Here is video of one unloading an Atlas missile:
The C-133 and C-124 were the heavyweight lifters of the Air Force in the 1950s and 1960s. Arguably due to the Vietnam War, the C-133 in particular was heavily overworked to the point that at least one crash was blamed on airframe fatigue.
As soon as the C-5s became available, the C-133s were quickly retired. The C-124s continued on for a few more years; they, too, were retired because there were enough C-5s and the Vietnam War had wound down, which reduced the requirement for heavy-lift aircraft. (And the Air Force could, by then, charter 747s, if necessary.)
1 comment:
"As soon as the C-5s became available"?
I had already hired in when the C5 made its maiden flight to CHS in June, 1968, and it was some time before there were enough to have an impact. Moreover, in my entire career, I only worked a handful of C133s and no C124s that I can recall, and none of them in a military transport role.
What I do recall is working a shitload of C130s (still being built) and a crap load of C141s (in fairness, CHS (in our area) was a C141 base, so we saw them a lot, just from proximity). Both of those workhorses did the bulk of the heavy lifting during the Vietnam years. Add in the C123s (half a Hercules) and there were plenty of airplanes to do the job when the 124s and 133s were retired.
LRod
ZJX, ORD, ZAU retired
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