Switch to full style
This section will be used as a repository for the picture rich posts that occasionally occur.
Post a reply

Re: Airtanker Memories

Thu Dec 21, 2017 10:56 pm

.
... C-119s ...

01 "Tanker 82" N13745 ONT Nov 1975

02 "Tanker 133" N383S ONT 28 July 1977

03 "Tanker 86" N13744 HMT 5 June 1979

04 "Tanker 81" N13743 HMT 28 July 1980

05 "Tanker 88" N13742 HMT 26 Nov 1980

06 "Tanker 87" N13746 HMT 21 Aug 1982

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Re: Airtanker Memories

Fri Dec 22, 2017 11:40 am

Sledge, you take the best tanker pictures this side of Milo Peltzer. Thanks for posting them.

Re: Airtanker Memories

Mon Jan 01, 2018 3:40 pm

.
... B-17s ...

01 "Tanker 78" N3703G CNO June 1962

02-03 "Tanker 65" N5237V HMT July 1980

04-05 "Tanker 89 N9563Z HMT Aug 1980

06 "Tanker 22" N207EV HMT Nov 1980

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Re: Airtanker Memories

Tue Jan 02, 2018 11:54 am

Another great set of pictures. I flew 3 of those B-17s over the years T68 aka T78, T65 and T22, although I wasn't in them when these pictures were taken.

Here's one of my favorite drop pictures of me flying T62 on the Waters Creek Fire near Selma, Oregon on 3 September 2012. I think that this was a Coverage Level 6 drop, or what we used for Coverage Level 6 with the old Aero Union 8 door 3000 Gallon DC-7 tank. The intervelometer was set for Single Door Trail, the Door Selector set for 8 doors and the timer set for .4 seconds between doors. The target speed was 130 knots and this drop looks to be at about 250 feet above the target. That sounds a bit high, but the whole idea is to get the forward momentum of the retardant to stop so that it will fall straight down. That works okay as long as the wind isn't very strong. In this shot taken by a local land owner. The last couple of doors worth of retardant are still moving forward. A few seconds later the retardant spread out and then fell into the target area keeping the fire from moving up out of the draw long enough for the ground guys to control it.

You can just make out the higher terrain all around the escape route. I had to tighten up the left turn pretty quickly to follow the narrow canyon out and around the corner and then out into lower terrain. The drift smoke didn't help matters. Who has more fun than us?


Image

Re: Airtanker Memories

Sat Jan 06, 2018 10:18 pm

That's a great drop shot...here's a few I got being in the right place at the right time...in the vicinity of Banning, CA

01 Tanker 12 N6694C 16 Sept 1979

02 Tanker 02 N11712 28 Sept 1987

03 (no positive ID) 28 Sept 1987

04 (no positive ID) 28 Sept 1987

05 Tanker 151 N460WA 18 June 1992

06-07 Tanker 153 N82FA 18 June 1992

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Re: Airtanker Memories

Sun Jan 07, 2018 9:02 am

Thanks, Sledge. Those shots will definitely go into my album. You certainly take advantage of any opportunity for a terrific picture. The good old days when Tankers had round engines, or at least had propellers.

Re: Airtanker Memories

Sun Jan 07, 2018 2:14 pm

.
... Larry ... PM if you want a higher rez version of anything I posted ...
.
Post a reply