Airtanker Memories

[Chappie]

What happened to the Guardians in these photos? BTW- the a2a of the B-17 and the C-119 swooping over dropping its load are awesome photos.


Chappie

[Lt51506]

One went to the Naval Museum in Pensacola, another went to the museum in Pima, and I believe a third airframe that was a part source was rebuilt and sold to someone in Arizona. There was a fourth parts airframe, but right off hand I don't know what happened to it.

[Lt51506]

Before I toss out some more goodies, I'd like to thank everyone who has filled in some of the missing dates and locations. Considering the amount of material I have, very little of it, other than what I know is mine and Dad's, isn't identified as to the source. Working here with 400+ slides, another several hundred photo's, polaroids and assorted media, I would sincerely like to give credit where it is due. If you know who took the picture, please say something so I can attribute the work to them.

Several of the photo's and slides I have, I have seen posted on other sites before, so I am assuming that at some point, someone made a large quantity of copies and passed them around. It is not my intent to defraud anyone of their work, but with so much of it having never been seen outside the very narrow circle that is the tanker industry, my only desire is to share the history...nothing more.

I'll quit rambling now, here's some more stuff


Hawkins & Powers, Tanker 121, Date and location unknown.


Airborne Fire Attack, Tanker 115, Somewhere over Southern California, Date unreadable.


Globe Air, Tanker 25, In storage, Arizona, Summer 1980


Bell 47J, Before the "Bambi Bucket" there were home brewed devices, like this 55 gal. drum.


Black Hills Aviation, Tanker 10, Greybull, Wy., 1979


Black Hills Aviation, Tanker 09, Montana 1979


Hemet Valley Flying Service, Tanker 86, Not 100% sure, but I believe this was near Lake Hemet Ca., during a demo drop in either 1976 or 1977.


Central Air Services, Tanker 102, Date and location unknown.


Ritchy Air Service, Tanker 35, Montana 1980


Globe Air, Sikorsky S-55, San Marcos Ca., Summer 1976


Aero Union, DC-4 Tanker 02, Landing Hemet Ca., Summer 1979


Hawkins & Powers, C-97A, Tanker 84, Reno-Stead, Nevada, Late 80's

Last edited by Lt51506 on Tue Mar 29, 2011 2:15 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[Chuck97]

Tanker 84, was a KC-97G, 52-2698, was modified to a L model, with J-47s, replacing her drop tanks, then returned to cgo config. I was assist CC on her in 1958, 509th BW, Pease AFB, NH. She is now owned by Clay Lacey, and I've read, he is rebuilding her as a Boeing 377. I've been waiting for her to show up. More beautiful pictures please.

[sledge39]

"Bell 47J, Before the "Bambi Bucket" there were home brewed devices, like this 55 gal. drum."

...there's a bracket missing at the leading edge of the link above...
...inserted bracket and pic appears...

[Lt51506]

Thanks for catching that...I even proofed it before posting. LOL, I guess I need to sharpen my cutter and quit eating the paste!

[fyrflyr]

Ralph Ponte was a man of few words. The F-15 was pretty much of a slug on takeoff. When ever Ralph was asked about it, all he ever would say was ," That Bear will go." When asked about the accident, all he said was,"That Bear didn't go." And that was pretty much all he had to say.

Bob

[Jerry O'Neill]

Though never converted to fire bomber status, Bob Forbes confirmed that the ex-AVCO AJ-2 Savage that is currently at the Navy Museum in Pensacola spent time amongst it's sisters in California during their firebombing days. Here's a few pics I took back in 1978-79.
Jerry

[gary1954]

Looks a little bizzar to me (as a Tanker) being pressed into a Tanker role out west, how did they perform? I have never seen an eggzample of this airframe type in Tanker service

[Lt51506]

Apologies for maxing out the Photobucket account. I'll attempt to get these back up as soon as I can.

[RNDMTRS4EVR]

That last picture of 84 is actually taken at the Reno Stead airport, was the late 80s. That was a real privelage to see that airplane operate.

Scott......

[Lt51506]

That last picture of 84 is actually taken at the Reno Stead airport, was the late 80s. That was a real privelage to see that airplane operate.

Scott......

I was wondering about that, the hills in the background didn't look like Greybull to me either, but I was just going off what was on the back of the photo.

Tom

[RNDMTRS4EVR]

Tom;
I think the picture of 121 may be in San Bernadino, notice the CDF S-2 in the background. Keep those great pictures coming!

Scott.......

[The Inspector]

This thread is becoming too important and too valuable to have it slide away and wind up 76 pages down, howzabout turning it into a 'sticky' ? like the Grumman thread particularly if you have in excess of 400 images!

[m charters]

These photos are fantastic. We were looking through them this morning at CWH. Tanker E72 in several of the photos is the Avenger the museum is currently restoring that later ended up at FPL in Fredericton New Brunswick where the museum picked it up.

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