|
Posted on 04/16/2004 12:02:21 AM PDT by snippy_about_it
|
|
 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
|
| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
|
 The New Global Airlift Standard The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is designed to fulfill military airlift needs well into the 21st century. A high-wing, four-engine, T-tailed aircraft with a rear-loading ramp, the C-17 can carry large combat equipment and troops or humanitarian aid across international distances directly to small austere airfields anywhere in the world. In August 2002, the U.S. Air Force extended its total C-17 order to 180, by committing to an additional 60 C-17s. This order means Boeing will design, build and deliver C-17s through at least 2008. By Mid-January 2004, 117 C-17s had been delivered, 112 to the U.S. Air Force, one to the Mississippi Air National Guard and four to the United Kingdom Royal Air Force. The U.S. Air Force declared the first C-17 squadron operational in January 1995. Since then the fleet has amassed nearly 600,000 flying hours. The C-17 has been involved in numerous contingency operations, including flying troops and equipment to Operation Joint Endeavor to support peacekeeping in Bosnia, Allied Force Operation in Kosovo, Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom.  In Afghanistan, C-17s have flown more than 230 humanitarian missions, airdropping more than 2.4 million ration packages to refugees as well as landing bulk foods and blankets. In addition, C-17s continue to fly daily missions carrying troops, supplies and heavy equipment into austere fields in Afghanistan and into airfields in neighboring countries. In 1998, eight C-17s completed the longest paratrooper airdrop mission in history, flying more than 8,000 nautical miles from the United States to Central Asia, dropping troops and equipment after more than 19 hours in the air, a feat repeated in 2000.  A cockpit crew of two and one loadmaster operates the C-17, which can be refueled in flight. This cost-effective flight crew complement is made possible through the use of an advanced digital avionics system and advanced cargo systems. In the cargo compartment the C-17 can carry Army wheeled vehicles in two side-by-side rows. Three Bradley infantry-fighting vehicles comprise one deployment load. Similarly, the Army's newest main battle tank, the M-1, can be carried.  The four engines are Pratt & Whitney PW2040 series turbofans, designated as F117-PW-100 by the Air Force, each producing 40,440 pounds of thrust. The engines are equipped with directed-flow thrust reversers capable of deployment in flight. On the ground, a fully loaded aircraft, using engine reversers, can back up a two-percent slope. With a payload of 160,000 pounds, the C-17 can take off from a 7,600-foot airfield, fly 2,400 nautical miles, and land on a small, austere airfield in 3,000 feet or less. The C-17 is equipped with an externally blown flap system that allows a steep, low-speed final approach and low-landing speeds for routine short-field landings. C-17s have set 33 world records – more than any other airlifter in history – including payload to altitude, time-to-climb, and short-takeoff-and-landing marks in which the C-17 took off in less than 1,400 feet, carried a payload of 44,000 pounds to altitude, and landed in less than 1,400 feet. These records were set during flight-testing at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., in 2001.  In 1995, the C-17 received the prestigious Collier Trophy, symbolizing the top aeronautical achievement of 1994. In 1999, President Bill Clinton presented the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award to Boeing Airlift and Tanker Programs, maker of the C-17, for business excellence. In 2002, the C-17’s assembly facility in Long Beach, Calif., was recognized by Industry Week’s Best Plants award, for being one of the top 10 in the North America. In December 2002, the C-17 Program – and its Aerospace Support unit – won the U.S. Senate’s Productivity Award for Performance Excellence. And, in April 2003, the C-17 Program won the first ever “Best of the Best” California Governor’s Award for Performance Excellence. C-17s are based at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.; McChord Air Force Base, Wash.; and Altus Air Force Base, Okla., where initial aircrew training occurs. The Air National Guard Base at Jackson, Miss., received its first of eight C-17s on Dec. 18, 2003. Between now and 2007, other new C-17 units will be established at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., and March Air Reserve Base,Calif. Additional domestic basing locations will be announced by the Air Force in the near future.      |
Earlier, I looked to see if I could locate a picture of a C-47 toting a P-40. I've read of this happening in the Pacific theater. The wings would be pulled and strapped beneath the C-47 wings and the fuse would be snugged into the cargo bay. Filled it right up!
Amen!
LOL. Lack of pilots and short range fighters make for supply challenges.
Boeing didn't make the C-5. It was a Lockheed plane, from the same plant as the C-130 and C-141.
That was the real problem in the China-India-Burma theater. Too few fields and too far apart.
NASA Contributions to the C-17 Globemaster III
Anti-Tailgating Counter-Measure Demonstration I-5
C-17A Globemaster III Walkaround
Globemaster delivers shipment of acronyms to NATO FYROM KFOR ASAP as SOP.
AN/AAQ-24(V) NEMESIS DIRCM Self-Protection Suite
The AN/AAQ-24(V) NEMESIS Directional Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) system is the only DIRCM system in production today that will protect aircraft from today's infrared guided missiles. AAQ-24(V) NEMESIS is a modular system comprised of a family of proven components that can be mixed and matched (based on specific platform, mission and budget requirements) to protect a wide range of large and small aircraft, both rotary and fixed wing. The modular upgrades available will ensure protection against emerging threats.
P&W JT9D engine borescope inspection performed during a technical survey
Survey data showed JFKerry2004 to be most boring unit studied, having no discernible hot section.
During an Air Force driver training program, a C-5 student waits for a break in traffic on the I-5.
Cigars, cigarettes, Tiparillos.
"Rather pedestrian after the Foxhole."--Percy Dovetonsils, Armor-Piercing Culture Almanac
Teamwork can turn anything around, including a 585,000 pound aircraft
Employees work on the fuselage of an U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III at the Boeing C-17 assembly facility in Long Beach, Calif. The Boeing Airlift and Tanker programs, headquartered in Long Beach, was awarded the 1998 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. (Photo courtesy of Boeing)
Professioanlly, I design power and lighting systems for commercial buildings. In 1999, I met the staff lighting designer for the National Air and Space museum at a lighting conference. I got to chat with him about the Star Trek exhibit that I had seen at the museum in 1992. Cool.
During the summer of 2000, I went to the same conference, this time in Washington D.C. One of the papers presented at the conference, by the authors, was co-written by this same gentlemen and a real live NASA scientist. [ears perk up}
The paper had to do with the challenges of lighting The Banner, in order to do a very detailed series of "before" photos, to evaluate the flag for the preservation project.
The major challenge for the lighting was it was all in the far-infrafed! The camera used for the photo study was a NASA piece which is designed tp operate on the surface of Mars, hence it's infra-red design. The second challange was temperature. Parts of the camera had to be kept cooled to about 300 degrees F below zero. They had some stories about this too.
After the presentation, everyone else in the room mobbed the Air and Space guy, because he was a lighting guy after all. I mad a bee line for the NASA dude. After all, how many times do you get to talk to a real live Rocket Scientist! WAY COOL!
I'm fond of aircraft too, having worked for a couple of airlines and suffered my way through A&P school toward getting an aircraft engineer's certificate, and having worn a bluesuit from 1993-2000.
Our local NG trashhaulers have been notified that they'll be transitioning from their beloved C141b models to the C17, so there'll soon be another bird to wear a fairly famous bit of their squadron's artwork, first seen on a B-17F over Germany.
And of course there's another interesting possibility for the C-17, now in particular demand to keep the logistics chain flowing. But maybe one of these days we'll see an AC-17 version....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
