Douglas C-124 Restoration & Flight

Another rare VHS tape appears after nearly three decades sitting in a cabinet somewhere. Apparently the video was shot and narrated by a gentleman named Larry Rengstorf in the fall of 1983.

Following 10 years sitting in "the old aircraft field," a year of active maintenance, and the purchase of five Pratt-Whitney R-4360s engines, this rare Douglas C-124 Globemaster II is readied for a ferry flight across the country back in 1983. The aircraft now resides at the Jimmy Doolittle Museum at Travis AFB, California. Some highlights:

04:45 Man Your Aircraft
05:50 Engine Start
06:38 Taxi
06:58 Take Off
07:39 Fly By
08:18 Landing
08:58 Open Loading Ramp, Take 1
09:52 Lower Cargo Elevator
10:30 Open Loading Ramp, Take 2
11:29 Congratulations

For more information, see:
http://www.jimmydoolittlemuseum.org/html/c124c.html

Many thanks to all involved with this restoration.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Douglas
• C-124
• Globemaster
• USAF
• AFB
• AMC
• Air
• Mobility
• Command
• MAC
• Military
• Airlift
• Old
• Shaky
• Shakey
• Travis
• CA
• Dobbins
• GA
• Rengstorf
• R-4360

[DDunker51]

I was stationed at Tachikawa AB, Japan, back in the early 60s, when the C-124 was THE premier cargo carrier. Slow and shakey. Thus their nickname. It was the only plane flying that could be above a solid cloud cover, and you could identify the plane solely by its engine noise (which this video doesn't do justice). Hard to think they're all gone now, when they used to be so common. Nice to see one flying again. (Did they replace the wing spars? That's what grounded them all!)

[chulaia4]

I FLEW ON ONE OF THESE FROM JAPAN TO DANANG IN 1966.I DON"T REMEMBER TO MUCH ABOUT THE FLIGHT EXCEPT FOR THE BOX LUNCH.THATS WHAT YOU GET ON COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS NOW ADAYS.

[pulgabros]

Wow, thank you for posting this. This the very first time I see and hear a C-124 in action. At Kelly AFB in San Antonio, TX, C-124's were used by the 433rd Airlift wing. By 1972, the Air Force phased them out. I was only two years old and never had a chance to see and hear one. Thanks again....

[CRsBeem]

@hoss73ford1 Better that than risk total loss of the airframe in an accident. The legacy aircraft dwindle.

[RedOcktober]

yup... thx for posting this... great video...

--Mike

[fokkerwokker]

To gdholmfirth.

Thanks for filling in that gap in my knowledge! Very kind of you.

[gdholmfirth]

@fokkerwokker After flying over Wales it was on to the Azores for gas and a nap. Next morning we would head for Dover AFB.

[gdholmfirth]

@ranemson1 I know the feeling. I was in more than one storm in one of these birds and it was quite unnerving each time.

[stargazer444]

I took a pic of that plane in the air leaving Dobbins in 1984 look at my 80s pics i can't link it here but you can look at my channel profile and get there.

[hoss73ford1]

it's such a waste that something so beautiful woild be placed in a museum never to fly again. How tragic!