Jul 15, 2005, 9:38 AM
Post #1 of 11
(1747 views)
Shortcut
Taft Connie jumpship 1965, details???
Can't Post
The book Falcon's Disciples has a photo of jumpers exiting a Lockheed Constellation and says it was shot at Taft DZ (CA) in 1965. Does anyone have details on the jumpship? Model? N number? Owner? Even at 1965 prices it took a lot of fuel money to feed 4 Wright 3350 engines. How did they make it work out financially?
Thanks. The Cal City Connie (from Camarillo) is now sponsored by Breitling Watches and is in immaculate condition touring on the European airshow circuit. It is now based in Switzerland. Never did get a chance to make a Connie jump. Showed up to two WFFCs where it was a no show and when I had one day to jump the Connie at Cal City the winds were over 30 kts and it never flew.
I'm still kicking myself for missing out on the chance to jump the connie at the WFFC in 94 (wind).
But we did get some nice pics of it on the ground IMO The lines on that airplane are beautiful with the triple vertical stabilizers, long slim body, ...... excuse me got to go to the bathroom.
Where was I Anyway just seeing the bird n person is a treat
If you like Connies check out: http://www.conniesurvivors.com/
Sure hope we can get one back to WFFC some day.
Rumors about a strange hybrid propliner that might show up at WFFC this year, ATL 98 Carvair, like a double deck DC 4. From the front it looks like a 747 with four props. Sure hope it shows up.
I jumped the DC4 in the early '80s at Coolidge. It took over 100 I think. One guy did rope and ring magic tricks in the back on the way to altitude, and a blow up doll was tossed around before being the first to exit. It took forever for the pilots to get it ready before takeoff.
I jumped the DC4 in the early '80s at Coolidge. It took over 100 I think. One guy did rope and ring magic tricks in the back on the way to altitude, and a blow up doll was tossed around before being the first to exit. It took forever for the pilots to get it ready before takeoff.------------------------------------------------------- It seems like that Coolidge DC-4 held 120 jumpers. I made many many jumps from it in the early 80s They used it to haul frozen fish during the season in Alaska then we go it during the off time. Nice airplane
I jumped the DC4 in the early '80s at Coolidge. It took over 100 I think. One guy did rope and ring magic tricks in the back on the way to altitude, and a blow up doll was tossed around before being the first to exit. It took forever for the pilots to get it ready before takeoff.
------------------------------------------------------- It seems like that Coolidge DC-4 held 120 jumpers. I made many many jumps from it in the early 80s They used it to haul frozen fish during the season in Alaska then we go it during the off time. Nice airplane
bozo Hi Jimbo
http://www.boeing.com/history/mdc/dc-4.htm Interesting history
I don't remember the cost but it was like $50-$100.
We took off from somewhere in LA, like Long Beach, although I don't think it was actually Long Beach.
It was owned by Blatz(?) Airlines. The seats were in place. The stewardesses were on board.
The idea, besides jumping an exotic airplane, was to have the inconceivably large number of 100 jumpers in freefall at the same time.
Most people were afraid to have that many people in the air so we had 64 or 65.
We flew to Taft. I vaguely remember someone, Bill Pyle?, spotting. We were at 15,000 ft.
The fear of too many people was not necessary, just getting out of the seat, shuffling down the aisle guarding your reserve handle and diving out spread us out over several miles.
The stewardesses were back by the door watching us dive out.
I never saw anybody the whole freefall, but that was because I had to pee so bad I was about to go in my jumpsuit and hope it dried out on the way down, so I spent the whole jump in a head down dive and pulled pretty low so I could get down and pee.
I don't remember why we were up there so long, but we made several passes over the dropzone with go arounds before we jumped.
I remember Dirty Ed telling me that the guy in front of him passed out as he got to the door and fell down and Dirty Ed, in the exit frenzy state of mind, just picked him up and threw him out and dove out after him.
Then he thought "Shit, what did I just do?" and started chasing after him.
The guy is laying there on his back, passed out, in a slow turn.
Part way down he comes to, shakes his head, does the fastest half barrel roll in the history of the world, and Dirty Ed just kind of fades off into blue.
We made a second jump, taking off from Taft.
This time we were more organized and several groups tried to do some RW.
I was with some friends from Oceanside.
"Organized" meant that we sat close togther so that when we struggled up out of our seats and shuffled down the aisle we would be following each other out.
The other main thing I remember is this is where I met Bob Sinclair.
I worked for Bob and Dave Burt for several years after that and consider them my main teachers, along with Bud Kiesow and Richard Economy.
So, that was 40 years ago, but that's how I remember it.
excuse me got to go to the bathroom
. 
Anyway just seeing the bird n person is a treat
