYWHERE he went!!

    BTW.. The Air Force had to resurface, lengthen, AND strengthen the whole 11,000 ft runway before the first C5A Galaxy ever landed. l used to think every cement truck in Charleston passed my house on Midland Park Road going to the base during the runway rebuilding
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  • dpmule
    I think it?s cool that this plane will drop 15 paratroopers over Normandy on D-Day anniversary. Very symbolic, wish I could be there to experience it.

    The second note in this story is it?s amazing that this is the same aircraft that dropped 12 smokejumpers into the Mann gulch fire where all 12 plus one other perished after being trapped by a blaze that flared up and by official reports burnt 3,000 acres in 10 minutes.
    If interested look for the book ?Young men and Fire? by Norman Maclean.

    Mule
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