1st Consol Acft Maint Sq, Selfridge AFB, MI sent me TDY to the 4603d Air Base Gp located in Stewart AFB, NY 12550 to provide manning assistance. Around October 1969 the last fleet of C-119 Boxcar aircraft in the Air Force was located here at Stewart AFB and I was making sure all repairs were done in a professional manner because they were finally retiring them to the "moth ball fleet" in AZ. I remember accomplishing one repair more then once until the problem was resolved. AS I worked on these old birds I realized and could almost feel the history these aircraft could tell us. As I rubbed my hands over the skin of this last aircraft I could almost feel the life pulse of what this cargo aircraft could have gone through. It was sad seeing them go as they were a good aircraft. I enjoyed my work as a Structural Repair Specialist.
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C-119 Flying Boxcar Details
Aircraft/Missile Information
Model Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar Length 86.48 ft | 26.36 m Width 109.32 ft | 33.32 m Height 26.25 ft | 8.00 m Engine(s) 2 x Wright R-3350-89 Cyclone 18-cylinder radial engines delivering 3,500hp each. Empty Weight 39,800 lbs | 18,053 kg MTOW 85,001 lbs | 38,556 kg Max Speed 217 mph | 350 km/h | 189 kts Max Range 1,771 miles | 2,850 km Ceiling 23,901 ft | 7,285 m | 4.5 miles Climb Rate Not Available Hardpoints 0 Armament None. Accommodations 4 + 40 Operators Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Italy, India, Morocco, Norway, Vietnam (South) and the United states of America.
