I spent all 12-months of 1969 working and flying on Bou’s out of Cam Rhan Bay. It was an experience I will never forget! Only real tough job was changing the Exhaust Tubes located on the top of the Wings. A very tough & dirty job! After I returned home in January 1970 I was stationed at Charleston assigned to a C-141A maintenance squadron then transferred to C-5A’s when the first operational squadron was formed later that year. 49-years later I am still working in the Fluid Power industry with the skills I learned in the USAF. Thank you Uncle Sam!

The C-7A Caribou was my first assignment after graduating from USAF UPT back in 1968. I flew them in Vietnam 1968-69 while there. It was a docile , sturdy aircraft, which fulfilled the need of a extremely short field performing fixed wing cargo/troop hauler. Our mission was the supply and support of Special Forces Green Berets at their base camps which were always "hot". The "BOU" was robust and versatile and well suited for that mission. Some of the dirt strips were as short as 1000 feet . These types of short runways required some additional qualification training by our pilots. The huge flaps, fixed leading edge flap/cuff tough landing gear, and unique ailerons which also extended out in unison with the flaps gave it the ability to fly slow final approaches and landings. The engines were reliable and were pushed hard for a radial. Wet mags on the ground during the rainy season seemed to be one of its weak points if not protected by some canvas tarps. Always exposed to ground fire at the forward bases, the approaches were some form of a steep, spiraling approach with gear and flaps extended and directly over the runway. Departures were spiraling climbs directly over the runway/base to avoid enemy ground fire. Not a glamorous first assignment but I learned a lot about flying as some of our senior officers were WW11 pilots . This was their "last hoorah" . They passed on to us their knowledge on how to treat the engines as well as their flying techniques which stayed with me through out my next 47 years of professional flying.

@sksa242

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your memories, the mechanics and pilots that look after the A4 210 at HARS do a fantastic job to keep the Caribou flying for all to enjoy around Australia. I love flying it in when ever I can. I will pass on your comments to the guys that look after it !

@robgreco1602

6 жыл бұрын

A company Pen Turbo Aviation located at Cape May NJ Airport is restoring and repowering these fine aircraft. www.penturbo.com/

@johnford1597

5 жыл бұрын

Flew them in vietnam, very slow plane, also used too spray agent orange.

@mearkitek3773

4 жыл бұрын

Flew on those a few times in Nam with the 4th Infantry from remote air bases... quite the ride.

@mohdyusoffbaharom4909

4 жыл бұрын

My first airborne course as special force in royal Malaysian navy.

Greetings from the former Australian Territory of Papua New Guinea. As a boy growing up in Lae City during the 1980s, I was privileged enough to live on a street directly under the flight path for final approach to the old Lae Airport where the PNGDF Air Transport Squadron had a few DC3/Dakotas, GAF Nomads and Arava STOL aircraft stationed. Often times we'd see the RAAF Caribous flying in for a visit. It had a distinct piston engine sound that preceded its approach. Fun times growing up during the Cold War.

They never made any of these beautiful aircraft anymore. In a way these rugged planes can fly & land almost anywhere....they help open up my country Malaysia during the 70's & late 80's . TQ Canada.

@cordobadebear

Ай бұрын

Epic!

I witnessed one of these doing touch and goes in the NT and it stirred my heart then and it does now!! What a beautiful aircraft. That sound is legendary!!

Never forget this tough, manoeuvrable aircraft. Richmond airbase as a child watching my father at 38 squadron then he went on to Vietnam for several years working on this mighty aircraft. It served so well. Always remember the oil discharge on the house roof along with the C130 flying over daily.

Love the Caribou! A perfect plane, sturdy and simple!

The first aircraft I ever flew in (1968 as a school cadet) and I flew on one of the last operational flights RAAF Edinburgh to Whyalla in SA. The traffic on the highway was going faster I reckon. But what a machine. Absolute workhorse.

I have great affection for this amazing aircraft. I served in the Royal Australian Air Force as an Instrument Technician on many Aircraft. We affectionately referred to the Caribou as the “Gravel Truck”. ❤️

When I first arrived in Vietnam back in 1967, the first plane I flew in to take me to my assigned base was a Caribou. One thing I remember was the take off was very quick and the landing was very short.

@HeartlandTuber

7 жыл бұрын

I was not familiar with this plane, googled it. It was specifically designed for STOL (short take of and landing) capability. Designed for military use, has apparently also proven a reliable bush country plane in civilian use.

@ralphcraig5816

7 жыл бұрын

Yep, a few different flights on one of these. If near hostiles the pilot would do tight climbing turns til out of range, a little tough on the tummy. On a flight from Vung Tau to Tan Son Nhut, we lost an engine, the pilot hollared "no problem, we'll just land sideways!". Obviously made it, tough plane. Air Force forced the Army to get rid of them, didn't like the Army encroaching on the their fixed wing airspace...

@mamikonbabayan1491

6 жыл бұрын

Wayne D gun hb

@wayned4271

6 жыл бұрын

Not sure what you mean

@dave-yj9mc

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you, for your service sir. One of my 1st two or three flights in a UH-1H, in 1991 or 1992 was to retrieve the crew of a C-7's last flight, from Fresno, CA Army NG, to Travis AFB Air Museum.... I think she still sits there.... In flyable condition, except for time change maintenance...

Flew on an ARMY Caribou from Vung Tao to Tan Son Nhut, 1966. Shortly after takeoff we lost a engine! The pilot hollared out "no problem" and instead of turning back we went on the Tan Son Nhut on one engine. My Captain asked why we didn't turn back and the pilot told us he needed the practice flying with one engine! Back in the day...

@fknucklewit

5 жыл бұрын

My dad got there on April 24 1966. 2 Field Ambulance advance party.

@romeo9017

5 жыл бұрын

Respect....

@garystrong1651

5 жыл бұрын

I also flew once on one from Tuy Hoa to Cam Rhan Bay 1966. I took some slides out the back, but forgot about them till this. After all this time I see clearly the Bay while lying on the ramp. Trip was to get supplies for us out in the boonies so I volunteered to go. Bragged about it and I didn't get another chance, everybody volunteered from then on. Downer was the occupied Q bags on the flight out.

@barrycassaday

2 жыл бұрын

No pilot wants to return to Vung Tao if they can make back to Tan Son Nhut!

CARIBOU is a very old plane after the Second World War. In 1965, the Americans came to wage war in Asia between Vietnam and America, this Caribou plane came to land in an airfield in northern Laos, then transported me north to central Laos.

What a fantastic Canadian-built aircraft. Flown around the world in many countries, known and loved for its STOL and short landing capabilities.

The RMAF used these Caribou during the 60s until early 80s.Later were replaced with C130s.One of them got shot by the bandits in the 70s in Sarawak if not mistaken.

J'ai gardé un excellent souvenir pour avoir eu le privilège de le piloter durant la guerre au Mozambique en 1990. C'est un souvenir inoubliable d'un avion inoubliable

I flew in these a few times in Nam. They landed like a parachute. True STOL

@robertc2204

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your service!!!

Great airplane. I had one fly freight for a mining operation at Great Bear Lake, NT. The rear load door was its best feature over fighting to make a right hand turn getting freight into a cigar tube small fuselage door on a regular plane. Canada has a rich history in aviation largely due to the north distances, to say nothing of the Avro Arrow.

@raincoast9010

2 жыл бұрын

I wonder if they will ever build them again?

Tremendous aircraft, and great in the STOL role. Also good to parachute from.

There were once the Caribou and the Vampire came to join the Air Force Exercise at Donmuang AFB. I was about 14 or 15 then. We were so excited about the short runway taking off of the Caribou.

Did my first static line combat jump from the ramp of a Caribou at Nowra in 1987. Couldn’t think of a better aircraft to do that out of.

Never gets old watching these things.

Memories back then... these C7, C47, C119, C123 and C130 used to be around them almost every single day in Tan Son Nhat Air Base (1971-1975) Got my pilot license in HAWAII 1998 because for the love of those airplanes.

Miss working on these, I remember doing an after flight and having to fill up 8 gallons of oil on the right engine and 9 gallons of oil on the left engine after a 4.5 hour flight

Love the Bou! I’m super lucky to have one still flying where I am. STOL master

Canada still uses the successor aircraft , the Buffalo ( turboprop ) . At our local airshows there would always be a Buffalo , so the commercial flights coming into the airport in de Havilland Dash 8's would get permission to show the lineage from the Buffalo and would do amazingly short take offs and landings !

That Camo is so good,all I can see is the props!

Marvelous powered glider. Took forever to land, just hung in the sky, and no time to get airborne. Best Taxi ride everytime. I was just a pax, but I loved it. Better than any other bird in country except the Freedom Bird.

So much memory this aircraft in my life as a special force RMN.

Love the sound of the Gravel truck!

old aircraft is always special

My dad was a flight engineer for De Havaland Canada when they were shipped to Vietnam for The Royal Australian Army and US Army. The we built the Buffalo were I went to Brasil for 3 years.

What an amazing plane! They just brought a really good version to Microsoft Flight Simulator.

We flew this in country to An Khe and landed on a dirt strip. When he came in he put it on its side and made a quick drop to the runway. You looked down and there was the ground outside the opposite window. Neat plane.

@lawrestler

5 жыл бұрын

I flew into An Khe from Pleiku on a Caribou. We landed on a PSP strip. Felt like landing on a waffle iron.

I have come across the Australian Caribou numerous times, in the '70's and '80's, looking out over the Yarra from my parents home as they flew in towards Simpson Barracks, Watsonia, Victoria for Army Display Days, often with parachutists. In 1989 I was up in Darwin for Kangaroo '89 military exercise and at Larrakeyah Barracks, Darwin, when I hard a plane approaching. I looked up to see a Caribou doing it's very damn best representation of "Sideways Airlines" crabbing along pointing in one direction while progressing in a slightly different one. Then in the '90's I was at Puckapunyal Army Base for a two week camp and on a Sunday morning we came out from the cinema/hall after seeing a film and I could hear what sounded like someone revving the guts out of a diesel engine, then from the distant treeline a Caribou comes climbing up from the Pucka Airstrip and climbs like it was almost climbing a ladder, then at maybe 3 or 4000 feet, parachutists come spilling out the rear. I swear no sooner had they all jumped than the Caribou noses over, hard I might add and heads down for the airstrip in what appeared to be a race to the ground with the parachutists. I cant say for certain just who was first to the ground because by this time we were being marched away, but I can say that there wasn't much in it. I think from memory that the caribou was doing circuits like this most of the morning. Australia got a lot of good use out of our Caribou and the Services were very sad to see it retire as it could get in and out of places that other planes could not, particularly in Papua New Guinea where "Bush Flying" is the norm and also very dangerous due to the mountains and the weather.

@stephenh7965

6 жыл бұрын

Mark Fryer I might have been sitting in the back of that Caribou in 89. Such a capable aeroplane.

@sksa242

6 жыл бұрын

A4 210 is retired from active duty but still fly's from time to time around parts of Australia due to the dedication of many HARS mechanics that want then Caribous to keep flying as long as possible for everyone's enjoyment !

During my apprenticeship at Luton airport in the early 1960’s I saw two of these aircraft seemingly float in & land with a very short run ,not on the runway but on the grass. Quite impressive,I believe they were being ferried on delivery,destination unknown.

I think, I saw a Caribou just recently at Wonderboom Airport in Pretoria, South Africa. It was still in the Hangar under restoration

The Caribou was a workhorse in the Vietnam War, delivering vital supplies into remote forward bases with little more than a dirt trail cut in the jungle to land on! And believe it was the only fixed wing aircraft operated by the Army.

@davemacmurchie6982

Ай бұрын

I think the US Army operated several hundred Beavers in Viet Nam as well.

This was the first plane I saw when I was eleven years old 😄. The sound of the engine and propeller brings back the time tunnel

A great aircraft built and designed in Canada

@sksa242

6 жыл бұрын

Totally agree, the Caribou did its job

@jongason660

5 жыл бұрын

Yes is is

@gavinhassett479

4 жыл бұрын

Its little brother and sister (beaver and otter) are still hard at work as commercial aircraft today, their production run having ended in 67

@gregorykusiak5424

4 жыл бұрын

We do build them well here.

@rubenbueno3926

3 жыл бұрын

También su hermano el Búfalo 🐃 este con platas motrices turbo hélice y con mayor capacidad !!!!!

Use to fly around in one of these in the Oman 1970s landing on rough dirt strips.

Got my American jump wings in Bragg on the Caribou. Great Plane

Stationed at Dong Ba Thin Army Airfield next door to Cam Ranh Air Base. I worked at the tower. Caribous came down from Phan Rang I think to practice at our field. I told my Air Traffic Controller buddies ( I was avionics guy) to call me whenever they showed up. I was fascinated by them. Well, about 9 years later I flew them as a brand new USAF Pilot. What a BLAST!

I saw one fly backwards once at an air show. Landing upwind, then throttled back until wind speed was greater than ground speed and it was flying "backwards".

@senyaw53

3 жыл бұрын

@@daviddou1408 Ha! Now you have planted some doubt. I was quite young at the time,but i am reasonably sure that the Australian army flew Caribous and that was what it was.

was at jaspers brush berry nsw use with the red berets traing in DHC 4 CARIBOU 308. LOVED THE STEEP SHORT LANDINGS, short take of. have heaps of photos of them.

Nice. My country's Royal Air Force used to operate this aircraft but all are retired. All either in the Museum or on outdoor display. I think one was donated for aviation engineering department in the University.

@sksa242

6 жыл бұрын

The Caribous at the Albion Park HARS museum will be flying as long as possible

My first night jump was off the tailgate of a Caribou at midnight. Later I was to fly many hours on them in Laos. What a great airplane!

@rcfoley

5 жыл бұрын

We jumped those things when I was with Special Forces. I was always happy to get out of that beast.

I have worked on the buffalo years ago. Nice airframe.

DHC -4 Caribou was used years ago by RCAF and we'll made aircraft from Canada.

One of the best sounding aircraft ever to fly..

@noshsreqd

5 жыл бұрын

They definitely have their own unique sound!

Love these old birds.

I was a meber of 177 airr dispatch in Ausrtralia , we flew and droped a lot of compacts onto the the DZ .

Totally incredible Aircraft. Big Fan.

I love the sound it makes

I loaded that back in the day, love the ol'Gravel Trucks

@sksa242

6 жыл бұрын

It still great to fly in , I can vouch for that !

Thank you physics for giving us the Doppler Effect.

During my childhood days, I used to fly in these, to fly to some remote location in Indian Himalayan states. Do not remember much, but I could faintly remember the deafening noise and few bench seats on the sides. BTW, this plane did had a sun-roof :-)

@R.U.1.2.

3 жыл бұрын

With the rear door open, I imagine it was loud!

@Debraj1978

3 жыл бұрын

@@R.U.1.2. Yes it was and we had to be careful with roller fixed on the floor of airplane for parachute dropping, unless someone wants to jump down :-)

Canadian designed and first manufactured in Canada by de Havilland as the DHC - 4 with its first flight on 30th July 1958. The turbo versions are still flying commercially. Not bad for 61 years old.

Flew in these and c119 and c130 and kc97 tankers in the airforce all good aircraft an exception the 119 was a pig long time getting off the ground needed more power. Scary at times. Lost some going from Okinawa to Japan They would just disappear best to take a 4 engined plane at that time when going from Okinawa to japan

Is vintage and in memory in my live so fantastic aircraft

This amazing plane I called "the dragonfly", just enthralled me as the Army exercised at Mingerla race course west of Townsville in the 80's and when they flew over between Lavarack and Garbutt RAAF Base. Those were the days.

Quando criança viajei muito nesse avião. A Força Aérea Brasileira posuia muitos desse modelo. Aqui no Brasil era chamado de Búfalo. Mas, não eram esses os motores da versão que veio para o Brasil.

born and raised in Downsview Ontario Canada

The Albion park regional airport, Such a great place to see fantastic aircraft.

Used to do air force cadets at RAAF base Townsvile and loved doing parade on the tarmac next to these. T The sound, vibrations and swaying of the tailplane were very characteristic of them!

Growing up near an armed forces base, I used to see the other variant of this aircraft, the Buffalo, flying in quite often and landing, I miss seeing it fly through the air. This particular buffalo was used in the search and rescue role and was painted yellow.

Those are not mufflers. They are thrust augmenters - the exhaust is used to create some additional thrust.

We had an Australian squadron of Caribous at our base at Vung Tau. Strangely, we never intermixed with them. Maybe it was politics. If anyone can shed light on this, I would like to know why. I did meet a couple of them on the firing range. Liked their Aussie beer better than the weak American beer that we had access to over there. They were always courteous , jovial ,friendly troops whenever our paths crossed. They were "smart" with the salute which I happily returned, not being sure of who out ranked who.

Use to see these airplanes take off from an airbase, it was in the 70s, green in colour.

great canadian engineering and manufacture.

i did my basic parachute jump from this type of aircraft way back in 1989, quite a scary experience but that was the most memorable moment in my life. 6 jump altogether

Making video of propellers without the stopping, going backwards artifacts seen all the time on youtube is easy. Use a cinematic frame rate like 24 fps, use a long shutter speed like 1/30 sec, and an ND filter if needed to use such settings in sunny weather.

@sksa242

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the info, I am still learning !

Belo avião, lindas imagens. Toda máquina voadora é fascinante, desde um simples avião de papel até a complexidade de um UFO.

@adrielheberferreira5934

5 жыл бұрын

Lembra o Bufallo (c115)

The best plane of its class

I have many memories of this great aircraft from Vietnam 71-72 to Pathfinder school Ft Benning 1981.

@lawrencejvankuren9690

3 жыл бұрын

Need picture for my face page I crewed 184. From 1971-1973

Knew a guy in RVA that was a mechanic in the Army. He was restoring a Carabou.

Did the Caribou have variable pitch propeller blade?

Great birds unbelievable

@rogertycholiz2218

6 жыл бұрын

This great unbelievable bird was manufactured in Canada at Dehavilland - Downsview ON airport around 1970.

That rudder is Huge! Bet you can fly it without ailerons with that wing. Just like a big kids glider.

The "facial" features of this plane makes me think of Grass Hoppers! LOL! Hello Grass hopper.

@keithsage7258

6 жыл бұрын

She sure is ugly.

@doenjangstew4438

5 жыл бұрын

The designer was a rival company spy.

I flew in this aircraft when I was in the Australian defence force cadets

Beautiful sound

sempre meraviglioso!!!!

In 1973 I watched one of these in the clear blue sky for the first time. Took me awhile to figure out it was a plane. It seemed almost stationery in the sky with a loud thumping sound coming out of it. I swear if it was lower I could have hit it with a catapult sling shot.

My dad flew one of these out of Cam rhan Bay in Vietnam. They landed in some tight places.

Nice video. I liked it. The sound was mono. Only sound in left speaker. There's nothing wrong with my speakers....

@blackhatter011

6 жыл бұрын

Yes, however there is something wrong with your constant bitching.

@fermainjackson2899

6 жыл бұрын

Blackhatter what does "constant bitching" mean??. If you don't like comments about your videos, disable comments.

@blackhatter011

6 жыл бұрын

I'd rather disable you.

I seen this aircraft 30 odd years ago in Broome w.a Australia at the tarmac

Wow ! Beautiful. Nice video. 👍

Saw lots of these planes at Cam Rahn Bay 70-71.

@markledford4370

5 жыл бұрын

Feliberto Martinez WHERE DID ALL THESE PLANES GO AFTER THE VIETNAM WAR 🇺🇸

@piltz5583

4 жыл бұрын

See my earlier comment. I was at Dong Ba Thin AAF, 70-71. Were you in Cam Rahn Bay when sappers blew up the fuel storage? I was in the control tower and saw it happen. Felt the shock wave. Quite a show.

The people in the RAAF should hang their heads in shame. This aircraft was unique. It’s replacement just cannot do what the Caribou could do in things like floods or going into remote airstrips. This aircraft is in superb condition.

@SC-sf8xt

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed these planes were so versatile and flew many life saving missions.....love the kangangaroo on the tail.

Looks like a great Museum you have there great collection

I remember the Loadmaster being weightless in a Caribou as we flew from the airstrip from Puckapunnel...

@hypercomms2001

6 жыл бұрын

A question though: Why did they not use a turbo-prop for the engine?

@rockrodrigues1294

5 жыл бұрын

In 1970, soaf ( sultan Oman Airforce now it,s Rafo( Royal Oman airforc was having couple of cariubo aircraft ,I flew from Muscat to salalah twice on official duty.

@hypercomms2001

3 жыл бұрын

@@daviddou1408 Well mate, it is an Australian Army base north of Melbourne, and west of Seymour.

Is it just a shell or a glider? Giant frame but small engine and propeller.

flew in them in Vietnam. always felt safe

That is a beautiful airplane Iguana

Very short take off amazing.

Is that a big fire extinguisher the guy has on his hand cart?

@mothmagic1

4 жыл бұрын

yes 150 litre

Royal Thai police had some of those in ‘70 now they use Casa.

I thought they were still flying them from raaf Pearce near Perth?

@jeffreygaunt7488

4 жыл бұрын

I haven't t seen one cruising around the perth skies Barry. Id go for a look if so

As we know with a good head wind they fly backwards. I’d pay good money seeing them taking off same. 😎 Bloody good aircraft for short airstrips with payloads. Vid - Wollongong Airport?

@SC-sf8xt

2 жыл бұрын

Lol nice observation totally cracked me up

Nobody can argue with that.