I saw an Osprey, landing, today! Very big bird!

[Ray D]

Ahhh! The infamous C119! I remember it well, and not with pleasure. Also known as "the Flying Boxcar," or, if you prefer, "The Flying Coffin."

Never enjoyed the ride. Glad it's only a memory. Rode to emergency landing five times. have'nt seen any of those since I got out. Wondered what happened to the "surplus?"  :

For a nice ride, I preferred the "Gooney Bird." Liked watching the wings flapping.  ;D 

Not like Ospreys, at all.

Ray D 

 

[mnmnutswer]

They where still using the box car in Iraq and Afghanistan three years ago when I was there, to help more the military around.

 

[Just Lou]

I'm not sure what plane they were using in Afghanistan that they called "the box car", but it wasn't the C-119.

The Military gave them up many many years ago.  The last known one to fly was (leased from a civilian owner) for the 2004 movie "Flight of The Phoenix".  There are two of them in Palmer, Alaska that are reported to be airworthy. 

 

[Ray D]

Lou, as far as I'm concerned, that bird wasn't airworthy when it rolled off the factory floor! 

Out of many rides, my last one, we took off at Portland, Ore. The pilot circled over Portland,, a couple of times, and then asked the crew chief to bring me into the cockpit. He asked me if I knew the way to Long Beach. I told him I did, if I was driving on the ground.

He said, "Show me the way."

I said I would, but would like to ask a question. My question was, "why are we going to follow a highway?"
Well, we had lost our electronics, and there was a problem with the engines. We were unable to gain altitude.

South of Eugene, that became more serious. I could see we were approaching a pass, and I didn't think we had enough altitude to make it. 

He said "Doesn't matter. I'm thinking of landing, and driving it the rest of the way to Long Beach."  ;D

We didn't have a lot of clearance through that pass and I suspect the drivers of the cars, below, were a bit startled.

Made it to Long Beach. At that point, C-119s and I parted permanently.

Ray D 

 

[Ron2012]

  The v-22 is built there in Amarillo, at Bell Helicopter.

 

[geneh]

I live just South of Amarillo where these birds are built.  The test pilots use the local airport for the test flights.  Been watching them land and take off since the first tests.

Amazing how big the birds are. Also fun to watch them flying and the tests they run on the flight controls.  Depending on the wind direction usually see at least one flying over my house or a friends house I visit.  And nearly always see one at the airport when driving by.  Never stopped and see if I could get a flight on one

 

[Yellowboat]

Along the same line, Larry. I lived in Bellevue, WA at the time and had a wonderful spot to watch A Harrier VTOL jet appear during the famous power boat races on Lake Washington. On the water aboard my 35' Trawler  on a sunny day we had an unobstructed view overhead and watched the pilot impress the crowd of thousands, a lot of them in boats, perform spectacular maneuvers. Too bad it was before digital cameras were common were in vogue.

I was a flight engineer on Chinook Hilicopters (CH47).  We were part of the air shows on Lake Washington for many years.  Also did the first bow in an air show with three Chinooks and one Harrier.  Lots of fun.

Safe travels.

JD