Warbird Information Exchange

I haven't posted a set from the Kamm collection in a little while, having been scanning a large batch of Fairchilds for another purpose. While I've got the Fairchild folders out, I thought I would take a break and scan these to share with you all. I know there are a few C-123 buffs around here.

Dick was in Vietnam, mainly Cam Ranh Bay, for the first part of 1968 and again in 1972. He came back with a few hundred slides including: A-1, A-37, C-47, C-119, C-123, C-130, C-141, C-7, F-100, F-101, F-102, F-105, F-4, F-5, O-1, O-2, T-28, U-6, OV-10, AH-1, UH-1, H-43, CH-47, and HH-53 aircraft, and probably some other types I haven't thought to look for yet. I'll throw up a few more for you when the scanning occasions arise.

Anyway: a couple of 54-696:






Some of 55-4561:








55-4593:






Either 54-556 or 55-4556:




A few with illegible serials (the first two are the same bird, but I don't know which one):










And finally, the famous "White Whale", General Westmoreland's personal VC-123B 56-4375:







Hope you enjoyed it!

August

Great pics! Thanks for sharing.

I've seen the C-123 "Thunder Pig" at the old Frederick, Maryland airshows. I just remember how much smoke those engines belched on start up. It was as if the plane was creating its own smokescreen.

Great Photos!
I was just about to post this shot of one of the C-123's from Westover AFB. We use to have them around New England quite a bit. This photo was taken at the Bridgeport Airshow in June of 1979.
I miss those big beasts!



Blue skies,
Jerry

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"Always remember that, when you enter the ocean or the forest, you are no longer at the top of the food chain."

Absolutely gorgeous photographs August... truly first rate quality images. Your friend must have been quite a photographer. Your scans are done extremely well too... those colors are so pure! Please post more when you get the chance, and a little history if possible. Thanks very much for posting!

Cheers. Richard

That brings back memories of flying around in 664 "Thunder Pig" at Air Heritage.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Man, there's something about that C-123 that I've always liked. Buying one of those would be like ordering a C-130 off of the Value Menu.
"Yes, I'd like to order a C-130 please....hold the turboprops, but keep a couple of jet engines on there just in case I need 'em."

Gary

You hardly ever see pics of the C-123 without the turbojet pods. It reminds me of a CASA 212.

Great pictures! Wouldn't mind seeing the C-130 pictures you've got...

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"Everyone wants to live here (New Jersey), evidenced by the fact that it has the highest population per capita in the U.S..."

C-123 in Agent Orange Quarantine At Davis-Monthan AMARC



Steve

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"Any excuse is good enough if you're willing to use it!"

Dear August,

Happy to learn that someone else besides myself took slides while station at CRB. From the angle of the C-123s landing, I presume they were taken from the Bay side of the main runway that stretched towards the South China Sea. I was there in 1967/68 for 19 months. Took around 300 slides and color film of the base and aircraft. Have around 200 slides of the F-4C in reventments or landing.

I am with the 12th TFW Association. The membership plans publishing four or five books on the Wing and ancillary units assigned to CRB. One of our members from 1965-1966 period took 2,000 slides on the F-4Cs and other aircraft, along with the tent city when the unit first arrived from CONUS.

I suggest that Kamm visit the 12th TFW web site for a brief introduction to the 12th history. Hopefully, by 2009, the first book will be out. I visualized at least five books to detail the unit history. Hopefully, the association at some later date will call upon Richard for the use of his images to help illustrate the 12th history books.

Main problem has been to gain access to 12th TFW combat mission reports. My letters sent to the Secretary of the Air Force have resulted in no replies. I presume they threw my letters, requesting declassification of all in-country mission reports under the Freedom of Information Act, into the garbage can. These reports will help provide a chronology of what happened on a day-to-day basis at CRB. I know the missions to North Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos may still contain sensitive information, but missions supporting both ARMY and MARINES in South Vietnam should contain no sensitive information.

Norman Malayney
I

Dear August,

Went back through my C-123 photos and have one slide showing the C-123 in standard USAF markings identical to the one taken by Kamm. At the time, I had no idea why it was not camouflaged. I did not want to get into trouble taking pictures in a restricted area. So I snapped one slide and quickly left the area. So, this is Westmoreland's aircraft.

I took slides of the general exiting a Sabreliner at CRB during one of his visits.

Norma Malayney

I know there was a guy trying to buy those quarantined birds he was working out some deal with the Air Force. That was about a year ago though. If you go over to the ramp at Hamilton Aviation in Tucson they have an ex Thai Air Force C-123 minus the turbine engines, I use to go over and look at it all the time. It just kills me to see it rotting away on the ramp there. That would be a whole lot of fun in it was still flyable.
Scott....