A old connie pilot told me that flew for Trans Canada Airlines said that after take off and leveling out at altitude the flight engineer would put the props slightly out of sink that would produce a engine throbbing sound and it would put the babies and children to sleep... so everyone could enjoy the flight.
Here I am , it is lMonday night in Oz, just heading for bed. Temptation big time. Mike’s memory time. LFlew in a Connie Sydney to Melbourne 1954………all I remember is a photo of me on the flight stairs. I flew another Connie from Puerto Rico to Santo Domingo 1974, the hard stand at PR was a lake of black oil, the interior had been renovated with a repaint with brushstrokes very evident, the start up was incredibly Smokey. Must have got back to PR in the same unit after getting US Visa. I still kick myself for not exploring StThomas’s flying boat collection, my Dad having flown Short Sunderlands in WW2 for the RAAF out of Pembroke Dock in the UK. Little Grummans were landing and taking off constantly through the yacht harbour. Vaguely I remember some very large ex military flying boats on the hard, maybe even one of the massive Martins. Too long ago, too small a window. Opportunity lost. Love your histories Mike, I have mentioned before that Sydney City was quiet as a mouse then, the 50s, except for the occasional flying boat coming in or out of Rose Bay or any of the other four engined prop airliners creeping into Kingsford Smith Airport pre jet, they seemed SO loud. The sound echoed through the city buildings- the days before sirens, choppers, urgency! Everybody looked up and searched for the sound. How did we manage?! Ahhh disappeared into reverie of ancient times. Bloody hell, you could hear the elephants trumpeting or the lions roaring at the zoo across the Harbour! Try and do that today. Until your next post Mike, cheers and thanks.
Love this content Mike. The Connie and 707 looked so attractive in the old TWA livery. Always enjoy the box art being integrated into the presentation as well.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane...My Father in Law was with TWA for almost 40 years...flight engineer/right seat/left seat on everything from DC-3's to 787's. He had so many great stories about that great airline.
Don’t neglect mentioning the turboprop airliner - The Lockheed Electra. Granted, it had the prop whirl mode issue, but once they changed from the triangle engine mount to the rectangular mount, it fixed the problem. But the PR damage had been done. That airframe, with modifications, became the venerable P-3 Orion! I had over 4,000 in them over a 20 year career, and it will live forever in my heart.
There is more to that story. As a mechanic I am familiar with the issue, which they called sympathetic synchronous vibration (or something like that, pretty big words for a mechanic, right). Long story short, an out of balance prop would vibrate and this would in turn start a vibration in the wing which would then crack and depart the aircraft. Wings are pretty hard to do without. So, now we have systems built in to monitor vibrations and it gets checked regularly and rebalanced if needed.
I got to fly a P-3 Orion for about 5 minutes. Navy gave orientation flights to prospects for the flight program and I got to ride along and share the right seat for a turn.
"You be the judge." Looks like the box art was from a more distant vantage. Look at the perspectives on the tail and the nose cap as well as the wing and engines.
When I was a little boy I loved airplanes. My Aunt and Uncle lived in Kansas City near the airport, and when we visited them I got to stand in their backyard and watch the Super Connies fly low overhead on their landing approach; One time my parents took me to the airport terminal to watch the TWA Connies take off and land, I was thrilled!!! Years later when I was grown up, I became a licensed Aircraft Maintenance Technician and worked for an airline until I retired.
This very C-82 is now located at Hagerstown Maryland airport in the Hagerstown Aviation Museum in the old Fairchild factory building. It was flown there sometime in the late 80's or the 90's after spending time at the Pima Air and Space Museum at Tucson. You can still see, very faintly, some of the traces of the old TWA markings, as well as those of later operators such as Briles. Let me know if you want some pictures of Ontos as it looks now.
I flew the 707 in '63... I'd trade 10 of those experiences for just 1 in a Connie. I did get to see Breitling's Super-Connie, however, parked on a tarmac (Germany?).
The whole video-photos, plane types, engine types, you name it- was "music" to my ears and eyes. As a retired round engine aircraft driver, I liked the smells and sounds, the need to understand how things worked, and (to be honest) even a little of the uncertainty. Thanks!
Thanks for providing a detailed background on TWA's Fairchild C-82A "Ontos" or "Motor Toter" not to mention the difficulties faced with the more advanced versions of the Wright 3350 radial engine.
Thanks again Mr Machat for another outstanding post! I grew up during the latter part of the change from piston engine to jet powered aircraft. It was a somewhat magical time to me. The Connie was the most beautiful aircraft of all time to me. My very first airplane flight was in a Boeing 707, from New Orleans to Philadelphia. I was 11, and what a thrill it was! Been hooked ever since. Yes, Max is a treasure as are you! As always God bless you and yours and thanks again for everything you do! Have a safe and Very Merry Christmas Sir! Take care always!
Back in the 50s, my dad was in a Lockheed Constellation on a flight back home to attend a funeral of a family member. The plane had an engine failure midflight but reached its destination without incident, however it did scare him because he had always been afraid to fly and this incident only served to further scare him about air travel.
I understand your dad's thinking. I stopped flying in the 80s after several times of being put on, Dump Trucks--worn out planes ready for retirement, the kind that has worn-out seat covers over worn-out seat covers.
Another great presentation Mike. At 71, I’m just too young to have flown from Scotland on these big propliners! However, I do remember that Icelandair (Flugefelag Islands) would substitute a DC-6 when their ONLY Boeing 727 (TF-FIE Gullfaxi) had technical problems on their regular Keflavik-Copenhagen via Glasgow route in 1969. I worked in the Duty Free bond when I was a student, and the substitute aircraft ran very LATE.
During the Golden age of propeller planes my dad was with Eastern Airlines. I was a little boy. My first flight was a DC3 from Corpus Christy to Miami over the Gulf of Mexico. We took many trips from Miami north to our relatives farms in South Dakota. I've been DC6, DC7, and the best the Connie. Whe got first class one time, but had share meals because we were space available . My dad got me into the cockpits all the time. My eyes were huge and my mouth was dumbly shut. Flew my favorite thr Connie many times. We did have feathered engines sometimes. My dad would always reassure us we were safe. I did see 2 Connies at Lake Havasu Airport in 1969. They were bringing prospects to by houses in the development. Oh yeah, I saw the London Bridge in pieces in a field before they assembled it. I was a lucky little boy in props.
GREAT VIDEO AS ALWAYS SIR,MY FIRST CLOSEUP OF A CONNIE WAS WHEN FLEW OVER OUR HOUSE.THE LANDING PATTERN WAS OVER OUR HOUSE AND YOU COULD SEE PEOPLE LOOKING OUT THE CABIN WINDOWS AND WAVING BACK TO YOU.THE LAST CONNIE I EVER SAW WAS THE ONE THEY TURN INTO THE CRASH LANDING LOUNGE IN METAIRIE LA.SAW HER EVERY MORNING GOING TO WORK.GOD BLESS
Thanks for another beautiful episode .. I just love the Connie’s. Albatross like fuselage and fair curves … the 707 indeed sure did look fast , and the tube fuselage was more efficient plus easier to manufacture.. maybe future designs will become prettier and more organic
I clicked on this video because of the Boxcar. They are so cool and had such an amazing career. My dad was in Vietnam when they were first used for ground support. One of several aircraft called Puff the Magic Dragon. When I lived in Vietnam for a few years I discovered that there is still an intact Boxcar parked at Ton San Nhat airport. They have quite a few different aircraft in storage there. It's so cool that it's still there but sad that it's just been left to rot. Love the video and I can't wait to see more! 👍
Great job! I flew on all the Eastern Connies, often in first class, as my mom was a travel agent. It was a thrill! There are so many great propliners I'll never fly, but it truly was the Golden Age. It would be great for you to do a piece about the turboprops, which had maybe an even shorter service life, but we an unique experience in commercial air travel.
Thanks for the education in a field of aviation of which I know very little. It's my first time on your channel, I just subscribed! Your playlist looks interesting, I got alot of catching up to do. I must add my condolences on the loss of your friend.
Thanks Mike for another enjoyable video with great photos of such remarkable and beautiful aircraft. I remember being on a PanAm 747 from SFO to HNL back in 1979. The captain informed us that we were ferrying an extra engine to HNL as a replacement for a 747 in Honolulu. He told us we might be slightly delayed. That was the first time I had heard that this was possible and apparently the fastest way to get a spare engine out to where it was needed. Thanks for pointing out the efficiency of "The Thing" for ferrying engines to where they were needed.
There was a fifth engine mount on the B747 which allowed any bird to ferry a spare engine on an otherwise typical passenger flight. Looks goofy but very handy.
Thankfully, the JT3C/D engines in the 707's were reasonably reliable, having worked on the military versions(J-57 & TF33)of the same engine myself in mid-late '70's during my USAF service as a jet engine troop. The TF33 is still in use today on the B-52H bombers, and the J-57 was used in the B-52A through G models. ✈✈ The J-57 powered KC-135 tankers were about the loudest aircraft in the inventory when in water injection during takeoff, and the exhaust smoke was quite noticeable as opposed to the turbofan-engined tankers & bombers. Fan models were also quieter. 🛫 Thanks for a cool & informative video!
The only time I ever get to hear radials is around Oshkosh time. There used to be a formation flying school for warbirds prior to the Fly-in at the local airport.
When I moved to Anchorage, AK in 1983 two of the C-82s were parked at Anchorage International plus a C-99. They had been used to haul salmon from beach landing strips (yes, at low tide only) to processing plants. They were retired before 1983 because they had never been certified by the FAA.
In April, 1992, several from BAC, and the Route 202 Corridor "Silicon Valley of the East" (Great Valley, PA) assisted in the restoration of some of the avionics frpm the Enola Gay, at the Smithsonian Silver Hill (Paul A. Garber) Facility. There was an older gent, don't remember his name, but he was active in the "Save a Connie" Foundation, and gave tours of Silver Hill for many-a-year. He was the type of person you'll remember, I hope this sparks a memory of him by others!
Great video Mr. Machat. Thanks for the history lesson. The Fairchild Packet would be a great model kit. Interesting to see the cockpits of the piston and jet aircraft. The change in technology went from basically simple to highly complex.
Flew on a chartered Connie flight from McCord AFB, Seattle WA to Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage AK in April of 1966 on Alaska Airlines. One of the final flights before they transitioned to the 707. I’ve always thought the Connie was the most beautiful design ever.
A few years ago Lufthansa was restoring a 1649. I was assigned to be the functional test engineer, unfortunately they had a few setbacks that they couldn't recover from. It was really interesting work.
I have an original TWA Constellation 749 post card from 1950. Nobody filled it out, stamped, or sent it out. Great linen-finish card. Def. one of the most beautiful planes of all.
Thanks for the great information. The image of the C-82 is what drew me in to start with and then the rest of the post kept my interest. In the mid 80's I was on a forest fire in I believe Montana, and was in awe of what I thought was a "flying box car" with a jet engine mounted on the roof making slurry drops into a box canyon. As it dropped into the canyon we would here the rising sound of that jet as it's power was increased to pull the craft up and out of the canyon, quite impressive. This may well have been a C-82. On another note, my Dad served in Korea aboard B-29's and later, flying out of Spokane Washington, was flying over the pole to check on the Soviet Union. He was a crew chief and later taught aircraft mechanics on the B-29 as they were being outmoded. His rememberences of the Wright engines were not all good ones. He told often told having to pull all of the spark plugs and either replacing or cleaning them and refitting them, in a hurry. I still love the old aircraft and their unmistakable sound. My first flight, as a 4-5 year old was from New York to Germany in a DC-3, in about 1955. This was by way of the Azores for refueling. Thanks for stirring the old memories.
Mike, you are still putting out great aviation material. That is not just a retread of the same old stuff that you can find all over UA-cam. I was a reader and subscriber to Wings and Air Power, and I even occasionally got a small submission published, such as the SR-71 at Eglin after hurricane Ivan.
Cool video - we flew our TBM Avenger to Hagerstown a while back and you can still see the old Fairchild factory buildings on the other side of the runway. An ANG A-10 Warthog did a barrel roll into the airshow, taxing in right next to us, the same aircraft had also left those buildings on the other side of the runway several decades ago…. crazy to think about. There is a local museum and non-profit that brings out their Fairchild Providers and other cargo aircraft for special events, it’s really interesting to see.
I saw Connies landing at Anchorage International Airport regularly back when I was younger (1963/1964). We lived in the flight path of the runway (now known as the east-west runway). They were quite common here in Alaska. They made a distinctive noise as they flew past our house barely above the treeline, sported the triple tails.
Saw a Connie takeoff from Ontario, CA airport back in late '50s. Even with four-engines I remember prop-planes taking a long time to gain altitude. My back yard was about a mile from the runway. The memory stuck with me because of the three-tails.
He is right about the engine flash. When I was a young child my family flew from Macguire AFB to Frankfurt Germany on a Connie. Stopped for fuel in Scotland. I remember watching the fire come out of the exhausts all night, as a 3 year old child it was fascinating and the noise was deafening.
Old airfield near Little Bighorn has a couple of these parked along with several B24’s . All were retired water bombers. Seen in 2019 while on tourist bus trip . Cheers from Downunder 👍🇦🇺🇺🇸
Just a note. Dad worked ground service for TWA in KC. Flew on the Connie as a kid. Yep the coolest thing was the flames out the exhaust. Also I was entertained by sprinkling salt on the dark tray tables and watch it vibrate around. On the Connie first class was in the rear away from engine noise.
When you mentioned the fire show during a Connie flight, it brought back memories of flying out of Shreveport to Dallas on a Convair 440. Dad worked for Delta so we flew often enough. The 440s seemed to like to light up when they were starting. Papa said that was just the way they were and that they were safe. He just missed the Korean war..." uh, police action" and flew a lot of the C-82 as radio technician (don't remember the proper term but he could fix stuff in flight) and talked about the 82's engine being prone to just not working on the way to wherever. But they always got there.
Mike, thanks for another great video. As a professional pilot, I thoroughly enjoy the accurate detail and interesting footnotes of your productions! Kudos to you, sir.
That was AWESOME Mike and thanks. I know what I will talk about on tonights after hours video. I LOVE IT! Aviation stuff like this just never gets old...well, not to me anyway. 😊😊😉😉
Thanks Max - both for the nice comment and super idea to do this video in the first place. Dinner's on me (Biggie-size at the LAX In-'N'-Out?) for your LA visit next year, as this video is breaking records for viewers, click-through, and retention. Mindblowing how these classic propliners still capture the aviation crowd to this day. Thanks again and Model-on!
2:47 My dad (now passed) worked at Steward-Davis in Long Beach, CA, installing their in-house developed Jet-Pak on C-82s and C-119s. They remain one of my favorite aircraft. A skilled model builder, he built several C-119 models with the Jet-Pak for illustrative purposes for the company. If only I had one now! He also traveled to India to manage the Jet-Pak installations for the Indian Air Force on their aircraft. (There was a web page chronicling SW but alas it no longer is accessible.)
I got on a DC-6B that Delta flew from Shreveport, LA to Montgomery, AL with a stop in Jackson, MS back in 1963. Just before that flight, I had flown on hops with SAC courier flights from March AFB, in California to Offutt AFB in Nebraska, and then a hop to Barksdale AFB in Shreveport. All of the trip was powered by big round motors. The R-4360s powered the KC-96 from March to Offutt. The hop to Shreveport was on a T-29 powered by R-2800's. Of course, the DC-6B also used the R2800. I almost got a ride in the T-39 Jet (Saber Liner) for the hop from Offutt, but got bumped by a higher ranking gentleman. (He had a bird on his shoulder. I was a lowly E-3 PFC in the Army at the time.) All my rides were with engines that were probably older than I was.
Ahhh! I have fond memories of the DC 3, flying from Chicago to Madison, Stevens Point, Wausau and Rhinelander (around thunderstorms) with my parents while enjoying a horrible sinus infection. That's FOUR changes of cabin pressure, and bleeding out of my nose before the trip was half over. What a fine plane the Constellation was!
The first aircraft, the C-82, was the precursor to the C-119 "flying boxcar", a staple for delivery of Army paratroopers. First aircraft I ever jumped -- in Jump School, 1966. Jumpmasters hated it because the aft fuselage tapered down putting the two rear doors at a rearward angle. If you exited left and right simultaneously, the two jumpers would meet just under the twin tail booms. Hard. Jumpmasters had to stagger the jumpers to make it work, which, of course, slowed down the stick. Defeated the military goal of getting the jumpers out as quickly as possible so that units could land in close proximity. Hell of a tough jump. When we got to our units we were jumping C-130(s) and it was like the sun came out! We could clear a 12 man A-Team (I was in Special Forces) in 3-5 seconds -- using the doors as we only used the ramp for HALO -- and, as the 130 was a four engine aircraft, they would cut back on the inboard engines to reduce prop blast. The C-141 was even better (used to strap hang with the 82nd when I was at Bragg) with blast deflectors that rotated out of the fuselage and going to flight idle on the inboards. Still, I'm glad I got to jump that old hunk of metal. Oh, and yeah, the Connie was arguably the most beautiful thing that ever took flight.
My Dad and Mom worked for CP Air in Canada in the 1950s. They flew in DC-3s, DC-6b, DC-8, 747, quite a range of commercial aircraft development. My father recounted 6bs being the first aircraft that could do the Japan run, from Vancouver (YVR), with refueling stops in Alaska. Imagine flying across the Pacific at such a relatively low altitude. My mother recounted seeing Beluga whales shore to shore in the St. Lawrence, while in a DC-3. I found the remains of a 6b my father flew that run on. The cockpit and front part of the fuselage reside in a museum today.
I flew from Andrews Air Force Base to Maxwell in Alabama on Connie , think designated C 121 , on a stretcher looking out a large round window Dec ‘68 loved that aircraft
Must be Ike a football player wearing a white uniform because they sure look big. The only one I’ve ever seen was Air Force 1, the original, and it was on permanent display somewhere.
At New Zealand's Christchurch airport, the US effort in Antarctica was served by Globe Masters, but there was one late Super Constellation. I loved seeing it roar into life. So very loud.
On or about 2002 while visiting Wheeler Downtown Airport (KC), I saw among other things, a R4360 cutaway engine that had multiple, small PRT's on each cylinder row, coupled to the crankshaft with small bevel-gear driven shafts (IIRC). I've not seen other photos or articles on this version of the Wasp Major. I think it was placarded as 'Maximum Wasp'. They have a museum there with a realistic early terminal passenger area, and outside, a L-1011 minus engines. Huge jet.
Interesting video as I have flown on almost all the models shown. MATS ( USAF ) flight we were on in 1956 had an engine problem and we ended up stuck on Kwajalein for two weeks while they got another engine shipped in. It was a C-54. Still like the Connie the best.
A very interesting video practically depicting the end of the piston era and the beginning of the jet era. The piston engines was simply too expensive and too mantainace intensive. I like the photos very much, a bit nostalgic through. Good job again as always 👍 👍👍
I have a book that says that the R3350 turbo compound engines made 3600 hp, and each PRT produced about 200 of those horses. These were just like the turbine section of a turbocharger, but instead of turning a compressor wheel [the engine was already supercharged], the shaft from the turbine powered a fluid coupling which then was connected to the crankshaft, kind of like three torque converters helping power the propellor. These PRT's were ~~NOTORIOUS~~ for surging when the throttle was advanced and literally blowing apart! On takeoff, pilots had to put their feet on the brakes, and the engineer would slowly over a 20 second period advance the throttles to takeoff power. That is what you had to do to keep these things from "launching"! And on top of that, these air cooled engine were very very susceptible to "shock cooling", which means that it was not uncommon to pull one of these engines to idle at cruise and the sudden cooling of the cylinders would cause one or more to crack and literally break off the engine! These were very highly stressed engines, built as light as possible since they really didn't produce much power, and the metallurgy back then was not as advanced as today. Great video!
I flew on a DC-7C from Memphis to O'Hare at night in late 1964. I think it was either Delta or United. I sat in the right window seat on the trailing edge of the wing, looking down the exhaust of the right inboard engine. On takeoff and climb there was a 4 foot long orange flame coming out and I could see right down into the red hot power recovery turbine. When the plane leveled at cruise, the exhaust shrank back to a few inches and turned blue as the FE leaned the mixture. That was probably the most comfortable airline flight I ever had. The first leg of the trip was a milk run from Pensacola with about 2 or 3 stops to MEM in a Southern Airways DC-3. The last leg of my trip was in a DC-8 from ORD to Portland with about 30 passengers. The cost wasn't much as we could fly "military standby" in those days when I was making $115 a month as a Student Naval Aviator. 3 generations of airliners in one trip.
Quite interesting. I flew as Radio Operator in SP-2E Neptunes, which had Turbo Compound R3350s. Spent a few extra days in Rosey Roads, PR due to PRTs ingesting valves...
My last flight in EC-121K 137890 was Apr 10, 1979. We blew Number 3 engine (R3350) on Midway Island. Got a flight back to Barbers Point, flew commercial back to LAX... 137890 was repaired by Dynalectron, flown back to Mugu, retired to Davis Monthan May 07, 1979...
My Dad was career Air Force so our family flew to many of our overseas bases as I grew up. We flew in a Connie in 1960 to Puerto Rico and 3 years later we were transferred back to the USA and we rode in a Boing 707 jet liner. The one thing I remember as a 10 year old kid was how loud the Constellation was inside. Mom had to stuff klennex in our ears. The Boing was a night and day difference. And yes, we were stationed at Ramey AFB PR during the Cuban Missle Crisis and the Kennedy assasination.
Great stuff Mike. You will of course have read North Star Over my Shoulder by Bob Buck. He states that when flying the 1649s they would keep below 13000 ft, so as not to have to use the higher boost setting on the mechanical superchargers, and hence prolong the life of the engines. TWA 1649s served international routes possibly as late as 1960, I have seen a photo of one at Bahrein at that time, until finally displaced by the 707s. I remember a night flight in a KLM 749, and watching enthralled the flickering ring of fire from the jet pipe exhaust stacks
EAL kept one Super Connie into the later 70s in Miami for pretty much the same purpose. The FAA would use it periodically for type-rating rides and such, as well. There was a farewell article about it in the company newspaper when they finally sold it off.
Thank for this, I loved the "Ontos" maybe some more history of this "packet" will tell of its story in AK and finally with Hawkins n powers and then to now at Hagerstown collection. Last time I seen it was airworthy
7:50 The model box cover art vs. the picture. The picture was shot with a little fisheye lens effect. The box cover took the "bend" out of the nose and tail. (Vertical stabilizers, windshield, and radome are all different.) Without the "fisheye" effect, the wingtip tank diminishes in apparent size also. Truly beautiful craft.
Thanks much for a very well done video. Those photos are great! I had not heard of TWA using the Fairchild. I'm old enough to remember the change from piston to jets in commercial airliners. I flew from Seattle to Minneapolis in a Western or Northwest 720. We then flew to Sioux Falls in a Branniff piston. This is a backwards introduction to the big planes and was amplified by the noise and scary shaking of the 4 engine piston. This was 1963 or 64 and I'm thinking this was a DC-7C that was pulled of the long haul routes and served the short haul regional routes. Is there anybody out there that can confirm the piston aircraft type? I can still feel myself sitting in the pistion and wondering if it was going to shake apart!
Mike - another fascinating video. I was hoping either within it or in the comments I would see a reference to the Fairchild Packet being the aircraft in the movie "Flight of the Phoenix", and indeed there is a comment to that effect! By the way, I've been trying to figure out why I find your videos so accessible and watchable and then it struck me......with still images and informative content which isn't overly technical for us non-engineering types, I can see a similarity with some books I have, namely three volumes of photographs by the famous British aviation photographer, Charles E Brown (check out "Camera in the Clouds"). He photographed hundreds and hundreds of aircraft types from the 1930s (or even 20s) through to the early jet age. He used large a large format camera to capture stunning high resolution air-to-air images. Many of his photos have become "the" photo of certain types. The books are mostly the images themselves with reasonably spare descriptions noting technical and historic information where relevant. I highly recommend them..
I worked on the last one in the US Navy. My Dad was in the Navy and we flew from Japan to Taiwan in the early 60's on an Air Force C-121. He was later a Aircrewman on Navy EC-121's out of Rota, Spain .
I’d love to see a series on the Convairliners! Easily one of the most versatile twin engined medium haul airliner series ever made and still in limited use today and only recently retired from scheduled passenger service due to new and expensive regulations that made the necessary updates uneconomical.
I must have been about 5 years old when my Mom took me and my sister on Air Icelandic to Europe. I remember looking out the window and watching the propellers.
We had a C-82 that had retired from wildland fire at Battle Mountain, NV. Fairchild made an awesome aircraft. There a Constellation "Pegasus" on ice in Antarctica near McMurdo. Crashed due to weather with no refuel capability to return to the big blue hanger at Christchurch. Loewy's design also streamined locomotives with the Pennsylvania Railroad futuristic Duplex engines.
Great vlog as always! I do not know who inspired who but SAS/SK made a contract with Transair of Sweden to have C-46 to fly across Europe and do nothing but ferry the engines of the SAS DC-7C! Unthinkeble today… I may have told you this before. Someone at Transair must have loved the DC-7. They bought more than 10 planes from EA. When they also got brand new 727-134 from Boeing the following was issued: Sell charter on the 727 as much as possible. It still is cheaper to fly than the DC-7! I think they ended scrapping 7 of the 7s. On the quads there was space under one of the wings to ferry an engine. Here on YT there is a home movie about the last DC-6 of UA. The captain of the flight has filmed his last flights on the 6 and one of his sons put it out on YT. It is 12 mins and it includes an engine stop in flight. Today UA will buy 100 787s with 100 options! And up to 100 Max. Holy cow! You like models. This will make you cry. During a move someone thru away my SS United States painted model from the mid 50s. Say no more! A rescue helicopter from the era did not make it also. No good.
The Connie is arguably one of the prettiest airplanes ever!
A old connie pilot told me that flew for Trans Canada Airlines said that after take off and leveling out at altitude the flight engineer would put the props slightly out of sink that would produce a engine throbbing sound and it would put the babies and children to sleep... so everyone could enjoy the flight.
Here I am , it is lMonday night in Oz, just heading for bed. Temptation big time. Mike’s memory time. LFlew in a Connie Sydney to Melbourne 1954………all I remember is a photo of me on the flight stairs. I flew another Connie from Puerto Rico to Santo Domingo 1974, the hard stand at PR was a lake of black oil, the interior had been renovated with a repaint with brushstrokes very evident, the start up was incredibly Smokey. Must have got back to PR in the same unit after getting US Visa.
I still kick myself for not exploring StThomas’s flying boat collection, my Dad having flown Short Sunderlands in WW2 for the RAAF out of Pembroke Dock in the UK. Little Grummans were landing and taking off constantly through the yacht harbour. Vaguely I remember some very large ex military flying boats on the hard, maybe even one of the massive Martins. Too long ago, too small a window. Opportunity lost.
Love your histories Mike, I have mentioned before that Sydney City was quiet as a mouse then, the 50s, except for the occasional flying boat coming in or out of Rose Bay or any of the other four engined prop airliners creeping into Kingsford Smith Airport pre jet, they seemed SO loud. The sound echoed through the city buildings- the days before sirens, choppers, urgency! Everybody looked up and searched for the sound. How did we manage?!
Ahhh disappeared into reverie of ancient times. Bloody hell, you could hear the elephants trumpeting or the lions roaring at the zoo across the Harbour! Try and do that today.
Until your next post Mike, cheers and thanks.
Love this content Mike. The Connie and 707 looked so attractive in the old TWA livery. Always enjoy the box art being integrated into the presentation as well.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane...My Father in Law was with TWA for almost 40 years...flight engineer/right seat/left seat on everything from DC-3's to 787's. He had so many great stories about that great airline.
Don’t neglect mentioning the turboprop airliner - The Lockheed Electra. Granted, it had the prop whirl mode issue, but once they changed from the triangle engine mount to the rectangular mount, it fixed the problem. But the PR damage had been done. That airframe, with modifications, became the venerable P-3 Orion! I had over 4,000 in them over a 20 year career, and it will live forever in my heart.
There is more to that story. As a mechanic I am familiar with the issue, which they called sympathetic synchronous vibration (or something like that, pretty big words for a mechanic, right). Long story short, an out of balance prop would vibrate and this would in turn start a vibration in the wing which would then crack and depart the aircraft. Wings are pretty hard to do without. So, now we have systems built in to monitor vibrations and it gets checked regularly and rebalanced if needed.
I got to fly a P-3 Orion for about 5 minutes. Navy gave orientation flights to prospects for the flight program and I got to ride along and share the right seat for a turn.
Always liked the C-82 Packet…the star of the original (and only watchable) “Flight of the Phoenix” movie….Hoping someone will make a kit of it.
Everytime I see a pic of the C-82, I think of "Flight Of The Phoenix". 😄
I've begged model makers to do a 1/48 C-119 flying boxcar.......maybe someday!!!!
@@garyyoung4074 there are some models on ebay but the largest one I saw just now was 1:72
That was a C 119. No jet.
3d printers!
The Fairchild C82 was the plane that was rebuilt in the 1962 film "The Flight of the Phoenix :) Great movie !
"You be the judge." Looks like the box art was from a more distant vantage. Look at the perspectives on the tail and the nose cap as well as the wing and engines.
When I was a little boy I loved airplanes. My Aunt and Uncle lived in Kansas City near the airport, and when we visited them I got to stand in their backyard and watch the Super Connies fly low overhead on their landing approach; One time my parents took me to the airport terminal to watch the TWA Connies take off and land, I was thrilled!!! Years later when I was grown up, I became a licensed Aircraft Maintenance Technician and worked for an airline until I retired.
Another fine episode Mr. Machat. Thanks for all of your hard work.
This very C-82 is now located at Hagerstown Maryland airport in the Hagerstown Aviation Museum in the old Fairchild factory building. It was flown there sometime in the late 80's or the 90's after spending time at the Pima Air and Space Museum at Tucson. You can still see, very faintly, some of the traces of the old TWA markings, as well as those of later operators such as Briles. Let me know if you want some pictures of Ontos as it looks now.
awesome
Thanks for the comment, and that's wonderful to know!
I'm very surprised that this C-82 is thankfully at the aviation museum that was once the Fairchild factory building! Thanks for sharing 👍 👍👍
I flew the 707 in '63... I'd trade 10 of those experiences for just 1 in a Connie. I did get to see Breitling's Super-Connie, however, parked on a tarmac (Germany?).
Just moved to Hagerstown.
The whole video-photos, plane types, engine types, you name it- was "music" to my ears and eyes. As a retired round engine aircraft driver, I liked the smells and sounds, the need to understand how things worked, and (to be honest) even a little of the uncertainty. Thanks!
This was absolutely one of your best videos... if not THE BEST... thanx
Thanks for providing a detailed background on TWA's Fairchild C-82A "Ontos" or "Motor Toter" not to mention the difficulties faced with the more advanced versions of the Wright 3350 radial engine.
"Ontos" had sleeping accommodation in the wings,think it was based at LBG Paris when operating in Europe
Another great video. The photos are great. Thanks for sharing,great work.
Many thanks John!
Thanks again Mr Machat for another outstanding post! I grew up during the latter part of the change from piston engine to jet powered aircraft. It was a somewhat magical time to me. The Connie was the most beautiful aircraft of all time to me. My very first airplane flight was in a Boeing 707, from New Orleans to Philadelphia. I was 11, and what a thrill it was! Been hooked ever since. Yes, Max is a treasure as are you! As always God bless you and yours and thanks again for everything you do! Have a safe and Very Merry Christmas Sir! Take care always!
Thank you for this fascinating birthday present. I absolutely love this piston-airliner content!
Back in the 50s, my dad was in a Lockheed Constellation on a flight back home to attend a funeral of a family member. The plane had an engine failure midflight but reached its destination without incident, however it did scare him because he had always been afraid to fly and this incident only served to further scare him about air travel.
I understand your dad's thinking. I stopped flying in the 80s after several times of being put on, Dump Trucks--worn out planes ready for retirement, the kind that has worn-out seat covers over worn-out seat covers.
Another great presentation Mike. At 71, I’m just too young to have flown from Scotland on these big propliners! However, I do remember that Icelandair (Flugefelag Islands) would substitute a DC-6 when their ONLY Boeing 727 (TF-FIE Gullfaxi) had technical problems on their regular Keflavik-Copenhagen via Glasgow route in 1969. I worked in the Duty Free bond when I was a student, and the substitute aircraft ran very LATE.
During the Golden age of propeller planes my dad was with Eastern Airlines. I was a little boy. My first flight was a DC3 from Corpus Christy to Miami over the Gulf of Mexico. We took many trips from Miami north to our relatives farms in South Dakota. I've been DC6, DC7, and the best the Connie. Whe got first class one time, but had share meals because we were space available . My dad got me into the cockpits all the time. My eyes were huge and my mouth was dumbly shut. Flew my favorite thr Connie many times. We did have feathered engines sometimes. My dad would always reassure us we were safe. I did see 2 Connies at Lake Havasu Airport in 1969. They were bringing prospects to by houses in the development. Oh yeah, I saw the London Bridge in pieces in a field before they assembled it. I was a lucky little boy in props.
GREAT VIDEO AS ALWAYS SIR,MY FIRST CLOSEUP OF A CONNIE WAS WHEN FLEW OVER OUR HOUSE.THE LANDING PATTERN WAS OVER OUR HOUSE AND YOU COULD SEE PEOPLE LOOKING OUT THE CABIN WINDOWS AND WAVING BACK TO YOU.THE LAST CONNIE I EVER SAW WAS THE ONE THEY TURN INTO THE CRASH LANDING LOUNGE IN METAIRIE LA.SAW HER EVERY MORNING GOING TO WORK.GOD BLESS
Thanks for another beautiful episode .. I just love the Connie’s. Albatross like fuselage and fair curves … the 707 indeed sure did look fast , and the tube fuselage was more efficient plus easier to manufacture.. maybe future designs will become prettier and more organic
I clicked on this video because of the Boxcar. They are so cool and had such an amazing career. My dad was in Vietnam when they were first used for ground support. One of several aircraft called Puff the Magic Dragon. When I lived in Vietnam for a few years I discovered that there is still an intact Boxcar parked at Ton San Nhat airport. They have quite a few different aircraft in storage there. It's so cool that it's still there but sad that it's just been left to rot. Love the video and I can't wait to see more! 👍
Great job! I flew on all the Eastern Connies, often in first class, as my mom was a travel agent. It was a thrill! There are so many great propliners I'll never fly, but it truly was the Golden Age. It would be great for you to do a piece about the turboprops, which had maybe an even shorter service life, but we an unique experience in commercial air travel.
Excellent video. Well prepared and well presented. Very good work! 👍👏😃
Many thanks!
Another awesome episode Mike👏
Thank you.
Thanks for the education in a field of aviation of which I know very little. It's my first time on your channel, I just subscribed! Your playlist looks interesting, I got alot of catching up to do.
I must add my condolences on the loss of your friend.
We're still using the DC-6 for cargo in Alaska. One of a handful of aircraft that I'll stop whatever I'm doing to watch a takeoff.
Sorry to hear Jon Proctor passed. A nice man that helped my research on my family's TWA history....
Thanks Mike for another enjoyable video with great photos of such remarkable and beautiful aircraft. I remember being on a PanAm 747 from SFO to HNL back in 1979. The captain informed us that we were ferrying an extra engine to HNL as a replacement for a 747 in Honolulu. He told us we might be slightly delayed. That was the first time I had heard that this was possible and apparently the fastest way to get a spare engine out to where it was needed. Thanks for pointing out the efficiency of "The Thing" for ferrying engines to where they were needed.
There was a fifth engine mount on the B747 which allowed any bird to ferry a spare engine on an otherwise typical passenger flight. Looks goofy but very handy.
Canada here the aircraft you quoted is the Argus, not Argosy. Just for clarification. Keep up the great work always look forward to.
With the wing and tail of the Bristol Britannia too.
Yes, good catch, and apologies for the obvious error. No excuse for that, but still dealing with post-COVID brain fog. Thanks for watching!
Thankfully, the JT3C/D engines in the 707's were reasonably reliable, having worked on the military versions(J-57 & TF33)of the same engine myself in mid-late '70's during my USAF service as a jet engine troop. The TF33 is still in use today on the B-52H bombers, and the J-57 was used in the B-52A through G models. ✈✈
The J-57 powered KC-135 tankers were about the loudest aircraft in the inventory when in water injection during takeoff, and the exhaust smoke was quite noticeable as opposed to the turbofan-engined tankers & bombers. Fan models were also quieter. 🛫
Thanks for a cool & informative video!
Whenever I hear the lovely throaty rumble of a multi-radial flying overhead, I rush out to get a look at the plane. Very rare nowadays. I miss them.
The only time I ever get to hear radials is around Oshkosh time. There used to be a formation flying school for warbirds prior to the Fly-in at the local airport.
doesn't everyone???
When I moved to Anchorage, AK in 1983 two of the C-82s were parked at Anchorage International plus a C-99. They had been used to haul salmon from beach landing strips (yes, at low tide only) to processing plants. They were retired before 1983 because they had never been certified by the FAA.
WELL done!!! I thank You for the journey back in time.
Many thanks!
In April, 1992, several from BAC, and the Route 202 Corridor "Silicon Valley of the East" (Great Valley, PA) assisted in the restoration of some of the avionics frpm the Enola Gay, at the Smithsonian Silver Hill (Paul A. Garber) Facility. There was an older gent, don't remember his name, but he was active in the "Save a Connie" Foundation, and gave tours of Silver Hill for many-a-year. He was the type of person you'll remember, I hope this sparks a memory of him by others!
Great video Mr. Machat. Thanks for the history lesson. The Fairchild Packet would be a great model kit. Interesting to see the cockpits of the piston and jet aircraft. The change in technology went from basically simple to highly complex.
Flew on a chartered Connie flight from McCord AFB, Seattle WA to Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage AK in April of 1966 on Alaska Airlines. One of the final flights before they transitioned to the 707. I’ve always thought the Connie was the most beautiful design ever.
Agreed!
A few years ago Lufthansa was restoring a 1649. I was assigned to be the functional test engineer, unfortunately they had a few setbacks that they couldn't recover from. It was really interesting work.
Hawkins and Powers also Aero Union operated C-119s with the J-34 boost. There are a few in museum s.
I have an original TWA Constellation 749 post card from 1950. Nobody filled it out, stamped, or sent it out. Great linen-finish card. Def. one of the most beautiful planes of all.
really great video, so much info in such a short period of time. Thanks. BTW that book is really amazing.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for the great information. The image of the C-82 is what drew me in to start with and then the rest of the post kept my interest. In the mid 80's I was on a forest fire in I believe Montana, and was in awe of what I thought was a "flying box car" with a jet engine mounted on the roof making slurry drops into a box canyon. As it dropped into the canyon we would here the rising sound of that jet as it's power was increased to pull the craft up and out of the canyon, quite impressive. This may well have been a C-82.
On another note, my Dad served in Korea aboard B-29's and later, flying out of Spokane Washington, was flying over the pole to check on the Soviet Union. He was a crew chief and later taught aircraft mechanics on the B-29 as they were being outmoded. His rememberences of the Wright engines were not all good ones. He told often told having to pull all of the spark plugs and either replacing or cleaning them and refitting them, in a hurry.
I still love the old aircraft and their unmistakable sound.
My first flight, as a 4-5 year old was from New York to Germany in a DC-3, in about 1955. This was by way of the Azores for refueling.
Thanks for stirring the old memories.
Mike, you are still putting out great aviation material. That is not just a retread of the same old stuff that you can find all over UA-cam. I was a reader and subscriber to Wings and Air Power, and I even occasionally got a small submission published, such as the SR-71 at Eglin after hurricane Ivan.
Appreciate the comment, thanks!
Cool video - we flew our TBM Avenger to Hagerstown a while back and you can still see the old Fairchild factory buildings on the other side of the runway.
An ANG A-10 Warthog did a barrel roll into the airshow, taxing in right next to us, the same aircraft had also left those buildings on the other side of the runway several decades ago…. crazy to think about.
There is a local museum and non-profit that brings out their Fairchild Providers and other cargo aircraft for special events, it’s really interesting to see.
I saw Connies landing at Anchorage International Airport regularly back when I was younger (1963/1964). We lived in the flight path of the runway (now known as the east-west runway). They were quite common here in Alaska. They made a distinctive noise as they flew past our house barely above the treeline, sported the triple tails.
Saw a Connie takeoff from Ontario, CA airport back in late '50s. Even with four-engines I remember prop-planes taking a long time to gain altitude. My back yard was about a mile from the runway. The memory stuck with me because of the three-tails.
Good stuff, Mike! Thumbs up.
He is right about the engine flash. When I was a young child my family flew from Macguire AFB to Frankfurt Germany on a Connie. Stopped for fuel in Scotland. I remember watching the fire come out of the exhausts all night, as a 3 year old child it was fascinating and the noise was deafening.
Old airfield near Little Bighorn has a couple of these parked along with several B24’s . All were retired water bombers. Seen in 2019 while on tourist bus trip . Cheers from Downunder 👍🇦🇺🇺🇸
Just a note. Dad worked ground service for TWA in KC. Flew on the Connie as a kid. Yep the coolest thing was the flames out the exhaust. Also I was entertained by sprinkling salt on the dark tray tables and watch it vibrate around. On the Connie first class was in the rear away from engine noise.
When you mentioned the fire show during a Connie flight, it brought back memories of flying out of Shreveport to Dallas on a Convair 440. Dad worked for Delta so we flew often enough. The 440s seemed to like to light up when they were starting. Papa said that was just the way they were and that they were safe. He just missed the Korean war..." uh, police action" and flew a lot of the C-82 as radio technician (don't remember the proper term but he could fix stuff in flight) and talked about the 82's engine being prone to just not working on the way to wherever. But they always got there.
Really great video and the history of the engines is amazing. We built some really cool stuff.
Mike, thanks for another great video. As a professional pilot, I thoroughly enjoy the accurate detail and interesting footnotes of your productions! Kudos to you, sir.
Appreciate the comment, thanks!
That was AWESOME Mike and thanks. I know what I will talk about on tonights after hours video. I LOVE IT! Aviation stuff like this just never gets old...well, not to me anyway. 😊😊😉😉
Thanks Max - both for the nice comment and super idea to do this video in the first place. Dinner's on me (Biggie-size at the LAX In-'N'-Out?) for your LA visit next year, as this video is breaking records for viewers, click-through, and retention. Mindblowing how these classic propliners still capture the aviation crowd to this day. Thanks again and Model-on!
@@celebratingaviationwithmik9782 WOW!
2:47 My dad (now passed) worked at Steward-Davis in Long Beach, CA, installing their in-house developed Jet-Pak on C-82s and C-119s. They remain one of my favorite aircraft. A skilled model builder, he built several C-119 models with the Jet-Pak for illustrative purposes for the company. If only I had one now! He also traveled to India to manage the Jet-Pak installations for the Indian Air Force on their aircraft. (There was a web page chronicling SW but alas it no longer is accessible.)
I got on a DC-6B that Delta flew from Shreveport, LA to Montgomery, AL with a stop in Jackson, MS back in 1963. Just before that flight, I had flown on hops with SAC courier flights from March AFB, in California to Offutt AFB in Nebraska, and then a hop to Barksdale AFB in Shreveport. All of the trip was powered by big round motors. The R-4360s powered the KC-96 from March to Offutt. The hop to Shreveport was on a T-29 powered by R-2800's. Of course, the DC-6B also used the R2800. I almost got a ride in the T-39 Jet (Saber Liner) for the hop from Offutt, but got bumped by a higher ranking gentleman. (He had a bird on his shoulder. I was a lowly E-3 PFC in the Army at the time.) All my rides were with engines that were probably older than I was.
Your channel is going to explode....good stuff!
You have a great wealth of knowledge. Another great video.
Appreciate the comment, thanks!
Ahhh! I have fond memories of the DC 3, flying from Chicago to Madison, Stevens Point, Wausau and Rhinelander (around thunderstorms) with my parents while enjoying a horrible sinus infection. That's FOUR changes of cabin pressure, and bleeding out of my nose before the trip was half over. What a fine plane the Constellation was!
"Just the Thing"! We saw what you did there, you rascal you! Lol Thanks again, Mike!
The first aircraft, the C-82, was the precursor to the C-119 "flying boxcar", a staple for delivery of Army paratroopers. First aircraft I ever jumped -- in Jump School, 1966. Jumpmasters hated it because the aft fuselage tapered down putting the two rear doors at a rearward angle. If you exited left and right simultaneously, the two jumpers would meet just under the twin tail booms. Hard. Jumpmasters had to stagger the jumpers to make it work, which, of course, slowed down the stick. Defeated the military goal of getting the jumpers out as quickly as possible so that units could land in close proximity. Hell of a tough jump. When we got to our units we were jumping C-130(s) and it was like the sun came out! We could clear a 12 man A-Team (I was in Special Forces) in 3-5 seconds -- using the doors as we only used the ramp for HALO -- and, as the 130 was a four engine aircraft, they would cut back on the inboard engines to reduce prop blast. The C-141 was even better (used to strap hang with the 82nd when I was at Bragg) with blast deflectors that rotated out of the fuselage and going to flight idle on the inboards. Still, I'm glad I got to jump that old hunk of metal.
Oh, and yeah, the Connie was arguably the most beautiful thing that ever took flight.
My Dad and Mom worked for CP Air in Canada in the 1950s. They flew in DC-3s, DC-6b, DC-8, 747, quite a range of commercial aircraft development. My father recounted 6bs being the first aircraft that could do the Japan run, from Vancouver (YVR), with refueling stops in Alaska. Imagine flying across the Pacific at such a relatively low altitude. My mother recounted seeing Beluga whales shore to shore in the St. Lawrence, while in a DC-3. I found the remains of a 6b my father flew that run on. The cockpit and front part of the fuselage reside in a museum today.
I flew from Andrews Air Force Base to Maxwell in Alabama on Connie , think designated C 121 , on a stretcher looking out a large round window Dec ‘68 loved that aircraft
I always loved those aircraft but I never realised the Constellation was that small. Thanks for a great video.
Must be Ike a football player wearing a white uniform because they sure look big. The only one I’ve ever seen was Air Force 1, the original, and it was on permanent display somewhere.
A truly outstanding video with outstanding aircraft.
One video with both the Super Constellation and the 707.
Can it get any better?
Reading by the light of the engine exhaust - the romance of aviation !
At New Zealand's Christchurch airport, the US effort in Antarctica was served by Globe Masters, but there was one late Super Constellation. I loved seeing it roar into life. So very loud.
On or about 2002 while visiting Wheeler Downtown Airport (KC), I saw among other things, a R4360 cutaway engine that had multiple, small PRT's on each cylinder row, coupled to the crankshaft with small bevel-gear driven shafts (IIRC). I've not seen other photos or articles on this version of the Wasp Major. I think it was placarded as 'Maximum Wasp'. They have a museum there with a realistic early terminal passenger area, and outside, a L-1011 minus engines. Huge jet.
Interesting video as I have flown on almost all the models shown. MATS ( USAF ) flight we were on in 1956 had an engine problem and we ended up stuck on Kwajalein for two weeks while they got another engine shipped in. It was a C-54. Still like the Connie the best.
A very interesting video practically depicting the end of the piston era and the beginning of the jet era. The piston engines was simply too expensive and too mantainace intensive. I like the photos very much, a bit nostalgic through. Good job again as always 👍 👍👍
Appreciate the comment, thanks!
Wow, beautiful planes with beautiful engines.
I have a book that says that the R3350 turbo compound engines made 3600 hp, and each PRT produced about 200 of those horses.
These were just like the turbine section of a turbocharger, but instead of turning a compressor wheel [the engine was already supercharged], the shaft from the turbine powered a fluid coupling which then was connected to the crankshaft, kind of like three torque converters helping power the propellor.
These PRT's were ~~NOTORIOUS~~ for surging when the throttle was advanced and literally blowing apart! On takeoff, pilots had to put their feet on the brakes, and the engineer would slowly over a 20 second period advance the throttles to takeoff power. That is what you had to do to keep these things from "launching"!
And on top of that, these air cooled engine were very very susceptible to "shock cooling", which means that it was not uncommon to pull one of these engines to idle at cruise and the sudden cooling of the cylinders would cause one or more to crack and literally break off the engine! These were very highly stressed engines, built as light as possible since they really didn't produce much power, and the metallurgy back then was not as advanced as today.
Great video!
Great essay - loved it!
Thanks so much!
Very informative video, Mike. Subscribed.
Many thanks, and great to have you aboard!
Flew on WV2's, air crew USN, 1960, 61 and 62. The Willy Victor was a great ride. Crewed on 145941, last Connie built. Radio operator position.
Another great story. Thanks
I flew on a DC-7C from Memphis to O'Hare at night in late 1964. I think it was either Delta or United. I sat in the right window seat on the trailing edge of the wing, looking down the exhaust of the right inboard engine. On takeoff and climb there was a 4 foot long orange flame coming out and I could see right down into the red hot power recovery turbine. When the plane leveled at cruise, the exhaust shrank back to a few inches and turned blue as the FE leaned the mixture. That was probably the most comfortable airline flight I ever had. The first leg of the trip was a milk run from Pensacola with about 2 or 3 stops to MEM in a Southern Airways DC-3. The last leg of my trip was in a DC-8 from ORD to Portland with about 30 passengers. The cost wasn't much as we could fly "military standby" in those days when I was making $115 a month as a Student Naval Aviator. 3 generations of airliners in one trip.
Quite interesting. I flew as Radio Operator in SP-2E Neptunes, which had Turbo Compound R3350s. Spent a few extra days in Rosey Roads, PR due to PRTs ingesting valves...
My last flight in EC-121K 137890 was Apr 10, 1979. We blew Number 3 engine (R3350) on Midway Island. Got a flight back to Barbers Point, flew commercial back to LAX... 137890 was repaired by Dynalectron, flown back to Mugu, retired to Davis Monthan May 07, 1979...
My Dad was career Air Force so our family flew to many of our overseas bases as I grew up. We flew in a Connie in 1960 to Puerto Rico and 3 years later we were transferred back to the USA and we rode in a Boing 707 jet liner. The one thing I remember as a 10 year old kid was how loud the Constellation was inside. Mom had to stuff klennex in our ears. The Boing was a night and day difference. And yes, we were stationed at Ramey AFB PR during the Cuban Missle Crisis and the Kennedy assasination.
At the age of 11, I flew with my family from Belem, Brazil to Miami in “Super H Constellation” with Real Airlines of Brazil. Unforgettable!
Great stuff Mike. You will of course have read North Star Over my Shoulder by Bob Buck. He states that when flying the 1649s they would keep below 13000 ft, so as not to have to use the higher boost setting on the mechanical superchargers, and hence prolong the life of the engines. TWA 1649s served international routes possibly as late as 1960, I have seen a photo of one at Bahrein at that time, until finally displaced by the 707s. I remember a night flight in a KLM 749, and watching enthralled the flickering ring of fire from the jet pipe exhaust stacks
Great comment, thanks!
EAL kept one Super Connie into the later 70s in Miami for pretty much the same purpose. The FAA would use it periodically for type-rating rides and such, as well. There was a farewell article about it in the company newspaper when they finally sold it off.
Thank for this, I loved the "Ontos" maybe some more history of this "packet" will tell of its story in AK and finally with Hawkins n powers and then to now at Hagerstown collection. Last time I seen it was airworthy
7:50 The model box cover art vs. the picture.
The picture was shot with a little fisheye lens effect. The box cover took the "bend" out of the nose and tail. (Vertical stabilizers, windshield, and radome are all different.) Without the "fisheye" effect, the wingtip tank diminishes in apparent size also.
Truly beautiful craft.
Another note. It was always exciting landing at the old KCI (now Charles B Wheeler) airport in a 707. The runway was just long enough to stop.
Great video. TWA Packet reminds me of the Flight of the Phoenix plane.
same type
You could do an entire presentation on this very lucky aircraft. It had a very long service life old N9701F.
Thanks much for a very well done video. Those photos are great! I had not heard of TWA using the Fairchild. I'm old enough to remember the change from piston to jets in commercial airliners. I flew from Seattle to Minneapolis in a Western or Northwest 720. We then flew to Sioux Falls in a Branniff piston. This is a backwards introduction to the big planes and was amplified by the noise and scary shaking of the 4 engine piston. This was 1963 or 64 and I'm thinking this was a DC-7C that was pulled of the long haul routes and served the short haul regional routes. Is there anybody out there that can confirm the piston aircraft type? I can still feel myself sitting in the pistion and wondering if it was going to shake apart!
Mike - another fascinating video. I was hoping either within it or in the comments I would see a reference to the Fairchild Packet being the aircraft in the movie "Flight of the Phoenix", and indeed there is a comment to that effect! By the way, I've been trying to figure out why I find your videos so accessible and watchable and then it struck me......with still images and informative content which isn't overly technical for us non-engineering types, I can see a similarity with some books I have, namely three volumes of photographs by the famous British aviation photographer, Charles E Brown (check out "Camera in the Clouds"). He photographed hundreds and hundreds of aircraft types from the 1930s (or even 20s) through to the early jet age. He used large a large format camera to capture stunning high resolution air-to-air images. Many of his photos have become "the" photo of certain types. The books are mostly the images themselves with reasonably spare descriptions noting technical and historic information where relevant. I highly recommend them..
That era's VW engine to power the winch makes a lot of sense - few parts, simple, and very reliable while being easily repairable.
I worked on the last one in the US Navy. My Dad was in the Navy and we flew from Japan to Taiwan in the early 60's on an Air Force C-121. He was later a Aircrewman on Navy EC-121's out of Rota, Spain .
Muito interessante! Obrigado por compartilhar
I’d love to see a series on the Convairliners!
Easily one of the most versatile twin engined medium haul airliner series ever made and still in limited use today and only recently retired from scheduled passenger service due to new and expensive regulations that made the necessary updates uneconomical.
I must have been about 5 years old when my Mom took me and my sister on Air Icelandic to Europe. I remember looking out the window and watching the propellers.
In the early sixties, I grew up down the street from the Bell factory in Niagara Falls. I remember flying box cars and sonic booms.
We had a C-82 that had retired from wildland fire at Battle Mountain, NV. Fairchild made an awesome aircraft.
There a Constellation "Pegasus" on ice in Antarctica near McMurdo. Crashed due to weather with no refuel capability to return to the big blue hanger at Christchurch.
Loewy's design also streamined locomotives with the Pennsylvania Railroad futuristic Duplex engines.
Thank you very much. I had heard of this aircraft, and always wondered about its name, and purpose.
Great vlog as always! I do not know who inspired who but SAS/SK made a contract with Transair of Sweden to have C-46 to fly across Europe and do nothing but ferry the engines of the SAS DC-7C! Unthinkeble today… I may have told you this before. Someone at Transair must have loved the DC-7. They bought more than 10 planes from EA. When they also got brand new 727-134 from Boeing the following was issued: Sell charter on the 727 as much as possible. It still is cheaper to fly than the DC-7! I think they ended scrapping 7 of the 7s. On the quads there was space under one of the wings to ferry an engine. Here on YT there is a home movie about the last DC-6 of UA. The captain of the flight has filmed his last flights on the 6 and one of his sons put it out on YT. It is 12 mins and it includes an engine stop in flight. Today UA will buy 100 787s with 100 options! And up to 100 Max. Holy cow! You like models. This will make you cry. During a move someone thru away my SS United States painted model from the mid 50s. Say no more! A rescue helicopter from the era did not make it also. No good.