C 15 Aircraft

C 15 Aircraft - Nearly all of the Army's air-transportable equipment such as a 69-ton M1 Abrams main battle tank, armored vehicles, trucks and trailers, as well as other cargo, is loaded onto the C-17 through a large aft ramp and door system.

Additionally, the cargo floor has rollers that can be flipped from a flat floor, to accommodate wheeled or tracked vehicles, to rollerized conveyors to accommodate palletized cargo. The largest-ever fuel drop occurred recently when a C-17 dropped 120 bundles of fuel to a remote base in the Middle East.

C 15 Aircraft

Currently, there are 157 C-17s in Air Force active duty, 47 with the Air National Guard and 18 in the Air Force Reserve. The C-17 is operated by Air Mobility Command from Travis AFB, California, Dover AFB, Delaware, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey.

Train The Way You Operate

Pacific Air Forces operate C-17s from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. The Air National Guard operates C-17s from Jackson, Mississippi, Stewart ANG Base, New York, Memphis, Tennessee, Martinsburg, West Virginia, and Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Air Force Reserve Command operates C-17s at March Air Reserve Base, California, and Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio. Air Force Materiel Command has one C-17 on loan from JB Charleston to conduct tests at Edwards AFB, California.

Air Education and Training Command performs C-17 aircrew training from Altus AFB, Oklahoma. The horizontal 'T-tail' on the C-17 is used to avoid large downwash from high-lift systems. The horizontal tail has a total area of ​​845 sq ft.

It's 65 feet wingspan gives it a 5.0 aspect ratio and it has a 27-degree sweep. The first 50 C-17s had horizontal tails that were made of metal. But in the late 1990s, Boeing transitioned it to a composite tail.

All C-17 aircraft from No. 51 on contains the lighter, less expensive horizontal tail. It has 2,000 fewer parts and 42,000 fewer fasteners than the metal unit, and weighs about 500 pounds less - approximately a 20 percent weight reduction.

The design of the aircraft allows it to operate through small, austere airfields. High-lift wing, slats, and externally blown flaps allow the C-17 to take off and land on runways from 2,300 to 3,500 feet (1,064 meters) and only 90 feet wide (27.4 meters).

Even on such narrow runways, the C-17 can turn around using a three-point star turn and its backing capability. The Air Force describes an austere runway as, “runways are usually less than 4,000 feet long and can be as narrow as 60 feet.

Payloads may be constrained by runway length and weight-bearing capacity. There is less than 100,000 square feet of ramp space accessed by way of a single narrow taxiway and there are no turnaround areas at either end of the runway.

Ground support and equipment are usually nonexistent.” The C-5 is distinct for having both front and rear cargo ramps, allowing for much faster load and offload operations. Other features of the C-5 include its ability to operate on runways 6,000 feet long (1,829 meters);

five landing gear totaling 28 wheels to distribute the weight and a "kneeling" landing gear system that permits lowering the parked aircraft to facilitate drive-on/drive-off vehicle loading and adjusts the cargo floor to standard truck-bed height.

The C-5 also has the distinctive high T-tail, 25-degree wing sweep, and four turbofan engines mounted on pylons beneath the wings. The YC-15 first flew on Aug. 26, 1975, and a competitive fly-off against its Boeing competitor was completed in 1977. However, the Air Force decided against the AMST aircraft and terminated the program.

On Dec. 10, 1979, it formally canceled the AMST program for both the YC-14 and the YC-15. This resulted in the development of the C-X (Cargo Transport Aircraft-Experimental) — the future C-17. The C-17 made its maiden flight on Sept.

15, 1991, and the first production model was delivered to Charleston Air Force Base, now identified as Joint Base Charleston, S.C., on June 14, 1993. The first flight to Charleston AFB was piloted by then-Air Force chief of staff, Gen

. Merrill McPeak. The C-17 program was delivered under controversy about avionics glitches and external/aesthetic mishaps. The entire program was valued at $42 billion in 1993. Charleston Air Force Base joined with Naval Weapons Station Charleston to become Joint Base Charleston in 2010.

Currently, 275 C-17s operate around the world. The aircraft's largest customer is the United States Air Force, with 223 in 12 bases. Outside of that country, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, India and the 12-nation Strategic Airlift Capability all operate the C-17 Globemaster III.

The C-17 Globemaster III can carry a cargo of wheeled U.S. Army vehicles in two side-by-side rows. A wide array of vehicles can be carried in various scenarios. The heaviest and most impressive is the U.S.

Army's main battle tank, the M-1 Abrams. The M-1 Abrams battle tank weighs roughly 120,000 pounds – only one can be located in the C-17 but other wheeled vehicles can fit around the tank as well.

If there's no tank onboard, three Bradley Fighting Vehicles fit in the cargo bay of the C-17. Four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan engines, which are based on the commercial Pratt and Whitney PW2040 used on the Boeing 757, power a C-17 Globemaster III.

Each engine is rated at 40,440 pounds of thrust and includes thrust reversers that direct the flow of air upward and forward to avoid ingestion of dust and debris. The engine weighs 7,100 pounds and measures 146.8 inches long.

The inlet diameter of the engine is 78.5 inches, the maximum diameter of the engine is 84.5 inches long, it has a bypass ratio of 5.9 to 1, and an overall pressure ratio of 30.8 to 1.

Built in response to an U.S. Air Force request for an advanced medium short-takeoff-and-landing (STOL) transport (AMST), McDonnell Douglas built two YC-15 prototypes to replace the Lockheed C-130 Hercules tactical transport. They were to be used on short, undeveloped fields, and Bell, Boeing, Fairchild, Lockheed and McDonnell Douglas submitted proposals in March 1972. Boeing and McDonnell Douglas won contracts to design and build the transport;

the Boeing version was designated the YC-14 and the McDonnell Douglas, the YC-15. Truly, a Globemaster. Currently, 274 C-17s operate around the world. The aircraft's largest customer is the United States Air Force, with 223 in 12 bases.

Outside of that, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, India and the 12-nation Strategic Airlift Capability all operate the C-17 Globemaster III. It has played an integral role in global strategic airlift and significant delivery of humanitarian aid.

C-17 support for relief efforts includes Pakistan, Haiti, Chile, China, Myanmar, and Thailand and is the primary airlifter for military operations around the world. One YC-15 (Serial No. 72-1876) was stored at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., and scrapped in March 2012. The last remaining YC-15 (Serial No. 72-1875) is on display near the

West Gate of Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Developed in the 1960s to replace the C-133 Cargomaster and to compliment the smaller C-141 Starlifter, the C-5 Galaxy experienced a rocky design phase, plagued with wing cracks that delayed deployment of the aircraft until 1970. The latest C-5M

Super Galaxy is designed with modern avionics and flight instruments and is set to remain in service through 2040. Maximum payload capacity of the C-17 is 172,000 pounds (77,519 kilograms), and its maximum gross takeoff weight is 585,000 pounds (265,352 kilograms).

A document by the U.S. General Accounting Office from 1984 stated that data provided by the Air Force and McDonnell Douglas Corporation, the C-17 contractor, show that the C-17 is designed to carry its 172,200 pound maximum cargo load an un-refueled distance of about 2,900 nautical miles

. This data also shows that the C-17 will be able to land in 2,370 feet with a cargo load of 170,000 pounds. Landing on remote, unprepared runways is a difficult task. One of the main benefactors allowing the C-17 Globemaster III the ability to do so is its wings.

The wings of the C-17 wings amass a total of 3,800 sq ft. They contain a 7.165 aspect ratio, 35 degree sweep angle, and supercritical airfoil. It's wing flaps are fixed-vane, double-slotted, and simple-hinged. A 'supercritical' wing is an advanced airfoil design that enhances the range, cruising speed and fuel efficiency of jet aircraft by producing weaker shock waves that create less drag and permit high efficiency.

The YC-15 could hold 90 percent of all Army combat vehicles, including a 62,000-pound (28,122-kilogram) extended-barrel, 8-inch (203 mm) self-propelled howitzer. Vehicles were loaded through rear fuselage doors with built-in ramps. The YC-15 introduced a number of innovative features, such as externally blown flaps, which used double-slotted flaps to direct part of the jet exhaust downwards, while the rest of the exhaust passed through and downward over the flaps, introducing the Coanda effect

. It was also the first military aircraft with a supercritical airfoil. Every major worldwide operation since the 1990s. That's how often the C-17 has dropped cargo or assisted other branches of the military. The C-17 Globemaster III has an illustrious history of both combat performance as well as humanitarian aid.

In recent years the C-17 played an integral role in helping Puerto Rico after massive flooding, in Yemen delivering food and supplies to refugees, in Haiti delivering relief supplies, and even delivering a fire truck to emergency responders in Guatemala.

A high-wing, four-engine, T-tailed military transport aircraft, the multi-service C-17 can carry large equipment, supplies and troops directly to small airfields in harsh terrain anywhere in the world. The massive, sturdy, long-haul aircraft tackles distance, destination and heavy, oversized payloads in unpredictable conditions.

It has delivered cargo in every worldwide operation since the 1990s. Boeing has partnered with the U.S. Air Force on C-17 sustainment since the delivery of the first aircraft in 1993. With a focus on high performance at an affordable cost, Boeing provides sustainment and maintenance for global C-17 customers in eight allied countries.

The C-17 fleet has a best-in-class combined dollar per flight hour and mission capable rate, performing at the highest level of readiness worldwide. In 2015, inside Boeing's Long Beach manufacturing facility, C-17 employees pieced together the nose, center fuselage, wings, and tail for the last time.

Or so they thought. Boeing, which absorbed McDonnell Douglas after the C-17 was designed and built, now runs the C-17 program. Plane 279 marked the final, "major join," of the C-17, and was the final plane to come off the assembly line.

However, the United States recently entered into an agreement to sell one C-17 Globemaster III to India. This means the Boeing manufacturing plant will pump out at least one more C-17. Thrust reversers. One of the coolest C-17 facts is that each engine is rated at 40,440 pounds of thrust and includes thrust reversers that direct the flow of air upward and forward to avoid ingestion of dust and debris.

A fully-loaded aircraft on the ground can employ its thrust reversers and back up a 2-percent slope. For an aircraft as massive as the C-17, that's impressive. The C-17 thrust-reversers also aid in a quick turn around on a limited runway using a three-point turn.

Airdrops are one of the primary features the C-17 was designed for. The C-17 can drop a single 60,000-pound payload, with sequential load drops of 110,000 pounds. The Loadmaster is in charge of loading and balancing the cargo properly.

An airdrop is usually a coordinated effort between the Air Force and the Army. "The airdrop represents a very significant mission — delivering needed supplies while reducing the burden and risk on our Army helicopter and maintenance crews," said Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 David Beville, 3rd Infantry Division Resolute Support Sustainment Brigade.

Under the Globemaster III Sustainment Program contract, Boeing is fully responsible and accountable for total weapon system availability executing program management, sustaining logistics, material and equipment management, sustaining engineering and depot-level aircraft maintenance. On-site base support includes personnel for base management and operations support, field services and engineering technical support and 24/7 base supply support for spares.

The unit price for one C-17 Globemaster II was $202.3 million (fiscal 1998 constant dollars). That translates to roughly $312.8 million in today's dollars. The United States recently entered into an agreement with India to sell one C-17.

The C-17 was outfitted with all of the latest avionics updates and priced at $366.2 million. The cost-per-flight hour of the C-17 is $23,811 which is significantly cheaper than the next step up in transport aircraft.

The C-5 Galaxy costs $78,817 per flight hour. The C-17 measures 174 feet long (53 meters) with a wingspan of 169 feet, 10 inches (51.75 meters). Compared to other transport/cargo aircraft in the U.S. Air Force inventory, like the C-5 and C-130, these specifications place the C-17 Globemaster III right in the middle in size.

The C-130 measures 97 feet, nine inches long with a wingspan of 38 feet, 10 inches. The C-5 – the largest of the three – measures 247 feet, 10 inches long with a wingspan of 222 feet, nine inches.

The large aircraft is operated by only a crew of three. The pilot, co-pilot and loadmaster are the three positions necessary to deliver the rapid strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases or directly to forward bases in the deployment area.

Having a crew of three reduces manpower requirements, risk exposure and long-term operating costs. A standard crew of five is added for aeromedical evacuation missions. Medical crew, which includes two flight nurses and three medical technicians, may be altered by the needs of patients.

Boeing provides comprehensive C-17 Globemaster III training solutions for aircrews and loadmasters with advanced simulation, courseware and computer-based training. C-17 operators can practice the complete range of tasks required for tactical military airlift operations and humanitarian missions, along with rehearsal of other scenarios such as aerial refueling and emergency procedures.

The Instrument Display in the C-17 cockpit is equipped with 2 full-time all-function head-up displays (HUD) and 4 multi-function active matrix liquid crystal displays. The C-17 Globemaster III flight control system maintains a quadruple-redundant electronic flight control with mechanical backup system.

A recent upgrade to the C-17 avionics includes new mission displays and computers as well as new software for the warning and caution system. The new software is courtesy of Northrop Grumman Navigation Systems. One of the largest aircraft in the world, the C-5 Galaxy is the primary lift aircraft in the U.S.

military for moving oversized cargo to global theaters of operation. The newest C-5M Super Galaxy has the capability to lift two M1 Abrams tanks and can transport nearly a company of troops and gear anywhere in the world with aerial refueling.

The YC-15 had four engines, while the Boeing version had two. The YC-15 used large, double-slotted flaps that extended over 75 percent of the wingspan to enhance STOL capabilities. To save costs, it used a modified DC-8 nosewheel unit and the DC-10 cockpit, adapted for a two-person crew, with two lower windows for visibility during short-field landings.

Tanks, vehicles and cargo aren't the only things the C-17 Globemaster III was designed to carry. Delivering a load capacity of troops is paramount to the success of the military in question. The C-17 seats 54 soldiers on the sidewall and 48 in the centerline.

27 soldiers on each side of the sidewall, with an 18-inch seat. The centerline seats 48 soldiers in eight sets of six back-to-back seats. Or instead of the centerline, a C-17 can sit 80 soldiers on eight pallets in addition to the sidewall, for a maximum troop capacity of 134.

The first squadron of C-17s, the 17th Airlift Squadron, was declared operationally ready Jan. 17, 1995. The Air Force originally entered into a contract with McDonnell Douglas to buy 120 C-17s. Despite a rocky beginning, the USAF took note of the unrivaled success of the C-17 to accomplish various mobility missions.

Because of this, additional aircraft were acquired, resulting in a final fleet of 223 aircraft. The 17th Airlift Squadron began its existence at Hamilton Field, California in February 1942 as the 17th Air Corps Ferrying Squadron and has since flown a variety of aircraft to include the C-46, C-47, C-54, C-124, C

-141 and C-17. Although the aircraft and name of the squadron have changed over the years, the job of the 17th AS has always been air transport.

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C 35 Aircraft

C 35 Aircraft - After stretching the Citation I to make the II, Cessna decided to increase the size of the cabin again, stretching the fuselage by another 20 inches (510 mm), resulting in the largest member of the straight-wing family, the Model 560 Citation V

The first engineering prototype flew in August 1987, and certification was granted in December 1988. The aircraft utilized the T-47A's JT15D5A engines for extra performance. By the time the aircraft was superseded in 1994, 262 had been built.

C 35 Aircraft

Since its inception, the C-5 has been a critical instrument of national policy. From the defense of Israel in the Yom Kippur war, to the air bridge supporting coalition forces in Desert Storm, the C-5 delivers unmatched capability to carry enormous loads over global distances.

Citation V

In 1993, Cessna decided to update the Citation V design, and announced the Citation Ultra Powered by Pratt & Whittney JT15D-5D engines with 3045 lbs of thrust and the standard avionics suite, which was updated to the Honeywell Primus 1000 EFIS glass cockpit.

The Primus 1000 replaced the standard "round dial" flight instruments with three CRT computer screens, one for each pilot and one center multifunction display. In 1994, the Ultra was named Flying magazine's "Best Business Jet". The Ultra was produced from 1994–1999.

Both the Citation V and Ultra hold 5816 pounds of fuel. The UC-35 is a military version of an executive passenger and transport aircraft based on the Cessna Citation V. It is primarily used by the US Air Force, US Navy, US Army and US Marine Corps for several functions, including range clearance, embassy

support, medical evacuation, VIP transport, passenger and light cargo transport. The Cessna Citation V (Model 560) is a turbofan-powered small-to-medium sized business jet built by the Cessna Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas. A stretch of the Cessna Citation II series, the Citation V aircraft was evolved into the Citation Ultra, the Citation Encore, and the Citation Encore+ models.

Citation Ultra

Another version of the Model 560 is the OT-47B "Tracker", five of which were purchased by the Department of Defense for use in drug interdiction reconnaissance operations, based at Maxwell Air Force Base. The OT-47B utilizes the F-16's APG-66(V) fire control radar system and the WF-360TL imaging system.

The OT-47Bs have been operated on loan to the Colombian Air Force[6] and the Peruvian Navy. The C-5 modernization approach is proven. In three flights operating out of Dover AFB, Delaware, a joint U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin crew set 43 world aviation records, demonstrating the C-5M's ability to redefine global airlift.

In deployed airlift operations, the C-5M is demonstrating a new era of highly capable, reliable and affordable airlift. With departure reliability rates greater than 90 percent and payload increases of 20 percent over legacy C-5s, the Super Galaxy is delivering more to the warfighter on every mission.

With a substantial improvement in unrefueled range, the C-5M is overflying traditional en-route fuel stops, enabling a reduction in fuel consumption by as much as 20 percent. This is the OEM difference.

Again/Again Quote

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C35 Aircraft

C35 Aircraft - The F-35 strengthens national security, enhances global partnerships and powers economic growth. As the most lethal, survivable and connected fighter jet in the world, the F-35 gives pilots the critical advantage against any adversary, enabling them to execute their mission and come home safe.

C35 Aircraft

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C 15 Aircraft

C 15 Aircraft - Nearly all of the Army's air-transportable equipment such as a 69-ton M1 Abrams main battle tank, armored vehicles, trucks and trailers, as well as other cargo, is loaded onto the C-17 through a large aft ramp and door system.

Additionally, the cargo floor has rollers that can be flipped from a flat floor, to accommodate wheeled or tracked vehicles, to rollerized conveyors to accommodate palletized cargo. The largest-ever fuel drop occurred recently when a C-17 dropped 120 bundles of fuel to a remote base in the Middle East.

C 15 Aircraft

Currently, there are 157 C-17s in Air Force active duty, 47 with the Air National Guard and 18 in the Air Force Reserve. The C-17 is operated by Air Mobility Command from Travis AFB, California, Dover AFB, Delaware, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey.

Train The Way You Operate

Pacific Air Forces operate C-17s from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. The Air National Guard operates C-17s from Jackson, Mississippi, Stewart ANG Base, New York, Memphis, Tennessee, Martinsburg, West Virginia, and Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Air Force Reserve Command operates C-17s at March Air Reserve Base, California, and Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio. Air Force Materiel Command has one C-17 on loan from JB Charleston to conduct tests at Edwards AFB, California.

Air Education and Training Command performs C-17 aircrew training from Altus AFB, Oklahoma. The horizontal 'T-tail' on the C-17 is used to avoid large downwash from high-lift systems. The horizontal tail has a total area of ​​845 sq ft.

It's 65 feet wingspan gives it a 5.0 aspect ratio and it has a 27-degree sweep. The first 50 C-17s had horizontal tails that were made of metal. But in the late 1990s, Boeing transitioned it to a composite tail.

All C-17 aircraft from No. 51 on contains the lighter, less expensive horizontal tail. It has 2,000 fewer parts and 42,000 fewer fasteners than the metal unit, and weighs about 500 pounds less - approximately a 20 percent weight reduction.

The design of the aircraft allows it to operate through small, austere airfields. High-lift wing, slats, and externally blown flaps allow the C-17 to take off and land on runways from 2,300 to 3,500 feet (1,064 meters) and only 90 feet wide (27.4 meters).

Even on such narrow runways, the C-17 can turn around using a three-point star turn and its backing capability. The Air Force describes an austere runway as, “runways are usually less than 4,000 feet long and can be as narrow as 60 feet.

Payloads may be constrained by runway length and weight-bearing capacity. There is less than 100,000 square feet of ramp space accessed by way of a single narrow taxiway and there are no turnaround areas at either end of the runway.

Ground support and equipment are usually nonexistent.” The C-5 is distinct for having both front and rear cargo ramps, allowing for much faster load and offload operations. Other features of the C-5 include its ability to operate on runways 6,000 feet long (1,829 meters);

five landing gear totaling 28 wheels to distribute the weight and a "kneeling" landing gear system that permits lowering the parked aircraft to facilitate drive-on/drive-off vehicle loading and adjusts the cargo floor to standard truck-bed height.

The C-5 also has the distinctive high T-tail, 25-degree wing sweep, and four turbofan engines mounted on pylons beneath the wings. The YC-15 first flew on Aug. 26, 1975, and a competitive fly-off against its Boeing competitor was completed in 1977. However, the Air Force decided against the AMST aircraft and terminated the program.

On Dec. 10, 1979, it formally canceled the AMST program for both the YC-14 and the YC-15. This resulted in the development of the C-X (Cargo Transport Aircraft-Experimental) — the future C-17. The C-17 made its maiden flight on Sept.

15, 1991, and the first production model was delivered to Charleston Air Force Base, now identified as Joint Base Charleston, S.C., on June 14, 1993. The first flight to Charleston AFB was piloted by then-Air Force chief of staff, Gen

. Merrill McPeak. The C-17 program was delivered under controversy about avionics glitches and external/aesthetic mishaps. The entire program was valued at $42 billion in 1993. Charleston Air Force Base joined with Naval Weapons Station Charleston to become Joint Base Charleston in 2010.

Currently, 275 C-17s operate around the world. The aircraft's largest customer is the United States Air Force, with 223 in 12 bases. Outside of that country, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, India and the 12-nation Strategic Airlift Capability all operate the C-17 Globemaster III.

The C-17 Globemaster III can carry a cargo of wheeled U.S. Army vehicles in two side-by-side rows. A wide array of vehicles can be carried in various scenarios. The heaviest and most impressive is the U.S.

Army's main battle tank, the M-1 Abrams. The M-1 Abrams battle tank weighs roughly 120,000 pounds – only one can be located in the C-17 but other wheeled vehicles can fit around the tank as well.

If there's no tank onboard, three Bradley Fighting Vehicles fit in the cargo bay of the C-17. Four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan engines, which are based on the commercial Pratt and Whitney PW2040 used on the Boeing 757, power a C-17 Globemaster III.

Each engine is rated at 40,440 pounds of thrust and includes thrust reversers that direct the flow of air upward and forward to avoid ingestion of dust and debris. The engine weighs 7,100 pounds and measures 146.8 inches long.

The inlet diameter of the engine is 78.5 inches, the maximum diameter of the engine is 84.5 inches long, it has a bypass ratio of 5.9 to 1, and an overall pressure ratio of 30.8 to 1.

Built in response to an U.S. Air Force request for an advanced medium short-takeoff-and-landing (STOL) transport (AMST), McDonnell Douglas built two YC-15 prototypes to replace the Lockheed C-130 Hercules tactical transport. They were to be used on short, undeveloped fields, and Bell, Boeing, Fairchild, Lockheed and McDonnell Douglas submitted proposals in March 1972. Boeing and McDonnell Douglas won contracts to design and build the transport;

the Boeing version was designated the YC-14 and the McDonnell Douglas, the YC-15. Truly, a Globemaster. Currently, 274 C-17s operate around the world. The aircraft's largest customer is the United States Air Force, with 223 in 12 bases.

Outside of that, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, India and the 12-nation Strategic Airlift Capability all operate the C-17 Globemaster III. It has played an integral role in global strategic airlift and significant delivery of humanitarian aid.

C-17 support for relief efforts includes Pakistan, Haiti, Chile, China, Myanmar, and Thailand and is the primary airlifter for military operations around the world. One YC-15 (Serial No. 72-1876) was stored at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., and scrapped in March 2012. The last remaining YC-15 (Serial No. 72-1875) is on display near the

West Gate of Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Developed in the 1960s to replace the C-133 Cargomaster and to compliment the smaller C-141 Starlifter, the C-5 Galaxy experienced a rocky design phase, plagued with wing cracks that delayed deployment of the aircraft until 1970. The latest C-5M

Super Galaxy is designed with modern avionics and flight instruments and is set to remain in service through 2040. Maximum payload capacity of the C-17 is 172,000 pounds (77,519 kilograms), and its maximum gross takeoff weight is 585,000 pounds (265,352 kilograms).

A document by the U.S. General Accounting Office from 1984 stated that data provided by the Air Force and McDonnell Douglas Corporation, the C-17 contractor, show that the C-17 is designed to carry its 172,200 pound maximum cargo load an un-refueled distance of about 2,900 nautical miles

. This data also shows that the C-17 will be able to land in 2,370 feet with a cargo load of 170,000 pounds. Landing on remote, unprepared runways is a difficult task. One of the main benefactors allowing the C-17 Globemaster III the ability to do so is its wings.

The wings of the C-17 wings amass a total of 3,800 sq ft. They contain a 7.165 aspect ratio, 35 degree sweep angle, and supercritical airfoil. It's wing flaps are fixed-vane, double-slotted, and simple-hinged. A 'supercritical' wing is an advanced airfoil design that enhances the range, cruising speed and fuel efficiency of jet aircraft by producing weaker shock waves that create less drag and permit high efficiency.

The YC-15 could hold 90 percent of all Army combat vehicles, including a 62,000-pound (28,122-kilogram) extended-barrel, 8-inch (203 mm) self-propelled howitzer. Vehicles were loaded through rear fuselage doors with built-in ramps. The YC-15 introduced a number of innovative features, such as externally blown flaps, which used double-slotted flaps to direct part of the jet exhaust downwards, while the rest of the exhaust passed through and downward over the flaps, introducing the Coanda effect

. It was also the first military aircraft with a supercritical airfoil. Every major worldwide operation since the 1990s. That's how often the C-17 has dropped cargo or assisted other branches of the military. The C-17 Globemaster III has an illustrious history of both combat performance as well as humanitarian aid.

In recent years the C-17 played an integral role in helping Puerto Rico after massive flooding, in Yemen delivering food and supplies to refugees, in Haiti delivering relief supplies, and even delivering a fire truck to emergency responders in Guatemala.

A high-wing, four-engine, T-tailed military transport aircraft, the multi-service C-17 can carry large equipment, supplies and troops directly to small airfields in harsh terrain anywhere in the world. The massive, sturdy, long-haul aircraft tackles distance, destination and heavy, oversized payloads in unpredictable conditions.

It has delivered cargo in every worldwide operation since the 1990s. Boeing has partnered with the U.S. Air Force on C-17 sustainment since the delivery of the first aircraft in 1993. With a focus on high performance at an affordable cost, Boeing provides sustainment and maintenance for global C-17 customers in eight allied countries.

The C-17 fleet has a best-in-class combined dollar per flight hour and mission capable rate, performing at the highest level of readiness worldwide. In 2015, inside Boeing's Long Beach manufacturing facility, C-17 employees pieced together the nose, center fuselage, wings, and tail for the last time.

Or so they thought. Boeing, which absorbed McDonnell Douglas after the C-17 was designed and built, now runs the C-17 program. Plane 279 marked the final, "major join," of the C-17, and was the final plane to come off the assembly line.

However, the United States recently entered into an agreement to sell one C-17 Globemaster III to India. This means the Boeing manufacturing plant will pump out at least one more C-17. Thrust reversers. One of the coolest C-17 facts is that each engine is rated at 40,440 pounds of thrust and includes thrust reversers that direct the flow of air upward and forward to avoid ingestion of dust and debris.

A fully-loaded aircraft on the ground can employ its thrust reversers and back up a 2-percent slope. For an aircraft as massive as the C-17, that's impressive. The C-17 thrust-reversers also aid in a quick turn around on a limited runway using a three-point turn.

Airdrops are one of the primary features the C-17 was designed for. The C-17 can drop a single 60,000-pound payload, with sequential load drops of 110,000 pounds. The Loadmaster is in charge of loading and balancing the cargo properly.

An airdrop is usually a coordinated effort between the Air Force and the Army. "The airdrop represents a very significant mission — delivering needed supplies while reducing the burden and risk on our Army helicopter and maintenance crews," said Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 David Beville, 3rd Infantry Division Resolute Support Sustainment Brigade.

Under the Globemaster III Sustainment Program contract, Boeing is fully responsible and accountable for total weapon system availability executing program management, sustaining logistics, material and equipment management, sustaining engineering and depot-level aircraft maintenance. On-site base support includes personnel for base management and operations support, field services and engineering technical support and 24/7 base supply support for spares.

The unit price for one C-17 Globemaster II was $202.3 million (fiscal 1998 constant dollars). That translates to roughly $312.8 million in today's dollars. The United States recently entered into an agreement with India to sell one C-17.

The C-17 was outfitted with all of the latest avionics updates and priced at $366.2 million. The cost-per-flight hour of the C-17 is $23,811 which is significantly cheaper than the next step up in transport aircraft.

The C-5 Galaxy costs $78,817 per flight hour. The C-17 measures 174 feet long (53 meters) with a wingspan of 169 feet, 10 inches (51.75 meters). Compared to other transport/cargo aircraft in the U.S. Air Force inventory, like the C-5 and C-130, these specifications place the C-17 Globemaster III right in the middle in size.

The C-130 measures 97 feet, nine inches long with a wingspan of 38 feet, 10 inches. The C-5 – the largest of the three – measures 247 feet, 10 inches long with a wingspan of 222 feet, nine inches.

The large aircraft is operated by only a crew of three. The pilot, co-pilot and loadmaster are the three positions necessary to deliver the rapid strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases or directly to forward bases in the deployment area.

Having a crew of three reduces manpower requirements, risk exposure and long-term operating costs. A standard crew of five is added for aeromedical evacuation missions. Medical crew, which includes two flight nurses and three medical technicians, may be altered by the needs of patients.

Boeing provides comprehensive C-17 Globemaster III training solutions for aircrews and loadmasters with advanced simulation, courseware and computer-based training. C-17 operators can practice the complete range of tasks required for tactical military airlift operations and humanitarian missions, along with rehearsal of other scenarios such as aerial refueling and emergency procedures.

The Instrument Display in the C-17 cockpit is equipped with 2 full-time all-function head-up displays (HUD) and 4 multi-function active matrix liquid crystal displays. The C-17 Globemaster III flight control system maintains a quadruple-redundant electronic flight control with mechanical backup system.

A recent upgrade to the C-17 avionics includes new mission displays and computers as well as new software for the warning and caution system. The new software is courtesy of Northrop Grumman Navigation Systems. One of the largest aircraft in the world, the C-5 Galaxy is the primary lift aircraft in the U.S.

military for moving oversized cargo to global theaters of operation. The newest C-5M Super Galaxy has the capability to lift two M1 Abrams tanks and can transport nearly a company of troops and gear anywhere in the world with aerial refueling.

The YC-15 had four engines, while the Boeing version had two. The YC-15 used large, double-slotted flaps that extended over 75 percent of the wingspan to enhance STOL capabilities. To save costs, it used a modified DC-8 nosewheel unit and the DC-10 cockpit, adapted for a two-person crew, with two lower windows for visibility during short-field landings.

Tanks, vehicles and cargo aren't the only things the C-17 Globemaster III was designed to carry. Delivering a load capacity of troops is paramount to the success of the military in question. The C-17 seats 54 soldiers on the sidewall and 48 in the centerline.

27 soldiers on each side of the sidewall, with an 18-inch seat. The centerline seats 48 soldiers in eight sets of six back-to-back seats. Or instead of the centerline, a C-17 can sit 80 soldiers on eight pallets in addition to the sidewall, for a maximum troop capacity of 134.

The first squadron of C-17s, the 17th Airlift Squadron, was declared operationally ready Jan. 17, 1995. The Air Force originally entered into a contract with McDonnell Douglas to buy 120 C-17s. Despite a rocky beginning, the USAF took note of the unrivaled success of the C-17 to accomplish various mobility missions.

Because of this, additional aircraft were acquired, resulting in a final fleet of 223 aircraft. The 17th Airlift Squadron began its existence at Hamilton Field, California in February 1942 as the 17th Air Corps Ferrying Squadron and has since flown a variety of aircraft to include the C-46, C-47, C-54, C-124, C

-141 and C-17. Although the aircraft and name of the squadron have changed over the years, the job of the 17th AS has always been air transport.

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C 208 Aircraft

C 208 Aircraft - In March this year, the U.S. Air Force outlined plans to acquire 22 more AC-208s to provide to allies to use for armed surveillance missions, Flight Global reported. The aircraft are to be fitted with BAE Systems' Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System guided rockets as well as the MX-15 sensor with a laser designator.

In January, eight airmen from the U.S. Air Force's 818th Mobility Support Advisory Squadron undertook a two-week program in Chad to advise, train and assist 40 Chadian Air Force personnel with intelligence surveillance reconnaissance, aircraft maintenance, logistics, and security anti-terrorism at Adjikossei Air Base in N'Djamena.

C 208 Aircraft

The Chadian Air Force aircraft were ordered in May 2016. The U.S. Defense Department notification did not specify the number of aircraft to be purchased, but the contract included supply to Cameroon, Niger and the Philippines as well as Chad.

Mc-J Multi-Mission Aircraft

The MC-27J is an adaptable and affordable solution to the various airborne multi-mission requirements fulfilled today by a wide variety of specialized and dedicated aircraft. It offers payload, persistence and out of area capabilities coupled with commonality of equipment and systems with larger multi-mission platforms but at much lower operational costs and with the operational flexibility of being able to operate form shorter runways also in hot and high conditions.

Samantha Reho, a spokesperson for U.S. Africa Command, told The Defense Post that the U.S. has “a robust relationship with Chad consisting primarily of security force assistance, such as counterterrorism training and border security, and that assistance amounted to $135.5 million between 2015 and 2017.

"It's a bush plane that's been used to build an ISR platform for the Chadian Air Force," U.S. Air Force Major Matthew Harvey, the training team mission commander said at the time. "Our Airmen are here to help them understand the systems that they have, give them advice on exactly how to utilize those systems and training, assisting, and assessing of all of the communication equipment that has been delivered for this ISR package."

"Several members of the Cameroonian air force are in different stages and levels of training across a few military bases in the United States," Reho told The Defense Post, adding that the training includes operational instruction as well as maintenance and sustainment, and logistics.

Ac- Light Gunship

On 24 January the US Department of Defense (DoD) awarded US-based MAG Aerospace a USD19.8 million contract under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program to integrate ISR equipment on a C-208 aircraft for the Philippines. The contract includes an option for an additional, fully integrated C-208 ISR aircraft.

Flight-station operators using the arrays of sensors, displays and data links can transmit critical data and intelligence instantaneously to ground and airborne control centers. This assists in the interception and investigation of vehicles, aircraft or persons of interest.

The aircraft also record the data and imagery, which can subsequently be used for intelligence, investigation and prosecution. Already a Janes subscriber? Read the full article via the Client Login Interested in subscribing, see What we do

Northrop Grumman's special mission aircraft offerings integrate intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensors, fire-control equipment, and an LW30 mm link-fed gun system. These capabilities are controlled by our STAR Mission System, which provides both day-and-night reconnaissance and fire-control capabilities, and the ability to acquire, monitor and track items of interest.

Northrop Grumman’s Special Mission Aircraft Product Portfolio Provides Affordable Responsive And Advanced Capabilities To Customer-Preferred Platforms

Northrop Grumman's expertise includes integrating aircraft – including the Cessna 208B Caravan, Alenia C-27J Spartan, CASA CN-235/295, Lockheed C-130 Hercules, Bombardier Dash-8, Hawker Beechcraft King Air, Sikorsky H-60 ​​Blackhawk, AgustaWestland AW139 and others – with attack and ISR capabilities.

Additionally Northrop Grumman provides Contractor Logistics Support services around the globe. Northrop Grumman's extensive expertise in weaponization, mission systems architecture and integration and certification of complex subsystems is proven on the battle field and enables rapid fielding.

PaWS includes enhanced electro-optical/infrared targeting sensors, a trainable 30 mm cannon, precision-guided munitions, advanced communications and a networked mission management system. These modular modifications provide end users the ability to execute intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, strike, and mobility missions in support of deployed forces.

Single turboprop utility aircraft. In service since 1984 (Grand Caravan since 1990). Close association development with US package freight FedEx. Stretched version 208B Super Cargomaster. Further stretched more powerful version for up to 14 passengers Grand Caravan.

Ac- Eliminator™ Armed Caravan Aircraft

Short version 208S. New Twin-Pack version Pathfinder 21, developed by SOLOY, powered by two engines with single propeller by a dual-pac gearbox. US-mil. type: U27/C. Grand Caravan length: 12,7 m. In February, a Cameroonian military officer told Jane's that two C-208s had arrived in the country, and a U.S.

official confirmed the aircraft were donated. The officer said that Cameroonian Air Force personnel had trained in the U.S. throughout 2017. The AC-208 Eliminator builds on Northrop Grumman's battle-proven AC-208 Armed Caravan and offers customers a highly-capable and cost-effective reconnaissance and ground attack capability with a critical offensive and operational over-watch capability in the Counter-Insurgency (COIN

) fight. The Eliminator is able to find, fix, identify, track, target, and engage emerging and time-sensitive targets with its 2.75″ guided rockets and/or AGM-114 HELLFIRE missile payload, based on mission requirements.

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C35 Aircraft

C35 Aircraft - The F-35 strengthens national security, enhances global partnerships and powers economic growth. As the most lethal, survivable and connected fighter jet in the world, the F-35 gives pilots the critical advantage against any adversary, enabling them to execute their mission and come home safe.

C35 Aircraft

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C 53 Aircraft

C 53 Aircraft - In 1963, the aircraft made one of its most important moves to the State of Ohio. From 1963 TO 1983 it was known as "Buckeye One," the official state transport aircraft of the Governor. The airplane participated in the opening of many General Aviation Airports in the state of Ohio.

Governor Rhodes was a champion of aviation and our C-53 was his pride and joy. His Director of Aviation and DC-3 pilot, Norm Crabtree, is famously quoted as saying that "the airport runway is the most important main street in any town."

C 53 Aircraft

They recognized the importance of General Aviation and their goal was to open an airport in every county in Ohio. After it's retirement, it was then flown to the US Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio where it sat until 1990.

Honoring Veterans

Keeping D-Day Doll airworthy is a full-time business, with safety being the number one priority. "Even though the engines may be 75 years old, they are still re-manufactured periodically," Prosser explains. "We go through her four times a year for inspections."

At 65 feet in length and with a wingspan of 95 feet, the Douglas C-53 was "the large transport airliner of the day," explains Prosser. "The Dakotas moved masses. They could take 25 to 30 people at a time, drop them, return, drop them, return.”

It "took a year to get it to fly," explains Prosser. "It's a lot of labor and love. The mechanical parts generally are easy to find” but “the structural parts … are hard to come by” and “have to be re-manufactured by hand.

There's just a lot of day-to-day maintenance.” In Europe, the C-47 and a specialized paratroop variant, the C-53 Skytrooper, were used in vast numbers in the later stages of the war, particularly to tow gliders and drop paratroops.

During the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, C-47s dropped 4,381 Allied paratroops. More than 50,000 paratroops were dropped by C-47s during the first few days of the D-Day campaign also known as the invasion of Normandy, France, in June 1944. In the Pacific War, with careful use of the island landing strips of the

Pacific Ocean, C-47s were used for ferrying soldiers serving in the Pacific theater back to the United States. He and his team of 80 enthusiasts – “about half a dozen pilots, a few mechanics and the rest are just volunteers and lovers of history” – have spent two-and-a-half years getting their plane, D-Day Doll, ready.

for this event. The Douglas C-53 "Skytrooper" was another production version, based on the airline DC-3 configuration and fitted to carry personnel. Consequently, only a single entry door was provided, in place of the C-47's double door, and the name "Skytrooper" was assigned.

Douglas built 221 C-53s, with R-1830-92 engines; 20 of these were assigned to the Navy. The single XC-53A (42-6480) had full-span slotted flaps. Eight C-53Bs had extra tanks and a navigator's station. The 17 C-53Cs were fitted with side seats, as were the 159 similar C-53Ds.

"It's a very stable airplane," says Prosser, who retired from his career as an airline pilot in the mid-1990s. "It is not the funnest airplane to fly. It flies like a motor home. You turn the control wheel and you wait and then it turns.

But it's just the history that's in it.” With all of the aircraft and pilots having been part of the Indian Air Force prior to independence, both the Indian Air Force and Pakistan Air Force used C-47s to transport supplies to their soldiers fighting in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1947.

The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota (RAF, RAAF and RNZAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remains in front-line service with various military operators.

It was built at the Douglas factory in Santa Monica, California. It is one of 159 C-53Ds and was delivered to AAF on July 7, 1943. It was assigned to the 434th Troop Carrier Group and was stationed at various locations (Alliance Field, NE, Baer Field, IN, Fullbeck, UK, and

Welford Park, UK) before arriving at Royal Air Force (RAF) Aldermaston, UK in March 1944. The C-47 also earned the informal nickname "gooney bird" in the European theater of operations. Other sources attribute this name to the first aircraft, a USMC R2D—the military version of the DC-2 being the first aircraft to land on Midway Island, previously home to the long-winged albatross known as the gooney bird which was native to Midway.

. After tracking down the owner, a deal was eventually struck to purchase the aircraft and two spare engines for $100,000 US. With an initial down payment of Jason's own money of $20,000, a deal was made for the remaining balance to be paid off in 12 months time in full or the aircraft and the $20,000 would be forfeited.

Registered by Ohio University of Athens, Ohio as N34DF, the aircraft was bought by the school for its engines alone to keep their own DC-3 flying. Left engine-less at Dayton, Ohio the aircraft faced an uncertain fate until Ken Joseph entered the picture.

Ken bought engines for the airplane and had it brought to a condition in which the FAA issued a Ferry Permit so the airplane could be flown to Beach City, Ohio. After its flight in 1992, it is here that our C-53 has sat awaiting fate.

It was a chance encounter while driving through the Ohio countryside that Jason Capra stumbled across what we named "Beach City Baby" in the summer of 2015. There are World War II veterans visiting D-Day Doll in Duxford today, such as 97-year-old American pilot David Hamilton.

It's a poignant reminder that this will be the last major D-Day anniversary at which survivors might be present. The changes fully met the new FAR 4B airworthiness requirements, with significantly improved performance. However, little interest was expressed by commercial operators in the DC-3S.

It was too expensive for the smaller operators that were its main target; only three were sold to Capital Airlines. The U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps had 100 of their R4D aircraft modified to Super DC-3 standards as the R4D-8, later redesignated the C-117D.

The race was on to save the airplane and start an organization to facilitate the operation and ownership of the C-53. After taking almost 4 months to legally form and get Vintage Wings Inc. operational, all avenues were a go to secure the C-53.

After a herculean effort and social media campaign, Vintage Wings Inc. in just 6 months time managed to raise all additional funds to outright purchase "Beach City Baby." On February 12th, 2017 a check for $80,000 was written to Ken Joseph for the purchase of N34DF.

The airplane was now in the hands of Vintage Wings Inc. In November 1942, 41-20095 was then transferred to North Africa with the Air Transport Command where it shuttled troops and wounded in and out of the North African campaign.

It was here that our aircraft served with the North African Division of ATC where it supported the war in North Africa and eventually took place in the Invasion of Sicily and Italy. The aircraft was last assigned to FEA, Cairo Division until May 12th, 1945.

Now it is our turn to write this amazing airplane's next chapter. With your help we can bring "BEACH CITY BABY" back to life. Don't let this beautiful piece of American aviation history fade away or worse, be cut by the scrapper's torch.

With your contribution and help we can put our C-53 back where it belongs, in the air. A list of 50+ steps were made and prioritized to be accomplished to make the aircraft flyable. As work started to take place and the never ending task of finding support in the forms of mechanics, labor, parts, and the never ending need for funding was constant.

With the incredible help and support of a growing number of volunteers and Preferred Airparts, the C-53's rehabilitation began to gain momentum. It is a guarantee that every DC-3 still out there has an amazing history.

Any given DC-3 type air frame probably had a noble career as a civilian transport or cargo hauler some time before or after the Second World War. It is arguably the most significant airline aircraft in history, and was also named by General Eisenhower to be one of the four tools that won World War II.

So what makes 41-20095 so special and deserving of preservation? The specialized C-53 Skytrooper troop transport started production in October 1941 at Douglas Aircraft's Santa Monica plant. It lacked the cargo door, hoist attachment, and reinforced floor of the C-47.

Only 380 aircraft were produced in all because the C-47 was found to be more versatile. Now, to mark the 75th anniversary of that day, around 30 Douglas planes - known as "Dakotas" - have flown to the Imperial War Museum Duxford, north of London, for the largest gathering of the aircraft since World War II.

After its career as an airline aircraft, our C-53 found itself headed back to the United States where it became outfitted as a corporate DC-3. In October 1952, it was registered to Rampo Foundry & Wheel Works in New York as N9959F.

From here it went to Air Carrier's Corp. and was changed yet again to N34D. The D-Day landings were an Allied assault by air, land and sea which would change the course of World War II.

The soldiers who went out the door, whose steps we've just climbed, leaped to an uncertain fate, enemy snipers shooting at them as they made their descent. After the war, its C-53 airline type configuration made it a valuable resource in the post-war rebirth of the worldwide airline transport system.

It was sold to the Danish Airlines and flew as the Gorm Viking on the Danish/SAS famous Flying Viking service. The airline operated her until its merger with SAS who sold the airplane in 1952. On June 6, 1944, the Douglas C-53 "Skytrooper" in which we now sit was filled with American paratroopers, young men far from home, who took off from England's RAF Aldermaston Airfield to be dropped into Nazi-occupied France.

"We spent quite a bit of time coming across North America and ... it really turned into a veteran appreciation at each stop," says Prosser. World War II veterans would come to see the aircraft they flew in 75 years before, and "it gets emotional."

Vintage Wings Inc. Douglas C-53-DO Skytrooper was on the factory floor in Santa Monica, California when Pearl Harbor was attacked and was accepted by the USAAC weeks later in January 1942. This C-53-DO was turned into a citizen soldier after war was declared.

, just like so many young Americans at the time. Given serial number 41-20095 it was accepted on January 29th, 1942 and sent to Bolling Field, Washington DC. The aircraft was then assigned to the Ferry Command shortly thereafter and flown to Presque Isle, Maine where it flew under the command of pilots from "Northeast Airlines" while with Ferry Command.

Our "095" flew some of the very first survey routes and ferry flights to and from England laying the ground work for what would become known as the North Atlantic Routes used by thousands of aircraft to deliver supplies and personnel to England.

During World War II, the armed forces of many countries used the C-47 and modified DC-3s for the transport of troops, cargo, and wounded. The U.S. naval designation was R4D. More than 10,000 aircraft were produced in Long Beach and Santa Monica, California and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Between March 1943 and August 1945, the Oklahoma City plant produced 5,354 C-47s. Several C-47 variations were used in the Vietnam War by the United States Air Force, including three advanced electronic-warfare variations, which were sometimes called "electric gooneys" designated EC-47N, EC-47P, or EC-47Q depending on the

engine used. Air International, Miami International Airport was a USAF military depot used to convert the commercial DC-3s/C-47s into military use. They came in as commercial aircraft purchased from third-world airlines and were completely stripped, rebuilt, and reconditioned.

Long-range fuel tanks were installed, along with upgraded avionics and gun mounts. They left as first-rate military aircraft headed for combat in Vietnam in a variety of missions. Douglas EC-47s were also operated by the Vietnamese, Laotian, and Cambodian Air Forces.

A gunship variation, using three 7.62 mm miniguns, designated AC-47 “Spooky”, often nicknamed “Puff the magic dragon”, was also deployed. It carries around 820 gallons of gas and guzzles around 100 gallons per hour. The journey from California to England, in this austere war machine without modern insulation or even a toilet (a portable one was installed), was epic, to say the least.

Our C-53 is representative of the men and women of the Greatest Generation and the rich legacy of the DC-3 in every way. A civilian drafted into service weeks after the US entered the war, he has served in multiple theaters under multiple commands and worked under legends of the era.

After the war it went back to a peaceful job doing what it knew best, flying passengers in luxurious service. In its golden years the C-53 became a politician of sorts, and an ambassador of aviation spreading the word to children around the State of Ohio.

We want to continue that final educational mission, while paying homage to his entire career. The C-47 was vital to the success of many Allied campaigns, in particular, those at Guadalcanal and in the jungles of New Guinea and Burma, where the C-47 and its naval version, the R4D, made it possible for Allied troops to

counter the mobility of the light-traveling Japanese Army. C-47s were used to airlift supplies to the encircled American forces during the Battle of Bastogne in Belgium. Possibly its most influential role in military aviation, however, was flying "The Hump" from India into China.

The expertise gained flying "The Hump" was later used in the Berlin Airlift, in which the C-47 played a major role until the aircraft were replaced by Douglas C-54 Skymasters. The team are all volunteers, and all their money comes from fundraising.

The restoration work for today cost $250,000, "and that's before we even left Riverside," says Prosser. "All of the operational cash is over and above that. It's all through donations of folks that want to keep the history alive that keeps this girl flying."

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