C-124 Globemaster II

[Chief]

Here is another C-124 that let me be her crew chief for a while during the 1960's. She left Dover and was assigned to the Oklahoma Air National Guard and was assigned to the 137th Military Airlift Wing at Tinker. It was at Tinker that the NDI people found the cracks in the main spars that led to the demise of the C-124 in 1974. Cracks were found in every C-124, except one, in the three Airlift Groups, under the 137th. As a result, they were given approval for a one time flight to Davis Monthan. And the rest is history.

By the way, this model was made for me at Clark AB in the Phillipines.

[Chief]

the330thbg said, " Wow what a beast" when he saw the photo of 53-0044, posted earlier.

Here is a photo that appeared in the March 1957 issue of National Geographic. (They did a several page article on our MATS operation at the time). This photo was taken in our only hangar at Dover which would accomodate an entire C-124 and gives a better perspective of the C-124's size. The men were working on an antenna in the vertical stabilizer.

[Jack Frost]

I seem to remember stories about the C-124 while I was in the USAF 1952-1957 that the 124 had c/g problems when operating in icing conditions due to ice accumulation on that big nose. Anybody else remember this? Was there a cure for it?

[Chief]

We did have an icing problem on the nose of the C-124. The ice would form on the mickey mouse radar dome (actually this was a cover over our APS 42 radar antenna) as you can see on this photo of 52-1053. The ice would also continue to build up down below the radar dome and form on the nose clam shell doors.

In 1963 on a flight from Athens to Chateaurox we had a tremendous amount of ice form on the nose and clam shell doors. The loadmaster and 2nd flight engineer took a couple wheel chocks and went forward inside the nose and knocked the ice off.

Our fix for the problem was "avoid flying in known icing conditions". I remember during a trip to Tehren, Iran, we sat in lovely Incirlik Turkey 4 days awaiting weather to clear over the mountains in northern Iraq.

Also, in January 1965 a good friend of mine died in the crash of 52-1058 when it struck a mountain enroute from Aviano to Athens. The official report stated navigational issues. However, since they were in weather through the mountains, I always thought icing on the nose may have caused the problem.

[Jack Frost]

Thanks. I feel better now that I know my 79 year old "Memory Chip" still has some memory left!!!

[winger45]

Hey guys! I just came across this site while searching for a model of a C-124. I used to work on the Globemaster as a young airman, and 40 years later, I still have great affection for and good memories of Old Shakey. In fact, I got to go inside the one in Dayton, OH back in 2003. Brought back many memories. I am truly sorry to see her numbers dwindling to almost extinction.

One more thing, I did manage to salvage three of her oval windows. I plan to use them for canvases to paint pictures of the 124. I have painted a couple of acrylics of the one I flew on to Hawaii. If anyone is interested, I will post them on here.

Keep your stories coming. I enjoy reading them.

[Chief]

This is 52-1032 in July 1963. We were in Skystrup Denmark picking up some F101 mechanics who were on a NATO operation.

[Chief]

Someone earlier posted they were looking for a model of a C-124. This is a photo I took of of a model that was suspended from the ceiling of a "Michaels" (sp) craft store in Grapevine TX. It is a U-control model and has the two push/pull control rods protruding from the left side of the fuselage (just above the left wing).

It's a large model. You can compare it's size by looking at the relationship to the ceiling panels which were two by four ft . It must have been difficult to hold onto during flight.

[m50a1ontos]

Thanks for posting!