Speed run to the desert as fast as we can get there and back, so not many pictures. Nighttime work doesn’t make photos work well in flight, but that moon was giving us a light to follow all the way across the ocean.
Nothin’ like a sunrise at the end of the day.
Here comes the sun.
German drinks! They didn’t have Coors Light. Made due.
Copilot studying never stops. Combat bandanas will ward off enemy attacks as well.
“Fill ‘er up Chief, we gotta go!” Stackin’ banks while drainin’ tanks.
Blast off, nose up, as hard as she can, climbing for the moon.
Kuwait crew rest is a sober crew rest, but the spaghetti is pretty good.
Alerted to head to Maryland then Dallas for a day. Truck wouldn’t start, so only had time to grab my toolbox and overnight bag. Forgot to grab the camera case, so this trip is filmed in low quality potato vision.
Fill ‘er up Friday. Stackin’ banks while drainin’ tanks.
Reach 343T; Hold short runway 1 right on Sierra.
What to do in Dallas? Gas Monkey Garage!!!
When the battery is dead, you can crank the jet up like a model T. Careful how you grab the handle.
Cool that they are loosening up the regs on nose art. Thats one of the things that is neat to look at on old planes but I'm sure theirs still strict rules on what art is allowed.
-Popeye-
1971 F-250 4x4 Highboy
1966 Chevy Nova, 8 second 10.5 car
Midnight ocean crossing to the sound of the C-17 with Pratt & Whitney power. In thrust we trust.
A C-5 sized crew. Three pilots, three loadmasters, three security forces ravens, one flying crew chief, and one young maintainer that had won airman of the quarter. Perfect! I don’t have to carry the toolbox.
Fill ‘er up Friday. Stackin’ banks while drainin’ tanks!
Loadmaster checkride complete!
Loadmaster hero shot. Let’s crank these up and head for home!
Anyone that’s anyone in C-130/C-17/C-5s has had a legendary trip to Lajes Field Portugal. Except me. Until now!
Do you even lift bro?
“Ain’t nobody ever got the go code yet, and ole Ripper wouldn’t be giving us Plan R unless those Ruskees have clobbered Washington and a lot of other towns with a sneak attack. Well boys, I recon this is it. New-klee-r combat toe to toe with the Ruskees.”
Anytime I’m in the situation to preload fuel for tomorrow’s flight, I’m a big fan of shutting down the jet, and doing the peaceful battery refuel. The pleasant afternoon silence was interrupted with the loud cows answering back the refuel vent’s moose call. “All right Bessy relax!”
This place is junk! No Coors Light!
We scramble the wing at dawn.
5 years after production, this jet was repainted at Depot by someone that had one too many beers the night before. They didn’t switch the stencil set when moving to this side of the tail, and the typeface leans forward instead of back. Always triggered me, and thankfully the second repaint last year got it right.
17’s are cool. Willow Run Airport Ypsilanti Michigan
Next stop Toronto to be a Canadian Safety Enthusiast.
Painted up pretty little bird.
Fill ‘er up Friday! Stackin’ banks while drainin’ tanks!
“Sir, I’ll be looking to buy 9,500 gallons.”
“You Yanks and your gallons. Get with the rest of the world with liters.”
“There are two kinds of countries. Those that use the metric system, and those that have walked on the Moon. Back those trucks up ole son!”
Good night!
Canadian dinner. They didn’t have Coors Light.
The Thunderchicken boys didn’t like having to carry their own bags to leave, but I wasn’t gonna do it.
Couldn’t get a great shot of the CN tower. Oh well, 'till next time.
Emergency Bravo alert to haul a stair truck to Tennessee. “Did anyone call to see if the Guard unit there has one? No? Ok. Let’s spend money!” Spoiler alert; They had a few and we never needed to go, but salvaged the day with some cool pictures.
Thats one of the things that is neat to look at on old planes but I'm sure theirs still strict rules on what art is allowed.
