XC-99 Photos
Mon Dec 05, 2005 8:52 pm
A couple weeks ago someone was asking about the status of the XC-99. I got over to Kelly Field today after work and got a couple shots I thought the WIXers might find interesting...
The NMUSAF is obviously in the process of dismantling her, but I couldn't locate the other parts that have been removed anywhere close by.
The NMUSAF is obviously in the process of dismantling her, but I couldn't locate the other parts that have been removed anywhere close by.
99
Mon Dec 05, 2005 9:06 pm
Great shots. I have heard people talk about that airframe for years and not seen any recent shots. How would you like to help move THAT one!?
You think if flies like a B25, Randy?
You think if flies like a B25, Randy?
Mon Dec 05, 2005 9:33 pm
Thanks for the photos. Even partially complete it's still a huge aircraft.
Mon Dec 05, 2005 9:48 pm
It looks like there's air in the tires, or perhaps there's some sort of small jacks under the struts.
Mon Dec 05, 2005 10:46 pm
This one has fascinated me since I was a kid. Glad to see some preservation effort.
Is the plan to move it to Wright-Pat?
Is the plan to move it to Wright-Pat?
Mon Dec 05, 2005 10:51 pm
Eric Friedebach wrote:Is the plan to move it to Wright-Pat?
The last I heard it was eventually going to go on display at the NMUSAF. I think some parts have already been moved to Dayton.
A lot of work
Tue Dec 06, 2005 12:30 am
A lot of effort being expended on an oddity, with nothing except size to make it noteworthy ... rather like Howard's flying boat.
I always like seeing old aircraft preserved, but I can't help but wonder if it's the best use of limited resources.
I always like seeing old aircraft preserved, but I can't help but wonder if it's the best use of limited resources.
Tue Dec 06, 2005 12:37 am
oh man!! it looks disemboweled & hacked!! glad there is a restoration effort on the table. 1 of a kind bottom line!!
Tue Dec 06, 2005 6:49 am
Looks like it would have been easier to make it airworthy and fly it to Wright-Patt.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tue Dec 06, 2005 7:38 am
I can confirm that some of the XC-99 has gone to Wright-Patterson; a year ago June the outer wing panels were already stored inside one of the hangars on the old flightline.
As to limited resources/gigantic oddball aircraft, true enough...except there's probably no museum on Earth for which that is less of a factor than NMUSAF!
S.
As to limited resources/gigantic oddball aircraft, true enough...except there's probably no museum on Earth for which that is less of a factor than NMUSAF!
S.
Tue Dec 06, 2005 12:17 pm
Actually, I'm glad they are actually restoring a USAF airplane. Seems over the past few years they have simply been grabbing up whatever they can get, regardless of branch of service or country of origin.
XC-99
Tue Dec 06, 2005 3:47 pm
Hi all,
As noted in quotes, I saw the big fellow on a weekly basis.
I lived near McClellan AFB in Sacramento, CA.
It would come over our house while in the down wind leg for landing.
You never missed it as the sound of those 6 engines proceeded it quite a bit.
A real wonder to see and hear. I still remember it well after 50 years.
I have a few photos of it flying over our house.
Don
As noted in quotes, I saw the big fellow on a weekly basis.
I lived near McClellan AFB in Sacramento, CA.
It would come over our house while in the down wind leg for landing.
You never missed it as the sound of those 6 engines proceeded it quite a bit.
A real wonder to see and hear. I still remember it well after 50 years.
I have a few photos of it flying over our house.
Don
Sasnak wrote:With all due respect to JBoyle's opinion about the "oddity" of the XC-99, fact remains that this "X" aircraft actually served in the USAF for some 10 years!In that time it flew tens-of-thousands of hours delivering cargo (it could carry 100,000 pounds at a time) from place to place, mostly running weekly trips from Kelly AFB to Travis AFB. It also made several trips overseas to Europe and Africa.
OK, I'm done, I swear.
Tue Dec 06, 2005 4:53 pm
Go here for short "update" on restoration project:
http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/res/restore.htm
...actually, all it says is
"XC-99 Wingtips: Duplicate being made, using B-36 wing tip as pattern."
Previous updates have indicated the work they have undertaken to disassemble and move the aircraft.
http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/res/restore.htm
...actually, all it says is
"XC-99 Wingtips: Duplicate being made, using B-36 wing tip as pattern."
Previous updates have indicated the work they have undertaken to disassemble and move the aircraft.
Re: A lot of work
Thu Dec 08, 2005 5:24 pm
JBoyle wrote:A lot of effort being expended on an oddity, with nothing except size to make it noteworthy ... rather like Howard's flying boat.
I always like seeing old aircraft preserved, but I can't help but wonder if it's the best use of limited resources.
Hmmm,
I can't agree with you on this point. The XC-99 was a noble effort. If I am not mistaken Pan Am wanted to order the thing for their long haul routes, but the B-36 project was in full swing at the time. And being as it was a huge project cost wise Pan Am wouldn't have been able to make good use of it when the Jet era began. As a side note, my father is a Korean War vet with a C-119 wing out of Germany. He saw that aircraft (I think only one was ever built) flying for the Air Force on several occasions so I don't think of it some much as an oddity as rather a different direction of an ongoing project in the B-36.
Just my two cents,
Paul
Thu Dec 08, 2005 8:20 pm
I spoke with a guy who's Dad was a pilot in SAC. His Dad and the rest of a B-36 flight crew was sent down to Kelly to pickup (steal) the XC-99 for SAC by LeMay.Supposedly LeMay said it was a B-36 variant and therefore belonged to SAC. He was made to give it back.