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Airtanker Memories
http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=40156
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Author:  Cubs [ Wed Mar 23, 2011 4:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

Great photos. That must have been a fanstastic experience as a young boy.
The photo with the guy marshalling the -119s really stirs me.

Author:  Speedy [ Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

I'll probably take a lot of guff for this...but it would be fun to have just ONE of the remaining Tigercats on the circuit today done up as an Air Tanker....like when Bob Forbes took tail number 62 to Reno and Harlingen in '76.

Author:  Sasquatch [ Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

Speedy wrote:
I'll probably take a lot of guff for this...but it would be fun to have just ONE of the remaining Tigercats on the circuit today done up as an Air Tanker....like when Bob Forbes took tail number 62 to Reno and Harlingen in '76.


You'll get no guff from me, Speedy...s'matter of fact, I'll second that motion and attach an earmark saying that--in addition to a Tigercat fire bomber livery--someone also ought to do a TBM up as one of the great fire tanker outfits from back in the day!

--Tom

Author:  maxum96 [ Wed Mar 23, 2011 9:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

I just love this shot. I can only imagine what this same shot would look like as a video with great sound!

Image

Author:  gary1954 [ Thu Mar 24, 2011 8:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

That would make a great scene in a movie. the sound had to be awesome!
It would be cool if the Discovery Channel did a show-series on Air Tankers.
Some of the flying I saw in Arizona back in the late 80's when I lived out there.
Man they were doing stuff with a Neptune.....made the hair on the back of my neck stand up......It was unbelieveable!

Author:  Second Air Force [ Thu Mar 24, 2011 12:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

Sasquatch wrote:
Speedy wrote:
I'll probably take a lot of guff for this...but it would be fun to have just ONE of the remaining Tigercats on the circuit today done up as an Air Tanker....like when Bob Forbes took tail number 62 to Reno and Harlingen in '76.


You'll get no guff from me, Speedy...s'matter of fact, I'll second that motion and attach an earmark saying that--in addition to a Tigercat fire bomber livery--someone also ought to do a TBM up as one of the great fire tanker outfits from back in the day!

--Tom


Speedy and Sasquatch,
You have two more votes, one by proxy :( . Gary and I talked at length about doing a TBM in a fire bomber scheme if we had ever gotten wealthy enough to do it. We'd even gotten to the arguing stage about paint schemes. It's certainly a huge part of post-WWII aviation history.

Lt51506,
THANK YOU for these excellent photos. I find precious little to interest me on this forum of late--your thread is a great contribution!

Scott

Author:  Lt51506 [ Thu Mar 24, 2011 3:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

Here's some more eye candy. Just let me know if I'm boring you yet ;)

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AJ-1, AJ Air Tankers #77, On final to Van Nuys, Ca. 1960's

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RF-61C Reporter, Cal-Nat Airways, Grass Valley, Ca. Circa 1967. This was to become Tanker E35.

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Aero Union AF-2, Chico Ca., 1972

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US Forest Service DC-3, Abbotsford BC Canada, July 5 1986. Part of the Expo 86 gathering of DC-3s.

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Hawkins & Powers B-18B, Tanker B20, Graybull, Wy. 1971

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US Forest Service, C-46, Boise, Id., Date unknown.

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Hawkins & Powers, PB4Y-2, Tanker 121, Over the fence, Hemet, Ca. Date unknown.

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TBM Inc., B-17 Tanker E78, Fresno, Ca., July 1968

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TBM Inc., C-123, Tanker 63, Date and location unknown.

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HVFS C-119, Tanker 87, Hemet, Ca., Summer 1982. Is this a radar....or a "super secret hotdog roasting accessory" when over a fire? I'll never tell!

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Hawkins & Powers, C-97 Tanker 97, Graybull, Wy., Date unknown. The nose art is "Aluminum Overcast", however, I much prefer the "other" one!

Author:  RNDMTRS4EVR [ Thu Mar 24, 2011 3:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

The C-119 photo of the them being marshalled out, that is my dad in the right seat! I can spot his old brain bucket any where! I was most likely at the airport that day as well. Would have been 10 back then. Keep the great photos coming!!! Can never get enough airtankers EVER! And the C-123 photo might be at the Chester tanker base, not positive though.

Author:  WallyB [ Thu Mar 24, 2011 4:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

Lt51506 wrote:
Here's some more eye candy. Just let me know if I'm boring you yet ;)

Image
US Forest Service DC-3, Date and location unknown.
Abbotsford BC Canada, July 5 1986. Part of the Expo 86 gathering of DC-3s.

Author:  K5DH [ Thu Mar 24, 2011 4:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

KEEP 'EM COMING!!! What a cool thread this is!!! Hard-working prop jobs and their hard-working crews, toiling away in the service of mankind. Great stuff!!! Heroes, all.

I have to agree that it would be great to see some restored airtankers making the rounds on the show circuit. I think the public would be intrigued, especially if the tankers could give a demo drop during the air show. Is there an air attack museum anywhere? If not, there should be!

Author:  Craig59 [ Thu Mar 24, 2011 4:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

Lt51506 wrote:
Here's some more eye candy. Just let me know if I'm boring you yet ;)


Boring us? Not a chance! These are priceless - please keep 'em coming. Any helicopters?

Author:  Scott Rose [ Thu Mar 24, 2011 6:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

Great thread and great pictures!

Author:  Lt51506 [ Thu Mar 24, 2011 9:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

To WallyB, thanks for the additional info - corrections have been made :)
To Craig59, here's a few helo's and assorted whirley-flappy things. More to come :)

Image
Avery Air Service, B-18, Reloading at Casper, Wy., Early 60's. Before there was Hawkins & Powers, it was Avery Air Service.

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Avery Air Service, B-18, Flight & Ground crew. Location and date unknown. Photo courtesy of the Mel Christler Collection.

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Unknown B-25 reloading, Ramona, Ca., Late 50's

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Abe's Aerial Service, B-25J, Safford, Az. 1963

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Bell 206B, Hanging around in the forest somewhere. Watch your step!

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Western Helicopters, Bell 205A-1, Hemet, Ca., 1978 Got my first Huey ride in the ship.

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Heavy Lift Helicopters Inc., CH-53 Fire Stallion, Location unknown, June 2005. This was one of two airframes aquired by HLH. Only one was operational. The company folded a few years later and this airframe is now in a USMC Museum on the East coast.

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Horizon Helicopters, HH-43B/F, Unknown date and location. Photo by Mr. Jerry VanGrunsven.

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Johnson's Air Service, Ford Tri Motor, Idaho, Summer 1955.

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Johnson's Air Service, Ford Tri Motor, Idaho, Summer 1955. Built in 1929, this Tri Motor is still airworthy and under the care of the EAA AirVenture Museum.

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LA Airways, S-61L, Riverside, Ca., Aug 1968. Not really a tanker, but a fond childhood memory. After LA Airways shut down, this bird eventially made it's way to Canada, working for Okanagan Helicopters. Last heard from in the late 90's.

Author:  WallyB [ Thu Mar 24, 2011 10:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

Some heavies:
Image
Omak WA
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Image
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Okanogan WA
All July 1976.

Author:  Tulio [ Fri Mar 25, 2011 2:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

Amazing images!!!

Thank you for sharing them. Do not apologize for the quality of the images, they are great as they are!

Quote:
Hawkins & Powers, C-97 Tanker 97, Graybull, Wy., Date unknown. The nose art is "Aluminum Overcast", however, I much prefer the "other" one!


Together with this C-97, I saw several other airplanes from your photos at Graybull a few years ago.

Once again, THANK YOU!

Saludos,


Tulio

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