Convair XC-99
Fri Aug 05, 2005 9:44 pm
Does anyone know where the one Convair XC-99 prototype is today. From what I have researched it was last at Kelly AFB.
Fri Aug 05, 2005 9:56 pm
The USAFM was going to scrap it. Cooler heads prevailed and they've been slowly disassembling it. Part of it has been delivered to WP/USAFM from Kelly.
Fri Aug 05, 2005 9:57 pm
AFIK it's still down there. I think that there was some kind of final decision on true legal ownership within the last couple of years. There was some discussion about moving it to Dayton a jillion years ago, but there was some snag in road logistics in getting there. The fuselage, even sectioned was too big to get through some bottlenecks on the highways. I did a path survey about 17 years ago when there was some talk about at least bringing it up to Fort Worth. There were at least a dozen locations that were going to require craneing the sections over obsticles as there was no way around them at the time.
With all the growth that has happened along the required route, it's probably not worth the bucks to even try and move it anywhere except Pima County, due to the logistics.
With all the growth that has happened along the required route, it's probably not worth the bucks to even try and move it anywhere except Pima County, due to the logistics.
XC-99
Fri Aug 05, 2005 9:58 pm
B-29 Super Fort:
XC-99 was still semi-abandoned at Kelly AFB c. Nov-1986. I'll try to dig a pic of it. A pretty large bird! Boneyard Buff/FAH619
XC-99 was still semi-abandoned at Kelly AFB c. Nov-1986. I'll try to dig a pic of it. A pretty large bird! Boneyard Buff/FAH619
Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:16 pm
Thanks guys!
Fri Aug 05, 2005 11:51 pm
Hmmmm.... I'll just happen to be at Kelly AFB on Tuesday & Wednesday. Any idea EXACTLY where it was? Address, map, intersection, or aerial photo preferred!
Sat Aug 06, 2005 12:12 am
Helping a little to the subject, XC-99 Prototype at Edwards AFB, CAlif c. 1960 Photo USAF via R/w.com
XC-99 Buff
XC-99 Buff
Sat Aug 06, 2005 2:18 am
B-29, Brandon:
Brandon,
From Downtown, take I-35 South, and then take exit #150B; stay on the feeder road and on Military Dr (Highway 13) head South West.
Your best vantage point should be when you drive on a bridge over railroad tracks; Kelly will be on your right.
If you look carefully, on the West side near the end of the Runway, you'll see the airplane:
Across on the left side of the road, there is a small parking lot for a business that has been abandoned for a while; it was from this location where I shot a couple of poor quality photos of the XC-99.
This took place not "circa" but exactly on January 26, 2001.
Saludos,
Tulio
Brandon,
From Downtown, take I-35 South, and then take exit #150B; stay on the feeder road and on Military Dr (Highway 13) head South West.
Your best vantage point should be when you drive on a bridge over railroad tracks; Kelly will be on your right.
If you look carefully, on the West side near the end of the Runway, you'll see the airplane:
Across on the left side of the road, there is a small parking lot for a business that has been abandoned for a while; it was from this location where I shot a couple of poor quality photos of the XC-99.
This took place not "circa" but exactly on January 26, 2001.
Saludos,
Tulio
Sat Aug 06, 2005 5:49 am
you can see she needs alot of tender loving care even from that distance!! best regards, tom
Sat Aug 06, 2005 8:10 am
The wings are in the restoration area at USAFM. They aer waiting for room and funds to transfer the rest of he plane to the museum. No work has been done to them.
Sat Aug 06, 2005 11:33 am
Tulio, Tom, et al... the XC-99 was moved from her longtime location about 5-6 years ago. They moved her to the Kelly West ramp where the C-5s are. She was by a small park on base and the guards would let you through the gate to go to the park. She was really rough with damage to the surfaces and the rudder was on the ground next to her. About 3 years ago she was moved to the south end of the same ramp where disassembly began. You should still be able to see her by going through the old Kelly main gate and following the perimeter road around the end of the runway. You can only go to the new gate that has been placed across the road. The Kelly West ramp is now considered Lackland. Some of the aircraft once on static around Kelly have now been moved to the Lackland parade ground.
XC-99
Sat Aug 06, 2005 1:16 pm
bdk:
It will be nice to see what is actually a Lackland annex. RickH is correct, the disassembly/transportation to WPAFB began circa April 2004. The link below shows XC-99 43-52436 in a former location at Kelly AFB c. 1993. Boneyard Buff/FAH619
http://www.air-and-space.com/peacemkr/xc993%20m.jpg
It will be nice to see what is actually a Lackland annex. RickH is correct, the disassembly/transportation to WPAFB began circa April 2004. The link below shows XC-99 43-52436 in a former location at Kelly AFB c. 1993. Boneyard Buff/FAH619
http://www.air-and-space.com/peacemkr/xc993%20m.jpg
Sat Aug 06, 2005 5:12 pm
RickH wrote:Tulio, Tom, et al... the XC-99 was moved from her longtime location about 5-6 years ago.
so the photo of Tulio is 'circa 2001'??
Sat Aug 06, 2005 5:30 pm
The XC-99 was originally in a small area outside the Kelly fence just off the end of the runway. It was surrounded by dense South Texas brush except along the road I mentioned.ABOUT 5-6 years ago the aircraft was moved from it's longtime parking spot and moved INSIDE the airfield perimeter fence. That's where Tulio shot the picture. Not long after it was moved down to the C-5 ramp next to the little park ON the base. Later it was moved to the south end of the ramp where they began disassembling it. That's where it sits today.
Sat Aug 06, 2005 10:08 pm
I read that it was constructed with some magnesium which is very prone to certain types of corrosion causing some of the serious deterioration. Was magnesium chosen for its lighter weight?