YC-121F and R7V-2

Predecessors of the C-133 were turboprop mods of the C-121C. Four were built for the navy, modified on the production line. Two later transferred to USAF and the 1700th Test Sq (Turboprop). Now, Roland Berger, in Germany, has done a great Flight Sim version and Carl Kaesar has put together illustrations for the sim. Check out (click on YC-121F Sim or copy the following URL and paste into your internet browser/access program) http://www.avpages.net/priv/yc121f/scr15nov2007/scr15nov2007.html for pics of the sim airplanes. The flight sim files are at www.AVSIM.COM
or at Flightsim.com.

Cal Taylor

December Book of the Month

THE ROAD TO SERFDOM

Fiftieth Anniversary Edition

By F.A. Hayek

with a new Introduction by Milton Friedman

The University of Chicago Press, 1954

For a closely related documentary video (appears to be from PBS in the same vintage about 50 years ago), click on: Milton Friedman on Limited Government.

THE ROAD TO SERFDOM, by F. A. Hayek may be the most important book of political philosophy written during the lifetime of C-133 crewmembers. Its message was a revelation particularly to the young men and women who were in the armed forces during WWII. Their recent experiences with Fascism and Nazism enhanced their appreciation of the value and meaning of individual freedom. They saw the horrors of socialism as not leading to a utopian State, but to a State besieged with tyranny and criminality.

The Road To Serfdom was first published in England in March 1944, followed by its American debut later that year. In the fifty years since its publication, over 250,000 copies have been purchased. Hayek dedicated the book "To TheSocialists Of All Parties." Hayek noted that in America those intellectuals within the academic institutions, and the New Deal rejected it out of hand as a malicious and disingenuous attack on their finest ideals. He also noted that a large part of the American intelligentsia had caught "the infection" in spite of the experimentation of the New Deal.

Ten years later these same countries that officials had held up as a model for central planning were now being called "totalitarian" and we had entered into the "Cold War." William Rehnquist, a future Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, read it as a Sergeant in the Army Air Force and deemed it probably the most influential book of his professional career. During the post war years it led him and others on the road of knowledge and understanding that personal freedom and economic freedom can be achieved only through individuals pursuing their own objectives. And, most importantly, the free market is the only mechanism that has ever been discovered for achieving participatory democracy.

Hence, the present hope and seeming success of globalization. Democracies have never been known to pursue a war with one another.The concept of free markets continues to infuriate those who believed in the simple and seductive false argument that collectivism (socialism, central planning) would create a utopian world order. In 1945, here and through out the world, it seemed there would be a continuing and steady growth of the state at the expense of the individual, and a steady replacement of private initiative and planning by the state. However, this was a socialist road to abject poverty for the ordinary man and it was rightly checked in the free world: Central planning was sacrificed rather than individual liberty; and, collectivism was too inefficient to mange enterprises. Government failed then as it does now in such central planning endeavors by becoming mired in bureaucratic confusion.

Those countries that continued to pursue socialism had to build fences to keep their citizens from leaving. Presently, reformers in old core western societies, including the U.S., have created a "hodgepodge of ill-assembled and inconsistent ideals" that has largely replaced socialism with the Welfare State. Hayek suggests that achieving (by coercion) these ends is not compatible with the preservation of a free society, as it tends to subordinate personal and economic freedom to the demand of the State. Almost all elections are about the redistribution of personal and business income by the State and that restricts one's freedom. The Road To Serfdom rose from a cry in the wilderness for individual freedom to now become an integral part of the philosophy and governance of the newly freed Iron Curtain countries throughout Eastern Europe. Most have overthrown past collectivist failures to become free market democracies with rapidly growing economies propelled by individuals pursuing their own economic and personal objectives.

While teaching Economics in an MBA program during the 90's, I used The RoadTo Serfdom as required reading. Every week the students were to write a one-page summary of each chapter and to report about personal discussions they had with others. They consistently expressed their amazement that this extraordinary published work had never been brought to their attention during their undergraduate years. They were simply stunned by its enduring truths and its personal applications.

I urge you to read this compelling, timeless message between individual liberty and government authority, as it was the great fight during our life and military service. The Road To Serfdom may be more relevant today then when it was written. Enjoy!

Reviewed for C-133 Crew Members by

Richard L. Spencer

39th ATS 1962-65

To find out more about this enlightening book, and buy it for $5.05, click on: The Road to Serfdom

Splash Landing

Here's my first attempt at posting a video......you don't see this every day!!
Click on the Play arrow, let it buffer, then play it straight through......

Really Big Airplane!

Comfort in the air............A380-style!!

Your log book is valuable

My log book entries from C-133 days helped a friend, LtCol Pietro DiSantis, get a VA 100% disability. He has a whole host of prostate problems and associated issues and did not have some documentation of being in-country. He was my AC on two trips, and an excellent man to fly with. I copied the pages from my log book, showing the two trips with him as the pilot. He just sent me a card to say that those pages, along with some other documentation, got him the upgraded disability.

Over the course of writing the book, I have had several contacts from people needing documentation that they were in Vietnam. Because our flight orders did not, in most cases, suffice to prove a person actually landed in Vietnam, it has been difficult for folks to prove it, in some cases.

The point, which I have made to a young loadmaster friend; keep a log book and copies of your flight orders and finance vouchers. They are truly worth money, even after many years.

Cal Taylor

November Book of the Month

THE BLACK BOOK OF COMMUNISM
Crimes, Terror, Repression
Authored by
Stephane Courtois, et al

For those our age, throughout our military service and most of our civilian lives, we were actively involved in the containment of Communism. And, after reading THE BLACK BOOK OF COMMUNISM, it was for good reason. Communism was the great and evil story of the twentieth century and at its zenith, ruled a third of mankind. It seemed poised to spread indefinitely and then it collapsed like a house of cards. It violated one of the basic tenets of civilization, "Thou shalt not kill."

The book is so revealing of the crimes, terror, and repression of this world wide totalitarian movement, that the authors, all past proponents of Communism, "ten years before would not have believed what they then had to write." The turning point was the collapse of the Soviet Union and the opening of its archives. Advocates could run, but they could nno longer hide from the hideous and devastating truth their beliefs engendered.

The authors and many others wonder why so many on the Left are still unwilling to admit to Communism's cruelty and its failure; especially, since new research makes it look more despicable every day. Such findings are dismissed by the Left as "right-wing, anti-Communist rhetoric" and further explained by the author as encountering one intractable obstacle: "That any realistic accounting of Communist crime would effectively shut the door on Utopia." Unlike Nazism, they conclude that it will be a very long time before Communism is accorded its fair share of absolute evil.

To fully digest what you are about to experience through the reading of THE BLACK BOOK, I recommend that you begin with the Introduction, skip to the Conclusion, then begin the study of the text in full. That allows one to better understand the ensuing depiction of the twentieth century as it was; a century filled with human catastrophes an bloodthirstiness beyond all others. The scale and gravity of Communism's crimes against humanity is estimated at 100 million civilian deaths alone!

Click on the following link for a full accounting of civilian and war deaths: HOW MANY DID COMMUNIST REGIMES MURDER?

The authors attempt to answer some fundamental questions that all ask: Why did Communism immediately turn into a system of bloody dictatorship and criminal activity? Why could its aims only be achieved through extreme violence? How could such crimes be thought of as a part of normal procedure for so many decades? Socialism seemed to beget violence; and power was achieved and held through the terrorizing of its citizens.

Throughout Communist history, supposed enemies of the State were pejoratively labeled as leeches, rats, enemy agents, and capitalists. Such derogatory classifications of the enemy created the justification for terror, and totalitarian states need enemies to survive. There was no need for citizens to actually have done anything at all; extermination was in order to discipline and punish; enemies were to be killed. Trials, famine, and concentration camps were organized in the strictest secrecy and legitimized as a method.

The last remaining matter posed by the authors is why have scholars neglected the crimes committed by the Communists while names such as Himler and Eichmann are infamous? Why as the academic community neglected its duty to speak the truth? Why do Lenin, Mao, Ho Chi Minh, and even Stalin enjoy a surprising reverence among them?

The answer revolves about the concealment of the misdeeds by the perpetrators and the systematic attack against all who dared expose the crimes. But, the indifference of contemporary scholars to the criminal dimension of Communism and to their fellow humans can never be forgotten. It borders on criminality itself.

I have often thought about the twentieth century without the worldwide spread of Communism. Would there have been something even more evil with which to deal? What would our lives have been? How powerful would America have needed to be? What would the world be if the twentieth century had not been so bloody? What effect would Nazism have had?

There are many insights to be gained by thinking of the paths not followed; some good and some bad, but it was what it was and we lived it. As for the U.S., one scholar noted that "Democracy is hard or everybody would have it." After reading THE BLACK BOOK OF COMMUNISM, we should never think of Democracy as being too onerous, but more a joy of life to be protected to the last man. Thank you, and your comments are well appreciated.

Reviewed for C-133 Crew Members by
Richard L. Spencer
39th ATS 1962-65

To find out more about this enlightening book, and buy it for $15.49, click on: The Black Book of Communism

A Great Idea!

From Sandy Sandstrom

When you're making out your Christmas card list this year, please include the following:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue,NW
Washington,D. C. 20307-5001

And while you're at it, please pass it on to your e-mail list.

West Coast Reunion Planned

From John Burnet-

.
The next west coast reunion will be 17-18 May 2008. Let John know, if you are interested

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Friday May 16 , 2008 PICNIC Pena Adobe Vacaville, CA

Saturday May 17, 2008 DINNER Hampton Inn Vacaville, CA

Details will be mailed out in late January or early February


Hope to see you in May. John and Jetta Burnett jnburnet@cwnet.com

Cal Taylorfirstfleet publishersThe C-133 Projecthttp://www.angelfire.com/wa2/c133bcargomaster/home.html

S/N 90536 has a Beaver Tail!

Congratulations to the Crew at Air Mobility Command Museum, Dover AFB, DE, for completing another project in the restoration of ol' 90536! Sandy Sandstrom says, "The airplane is now complete with the exception of the right landing gear problem. We are having the main support beam machined in the shop, so everyone is holding their breath until that is completed." Here are some great photos by Harry Heist II, Archivist/Editor Hangar Digest, AMC Museum.

Tail cone was installed 30 August. Those who worked on the installation are: Jimmy Nolan, Ted Marshall, Larry Phillips, Hank Baker, Ed Barnes, Doc Adams and Garry Burris --- on the high reach is MSgt Rick Veller

October Book of the Month

LIFE AND FATE

by

Vasily Grossman

Vasily Grossman (1905-1964) was born in present-day Ukraine and was a combat correspondent for the Red Star during WWII, covering from the defense of Stalingrad through the fall of Berlin. He then wrote the first ever account in any language of a German death camp. During the War Grossman¹s Red Star articles were of great importance to the Soviet population; and, as a morale booster, soldiers at the front would read aloud from a single copy. His articles were particularly relevant for the truthfulness that was knowingly in short supply. According to historians, there really was no journalistic parallel in the West to Red Star's role on the Eastern Front. From these combat experiences was born LIFE AND FATE.

The initial manuscript was seized and suppressed by the KGB in 1960. Grossman was then advised by the chief ideologue from the Khrushchev years that it would be another 200 or 300 years before such a novel could be published. But, as we know, history intervened; and, since its translation, LIFE AND FATE is considered a masterpiece. Grossman died before its publication and is now praised as Tolstoy's heir apparent. Grossman is considered the only Soviet writer to change his spots completely: "The slave in him died and a free man arose." He was known for his courage during the years of the Great Terror and in 1938 confronted the State's executioner about his wife's imprisonment. Thus, this fearless man began his move toward dissidence as well as his search for the absolute truth. He would write only what he thought through, felt through, and suffered through.

LIFE AND FATE is centered upon the defense of Stalingrad and is probably the most significant account of this bloodiest battle of the 20th century. It has been conservatively estimated that Stalingrad cost the lives of 2.7 million to include military and civilian. That number is now being increased as records previously closed to researchers are opened. Russia's ultimate victory in defending Stalingrad from German capture is considered by many military historians a major, if not the major, turning point in the War. Amazingly, Grossman is able to chronicle the War between these two fascist States in its most destructive horror and at the same time detail the characteristics of the slow demise of the civilian populations at the hand of their fanatical leaders and functionaries.

The novel's structure is similar to WAR AND PEACE as the life of an entire country is evoked through a number of subplots involving members of a single family. A list of chief characters assists greatly during the reading. Grossman felt through his writing it was his moral duty to speak on behalf of the dead. That brings us to this final, stunning irony: In victory, Communism ultimately became the mirror image of National Socialism, sinking rapidly into crime and terror. No heresy could have been more shocking for the deceased defenders of Stalingrad than the Soviet Union ending up much like Nazi Germany. In the end, the people of Stalingrad's brave fight for freedom was nullified as personal horror and criminal activity became the Soviet norm.

Lastly, THE BLACK BOOK OF COMMUNISM has recorded and analyzed the worldwide crimes of Communist regimes lying to rest the myth of well-intentioned founders. The significance of Communism in the hierarchy of violence that is the history of the twentieth century is unparalleled. LIFE AND FATE speaks directly to those 25 to 30 million civilian deaths at the hands of the former Soviet Union ruled by Communists. No one can now claim ignorance about the criminal nature of Communism and Grossman was the first Soviet writer courageous enough to reveal its evil.

I found LIFE AND FATE to be the best novel I have ever read. Grossman was so unflinchingly true in his ability to depict the tragedy of WWII that one lives every scene. He clearly portrays the confrontation of the "Individual versus the State" that only a Russian could write. This novel should be of particular interest to C-133 crewmembers as many were WWII veterans and we were all part of the Cold War that ensued from Communism's ugly desire to rule the world.

Enjoy!

Reviewed for C-133 Crewmembers by Rick Spencer
*
To find out more about this enlightening book, and buy it for $12.07, click on: LIFE AND FATE

AWESOME NASA Photos!

Jim Dugar has provided the following link to some incredibly high quality photos, apparently taken during the recent flight of the shuttle Endeavor; space walks and one of Hurricane Dean. These are "must see." Click on: NASA Endeavor photos. Thank you, Jimmy!

Leave a Comment (click on "x comments" below) about what land mass/island you think that is in the background of the first photo???????

Wake Island Revisited

We all spent lots of hours at Wake Island and have mental pictures of just what it was like. There was a huge typhoon in 2006 that really did lots of damage. This link takes you to a bunch of photos taken by a member of the team that went out to check things out.

Click on:
http://www.mcgrathimages.com/Gallery/Locations/Wake/20061208/

Cal Taylor

Alaska Bird

Fred Galey provided the following photos of a C-133A (tail number N199AB, formerly 61999 at Dover AFB) "still flying in Alaska," taken by his son, Fred Galey, Jr, from the cockpit of a FedEx MD 11 in July, 2007. THANK YOU, FRED & FRED JR!!!!

The following is a relevant excerpt from Wikipedia:

"Two C-133As have been in storage at Mojave Airport, California, since the 1970s. They are N201AR (ex-62001) and N136AR (ex-40136). They are owned by Cargomaster Corp, Ted Stevens International Airport, AK, which also owns and occasionally flies C-133A N199AB (ex-61999). That aircraft was never certificated by the Federal Aviation Administration for civilian operation. Thus, it must fly as a government aircraft, mostly for the State of Alaska, where the last known flights were in the summer of 2004. The ANC based aircraft flew test flights and then a real flight, carrying fire trucks and heavy equipment to the bush, on April 18th, 2006."

*

I then Googled the Cargomaster Corporation mentioned above and discovered the following two websites with more description & photographs of their three aircraft. Click on Cargomaster on the Go! and Goleta Air & Space Museum.

C-133 1:100 resin model

There is a new C-133 model on the street. Cast in resin, it is imported and distributed by Nostalgic Plastic. Check the C-133 web site (http://www.angelfire.com/wa2/c133bcargomaster/home.html) for a thorough and positive review. There is a link to the dealer, who has quite a selection of other things.

The decal sheet includes markings for five different A- and B-models. Harry Heist worked with Chris Mikesh, at Nostalgic Plastics, to insure accuracy.

Cal Taylor

Book of the Month

ON BULLSHIT

by

Harry G. Frankfurt

*

Now, here is a little writing of 67 pages that is absolutely delightful. Frankfurt begins the first sentence of the book by declaring "One of the most salient features of our culture is that there is so much bullshit." At our age we can certainly agree, but do we have a clear understanding of what bullshit is, or why there is so much of it? If that intrigues you, then this is the read for you.

*

Frankfurt begins by developing a theoretical understanding through philosophical analysis of what it is. He does not consider the misuses of the term in one's everyday vocabulary. Rather, he focuses upon how and why it has become so prevalent, and the distinction between a liar and a bullshitter, given their sincerity when showering us with their thoughts.

*

The crux of this distinction according to Frankfurt is "Both represent themselves falsely as endeavoring to communicate the truth." Development of this argument makes fascinating reading and has major applications to one's understanding of public officials, talking heads, news reporting, and, unfortunately, friends. Frankfurt suggests that bullshit becomes unavoidable when one is required to talk without knowing what he is talking about. His final thought is that sincerity itself is bullshit given the nature of other things. I will not elaborate further as that would ruin your study of this disease that is so common and has no known cure. But, I can guarantee that by reading this analysis you will be able to distinguish bullshit for what it is, and those who are the main propagators.

*

Harry G. Frankfurt is a renowned moral philosopher and Professor Emeritus at Princeton University, and his work is serious even when considering this, heretofore, somewhat forbidden subject. As always, enjoy!

*

Reviewed for C-133 Crewmembers by Rick Spencer

*

To find out more about this delightful book, and buy it for $4.08, click on: ON BULLSHIT

Into the Sky Blue Yonder

Here's a link to a great video plus other interesting links like "WWII Air Museum" and "Fly Air Combat Manuevers."

Click on: Air Power

Hoot of the Month

Sandy says, "I don't see a problem here. He is wearing a safety helmet, and his marshalling signals look like they are "by-the-book". Obviously, it was also one of those HOT summer days. HA!"

Subject : How to get kicked out of the AF 101. A few days ago somebody found a pic of a KC-135 guy marshaling a jet in his underwear. The next day Airman Jerknuts of our grand 34th AMU decided to out do the tanker guy. I think our guy won! The chief lost his mind over this. He read 11 people their rights and they all lawyered up. The chief confiscated a bunch of cameras (not before the pics got put on laptops of course) The kid asked everyone if they minded, including the aircrew and super, no one cared. There's a huge cluster-gaggle with it. Apparently every lawyer in the AOR plus a few extras have to be flown in for this.

Old Photo ID

Jimmy Donlan provided the following old photos, plus one "more current" view of him on his lake with his friends, Bud & Bud Light!! The question is: WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE???? You can help identify them. Just click on the Comment label at the bottom and enter your information......

Check Terry Wall's Comment added below on 8/23 (THANKS, TERRY!!) He ID'd some of those shuffleboarders, and asked a couple questions. Any answers??


If you have more old photos, please send them to rehanson342@aol.com for Posting.

Smilin' Sandy

Sandy Sandstrom and the Dover AMC Museum "Project" on static display........







Sandy & Erich Hausner (thanks for the great photos!!!)

Smart-xxx Ground Crews

New "intelligence" provided by Richard Huey & Alan Harding:

Supposedly, it takes a college degree to fly a plane, but only a high school diploma to fix one. Reassurance for those who fly routinely in our jobs. After every flight, UPS pilots fill out a form, called a "gripe sheet," which tells mechanics about problems with the aircraft. The mechanics correct the problems, document their repairs on the form, and then pilots review the gripe sheets before the next flight. Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor. Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by UPS' pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers. By the way, UPS is the only major airline that has never, ever had an accident.

P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.

P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.

P: Something loose in cockpit.
S: Something tightened in cockpit

P: Dead bugs on windshield.
S: Live bugs on back-order

P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute descent.
S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.

P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
S: Evidence removed.

P: DME volume unbelievably loud.
S: DME volume set to more believable level.

P: Friction lock cause throttle levers to stick.
S: That's what friction locks are for.

P: IFF inoperative in OFF mode.
S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.

P: Suspected crack in windshield.
S: Suspect you're right.

P: Number 3 engine missing.
S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.

P: Aircraft handles funny.
S: Aircraft warned to: straighten up, fly right, and be serious.

P: Target radar hums.
S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.

P: Mouse in cockpit.
S: Cat installed.

P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
S: Took hammer away from midget.