Douglas DC-6 / C-118

I was in VR-21...I was a Aviation Electronic Tech. 1969-71

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flew as load master on c118B with vr21 at barbers point naval air station in hawaii we flew all over incuding flights from cubi and sangley point phillipines into vietnam we carried all type of supplies and sea bees into vietnam

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20-odd years ago, I was near Pangborn Airport (Wenatchee, WA) watching what I think were DC-6s converted to water bombers take off to fight a fire. I noticed that some of them appeared to head straight out, while others gained altitude circling the airport. I mentioned this to an old ANG pilot that I worked with, and he laughed that I was seeing the difference between ex-fighter jocks ("OK - Let's go!") and ex-transport drivers ("Let's stick close to the field in case we blow an engine on the climb!")

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Was in VR-21 from 72-76. Flew in 118Bs all over WestPac. Cubi to Danang shuttle. Flew CINCPACFLT around, great time of my life, great squadron with alot of great officers and enlisted attached.

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I flew in the 29th at McGuire AFB in early 62 and then transferred to the 18th C-135 and was much happier! I must have been a jonah as we were wracking up lost engines left and right no pun intended.

Susan

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Hey Mel Mendelsohn,

You may have been my pilot on my first overseas trip. If you were, thanks for a job well done. Other than the long hours and the snow removal delay, it was a seamless journey.

Mark

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Hey Dianne Weitzel,

You may have very well been my flight attendant. Seems we were in the same place at the same time; just whether or not on the same flight. I do recall, as you mentioned, that the flight took a long time. If you were, thank you for your support.

Mark

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My first overseas deployment was via a C-118(?). First thing I noticed was that the seats were all backwards. Heard that military aircraft had it that way to protect you in case of a crash landing.

Went from McGuire, NJ. to Harmon, Newfoundland and on to Prestwick, Scotland and finally to some place in England....don't remember the airport.....possibly RAF Mildenhall. Do remember seeing many sites of the steel plate matting that was apparently used for WWII remote air strips.....they were all over the place from Prestwick to Mildenhall.

In Newfoundland we were there for half an hour or so for refueling. Snow banks were probably 20 feet high and had been plowed out with vertical sides where the aircraft had to maneuver. During the time we were there, snow piled up on the wings to the point that they had to clean the stuff off just before we took off.

Not a fun trip as I had just gotten married and had to leave home for who knows how long.

Mark

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I flew the DC-6 series (DC-6, 6A, 6B and former military C-118A) for about 5 years (1977-82) all over the Caribbean, Central and northern South America. They were very nice flying airplanes, some of them older than me! I got about 3200 hours in them on freight contracts for ALM Antillean Airlines, Caraibische Lucht Transport Maatschappij, TAN Airlines of Honduras, BWIA, Guyana Airways, Surinam Airways, Air Jamaica, etc. I was young and loved every minute of it, including hitting a bird at 13,000 feet out over the Caribbean going from Tocumen, Panama to Curacao, and also watching the nightly light show from the thunderstorms over Colombia while hauling beef from Monteria, Colombia to Curacao in perfectly smooth air while the lightning flashes stopped the propellers with their stroboscopic effect. Since I grew up in the Canal Zone town of La Boca beside the bridge, I probably watched Mel Mendelsohn flying around the pattern at Howard AFB doing takeoffs and landings. I only have fond memories of those years flying the DC-6s and C-118A (DC-6A).

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I flew as a flight attendant on the C-118 out of McGuire AFB from 1959 thru 1961. Troop transport was our mission, in peace time that meant relocation of dependents as well. Our squadron,(30thATS) also regularly flew NATO VIPs in C118 with 1st Class cabin. Our galley was equipped to cook frozen dinners and breakfasts for all passengers and crew, as flight time to Europe was about 18 hours,with a refueling stop, usually Harmon, Newfoundland. My Husband,Gary Weitzel, remained in the aircraft till 1963 when he transferred into jets and later into civilian airlines.

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