Aircraft was based on B-36 was largest cargo plane at time. Picture at Kelly AFB 1957.

I used to go past this plan on the side of the road outside the base as a kid ! always thought it was the coolest. I hear it is going to the Air Force Meuseum in Dayton does anyone know if that is true?

This is from the National Museum of the AF:
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/exhibits/projects.asp


XC-99 Wingtips: A duplicate wingtip is being made using the B-36 wingtip as a pattern.

The museum has the following parts of the XC-99 in our Restoration Hangar: leading and trailing edges of the wings, wing tips, horizontal and vertical stabilizers, flight controls, tail section, engines and props.

We're currently working with a contractor to bring the remaining parts to the museum.The next piece to come will be the remainder of the wing, which has some serious corrosion that we'll need to address. Then after the fuselage is separated at its production joints, we'll bring that to the museum. Once all of the parts arrive, the contractor must re-assemble it and put it on its landing gear before restoration can take place.

I went there when I was 10 if they get this plane put back together it might be time for another trip. still remember the massive B-36 inside the building

quote:

Originally posted by PBMKC:
I used to go past this plan on the side of the road outside the base as a kid ! always thought it was the coolest. I hear it is going to the Air Force Meuseum in Dayton does anyone know if that is true?

I was an SP at Kelly in the 80's. I was working a gate early one morning about a half mile from where the XC-99 was parked when a tornado ripped across the base and destroyed several warehouses. It was headed right at the airplane. How it survivd, I'll never know. (I was crouched in my gate shack praying!)

I went back around 1995 or so for a visit and it had been moved to a park on base by the ATC tower. It was a cool plane to look at. I'm glad it's finally getting into a museum.

Amazing story - that is one tough ship..


**I was an SP at Kelly in the 80's. I was working a gate early one morning about a half mile from where the XC-99 was parked when a tornado ripped across the base and destroyed several warehouses. It was headed right at the airplane. How it survivd, I'll never know. (I was crouched in my gate shack praying!) **

John
Former USAF
www.realmilitaryflix.com

quote:

Originally posted by Reach6:
Aircraft was based on B-36 was largest cargo plane at time. Picture at Kelly AFB 1957.

I was stationed at Kelly from late-1954 through mid-1956 in the 57th Air Transport Squadron/1700ATG/MATS. From our Ops office atop our hanger I could look directly across to the other side of Kelly and see the XC-99. I am really surprised to learn it was still there in 1995. I tried to see inside the plane but couldn't gain access. Pleased to hear it is going to the museum.

I was in the 2902nd Acft Repair Sqdn at McClellan in '55 and '56. Our headquaters were at Kelly and about once or twice a month the '99 brought parts, etc to McClellan. An absolute sight to see when that big bird landed and took off.
My oldest grandson's other grandfather flew the B36 out of PR.

I can't believe that there is a posting for the XC-99. As a control tower operator in the 1901-1 AACS Detachment at McClellan from 1953 to 1955, I worked this huge aircraft in and out many times. If my feeble memory is correct, the tail number was 2436. This plane was so big that it called in two different times from 2 different aircrew for landing instructions. The tower operators all joked that it had to have a pilot in the front and one in the back. Thanks for reviving a great memory.

180, were you there when the WAFs were tranferred to Mather? The tower operator said something to the pilot about his "cargo." The pilot was said to have stated;"Yeah, I'm tail heavy anyway you look at it."

I read that one years ago in one of those humor in uniform type columns.

Bosslowrider36 - no, that happened after I left McClellan in March 1955. I do however know one good WAF story that occured while I was there.
Seems that 4 Airman had been dating 4 WAFS for a short time when they decided to go to Reno and get married. Well, they did. But to everyone's surprise, not one of the Airman married the WAF he had been dating. On the way over Donner, they all decided that they really wanted to marry a different WAF. The WAF's agreed and they all came back to the base married to someone different.

My dad was stationed at Kelly from 1968 until 1972 or so, and we lived in Billy Mitchell Village. We use to ride our bikes around the runway (right under the pattern - it could be quite loud!) and over to see the "old guys" that maintained the aircraft. They gave us lots of free tours and we used to explore the fields behind the aircraft. Now, I would NEVER let my kids do that!

quote:

Originally posted by PBMKC:
I used to go past this plan on the side of the road outside the base as a kid ! always thought it was the coolest. I hear it is going to the Air Force Meuseum in Dayton does anyone know if that is true?