Convair XC-99

Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:22 am

Anyone have recent photos of the Convair XC-99 at Wright-Patterson? Has the whole plane been shipped there in pieces yet?

Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:44 am

It appears that the whole plane is there in pieces. It is sitting on the ramp in front of the restoration hanger. When you drive up Col. Glenn Hwy. you can see the lower half of the fuselage with the wings laying next to it and I believe the top fuselage and tail on the other side. It is a very impressive plane. Sorry , no pics yet.

Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:55 am

I have some pics, but they are not great. As we are not allowed to take pics on the ramp at Wright Patt. The C-99 is in pieces and getting moved indoors as space allows. The wings are indoors now.

Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:02 am

Thanks for the update!

Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:51 am

I recall walking around her "way back when" in SA when I was much "smaller", ah, younger, and it was such a HUGE beast! My mother remembers it flying overhead when she was growing up in SA. Must have been a sight!

Mon Feb 09, 2009 12:53 pm

I have an old "ticket" to see the XC-99 from when it was here in San Antonio. I've been thinking about putting it on Ebay if someone's interested.

Ryan

Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:27 pm

Ahhh, XC-99...
During manufacture, my father entered the rear entrance to to some electronics inspection and recalled thinking, "This would make someone a NICE hay loft!"

My step mother's brother in law, Ray Whitfield, was selected to fly the XC-99 to San Antonio on its final mission..."Home town boy brings plane..." Ray was on a B-36 crew whose engine fire caused the pilot to declare an emergency bail out over the Pacific...and that B-36 flew on for hours to crash in Canada. Ray became a priest on leaving the USAF.

Cheers,
David