C-141 siting

[FuryFan]

Saw a 141 flying out of EAFB a couple of days ago. Is this the NASA Kuiper flying observatory aircraft, or are there others flying? It was still painted dark green unlike most NASA aircraft. Anyone?

Kevin

[AirDOGGe]

Re: C-141 siting

As far as I know of, the Kuiper Telescope C-141 is still white with blue NASA markings and striping. It use to be based here at Moffett Field.

[FuryFan]

Re: C-141 siting

Thanks for the reply.......I've never seen the NASA 141, so I wasn't sure what color it was. Now I'm really curious. It's really hard to mistake a 141 for something else. The ratio of the fuselage diameter to length is unique. The mystery continues......

Kevin

[AirDOGGe]

Re: C-141 siting

Thanks for the reply.......I've never seen the NASA 141, so I wasn't sure what color it was. Now I'm really curious. It's really hard to mistake a 141 for something else. The ratio of the fuselage diameter to length is unique. The mystery continues......

Kevin

I don't believe all C-141s were stretched. NASA's plane is the original length as it was when first built, and so looks shorter than most Starlifters today. Here's The KAO when it was based at Ames and as it probably still looks today (photo courtesy of NASA):

[Mike51]

Re: C-141 siting

Saw a 141 flying out of EAFB a couple of days ago. Is this the NASA Kuiper flying observatory aircraft, or are there others flying? It was still painted dark green unlike most NASA aircraft. Anyone?

Kevin

Whatever you saw, it wasn't a C-141. The last examples were retired in 2005, and none have flown since.

The NASA Kuiper aircraft hasn't flown since retirement in 1995.

Probably a C-5 or C-17?

[AirDOGGe]

Re: C-141 siting

The NASA Kuiper aircraft hasn't flown since retirement in 1995.

Yes, and I JUST discovered that it's back "home" again...

"The observation platform was a highly modified C-141A jet transport aircraft with a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km), capable of conducting research operations up to 48,000 feet (14 km).....

.....The KAO was based at the Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, California (near San Jose, CA). It began operation in 1974 and was retired in 1995. As of February 2006, the aircraft remains in storage in Hangar 211 at Moffett Field; it is no longer flightworthy and may potentially be donated to a museum in the future."


I know a lot of people would like to see the old zeppelin hanger #1 at Moffett turned into a west-coast division of the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum. If that wonderful idea ever happens, then that could become it's future home.

[FuryFan]

Re: C-141 siting

It must have been a C-5......my plane spotting skill (eyesight) isn't what it used to be. Thanks to everyone for their replies.

Kevin

[AirDOGGe]

Re: C-141 siting

I took a look at Edwards on Google-Earth, and among the stubby C-17s I see a lone C-5 that looks like a stretched model.

That looks like it could be your bird, though no aircraft out there are green. Low-visibility gray is all I see, except for a pair of white NASA 747s..

I checked the official Edwards site and apparently there IS some C-5 flight testing going on right now. You can see a couple of photos at http://www.edwards.af.mil/photos/med...galleryID=2550

[Mike51]

Re: C-141 siting

I took a look at Edwards on Google-Earth, and among the stubby C-17s I see a lone C-5 that looks like a stretched model.

????Stretched C-5?????

[Stevo]

Re: C-141 siting

????Stretched C-5?????

No such beast.

[FuryFan]

Re: C-141 siting

There has been quite a bit of C-5 activity the last couple of days.......When I saw the "141" I hadn't been at my residence for a couple of days. My house is almost directly under the approach to EAFB so it would have been obvious that it was a C-5. I was aware that the 141's had been retired years ago, and that was the sole reason for the post.......when it comes to "retired" aircraft I've learned to "never say never." Thanks to everyone for their input....

Kevin

[kensantafe]

Re: C-141 siting

I try to learn a few new things each day--
Didn't realize the 141s had been retired
I flew in the first flight across the Atlantic by an all female crew
I was in the Army Nat Guard, but the load spotted my AF Senior Aircrew Wings and invited me into the cockpit
No one else noticed that everyone on the crew was female
Had a great time--I hate riding in the back of the bus

[AirDOGGe]

Re: C-141 siting

No such beast.

You are correct of course.

I guess I've seen so many "chubby" C-17s and so few Galaxy's in the last few decades that the C-5s look longer in length-to-width than I recall.

In the 1980s I always saw multiple C-5s in the skies around Travis while traveling to Stead for the races. most look like they were flying a circuit pattern in and out of the base, practicing approaches and landings no doubt

Ever since Desert storm in '89 those same skies became barren of big cargo jets on any type. Even today I feel lucky to see anything big from Travis. I guess between active duty and fuel cut-backs for flight training they simply don't fly much around there anymore.

Even at MOFFETT the occasional monthly C-5 flying freight & cargo in and out has become rare, their duties taken over by (civilian?) Antonov AN-124s.

[Stevo]

Re: C-141 siting

I guess between active duty and fuel cut-backs for flight training they simply don't fly much around there anymore.

More like they are needed other places right now. With all that's going on in Iraq, Afghanistan and... well, that whole part of the world, flying in circles around the old air patch for training takes a backseat.

[rampking]

Re: C-141 siting

I've seen a documented video taken out near Rachel Nevada of a pair of
flying "retired" F-117's about 3 months ago.
When it comes to Groom Lake, China Lake, Edward AFB and Nellis AFB....you never know what you may witness.