Old Shakey walkaround — Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, second of three
47° 08′ 00″ N / 122° 29′ 00″ W
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II as its sits in Heritage Hill Air Park on Joint Base Lewis-McChord— photo by Joseph May
This is the second of a three post walkaround photo essay of this Douglas C-124 Globemaster II which is displayed in Heritage Hill Air Park. This air park is part of the McChord Air Museum and Heritage Hill Air Park and offers wide spaces around the aircraft which offer more photography angles than most exhibits are able to provide.
An interpretive view with a wide angle lens of this Douglas C-124 Globemaster II — photo by Joseph May
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II is marked by its large box-like fuselage and clamshell doors, setting a standard that is common today — photo by Joseph May
A close view of the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II’s clamshell doors. note the fuselage window ports indicating the two interior decks — photo by Joseph May
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II clamshell doors as well as nose landing gear — photo by Joseph May
The rear elevator opening of the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II where an elevator platform could be lowered or raised for bulk cargo operations (often the platform was removed so an interior hoist could directly move cargo) — photo by Joseph May
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II’s rear elevator platform in its raised position — photo by Joseph May
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II’s Number 3 Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major reciprocating engine (3800 hp/2834kW) — photo by Joseph May
Previously, Monday’s post began this photo essay and presents the written information on this aircraft — Friday’s post will complete the walkaround 🙂
Old Shakey walkaround — Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, first of three
47° 08′ 00″ N / 122° 29′ 00″ W
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II in the Heritage Hill Air Park on Joint Base Lewis-McChord — photo by Joseph May
One of the several aircraft on exhibit is this Douglas C-124 Globemaster II and the display has an extra that is not seen at most, if not all other, C-124 exhibits. Although most loading, especially of large or outsized cargo, was done through the immense clamshell nose cargo doors there was another option — a rear elevator — and the museum has this pair of cargo doors open so it can be seen. The Globemaster II in the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force has been reviewed in this post, which has cockpit as well as interior photos and the technical paragraph repeated below. Additionally, the Delaware Military History and Education Foundation has a superior write-up on their C-124 Globemaster II page.
Perspective wide angle lens view of the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II — photo by Joseph May
The Douglas C-124 Globemaster II is the progeny of the limited production Douglas C-74 Globemaster which was born of the need to transport heavy equipment as well as large troop numbers across the Pacific Ocean during World War II. The end of the war meant that fewer than 20 of the original Globemasters were built and these were quickly overtaken by the Globemaster II with the opening of the Cold War and its requirements for transporting armored vehicles, missiles, radar equipment and aircraft quite far as well as quite quickly. The C-124 shared the same wing, engines and tail with the C-74 but the fuselage of the C-124 is obviously quite larger and in all dimensions. The cross-section of the fuselage is also squarish making for a more usable cargo volume than the conventional circular cross-section of the day. Interestingly, access into each wing was possible through tunnels entered below the cargo floor to service the engines as needed. The C-124’s propeller diameter required a high ground clearance — as opposed to today’s high wing jet powered cargo aircraft — so the design for loading and unloading in the field was challenging. Douglas met the challenge in two ways. First, and most obvious, are the characteristic clamshell cargo doors in the nose from which — once opened — a folding ramp would be deployed. The ramp is quite steep at 17º for cargo or vehicle loading or unloading and this presented its own challenges. Second, and less obvious, was an elevator positioned in the cargo bay and behind the wing root where a section of the cargo deck could serve as an elevator platform being lowered with the use of the internal overhead-mounted hoist — or it could be lowered and removed leaving the hoist to be used more freely. The cargo bay is uninterrupted since the flight deck is above the cargo deck but a second deck could be unfolded from the interior walls of the fuselage to carry light cargo or troops. A dedicated troop carrying mission could transport as many as 200 infantry with their gear per flight. Known as “Old Shakey” — due to the symphony of shakes, groans and vibrations produced while in flight — the C-124 was not without its problems or incidents but undeniably carried cargo more inexpensively per air mile than preceding aircraft and just when the U.S. Air Force needed it most.
Perspective view with a conventional lens of the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II — photo by Joseph May
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II’s clamshell doors and radome, made to appear diminutive by the C-124’s huge proportion — photo by Joseph May
A close view of the Globemaster II’s radome — photo by Joseph May
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II’s uniquely had wingtip combustion heaters which provided heat for the cain as well as for de-icing purposes (note the exhaust port midway back from the front — photo by Joseph May
The posts published next Wednesday and Friday will complete this walkaround 🙂
The Flatpack Bombers — or how the Zeppelin threat created the first air force and the first aircraft carrier
The Flatpack Bombers: the Royal Navy & the Zeppelin Menace, Ian Gardiner, 2009, ISBN 9781848840713, 224 pp.
The Flatpack Bombers: the Royal Navy & the Zeppelin Menace by Ian Gardiner
This is a wild, enlightening and incredible book. Gardiner has a wonderful ability to take a walk into the “long grass” as he calls it to find the facts and the stories mostly forgotten. In Flatpack Bombers he has a tale replete with James Bond-like daring exploits as well as incredible bravery on an almost daily basis. Gardiner blends well researched facts with personal human elements which combined to make the history of aerial delivered bombs as we still know it over 90 years later. Along the way we learn how a handful of British airmen, in aircraft assembled from crates (flatpacks), accomplished the:
- First strategic bombing (in the sense of destroying infrastructure and manufacturing facilities hundreds of miles from any front)
- First low level bombing
- First aircraft carrier
- First aircraft carrier launched attack
- First entirely airborne sea battle (British carrier based aircraft versus German port based seaplanes)
- Although extreme care was taken avoid civilian casualties, also the first unintended civilian casualties of a bombing raid
But Gardiner does not avoid the past or the present in his so very well written book. He fully explains the birth of the world’s first air force (ultimately becoming the Royal Air Force) coming into being to counter the Zeppelin threat from Germany during World War I, as well as how Imperial Germany failed to make the threat a reality at the expense of enhancing their submarine menace. He also, through writing of the personalities involved, illustrates how the Royal Navy foresaw the offensive advantages of the airplane whereas the Royal Army was somewhat myopic in those regards. His strategic understanding of the Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet as well as Imperial Germany’s surface fleet is enlightening. His pilot-level perspective also does not disappoint as he defines their intrepidness and what must have seemed disregard of their aircraft frailties as well as severe navigational challenges. His description of how pilots flew aircraft powered by Gnome rotary engines alone has the reader either in complete amazement of these airmen or complete bewilderment.
Happily, this book also addresses in detail the Zeppelin designs, combat history, strategic uses as well as misuses — and Gardiner writes with the same knowledge and verve as he does with the flatpack bombers. Reading about the exploits of Noel Pemberton Billing reminds the reader of “Indiana Jones” with the exception that Pemberton Billing is nonfiction!
Gardiner’s book is also useful as an aspiration of how to explain research and overview with energy, clarity and understanding. But most of all read this book for the trials, failure and pathfinding of these legacy airmen (Gardiner’s term and well ascribed) as well as what he underscores about them, “…morale, courage, endurance and human ingenuity mean everything.”
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The Legacy Airmen |
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| Charles Collet | Reggie Marix | Eugene Gerrard |
| Spenser Grey | John Babington | Sidney Sippe |
| Edward Briggs | Robert Ross | Arnold Miley |
| Francis Hewlett | Charles Edmonds | Vivian Blackburn & James Bell |
| Douglas Oliver & Gilbert Budds | Cecil Kilner & Erskine Childers | |
Douglas XB-19 — laboratory for very heavy bombers
Douglas XB-19, note the immense main landing gear wheel assemblies which were needed for the 140,000 lb/~63,636kg all up weight — San Diego Air Space Museum archive photo
Douglas built the XB-19 for the U.S. Army Air Corps to test large aircraft construction techniques as well as their flight characteristics. Range with a 6000 pound/~2727kg bomb load was a respectable 7300 miles/11,680km. Intercepting fighters would have respected its defensive armament with its 2 x 37mm cannon, 5 x 0.50 caliber machine guns as well as 6 x 0.30 caliber machine guns — requiring a crew of up to 18! Only one was built and it served from 1941 through 1949 as a cargo aircraft upon flight testing completion.
Douglas XB-19’s Number Three Wright R-3350 radial engine running with the flight deck, nose position and bombardier’s position in view — San Diego Air Space Museum archive photo
Douglas XB-19 in flight with its 132 foot/40m length and 212 foot/~62.25m wingspan. — San Diego Air Space Museum archive photo
Douglas XB-19 in early WW II bare metal, striped rudder and star with red circle center — San Diego Air Space Museum archive photo
Douglas XB-19 in later WW II olive drab — San Diego Air Space Museum archive photo
Douglas XB-19 and note the two dorsal gun turrets — San Diego Air Space Museum archive photo
Note: here is the XB-19 fact sheet from the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.
IlCigno — an aviation vision of da Vinci
Il Cigno — an aviation vision of da Vinci
Il Cigno (The Swan) in the main entry lobby of the Museum of Flight — photo by Joseph May
Who in the Europe or the Americas has not heard of Leonardo da Vinci? We do not usually use his full name, referring to him as da Vinci or simply as Leonardo such is his fame and impact. I recall clearly a visit to Tampa’s Museum of Science and Industry to see a da Vinci exhibit and that is where I saw — only inches away — one of his notebooks open to a pair of pages. I often use a fountain pen when writing and I could see in his writing, using a quill pen, where the nib was pressed in places with more force than others — a physical sensation not experienced with a conventional ball point pen. Tantalizingly, my feeling witnessing the man’s connection with his left hand and his intelligence can only be described as visceral. And what intelligence he committed to paper with his quill pen and ink (not to mention his art)!
Il Cigno’s avian design influence is apparent as is Leonardo’s familiarity of mechanics — photo by Joseph May
Il Cigno’s pilot would have been suspended from a keel, using legs and arms to pump a wing flapping mechanism, and twisting his body to control the tail — photo by Joseph May
One of Leonardo’s ideas on manned flight has been brought to near life by the Museum of Flight with their in interpretation of his sketches. Dating from 1400, these sketches weren’t prototypical, rather part of his thinking process committed to paper and so Il Cigno (The Swan) as seen on the lobby of the Museum of Flight is an interpretation. Birdlike in design, with regard to the wing as well as tailplane outline, it is a human powered design. The pilot pulls with arms and legs through a system of rope and pulleys, air resistance is the restorative force bring returning the wings to level, and the tailplane is maneuvered with the pilot’s body movements. According to the museum’s Il Cigno webpage the wood and rawhide construction has an empty weight of 160 pounds/72.6kg and a wingspan of 31 feet/9.55m — the wing area is 160 square feet/14.7 square meters. Il Cigno has not been tested in flight, of course, but it illustrates humanity’s longing for flight goes well back from 19th and 20th Centuries.
Rear detail of Il Cigno illustrating the pulleys and rope mechanics controlling the tail — photo by Joseph May
Il Cigno’s tail which is heavily influenced by avian design and structure — photo by Joseph May
Coming Soon — Hidden Warbirds II
Coming Soon — Hidden Warbirds II: more epic stories of finding, recovering, and rebuilding WWII’s lost aircraft
Nicholas Veronico, the author of Hidden Warbirds as well as Hidden Warbirds II, is easy going and brimming with knowledge — especially whenever relic warbird finding (wreckchasing) arises in the conversation. Hidden Warbirds was reviewed earlier, and what a great read it is with its variety of warbirds, places, people and stories. Happily, a sequel is slated for release this June and it is greatly promising indeed. Having three major parts — underwater recoveries, swamp and jungle recoveries, as well as lucky finds — the book covers Allied and Axis aircraft as well as relatively inexpensive recovery projects to eight figure projects. Many of these aircraft are rare, or nearly so making this book all the more exciting.
Hidden Warbirds II: more epic stories of finding, recovering, and rebuilding WWII’s lost aircraft by Nicholas A. Veronico
Knowing Nick, and his gift for giving the story behind the story especially with regard to the people involved, we are looking forward to reading the book’s fourteen chapters which will be full of names and details giving dimension and worth to these works of history salvation. Hidden Warbirds II will be published by Zenith Press and On-line Bookstore, available from them as well as the usual places, this June and we can hardly wait for it.
June is not that far away, is it?
The People’s Mosquito — commencement of the wing cutting!
The People’s Mosquito
The People’s Mosquito (TPM) is a project run by these folks with these distinguished affiliates and this great artist with the aim to build a de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito (RL249) from the ground up using original molds. The organization is a recognized charity in the UK, known as The People’s Mosquito Ltd., with the mission to have a flying Mosquito in the UK after over 20 years absence. There is a Mosquito flying in Canada, and one flying in the USA, but none on its home ground and base for so many historic World War II combat missions.
Quite fast, based in large part on the gorgeous, and record breaking de Havilland Comet, it is of course the “wooden wonder” made of plywood and powered by two Merlin V-12 engines. And it is wood that we are writing about today since the latest post from TPM announces the cutting of the wooden wing ribs for ship RL249, The People’s Mosquito! Canadian Spruce was the wood of choice in World War II and it remains so today. Computer aided cutting makes for faster work with even more precision — though precision back in the day was measured in the very low hundredths of an inch or even less. The ribs will support a wing nearly 50 feet in span as well as a fuselage and a pair of Merlin engines.
Wing Box — note the leading edge ribs (image left) and the divided flaps (image right) — image provided by Aerowood Ltd. of Auckland)
Corin McCrae (Aerowood Ltd/Auckland NZ) will be overseeing the all important cutting — important for flight and significant for its physical symbol of the RL249 taking form. £50,000 is the cost of this phase and The People’s Mosquito Ltd. has announced some fun to go with the fundraising which can be seen here.
More information is sure to follow so please stay on alert as well as consider donating to the only publicly based flying Mosquito project in the World and to have one fly in the UK — until that happy days occur it is like not seeing North American P-51 Mustangs flying in the USA!
SA-10 — the other Catalina in Blue and Gold (Part II)
47° 07′ 54″ N / 122° 28′ 57″ W
Consolidated SA-10 Catalina port profile — photo by Joseph May
This is the second post of a walkaround photo essay with the first post published just two days prior, on Monday, along with a bit of information. This Consolidated Catalina served in the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) and was designated as an SA-10 (PBY-5A in the U.S. Navy). It is located in the air park of the McChord Air Museum and Heritage Hill Air Park and is striking in its sky blue with yellow accent colors. A review of the museum and air park can be read here.
Consolidated SA-10 Catalina bows on view — photo by Joseph May
The Consolidated SA-10 Catalina’s starboard Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp radial reciprocating engine — photo by Joseph May
Consolidated SA-10 Catalina port wingtip float — photo by Joseph May
Another view of the port wingtip float on this Consolidated SA-10 Catalina — photo by Joseph May
Consolidated SA-10 Catalina floats were complicated structures with several curved aspects and a seemingly endless number of rivets (note the eye for handling lines or tieing off) — photo by Joseph May
Consolidated SA-10 Catalina’s wingtip float retracting and extension mechanism detail— photo by Joseph May
Consolidated SA-10 Catalina view off the starboard wing — photo by Joseph May
SA-10 walkaround — the other Catalina in Blue and Gold (Part I)
47° 07′ 54″ N / 122° 28′ 57″ W
Consolidated SA-10 Catalina at Heritage Hill on Joint Base Lewis-McChord — photo by Joseph May
Consolidated Catalinas in the service of the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) were designated as the SA-10 (PBY-5A in the U.S. Navy) and this Catalina, in the livery of the USAAF, looks as if ready for a rescue mission. It is located in the air park of the McChord Air Museum and Heritage Hill Air Park and is striking in its sky blue with yellow accent colors. A review of the museum and air park can be read here.
Consolidated SA-10 Catalina — photo by Joseph May
Consolidated SA-10 Catalina — photo by Joseph May
The Consolidated SA-10 Catalina’s ventral hatch originally designed for a 0.30 caliber machine gun position — photo by Joseph May
Consolidated SA-10 Catalina — photo by Joseph May
Consolidated SA-10 Catalina view of the cockpit and former bow turret twin machine gun position now observation position (note the lines ties to the fuselage rail) — photo by Joseph May
Consolidated SA-10 Catalina cockpit — photo by Joseph May
Consolidated SA-10 Catalinas have generous tails — photo by Joseph May
Consolidated SA-10 Catalina rear aspect — photo by Joseph May
Consolidated SA-10 Catalina wing top has identifying lettering (see below) — photo by Joseph May
RESCUE
| OB – | 033 |
Note: next Wednesday will be the final part on this walkaround photo essay 🙂
Curiosity Rover Tracked!
Curiosity Rover Tracked!
Tracks of Rover Curiosity on Mars April 2014 descending from the upper left corner diagonally toward the center and ending with a sharp left just below photo center — NASA Mars Orbiter photo
The Curiosity Rover is a fantastic machine as well as far ranging geologist — and like most geologists it is thriving in the field! This photo was taken this month with the HiRISE (High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) camera aboard the Mars Orbiter. The photo clearly shows Curiosity’s path, avoiding obstacles along the way, until finally approaching an outcrop about the height of three persons named Mount Remarkable.
Rover Curiosity positioned with Mount Remarkable to its front (photo left) on Mars April 2014, note the tracks including a turn-in-place circle — NASA Mars Orbiter photo
A pair of turn-in-place circle tracks of Rover Curiosity on Mars April 2014 — NASA Mars Orbiter photo
Travel for Aircraft 