The young fella in these videos getting to grow up working around all those cold war era jets...what a lucky lucky guy haha

It was great seeing so many different planes!

dang, it's a full time job just to keep the GSE running! It would be fun to see that drop-tank shaped huffer up and running too. They were being phased out when I joined the Marines in the late 70's. The rumor was that folks used to jump on them and ride them around. 😀 That couldn't have been a good idea! My understanding is that they were developed so they could be hung on a pylon, permitting cross-country flights to airports that didn't have air starters.

@DieselThunderAviation

3 ай бұрын

That huffer is on my list to get running again. Last I checked it needs a new fuel controller. And I think that is why we have it, gives us a startup capability at fields without huffer carts.

@stevenrobinson2381

3 ай бұрын

Yep-NAS Cubi Point still had a few of the -85's that were somewhat operational in late 1981 & yes it was rumored that ya could take a ride on one of them-disconnect the air hose & let it rip. Needed 2 of 'em to even attempt to start an F-4 via a wye coupler-which every squadron had in that era. Kinda dangerous though-they tended to get HOT.

Great, thanks for showing the details on the tugs. Wow, more than 7400 lbs... eeehhh... 3356 kg. I need that in metric *lol* Great also to see the F-100.

Get the MJ-4 running, find some fork adapters, they make a real handy fortlift. I used one when i was in charge of war ready equipment.

Our tugs were Clarks, not sure in they were petrol or diesel. For moving the jets short distances, and positioning them, we used towbarless diesel-hydraulic tugs. Similar to the one you've got stored in one of the hangers. They have powerful hydraulically operated "pincers" that lock on to the Phantoms nose wheel, lift it up off the ground and can turn it left or right without driving backwards or forwards. Needed to get specialised training to operate one. For towing across base, as in to and from B-Check shop, we used a tow bar and a Clark tug, driven by one of the squadron ground crew. Your youngest did well on that tug.

@DieselThunderAviation

3 ай бұрын

He's doing well, and learning a lot! We have the one tug made by Clark and was the one we used primarily before they got the other two. My best guess on it age is that it was built in the early 60's. Would make it a lot easier if we had one of the towbarless tugs to get them in and out of the hangars.

Dude, I totally need to know about the A26 in the hanger with the F100. Can you tell me more about it?

Sorry dumb question but is the F-4 going to be flyable? Kinda new to the channel. I don’t even know what certifications it would need or if it’s even possible to fly a F-4

@DieselThunderAviation

3 ай бұрын

Welcome, and yes, she is very much airworthy! Just not so much at the moment. For the FAA stuff, she falls under the Experimental category. A lot of ex-military aircraft fall under that classification when under civilian ownership as most of them never had a type certificate.

@tyesalhus5604

3 ай бұрын

@@DieselThunderAviation sweet that’s awesome

@tyesalhus5604

3 ай бұрын

@@DieselThunderAviation where is the aircraft based out of?

@DieselThunderAviation

3 ай бұрын

We’re south of Houston, TX at Ellington Field, KEFD.

Is that T-33 static display only?

@DieselThunderAviation

4 ай бұрын

For now, yes. She is technically airworthy, but her engine is out for maintenance. It’s on that stand that we rolled around a bit to get to the shelves with the forklift.

@Fabulousprofound168

4 ай бұрын

@@DieselThunderAviationthx. For some reason I thought that engine was a spare… I was just wondering because the page on the Collings website does not appear to have been updated since 2007.