dash upgrade...

[Plymouthy Adams]

nla

[BobT-47P15]

Yeah, Tim That dash would be just dandy in an old Dodge coupe.....

[Reg Evans]

Man !!!! That dash is almost as busy as George Asche's.

[Young Ed]

Tim will you have both 6v and 12v accesories in that dash with a dual charging system under the hood?

[PatS....]

Tim, with all that state of the art gear, they retired the plane? Does that mean cut up for scrap??

[Frank Blackstone]

Not likely to be cut up while so many vets are still here. It is being restored and ready for display . So yo'all come and see it. Frank

[62rebelP23]

i have a highly symbolic suggestion for a way to retire old cargo planes; fill 'em to the gunwales with RDX and scrap iron and remote fly 'em into Baghdad after we leave. what the hey, stuff a couple of nukes in there, too. let that be a "parting gift" from the American Taxpayers.

[PatS....]

(from the 445th Airlift Wing webpage):

The 445th Airlift Wing is home to a C-141 that played a major role in Operation Homecoming, the repatriation of Americans held as prisoners-of-war in North Vietnam. On February 12, 1973, the world’s attention was riveted on Gia Lam Airport, Hanoi, North Vietnam. The war was over and the long-awaited start of “Operation Homecoming,” was about to begin.

A U.S. Air Force C-141 Starlifter, tail number 660177, landed. It was painted white with a Red Cross tail flash. The first 40 POWs waited patiently as the lumbering giant taxied toward them. The men had vowed to show no emotion to their North Vietnamese captors.

They boarded the aircraft, took their seats, and prepared for takeoff. They sat quietly, but as soon as the Starlifter’s wheels left the runway, a resounding cheer went up from all on board. Their first stop would be Clark Air Base, The Philippines; then home to the United States.

Now a “C” model, C-141 tail number 660177 has the distinction of being the first aircraft to ferry our POWs from captivity. Because of that singular honor, it has been dubbed the “Hanoi Taxi” and continues to serve, assigned to the 445th Airlift Wing, Air Force Reserve Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

“Ol’ 177” has become a sort of flying museum. Above its forward entrance door is the inscription, “First C-141 to Hanoi.” Aircrew headrest covers on the flight deck bear the familiar black-and-white POW/MIA emblem. Framed photographs mounted on the side bulkheads of the cargo compartment show POWs in Hanoi and aboard the aircraft bound for home. A label on the flight engineer’s panel simply reads, “Hanoi Taxi.”

On October 7, 2002, Maj. Gen. Edward J. Mechenbier, a former POW, flew the C-141 back home to the 445th Airlift Wing after depot maintenance refurbished it back to its original paint scheme. May 2004 marked another historic moment for both Maj. Gen. Mechenbier and the “Hanoi Taxi.” Gen. Mechenbier, on his final flight shortly before he retired, flew the Hanoi Taxi back to Vietnam to lead the repatriation mission of two American servicemembers killed in action.

(from Wikipeadia):

With the scheduled 2006 retirement of the last 8 C-141s, the Hanoi Taxi (which was the last C-141 to be retired) embarked on a series of flights, giving veterans, some of whom flew out of captivity in this aircraft, the opportunity to experience one more flight before its retirement. At 9:30 AM on Saturday, 6 May 2006, the Hanoi Taxi touched down for the last time and was received in a formal retirement ceremony at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, located at Wright Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) Area B in Riverside, Ohio near Dayton. Area B is the Wright Field portion of the base which its runways are no longer in operational service except for inbound flights to the museum. Hanoi Taxi is now part of the permanent static display collection of the Museum.

Over Dayton Ohio

Her final landing at the museum.

Great story Tim, I had never heard of this aircraft. Great to know it will be preserved. Hope to get to see it someday. Thanks