Aircraft pics

[m22mike]

Bill, thanks for that video, that sure brings back allot of memories for me, here is my bird a WC121N buno 145933 of VW-1 squadron based at Guam, returning to the MCAS @ Chu Lai after 12 hours on station over the Tonkin Gulf doing recon. Circa 67 or 68.

[earntaz]

Mike -- that 121 pic damn near looks like DaNang ..!?!

[m22mike]

Nope, it is Chu Lai.

[earntaz]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: m22mike</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nope, it is Chu Lai.</div></div>

OK -- we had the same type birds flying in/out of DaNang in 65'

[Woj]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 427TJ</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Skip ahead to 3:20 and just listen to the takeoff and initial climb. Love how the power comes up and the turbo-compound 3350s make their characteristic sound. I had relatives who lived a few miles south of McClellan AFB in Sacramento back in the '60s-'70s and on dead-calm mornings you could faintly hear the EC-121 Super Constellations actually taxi out to the runway and perform their run-up checks. Then the sound would die off until the power came up for takeoff and then we'd go out into the yard and wait. Even a couple of miles after takeoff the 121s were maybe 1500 feet over the house. MCC was also a depot for F-105 overhauls and there was nothing quite like a 450-knot four-ship in-trail departure of 105s screaming over the house. I must have blown the screen door off its hinges a hundred times.


Dang,

I had a chance to fly on that Connie from the Cleveland Airshow back to Kansas City about 14 years ago. Unfortunately I had to bring a C-130 back to base and missed out on the chance. I was working for TWA back then and the TWA 767/757 fleet manager brought the Connie out for the CLE airshow. He offered me a ride back to Kansas City, but I had to bow out. Should have tried to get a replacement.

Great video, love the sound of the bird.

Phil Woj

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[m22mike]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: earntaz</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: m22mike</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nope, it is Chu Lai.</div></div>

OK -- we had the same type birds flying in/out of DaNang in 65' </div></div>

Correct, there were quit a few outfits with them back then, allot of Air Force, allot of different missions. Our VW-1 squadron was based out of Guam and the primary squadron mission was low level Typhoon recon, and during the Viet Nam war we always had a deployment of 2 AC based at Chu Lai on a 2 week rotation.
We did due one deployment out of Da Nang in 68.

These were recon connies based out of Korat Air Base in Thailand, ever see one at Da Nang ?
If you look at the upper fuselage it looks like the upper Radome was removed. This is a Ec121

[earntaz]

I'll have to dig through some old photos from DaNang -- may have pics of them. During that time period there were so many different airframes -- fighters (AF, Marines, and locals), heavies and helos.

[Dicky]

MCC was also a depot for F-105 overhauls and there was nothing quite like a 450-knot four-ship in-trail departure of 105s screaming over the house. I must have blown the screen door off its hinges a hundred times.

Bill, were you a THUD driver too?

[earntaz]

Aaah -- Thuds ... we just lost a great driver of that bird. Col Jack Broughton was a Thud driver -- had some excellent books (Thud Ridge and Going Down Town). I never touched a F-105 -- worked the O-1, O-2, OV-10 (GIB and right seat in those), AT-33, F-5 (Skoshi Tiger), F-100, and F-111. I have over 41 years wrapped up in AF/DoD. Just retired -- nows the time to really start playing with cars/trucks. TAZ

[SS427]

My brother and his F105 at the Pema Air Museum. He was stationed in Korat, Thialand during the very early 70's with this aircraft. The 105 has deteriorated considerably since we visited PAM in 1989. He even offered to donate part of the restoration but so far they have done nothing with it.