C-124 Globemaster II

[Chief]

I promised earlier that I would post photos of the remaining surviving C-124's. I'll start with the last one to be scrapped. This is a photo of 53-0044 that I took in Chateauroux, France. We operated out of there during the Congo Airlift 1961-1963. It was in Las Vegas and the owner planned to use it as a restaurant.

Note the three C-124's in formation in the distance above the vertical stabilizer. They were practicing for an air drop mission.

[the330thbg]

Good grief, what a BEAST!!!!!

[Kyleb]

Good grief, what a BEAST!!!!!

You're not kidding. When I was a little kid, the GA National Guard flew Globemasters out of Dobbins AFB near our house in Marietta. Big airplane, and their size made 'em seem really slow as they went over. I wish I could remember the sound they made.

[the330thbg]

my father had some old reel to reel movies from his time in Korea in 1952-53. I distinctly remember shots of taxiing Globemasters, Super Sabres, T-33's. Cool, cool videos. no sound though so can not help you on the engine noise.., most likely something like..

brrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Last edited by the330thbg on Tue Apr 05, 2011 8:11 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Misterg97]

Having flown on her in Korea, I wear her proudly .. "Old Shakey"

[robkamm]

what do you mean "had" video. go find it and post it !! we want to see please.

[the330thbg]

what do you mean "had" video. go find it and post it !! we want to see please.

I'll query one of my brothers and see if they know where it is/was. It is on 5mm? reel film. over 55 years old now, so not sure of the condition.

How do I get something like that on the web?

Do not mean to digress here.

[Chief]

Since 53-0044 was scrapped, there now are only nine remaining intact in the world. Here is 52-0943 which is in a museum at the South Korean Air Force Academy at Sacheon South Korean. The other eight are in the United States. I'll post photos of them later. This photo is not mine so I don't know who or why it was identified with a "K". It is an original early "C" model. I say "Original" because nearly all of the "A" models were later converted over to "C" models with the R4360-63A engines.

[robkamm]

you could get the reel converted at a film shop. not many still in buisness. or you could play it if you have the equipment and record it with a camera phone or camera with that option. use a tripod if you can.

[the330thbg]

I'm on it. Sent my ex-brother-in-law an email to find out where the reel is.

Thanks!

[Chief]

Here is another photo of a surviving C-124 that I promised. She is 52-1072 a later "C" model, which can be distinguished by it's "Solar" Gas Turbine Power Unit (GTPU) which is located in her lower "O" Compartment. It's exhaust is visible in the lower fuselage, just aft of the propellers. The GTPU replaced the twin cylinder APP (Like we have in 'FIFI'). The early model C-124's had two of the twin cylinder APP's which were located in each of the outboard nacelles.

52-1072 is currently located on Charleston, AFB, SC. She was in our squadron which operated out of Dover AFB during the 1950's and 1960's. It is amazing to me that I had the opportunity to turn wrenches and fly on five of the surviving C-124's; six, if you count 53-0044, I posted previously, which was "recently" scrapped at Las Vegas.

[Warbirdnerd]

53-0044 when it was in Las Vegas before it was scrapped...
I think I took these in 1991.

[bdk]

I think I saw that one in '87 or '88. Was it ever open for business? What a shame!

[Chief]

Here is another Dover C-124, 52-1004, which is currently at the Pima Museum. This was another early "C" model; as you can see the APP intake and exhaust exhaust in the #4 nacelle and the absence of the GTPU intake and exhaust in the fuselage adjacent to the #3 engine. We maintained a fleet of 85 C-124's at Dover which was the Air Force's largest aerial port during the 1950's and 1960's.

[Chief]

Here is 49-258 at the Dover Museum. She is the oldest remaining C-124. She was the 27th C-124 built after the production prototype. I still consider her a "slick wing A" model (She had the wing anti-ice heaters in the wing leading edge rather than the wing tip heaters) even though she later had the R4360-63A engines installed. Her last flight was on 1 July 1969 when she was delivered to the SAC Museum at Offutt. She was disassembled and flown to Dover in a C-5 in September 2004.