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steve1

C-119 Box Car?

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This may date me some, but did anyone else on here ever jump a C-119. They were a popular military aircraft for dropping paratroopers and cargo way back when. I wonder if any are still flying.

I made around ten jumps out of them. On take off, they seemed really under powered, and they used most of the air strip to get airborne. And then the two back doors were so close together that two sticks of jumpers might be opening right next to each other. I do have fond memories of jumping this aircraft though. Someone mentioned an aircraft that had "Soul". Maybe this one should be on that list....Steve1

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This picture shows SF troops preparing to jump 119's in 1970.

I made four of my five jumps in jump school out of C-119's. I can still picture our jumpmasters (Black Hats) leering at our scared faces on jump run. You could tell they were loving every minute of it. I can laugh now, but this was serious shit then....Steve1

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I made 22 jumps from the C-119.Have many hours kicking out cargo from them.They were not under powered and were good performers for the time.
The C-82 (prior to the 119) was a dog and gave the 119 a bad name.(flying coffins)

119's did a great job delivering troops and cargo during the Korean war on a daily bases.

POP

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Is the C-119 in any relation to the design of the OV-10 Bronco? I hadn't seen a C-119 before, but the first thing I thought of was the OV-10.

That and I remember reading about some Marines in Force Recon in Vietnam static lining out of the back of an OV-10. Just big enough to slide out the back as the plane climbed up to dump them out. Any knowledge or other stories about that?
--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

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Is the C-119 in any relation to the design of the OV-10 Bronco? I hadn't seen a C-119 before, but the first thing I thought of was the OV-10.

That and I remember reading about some Marines in Force Recon in Vietnam static lining out of the back of an OV-10. Just big enough to slide out the back as the plane climbed up to dump them out. Any knowledge or other stories about that?



The OV-10 was an airplane to replace the pusher puller Cessna for the Army. During the VN war the Army wanted their own aircraft against the wishes of the Air Force. They came up with the OV-10,the O standing for observation...but the Army neglected to mention the hard points for mounting weapons. This aircraft fueled the fire for the huge battle that ensued with the Air Force.
As for the guys jumping from the OV-10. I know a guy who has jumped from them.....and yes he was Marine Force Recon.


bozo
Pain is fleeting. Glory lasts forever. Chicks dig scars.

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I think you may be mistaking the OV-1 Mohawk which was used by the Army. The OV-10 Bronco was used by the Marines. The Cessna 337 was the O-2 used by the Airforce.
In either case , none were similar to the C119 which was a generation earlier, bigger, slower and had reciprocating engines unlike the OV-1 &10 Which had turbines.

The aircraft that started the Airforce/Army disagreement I think was the Caribou. The Airforce didn't want it until the Army proved how sucessful it was.
GW685,D3888,C5052,SCS843

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I made a few jumps out of a C-119J in Agra, India in the early 80's while working for Pioneer Parachute Company. I was over on a sales trip visiting the Indian Airborne School and demoing an early version of the HAPPS. I was the only jumper. They took me to 12,500 or 15,000 for a short delay and then fly about 10 miles back to the DZ.

The "J" model of the C-119 to the fact that the aircraft has single jet engine mounted on top of the wing, centered over the fuselage, in addition to the two radial engines, one on each wing. This was to give the aircraft additional power for operations at high altitude airports.
"A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition"...Rudyard Kipling

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I think you may be mistaking the OV-1 Mohawk which was used by the Army. The OV-10 Bronco was used by the Marines. The Cessna 337 was the O-2 used by the Airforce.
In either case , none were similar to the C119 which was a generation earlier, bigger, slower and had reciprocating engines unlike the OV-1 &10 Which had turbines.

The aircraft that started the Airforce/Army disagreement I think was the Caribou. The Airforce didn't want it until the Army proved how sucessful it was.



The retired OV-10 is getting a second or third chance at life. During the past few years, the US State Department has used them as 'crop dusters' in Central and South America for coca and marijuana eradication.
A very talented friend of mine was flying down there on that same mission, had an engine shit the bed on take off, and barely escaped by punching out....VERY LOW.
The pics aren't pretty.

359
"Now I've settled down,
in a quiet little town,
and forgot about everything"

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This may date me some, but did anyone else on here ever jump a C-119. ....Steve1



I went through jump school at Bragg in March, 1960 and was fortunate enough to make a fewjumps from a C-119. The closeness of clam shell doors at the rear made full equipment jumps a bit cramped as I remember.

During my time with the 82nd, I also jumped the C-123 and C-130. Some guys jumped the C-124 but I missed that for some reason.

The XVIII SPC club had access to just about anything the Army flew. I jumped an H-21, 2-3 other helios and some weird STOL craft similar to a Porter that was used by the Special Forces. Damn if I can remember what that was and I can't find my log book...from back in that day. It got off the ground in a few hundred feet...or so it seemed.
Guru312

I am not DB Cooper

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This may date me some, but did anyone else on here ever jump a C-119. ....Steve1



I went through jump school at Bragg in March, 1960 and was fortunate enough to make a fewjumps from a C-119. The closeness of clam shell doors at the rear made full equipment jumps a bit cramped as I remember.

During my time with the 82nd, I also jumped the C-123 and C-130. Some guys jumped the C-124 but I missed that for some reason.

The XVIII SPC club had access to just about anything the Army flew. I jumped an H-21, 2-3 other helios and similar to a Porter that was used by the Special Forces. Damn if I can remember what that was and I can't find my log book...from back in that day. It got off the ground in a few hundred feet...or so it seemed.



Sounds like a Helio Stallion to me.
I still have a piece from Mike Mullins wreck back in the early 90s.

359
"Now I've settled down,
in a quiet little town,
and forgot about everything"

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I have a friend in AK who has helped restore two C 119s to flying condition recently. One has a jet mounted on top of the fuselage for extra power and it is operable (but VERY thirsty). They hope to fly cargo. I have tried to interest them in attending WFFC but the economics just don't work out. It is powered by two Wright 3350s, similar to the Super Connie engines. The C 119 used in filming Flight of the Phoenix just sold recently for under $100K in good shape. It flew round trip from US to Africa for the film, with many fuel stops of course.
2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

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I think you may be mistaking the OV-1 Mohawk which was used by the Army. The OV-10 Bronco was used by the Marines. The Cessna 337 was the O-2 used by the Airforce.
In either case , none were similar to the C119 which was a generation earlier, bigger, slower and had reciprocating engines unlike the OV-1 &10 Which had turbines.

The aircraft that started the Airforce/Army disagreement I think was the Caribou. The Airforce didn't want it until the Army proved how sucessful it was.



When the Air Force took over the Caribous they were in for a rude awakening.

According to Army personnel who flew them before the Air Force took them over, the Army had a hard and fast rule - they would not operate at gross in and out of a field unless they had at least 900 feet of runway.

Army pilots who flew with the Air Force on familiarization flights enjoyed the reactions of the Air Force people who were used to 8,000 foot runways 300 feet wide. After one demonstration of a "normal" operational landing, it was reported that the Air Force guy had to clean up and find a change of underwear before they took off again.

Having watched Caribous at work, I can believe it.

As an aside, what appears to be every viable Caribou airframe in existence is at, or has been funneled through, an operation with "government ties," located in Cape May, NJ. It would be great if they would occasionally release one or two to skydiving operations - particularly after conversion to the turbine powerplant.


Blue skies,

Winsor

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I've heard stores from the old "grey hairs" at Cal City about jumping a ScareAbous... I mean Caribous and C119s.

I've never seen a C119 at Cal City myself, but they still tell stories of the "good ol' days" when Dar Robinson was doing stuff out of one for the show That's Incredible out there... and cratered the desert throwing all sorts of nonsense out the back.

I think the forest servive might still have some, but I'm not sure.

Also, did anyone ever do a turbine conversion on a C119 like on DC-3s or a Bous??

--- edit ---

Got this from Wikipedia:


The number of aircraft still airworthy is unknown. Over twenty C-119's are registered under civilian markings in the U.S. Two aircraft are currently flying in Alaska, and until recently Hawkins & Powers Aviation, an aerial firefighting company located in Greybull, Wyoming, were operators of a C-119G and C-119L, as well as the lone flying C-82. The company ceased operation in 2005 and these aircraft were made available for sale. Several C-119's currently parked or on static display in museum collections are also reported to be flyable, though their actual condition remains in doubt. It is likely that several C-119's still remain in operation in Southeast Asia.

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