And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
When my career Air Force officer father was assigned to Fuchu Air Force Station outside of Tokyo, we boarded one of these (horrible) planes and took 21 hours to fly from Honolulu to Tokyo. Of course, we landed in Guam and another island to refuel. What a nightmare!!!
KC-97. Spent some time watching them and B-47's fly in/out of MacDill. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, I was up on a HAM radio tower one night when a fighter (maybe F-84 or RF-101?) flew low over the house. Toss up whether I was gonna fall off or brown my britches!
IIRC, the Utah ANG operated the KC-97 out of SLC in the 70s. I was in AF Junior ROTC and one of our field trips was on board one of them. It was a noisy plane with little comfort.
In mid 1974 I was on a MAC flight aboard a different 4 engine transport aircraft, most likely the Douglas C-54 Skymaster. I was sitting at the window seat near the starboard wing root and during the take of climb from Rota I got a very close up and personal view of #3 when a large amount of oil burst from it and that was followed by a ball of flames. We landed back at Rota safely, and I never felt the same way about flying. I agree with John above.
When my career Air Force officer father was assigned to Fuchu Air Force Station outside of Tokyo, we boarded one of these (horrible) planes and took 21 hours to fly from Honolulu to Tokyo. Of course, we landed in Guam and another island to refuel. What a nightmare!!!
ReplyDeleteUGH!!!
Flew the tanker version of this puppy to basic training in 1966
ReplyDeleteKC-97. Spent some time watching them and B-47's fly in/out of MacDill. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, I was up on a HAM radio tower one night when a fighter (maybe F-84 or RF-101?) flew low over the house. Toss up whether I was gonna fall off or brown my britches!
DeleteIIRC, the Utah ANG operated the KC-97 out of SLC in the 70s. I was in AF Junior ROTC and one of our field trips was on board one of them. It was a noisy plane with little comfort.
DeleteModified B-29
ReplyDeleteIn mid 1974 I was on a MAC flight aboard a different 4 engine transport aircraft, most likely the Douglas C-54 Skymaster.
ReplyDeleteI was sitting at the window seat near the starboard wing root and during the take of climb from Rota I got a very close up and personal view of #3 when a large amount of oil burst from it and that was followed by a ball of flames.
We landed back at Rota safely, and I never felt the same way about flying.
I agree with John above.
No you wouldn't. It is noisy and slow. I flew in one from Northern Wyoming up to Alaska and for the whole trip was wishing I drove my car.
ReplyDelete