E-Digest                                                       17 February 2012 

Plans announced by the Pentagon call for possible retirement of the following airlift aircraft: 27 C-5As, 21 C-27s, 65 C-130s, and 20 KC-135s.  We have a great C-130 and KC-135 already on display so we don't need or want another.  The C-27s will probably be kept in ready storage in the desert and they have not had a significant impact in the airlift world so we would not expend our resources to obtain one of those.  Then there is the C-5.  It is so obviously central to both the Dover mission and the overall airlift story that we are still actively interested in obtaining one for the museum.  Even with a reduced paid staff it is our volunteers that provide the bulk of the high quality, ongoing aircraft maintenance work.  The base will help us prepare the plane for exhibit, and we already have a secure parking place of honor when the time comes.  Plus, it could be a great hangar for displaying our vehicle collection.  So, if the offer comes, we are ready and able to accept a C-5 at the AMC Museum.   

Last issue we talked about the Clark Bulldozer that was put on display next to our C-47.  This month we have added a Case Airborne Tractor and Converto Dump Trailer. These were not just off-the-shelf items painted green.  They were developed so that they could fit in a C-47 or CG-4A and still be powerful enough to do real work.  The metal box with the star on it was filled with rock or dirt to give the tractor more weight on the wheels. 

Both items were restored to mint condition by Mr. Darrell Smoker.