Enjoying retired life in Oregon. I work in my garden. I have twenty fruit trees,blueberrys,raspberry,marionberrys and a large vegetable garden, all fenced in to keep deer out. Our home is on the beautiful Mckenzie River. I enjoy fishing;Trout,Steelhead Trout, and Salmon all on this river. Also, a few miles up river there are lots of rapids for whitewater rafting, (class three) All the water comes from the three Sister mountains in the Cascades. Seventy miles east from here If you like to ski only hour away. Bend OR, is only 110 mile east . I also like Oregon ( DUCK s) football and track, Eugene is Track town USA. Lots of stars came from University of Oregon.The Olympic trials have been held here many times.
We like to travel. You would think I would be tired of traveling after 26 years of AF life. and 17 years of being overseas. We own a RV so in the summer months we go camping with Good Sam friends. Lots of nice places out here in the western US to camp.
.The VA takes care of all my medical needs. I'm 100% service connected disabled. Uncle Surgar is great. What a wonderful country we live in. We have so much to be thankful for. No other country in the world takes care of its Vets like ours. God Bless USA
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Other Comments:
I spent my entire career in Air Transportation. Lots of fond memories and events over the years. Have many stories and pictures of some of these places.(check it out)
I really loved serving in the Air Force. I sure do miss it at times. What a great life of 26 yrs active.The majority of those years were overseas ( 17 ).Many of the people I served with I can hardly remember. We seem to enjoy serving all together. Send me a message if you would like to reminisce the old times we shared together, I would love to hear from you...Aim Hi..Bob
Remembrance Profiles -
1 Airman Remembered
Smallidge, Michael, TSgt, (1962-1982)
1961-1965, C-97 Stratofreighter
From Year 1961
To Year 1965
Personal Memories
Loaded many of these while stationed at Travis AFB in the early 60's. You had to attached the tail stand,to keep the plane from tilting aft when loading.
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C-97 Stratofreighter Details
Aircraft/Missile Information
A post-war design, Boeing developed the C-97 as the Model 367 - a military transport based on the success of the design of the B-29 Superfortress.
The Model 777 Stratocruiser was the civilian transport version of the Model 367.
The C-97 was used in the Korea War to shuttle casualties to and fro. Others were used as air command posts for SAC and still some others were used for inflight refueling roles.
888 C-97's were built over the span of a decade.
General characteristics
* Crew: 4: * Length: 110 ft 4 in (33.7 m) * Wingspan: 141 ft 3 in (43.1 m) * Height: 38 ft 3 in (11.7 m) * Wing area: 1,734 ft² (161.1 m²) * Empty weight: 82,500 lb (37,410 kg) * Loaded weight: 120,000 lb (54,420 kg) * Max takeoff weight: 175,000 lb (79,370 kg) * Powerplant: 4× Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major radial engines, 3,500 hp (2,610 kW) each
Performance
* Maximum speed: 375 mph (603 km/h) * Cruise speed: 244 mph (212 knots, 393 km/h) * Ferry range: 5,000 nm (5,760 mi, 9,270 km) * Service ceiling 35,000 ft (10,670 m) * Wing loading: 69.2 lb/ft² (337.8 kg/m²) * Power/mass: 0.117 hp/lb (192 W/kg)