A new one for me.
Fri Oct 09, 2020 9:33 pm
As much as I like Connies, and have read extensively on the subject, not once "in my borned days" had I come across images or information about Allison powered Connies.
Very few (some say 4, others say 6) were thus powered.
I saw a Connie in flight only once in my life. An elegant Super Constellation, graceful -and loud- in flight, a beauty on the ground, radial-engines.
Saludos,
Tulio
Photo pilfered from the web.
Very few (some say 4, others say 6) were thus powered.
I saw a Connie in flight only once in my life. An elegant Super Constellation, graceful -and loud- in flight, a beauty on the ground, radial-engines.
Saludos,
Tulio
Photo pilfered from the web.
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Re: A new one for me.
Fri Oct 09, 2020 9:47 pm
The turbine C-97 and C-124B are weird too.
IIRC, they all flew out of the test group at Kelly.
Then there was a testbed '124 (testing the engine for the cancelled C-132) with a huge turbine in the nose.
The '124B helped test the engines for the C-133. The B was a strong contender for the SAC tanker contract...but it likely wasn't fast enough.
Douglas had a plan to convert the DC-7 to turbines, but the sooner than expected arrival of jets ended that. It would have been the American equivalent of the Bristol Britannia...complete with Rolls engines.
IIRC, they all flew out of the test group at Kelly.
Then there was a testbed '124 (testing the engine for the cancelled C-132) with a huge turbine in the nose.
The '124B helped test the engines for the C-133. The B was a strong contender for the SAC tanker contract...but it likely wasn't fast enough.
Douglas had a plan to convert the DC-7 to turbines, but the sooner than expected arrival of jets ended that. It would have been the American equivalent of the Bristol Britannia...complete with Rolls engines.
Last edited by JohnB on Fri Oct 09, 2020 9:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: A new one for me.
Fri Oct 09, 2020 9:51 pm
JohnB wrote:Then there was a testbed '124 (testing the engine for the cancelled C-132) with a huge turbine in the nose..
It only took Airbus 60 more years to perfect that concept with the A-400M.
Re: A new one for me.
Fri Oct 09, 2020 10:46 pm
I'm traveling and don't have my book, but the C-132 might have been larger than the A400.
Re: A new one for me.
Sat Oct 10, 2020 1:13 am
JohnB wrote:Then there was a testbed '124 (testing the engine for the cancelled C-132) with a huge turbine in the nose.
Yikes. From aerothusiast.com:
https://www.aerothusiast.com/blog/usaf- ... 1f-yc-124b
Re: A new one for me.
Sat Oct 10, 2020 7:30 am
JohnB wrote:I'm traveling and don't have my book, but the C-132 might have been larger than the A400.
Yep. the 132 was supposed to gross as much as 500,000 lb. The 400 grosses just over half of that.
Re: A new one for me.
Tue Oct 13, 2020 8:52 pm
I once penned a pretty extensive Powerpoint and blog post about the US Turboprop Testbeds after the YC-121F was created for FS2004 many moons ago. It sadly been lost to time now and I might come around to re-doing it at some point as the project is very well documented. The program under the aegis of the 1700th Test Squadron (Turboprop), nominally including the YC-124B late in its program, also included the YC-97Js, R7V-2/YC-121Fs, and YC-131Cs out of Kelly AFB, TX.
The final makeup of the squadron was as follows -
2x YC-97J (YT-34) - 52-5693 & 52-2762. While 5693 is nominally the "Super Guppy" that is now at Pima, parts of 2762 were used as well so in a way, both survived.
4x R7V-2/YC-121F (YT-34) - 131630, 131631, 131660/53-8157, and 131661/53-8158. 131630 was scrapped shortly after the program ended, 131631 was scrapped in the early 1970s. The 2 USAF aircraft fared slightly better with 8157's fuselage being used to repair a Flying Tigers L1049G/H. It was written off in an accident in 1973. 8158 was later used by Rohr Aerospace as the testbed for the T56/Allison 501 installation for the L188 Electra before it's fuselage was also used in the rebuild of a Flying Tigers L1049G/H. It was written off in an accident in 1970.
1x YC-124B (YT-34) - 51-072. Broken up @ Redstone Arsenal some point after the program ended.
2x YC-131C (YT-56) - 53-7886 and 53-7887. 7886 was sold to General Motors and became the sole Convair 770 (as it had the button nose, YC-131C specific engine nacelles and exhausts, and shorter tail) and was used by several companies as a Corporate Transport until converted fully to a CV-580 in the late 1970s/early 1980s. Now with Kelwona as C-GKFY. 7887 was loaned to the FAA after the program and was broken up for spares in 1974.
The final makeup of the squadron was as follows -
2x YC-97J (YT-34) - 52-5693 & 52-2762. While 5693 is nominally the "Super Guppy" that is now at Pima, parts of 2762 were used as well so in a way, both survived.
4x R7V-2/YC-121F (YT-34) - 131630, 131631, 131660/53-8157, and 131661/53-8158. 131630 was scrapped shortly after the program ended, 131631 was scrapped in the early 1970s. The 2 USAF aircraft fared slightly better with 8157's fuselage being used to repair a Flying Tigers L1049G/H. It was written off in an accident in 1973. 8158 was later used by Rohr Aerospace as the testbed for the T56/Allison 501 installation for the L188 Electra before it's fuselage was also used in the rebuild of a Flying Tigers L1049G/H. It was written off in an accident in 1970.
1x YC-124B (YT-34) - 51-072. Broken up @ Redstone Arsenal some point after the program ended.
2x YC-131C (YT-56) - 53-7886 and 53-7887. 7886 was sold to General Motors and became the sole Convair 770 (as it had the button nose, YC-131C specific engine nacelles and exhausts, and shorter tail) and was used by several companies as a Corporate Transport until converted fully to a CV-580 in the late 1970s/early 1980s. Now with Kelwona as C-GKFY. 7887 was loaned to the FAA after the program and was broken up for spares in 1974.
Re: A new one for me.
Wed Oct 14, 2020 4:36 pm
Capflyer...
Thanks for the update on the gates of the test ships.
The C-133 book has a bit on information on the C-124B.
Since it shares the same engines with the '133.
As a kid when my dad was stationed at the Duluth AIP, (the MINN ANG had '102s on one side of the field, the AD AF had '106s on the other...the 795th FIS before they became the 87th), North Central still flew 580s....I used to see them all the time. Never got a flight on one.
In the 70s, a four additional '131Ds were converted to 580s, becoming
VC-131Hs for White House/bIO use (the "first lady's" plane before the C-9s). I wonder what became of them?
Also,
Thanks for the update on the gates of the test ships.
The C-133 book has a bit on information on the C-124B.
Since it shares the same engines with the '133.
As a kid when my dad was stationed at the Duluth AIP, (the MINN ANG had '102s on one side of the field, the AD AF had '106s on the other...the 795th FIS before they became the 87th), North Central still flew 580s....I used to see them all the time. Never got a flight on one.
In the 70s, a four additional '131Ds were converted to 580s, becoming
VC-131Hs for White House/bIO use (the "first lady's" plane before the C-9s). I wonder what became of them?
Also,
Re: A new one for me.
Thu Oct 15, 2020 8:15 am
Quick glace at Joe's site and I got this -
54-2815 (MSN 217) built as VC-131D. Formerly on civil registry as N8448H. To USAF Dec 10, 1954. Converted to VC-131H (Model 580)
Transferred to US Navy Apr 1979 but retained USAF serial. Redesignated C-131H
when returned to USAF service. Then converted to VC-131H. To Peruvian Police as PNP-025.
Sold on civil market as N7146X. Became N723ES, cancelled
Nov 7, 2007 on sale to owner in Canada, registered Jan 17, 2008 to Ministry of
the Environment, Province of Saskatchewan as C-GSKQ
"Ministry of the Environment" is Saskatchewan's version of the Department of Forestry. The plane became one of their water bombers and is still in service.
54-2816 (MSN 220) built as VC-131D. Converted to C-131E. Converted to C-131H and then to VC-131H. Reported as crashed.
54-2817 (MSN 221) built as VC-131D, converted to VC-131H (Model 580). Transferred to US Navy Apr 1979 but retained USAF serial.
Returned to USAF service. Crashed on takeoff from Dothan, Alabama Nov 15, 1985. 4 killed.
55-299 (MSN 326) was originally MSN 230 but was cancelled. Was N8442H before USAF service. Converted to VC-131H.
Transferred to US Navy but operated under USAF serial number. With VR-48 in May 1988 named
"City Of Washington, DC." Returned to USAF. To N4276C, N923DR, N191FL Oct 29, 1998.
Original MSN 230 to civil registry as (CV-340-61) HZ-ABC (Saudia Arabian Airlines), then
N99875. Current as such on USCAR Oct 03) but converted to CV-580
and registered N191FL for IFL Group Oct 29. 1998
First and last have URLs on the serial number to their Aerial Visuals pages.
54-2815 (MSN 217) built as VC-131D. Formerly on civil registry as N8448H. To USAF Dec 10, 1954. Converted to VC-131H (Model 580)
Transferred to US Navy Apr 1979 but retained USAF serial. Redesignated C-131H
when returned to USAF service. Then converted to VC-131H. To Peruvian Police as PNP-025.
Sold on civil market as N7146X. Became N723ES, cancelled
Nov 7, 2007 on sale to owner in Canada, registered Jan 17, 2008 to Ministry of
the Environment, Province of Saskatchewan as C-GSKQ
"Ministry of the Environment" is Saskatchewan's version of the Department of Forestry. The plane became one of their water bombers and is still in service.
54-2816 (MSN 220) built as VC-131D. Converted to C-131E. Converted to C-131H and then to VC-131H. Reported as crashed.
54-2817 (MSN 221) built as VC-131D, converted to VC-131H (Model 580). Transferred to US Navy Apr 1979 but retained USAF serial.
Returned to USAF service. Crashed on takeoff from Dothan, Alabama Nov 15, 1985. 4 killed.
55-299 (MSN 326) was originally MSN 230 but was cancelled. Was N8442H before USAF service. Converted to VC-131H.
Transferred to US Navy but operated under USAF serial number. With VR-48 in May 1988 named
"City Of Washington, DC." Returned to USAF. To N4276C, N923DR, N191FL Oct 29, 1998.
Original MSN 230 to civil registry as (CV-340-61) HZ-ABC (Saudia Arabian Airlines), then
N99875. Current as such on USCAR Oct 03) but converted to CV-580
and registered N191FL for IFL Group Oct 29. 1998
First and last have URLs on the serial number to their Aerial Visuals pages.
Re: A new one for me.
Thu Oct 15, 2020 11:45 pm
Thanks...
Re: A new one for me.
Wed Oct 21, 2020 5:09 pm
Chris Brame wrote:JohnB wrote:Then there was a testbed '124 (testing the engine for the cancelled C-132) with a huge turbine in the nose.
Yikes. From aerothusiast.com:
https://www.aerothusiast.com/blog/usaf- ... 1f-yc-124b
I have a feeling that aircraft is lying!
Re: A new one for me.
Thu Oct 22, 2020 6:13 am
Couple shots of 53-8157 from my site. Davis Monthan, 1960s.
August
August
Re: A new one for me.
Mon Oct 26, 2020 9:24 am
Kyleb wrote:It only took Airbus 60 more years to perfect that concept with the A-400M.
Not sure if if anything has been "perfect" with the A-400. Seems to have a troubled and protracted development, with problems with the gearboxes, structure, inability to refuel helicopters (originally a requirement, now watered down due to inability to do so), paratroop problems, lowered orders, decreased enthusiasm..... While things seem to be improving it has been quite painful.