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WillyVictors,EC-121's

A4sForever

BTDT OLD GUY
pilot
Contributor
EC-121 .... an interesting bird .... the first time I heard one taxi by ... I nearly jumped out of my flight suit. Same for the P2V .... the brakes, THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES !!!! :eek:

Think extremely LOUD screams and squeals -- that's what they sounded like when taxiing ... ALL the time. :)

ec121wr9.jpg
p2vqs1.jpg
 

Catmando

Keep your knots up.
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
Long forgotten workhorse for the NAVY, remember these birds when stationed with VQ-1 on Guam 71-75 :icon_zbee
www.willyvictor.com
Certainly not forgotten here. Their all too frequent, shrill warnings of, "Sam, Sam, vicinity of Haiphong (or wherever), this is Deep Sea on Guard, out," still rings in my ears as if it were yesterday. Theirs was indeed a special mission, and greatly appreciated.

Nor should their tragic loss of 31 souls onboard to the North Koreans be forgotten either:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EC-121_shootdown_incident
http://www.willyvictor.com/History/Korean_Shootdown/Korea.html
 

Flugelman

Well-Known Member
Contributor
Same for the P2V .... the brakes, THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES !!!! :eek:

Think extremely LOUD screams and squeals -- that's what they sounded like when taxiing ... ALL the time. :)

And the OIL! After every flight the flight crew would take buckets of 115/145 and rags to wipe down nacelles, flaps, and trailing edges. Can't see that happening these days. (Using the gas, that is...)

My first Navy squadron was a Connie outfit, although not Willie Victors. We flew the last 4 C-121C models in the Air Farce inventory with MAC out of Tachikawa, Japan. We took them to the boneyard in '66 and decomissioned.
 

MIDNJAC

is clara ship
pilot
EC-121 .... an interesting bird .... the first time I heard one taxi by ... I nearly jumped out of my flight suit. Same for the P2V .... the brakes, THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES !!!! :eek:

Think extremely LOUD screams and squeals -- that's what they sounded like when taxiing ... ALL the time. :)

ec121wr9.jpg
p2vqs1.jpg

My old man flew both those mighty steeds.....his stories were of a similar note :)
 

Catmando

Keep your knots up.
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
I beg your pardon! Shrill, never been attributed to me before ..... :icon_tong

Big Look, aye.

Figured that adjective might get a rise out of you. :icon_smil: :D
Like beauty, perhaps "shrill" is more in the ears of the 'hearer' rather than the transmitter.

"Big Look", aye. But those black boxes are worthless without the man to operate, interpret, and act. So thanks for some great work under some difficult and hazardous circumstances. It remains today, deeply appreciated.
 

Flugelman

Well-Known Member
Contributor
And low manifold pressure, always.

Did you ever happen by Charlies Steak House in Tachi?


If it was about 2 blocks down on the left out the gate, then yes. Can't remember the name of the place, but there was a great little Geoza place a couple of doors down. It's been a long time, but good memories... And 200 Yen Kirin beer :D
 

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
I know we lost a few WV crews to DPRK Migs.

There was only one, it was a VQ-1 EC-121M that was shot down on April 15, 1969 killing all 31 crew members. There is still a plaque commemorating the crew in the entrance to the VQ-1 spaces in Whidbey.

This has some good info and links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EC-121_shootdown_incident

There was another VQ-1 EC-121M that was lost landing at Da Nang on March 16, 1970, killing most of the crew.

The only time I saw a Connie in real life was when the CAF flew one into Randolph AFB for an airshow. I don't remember the brakes squealing but I do remember the sound of the engines, and feeling it in my boots, as well how big she was. Very nice looking plane.
 
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