C-133 Cargomaster - the grandfather of big airlifters

The Douglas C-133 Cargomaster is a heavy military cargo aircraft developed by Douglas Aircraft in the mid-1950s. It is the first strategic turboprop airlifted in the US Armed Forces. It was actively used in the transportation of heavy and oversized cargo, including ballistic missiles and space launch vehicles.
The aircraft incorporated many innovations of its time, giving rise to major changes in technology and concepts used in military transport aviation until now. However, a very large amount of innovations led to the risks increase: the C-133 was not sufficiently reliable and safe, which limited its service life. A total of 50 units were produced.
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[@jeffabbott6571]

My dad was stationed at Travis from 1959 to 1965. He cut his mechanical chops working on the C133's. As an Air Force retiree, he made a pilgrimage to Tuscon just to revisit one the old birds. He would have loved this video had he still been around to see it. Thanks for the memories!

[@Katy_Jones]

As an additional note, another reason for the high wing layout was it removed the obstruction of the main spar across the cargo bay.

[@hudsonemory7496]

you prolly dont care but does any of you know a trick to log back into an instagram account..? I was dumb forgot the account password. I would appreciate any assistance you can offer me!

[@fabianallan6270]

@Hudson Emory Instablaster ;)

[@hudsonemory7496]

@Fabian Allan thanks so much for your reply. I found the site on google and Im trying it out now. Takes a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@hudsonemory7496]

@Fabian Allan it worked and I now got access to my account again. Im so happy! Thank you so much you really help me out!

[@fabianallan6270]

@Hudson Emory no problem :D

[@lairdcummings9092]

My mother did data reduction for the C-133. She was hired out of UCLA to do data reduction for Ryan, Douglas, and eventually NASA.

[@Hieloxx]

What an honor for you , been the son of a very intelligent woman ..

[@scottnj2503]

Thank you. Many aviation enthusiast don't know about this relatively short lived but extremely important strategic airlifter. Super important in supporting the deployment of ICBMs, moving missiles from fabircation facilites to operation depot facilities. My father was pilot that tranistioned from C-124s to C-133s. During his career he flew almost every one of the C-133's airframes out of Dover and Travis. When a little boy, he let me sit in the left seat. I was ~ 5yo and the expreience forever changed my life. I asked for and received, books about airplanes. Fell in love with research and history of aviation and that boyhood passion remains today. Deeper and wider, some several decades hence.

[@barrygrant2907]

While I was taking Avionics Instrument Systems classes at Chanute AFB (now closed) in 1971, an instructor took us on a "field trip" to see instrument systems we'd be working on. We checked out the cockpit on a C-133 they had, and I was amazed at the size of the cockpit. Such office space! The C-133 was a transition cargo aircraft, spanning the gap between prop and jet cargo aircraft. It served the AF well for being such an interim design soon overshadowed by C-141 and C5 aircraft.

[@Hattonbank]

I was shown the cockpit of a C-141 and was amazed as to how small and cramped the cockpit was for such a big aircraft, and metal seats with a loose cushion for the pilots. The crew also said there was no soundproofing so the noise was pretty bad. Well I know the USAF ain't Delta or Air France, but give the guys a little bit of comfort!

[@garyw8481]

Correct you are sir!

[@Hopeless_and_Forlorn]

In the early 1960s it was not unusual to see C-130s coming and going at fighter bases in Germany. When a C-133 dropped into Spangdahlem one day, I was amazed at the overall length of the airplane. I remarked to someone that it looked as if the control tower had flopped over and grown wings. About 20 years later, I saw one in civilian freight service in Anchorage. Too bad its service was so problematic.

[@holmesellis2644]

I have a piece of one with the Military Airlift Command insignia in my living room. Got it when I lived in Tucson in the late 90's. A wonderful piece of military aircraft history.

[@thomashowlett8295]

I remember that aircraft very well. It sat there on the west side of the airport for many years. I got to tour the interior of it in 1982 and was amazed at its size. I was saddened to see it scrapped in the late '90s.

[@richardbowles7690]

Thank you for this great video and story. My children know this as Grandpa's plane. My dad flew every one of the C-133s and I heard many stories of "out of box" and strategic missions. Personally observed activities at Travis, Dover and other bases in US and outside. Such a majestic plane. #c133 #cargomaster

[@fiftystate1388]

The wing has always fascinated me, almost a parasol. I know this doesn't have much basis in theory or fact, but it seems like hanging the fuselage from a high wing is more stable.

[@Woody-nc1ru]

Tell us your favorite story about this plane. I remember seeing these at WPAF museum. I think the finally put her inside one of the hangars finally?.. Such a unique plane.

[@richardbowles7690]

@@Woody-nc1ru The C-133 at AF Museum (WPAFB) is parked near a C-130. Makes it easy to see how huge the -133 was in its day. Even larger than the newer C-141.

[@hertzair1186]

Roden models makes a 1/144 scale plastic kit of the C-133 complete with a Thor Missile on a trailer for loading!

[@richardbowles7690]

@@hertzair1186 Thank you. I will look into that.

[@celowski6296]

Very well made documentary!! Years ago I was able to see two of these old cargo beasts sitting in a boneyard in the Mojave desert.. Beautiful planes.

[@johnharris6655]

I Love the scene from "Strategic Air Command" Where they are loading all that material including a fuel truck and tanker into a C-97"

[@oxcart4172]

That 5 engined B-17 was restored back to ww2 configuration and flew as Liberty Belle. Unfortunately, it caught fire on the ground and the fire crews couldn't get to it-fortunately, it is being rebuilt to fly again!

[@crushingvanessa3277]

I thought it was the one that crashed while landing a year ago?

[@Glen.Danielsen]

Thank you Sky! The C-133 had a very unique and specific sound-and it was _Wow._ I remember as a kid in the early 1960’s, seeing _and HEARING_ that magisterial bird fly overhead in Long Beach, California. I loath that they are gone. 😔

[@stephes999]

I had seen C-133, N199AB parked off in a corner of Anchorage Ted Stevens International airport ever since I started flying there in 1989. On rare occasions it would be used to fly one type of cargo charter or another. I had heard that since the FAA never granted it a civilian airworthiness certificate that they fined the operator something like $12,000 for every flight, which they gladly paid as the profits form the cargo charters made it worthwhile. I believe in 2004 it was ferried down to Travis and placed on display in a museum. By the way..... I love your aviation videos!! They are very well done and entertaining!! Thanks for making them.

[@greateraviationgl91]

Wow, now you finally started making heavy military cargo transport plane videos, great! 😉👍

[@SkyshipsEng]

Will be more soon)

[@valrabellkeys9867]

@@SkyshipsEng I can't wait!

[@scottmcintosh4397]

I'm curious too. Especialy ones on hypothetical/cancelled programs ✈✈✈

[@purplewheelchair]

@@SkyshipsEng Heavy flights and soft landings! Thanks for all the great videos😁

[@28ebdh3udnav]

@@SkyshipsEng PLEASE. WE NEED THE VIDEOS! IL-76 next please!

[@Shadowfax-1980]

This is a really overlooked plane.

[@freddyjensen5996]

Once again a comprehensive overview from Skyships Eng. On this occation we get a glim of humor: "Jolly days of the Cold War". I love that one.

[@alwojtas3730]

Some good comments, but many are just B.S. I was stationed at Dover AFB from 1966-1970 and worked on the C-133A. Only 50 were made (35 A & 15 B models), and they did have a checkered history, however statistically it's safety record, when considering flight hours wasn't as bad as many would think. Their ability to carry to carry outsized cargo was not equaled until the C-5 was put into service in 1970. The huge props, constantly had to maintain power settings and were a constant maintance problem. Airframe vibration did cause structural problems resulting a midflight failure over Kansas in Feb 1970. The fleet was grounded. Large "straps" were added around the forward fuselage as a measure and they were retired shortly thereafter. Never was their a consideration for passenger usage, the cargo compartment rarely got to a comfortable temperature, I know, flew on an A model from Dover to Lajes (Azores) not a pleasant ride. 2008 an old Dover bird now is in the Air Force Museum in Dayton OH.

[@youtuuba]

Al Wojtas, FINALLY a comment by somebody who actually knows something about the C-133 and its operational history. I agree with you that the majority of comments on this video are written by people with no idea of the facts, who are just making things up or guessing. Due to the laziness of KZbin commenters, KZbin is about the worst place to learn anything true and useful about almost anything. I think YOUR comment is the only one here (besides my own) that addresses the C-133's worst problem, that of sudden and unrecoverable asymmetric wing stall.

[@MarsFKA]

10:25 Atlas missiles seen in the factory. Fun fact 1: they were made so light they had to be pressurised to prevent them bending in the middle when being transported, and to prevent them collapsing under their own weight when standing on the launch pad. Fun fact 2: the first four Americans into orbit were launched by Atlases.

[@thundercactus]

I's not often you see a picture of the B-17 engine test bed! Neat funfact; although (to my knowledge) never tested in practice, the T34 prototype mounted to the B17 theoretically had enough power to lift the plane off the runway all by itself! Around 5,700shp on the T34, and 1,200hp on each piston engine!

[@dontheshark]

In March 1957 I went to the Douglas Factory to learn all the systems. I was stationed at Kelly AFB at the time. We had a class of 12, including 2 flight engineers and 10 maintenance guys. I was only 20 years old, and it was an exciting time.

[@paulsuprono7225]

YOU . . . remain an active history, of this model ! 🇺🇸

[@paulsuprono7225]

How long did this model remain active, within Air Force inventory ? 🇺🇸

[@paulsuprono7225]

Ar what time did the C-130 become the major airlifter . . . in the C-130 series ? 😎 🇺🇸

[@paulsuprono7225]

I was also part of MAC . . . support staff for UH-1F & HH-1H at Minot AFB, North Dakota in support of 91st Missile Wing - part of Strategic Air Command - security for missile support and winter transport of missile launch officers, to their Launch Control Facilities. 🇺🇸

[@dontheshark]

@@paulsuprono7225 I really do not know how long. Probably a few years.

[@eckhal2]

I was USAF 66-70. Worked on C-133 instrument avionics along with C-124 and C-141 67-70 at Dover AFB, Delaware. Had to transition from fighters to transports, big change for me since Dover was very busy during Vietnam and Cold War years. Believe me working on these large planes can be dangerous. Lots of cold, windy, wet flight line nights fixing them. We maintained the stall warning system on the 133, which always made us nervous with the planes crash history. 🗽🇺🇸

[@brianmcdaid3178]

A good and fair evaluation of the C-133. I was stationed at Davis Monthan AFB in Tucson, Arizona in 1969 and 1970. Saw a few of these on the intake ramp for MASDC (Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center), now known as AMARG (Aircraft Maintenance and Regeneration Group).

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

Never knew about this plane, thanks for making this!

[@spreadeagled5654]

I only saw ONE C-133 in my entire life. That one is on static display at the Travis Air Force Base Museum in Fairfield, California. So this video is a pleasure for me to watch. 👍

[@ion123456]

I was at Travis AFB, CA when one of these landed to become a museum piece. It had been made airworthiness just to move it once more. This was ~10 years ago

[@philipbahia924]

hey I saw that plane also at the Museum at Travis AFB.

[@timfletcher5366]

Cool reference to Travis , I was at Travis in ‘84 when B-52d retired and is now at the museum..we got to mess around inside on the weekends as I was in Fire Protection and it sat for a month out at old SAC alert pad..great memories

[@earlthepearl3922]

Very well done. My Dad flew these from 1958-1970 when he retired, first at Dover with the 39th, then at Travis with the 84th. He had a lot of hours in the “Oscar Meyer Wiener Wagon” as it used to be called. He knew most, if not all, of the pilots killed in them. He himself once told me he had no real love for this airplane and at the time, was pretty sure he would die in one. At Travis, one of the C133 flight engineers he flew with a lot was Wyatt Duzenbury, who was the flight engineer on the Enola Gay when the first A-Bomb was dropped.

[@yareps]

I love your videos! Such a nice break from the daily news.

[@RobertCarpenter-m9j]

Glad to see this article. I flew these at dover for over 9 years. Loved almost 7000 hours. we had lots of problems but got the job done. we hauled every things from general cargo, heavy construction equipment to ICBM's.

[@jnbfrancisco]

I was a student at Chanute AFB Illinois in 1971. I watched the last landing of one of these AC while marching to school. Someone commented that it was nicknamed the C133 crashmaster. He said that they crashed because the stability augmentation system (SAS) went haywire and caused many of the crashes. I wondered why they just didn't redesign that system. I was going to school at Chanute to become an Instrument system technician. I was a little later taught the operation and repair of the Automatic flight control systems (AFCS) which the stability augmentation sys SAS is a part of on the F111. It has a redundancy that makes a single failure very difficult to cause a serious problem. My guess is that the crashes were due to many different problems.

[@youtuuba]

jnbfrancisco, from the books on the C-133 I have read, the crashes were largely due to inherent aerodynamic design failings, and if a pilot allowed the plane to get into certain narrow parts of the flight envelope, it would roll over into an inverted spin and fall from the sky. I don't recall seeing the crashes blamed on the failure of a stability augmentation system, but maybe I am forgetting something. But you did not see the last landing of one of these (C-133) aircraft (in 1971). The last flight of a C-133 was when the last airworthy example was flown from Alaska to Travis Air Force Base (to its museum there) about 10 years ago.

[@jnbfrancisco]

@@youtuuba thanks for the info. I'm puzzled about why you think that the C133 that I saw wasn't the last flight of that C133. I didn't mean that it was the last flight for all C133s.

[@youtuuba]

@@jnbfrancisco , I thought what I did because you wrote, "I watched the last landing of one of these", which according to to normal interpretation of English sentences could mean you saw the last landing of the type of thing, or the last landing of one example of the type of thing. In other words, you were not clear in your writing, and a reader could just as easily interpret what you wrote to mean either of two very different things. I was trying to help clarify things.

[@wayned1807]

I was stationed at Nha Trang In Vietnam and saw this plane there a couple of times in 1968 or 1969. It was probably the biggest plane I saw there. The runway there was only about 5,000 ft long. Had no Idea that it was such a troubled plane.

[@michaelcanode7256]

I thought that photo at time stamp 5:56 looked familiar! 44-85813 (at least a chunk of it) is comin back to life at the Champaign Aviation Museum in Urbana, Ohio. I'm one of the volunteers there, and I built two aileron trim tabs 'from scratch).. We knew that aircraft did in-flight tests on the Wright Aeronautical "Typhoon" turboprop, but not the Pratt & Whiney.

[@mustaville2346]

Thanks to Skyships for an informative video, and looking forward to your upcoming stories of other monster cargo planes.

[@TheCpage66]

We used to line up and watch the ferried Space Shuttle land at Columbus Air Force Base for their scheduled refueling stop. And the occasional C-133 would fly over the house when I was a little kid. We used to get every kind of military aircraft overhead, especially during the Vietnam War years

[@semco72057]

I never got to fly on that airplane, but years later got to work on the C-130's and fly on them also and the first MAC base was Norton AFB, California where they had the C-141's and I loved working on and flying on that airplane.

[@garyw8481]

Belive it or not the C133 could carry very long cargo the C-141 could not.

[@jb6027]

I grew up on Air Force bases. Whenever a C-133 showed up on the flight line it always drew a lot of attention. They were rare and VERY cool.

[@paulchew7675]

I’ve seen this plane many times at the Air Mobility Command Museum in Dover DE.

[@BillBradely]

Great documentary! My duty was flight engineer on C97's and C124's. Good old 50's.

[@kevinferrin5695]

I really enjoy your narration, your enthusiasm, accentuation, pace, the flow, the cogent explanations, and the sly asides.

[@JurgenADV]

Your videos keep getting better...file footage, edits, narration, research. Thanks for all of the effort.

[@jean-francoisdorval5231]

Another great video Sky! Thanks

[@biponacci]

Douglas had so many advanced designed deemed ‘too expensive’ or ‘too complicated’ leading to rather mundane alternatives in comparison. I’d like to imagine an alternate universe where these designs all came to fruition.

[@tenkloosterherman]

Most of the large transport aircraft of the USAF were and are Douglas aircraft. The Globemaster, C-124 Globemaster II, The C-133 Cargomaster, the C-117 Globemaster III (nevermind the Boeing sticker).

[@biponacci]

@@tenkloosterherman It's ironic how Boeing lost the transport proposal that birthed the C-17, yet they ended up merging with MD anyways.

[@jayreiter268]

One of the big problems was a few disintegrated inflight. 1611 left Mildenhall after several engine and prop changes due to vibration. The nose gear was found floating off the US east coast. I spoke to a pilot with a 133 patch on his flight bag a number of years after my discharge. He told me they found they were using a non-compatible lube in the prop and gear box. If a blade goes out of sync with the other blades there is a huge vibration. The engine guys at Mildenhall thought the engine vibration they saw was caused by the props. As a side note the electrical buss bars were changed from aluminum to copper to eliminate a power failure to the radio equipment. They thought there was a power failure to radios that prevented crews from calling a mayday.

[@CesarDiaz-wq2lb]

Great video as always Sky!

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

FWIW: I have been inside the C-133 at the USAF AMC MUSEUM at Dover AFB in Delaware {USA}. The C-133 is *BIG.* I worked on Lockheed C-130s in both US Navy and the US Coast Guard. While the C-133 may not _LOOK_ that much bigger than the C-130 from watching this video, trust me: *IT IS.*

[@simonm1447]

The C - 130 is a tactical transport aircraft, while the C - 133 was a strategic one, in a role comparable to today's C - 17s.

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

@@simonm1447 >>> I understand that distinction, but to *me* it has always just been a distinction between a _big airplane_ and a _biggerer airplane._ 😉 I realized a few years ago that is partially why the Boeing YC-14 // [Whomever] YC-15 aircraft program was dropped.

[@rancidpitts8243]

.Prior to the latest model C130 the Cargo deck was 40 feet long. The C133 according to this video has a Cargo deck length of 90 feet. A little more than twice that of your average C130, and 30 feet longer than the new C130 J.

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

@@rancidpitts8243 >>> FWIW, all my C-130 experience has been on pre-J model airframes. AFAIK, the cargo compartment of the "J" is the same dimensions as the previous airframes.

[@rancidpitts8243]

@@Allan_aka_RocKITEman Besides the new engines, propellers, and avionics the airframe was lengthened by 20 feet IIRC for the same reason they lengthened the C141 B. They rarely carried their max weight, while using all the Cargo Deck. As a kid I have had a fascination with all Military cargo aircraft after seeing the B36 based XC 99 taking off.

[@nathanfugate8210]

There's a restored one in the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio. It's delivery flight to the museum was the last flight ever made by a C-133.

[@davidh273]

Thank you. My father flew it from 1958 to 65 out of Dover. Besides the obvious uses for the U.S. military, it was used for our allies. It was used in clandestine and human relief. I got emotional when hearing the startup, taxi and take off sounds.

[@garyw8481]

My dad also flew the C-133 out of Dover from1958 to 1965 when he retired. He was in the 39th MAS. Maj Jack Wagner. We lived in Rodney Village. Those props were awesome!

[@kirkmooneyham]

On USAF cargo aircraft, the "cargo operator" is known as the loadmaster. Very interesting subject matter in the video, thank you.

[@redlock4004]

Excellent video Sky, thanks.

[@rydabent]

The 133 was actually a rather pretty plane for its size. I was in the Navy at Moffett Field in Calif. The 133s would come in and land at Moffett to pick up rocket made next door at Locheed.

[@Contrajoe]

The Civilian Service of the C-133 is a weird story. In fact, quite a few Cargomasters got Civilian registrations but ALMOST none saw much operation. The one exception is 56-1999, which was based in Anchorage AK from 1976 to 2008. It actually flew a lot in that time. School buses, earth moving equipment, and whatever else they could win a government contract to move. in "Last flight of the Cargomaster" (the one hour version) one of the pilots says the last revenue flight was in April 2006 (for comparison the USAF retired the last C-141 in May 2006). They flew it to Travis AFB in August 2008 during which there was a day-long stop at McChord AFB. So one, just one, C-133 saw considerable civilian service for 30+ years after retirement from the USAF.

[@skyem5250]

I've been waiting for this. Thanks

[@paultrappiel9943]

Well told and soft landing to you too.

[@MarshallLoveday]

Growing up in the 50's and into the 60's (born in 1951) , my family lived only a couple of residential blocks south of the Santa Monica Municipal Airport. At that time Douglas Aircraft had a manufacturing plant on the north side of the airport. While I don't think the C-133 Cargomaster was built there, I did see a M.A.T.S. C-133 land at the airport on occasion (and the C-124 Globemaster II before it). I remember the airport holding an 'open house' one year, and a C-133 was there on display, and you could walk through it, from one end to the other, Biggest airplane I had ever seen at that time. By the way, the Santa Monica Airport runway was only around 6,000 feet long, so not too much margin for error, if the plane was loaded to its maximums. Also remember a C-124 coming in to land a bit too low, and shearing off its left main gear on the embankment in front of the runway. Can't find any reports on that incident, though. The plane was repaired within a couple of weeks and departed. This would have been around 1958 maybe.

[@garyw8481]

The C-133 was built in Long Beach.

[@JimLahey21]

I just found your channel, why hasn’t this been recommended to me earlier? Subbed up

[@grochomarx2002]

You do an excellent job of making short, informative, documentaries. Thank you very much.

[@jwrappuhn71]

Excellent vid Sky.

[@steveshoemaker6347]

Very good...Thanks very much...!

[@jeffk412]

Comprehensive! I would expect nothing less from Skyships!

[@ohwell2790]

C-133 where known for tail pipe fires on start. I was at Edwards AFB CA and unbelievable as it sounds had to use a very high stand with a fire extinguisher. The plane was not there for long as it was used for some flight control problem. I was a mechanic on a TB-58 at the time. And when asked helped out with that airplane Now 76 a remember those like they where yesterday.

[@jamesanderton344]

Oh well, I read somewhere that an in flight failure of a single engine in a B-58 could lose the airplane....is this true? Remarkable airplane, years ahead.

[@LonMoer]

At 15:04 he talks about the planes going to storage at Davis-Monthan AFB, but the pictures being shown are of the two C-133's at Mojave CA that have been there since the early 1970's. They can still be seen there on satellite in the boneyard.

[@bcshelby4926]

..the PW T-34 was also used in an experimental version of the Lockheed C-121, the military version of the famous Constellation airliner. A civilian version (the L-1249B) was also considered, but by then it was too little too late as the first US jet transports (707 and DC-8) were already in under development. A Navy C-121 was also fitted with Allison 501-d13 turboshafts (military designation the T-56) during development of the L-188. In spite of the improved performance, the company cancelled both projects and ceased building civil transports until the 1970s when it introduced the L-1011.

[@garyw8481]

You are a true student of aviation history. I know this because my dad flew the YC-121F for 2 years at Kelly AFB, TX. MY dad loved that aircraft. He said it was very, very fast.

[@chuckcawthon3370]

Outstanding Presentation. Well Done Sir.

[@Transit_Biker]

A mini-series on the timelines of these cargo planes would be amazing.

[@coreyandnathanielchartier3749]

While possibly considered to be a 'Tactical Airlifter/Assault Transport (think, C-130), the progenitor of the modern, heavy-lift transport plane was the German ME-323 Gigant . High wing, clamshell doors, fuselage-mounted multiple tire landing gear, and low floor with loading ramps. It also obviated the essential need to establish near-total air-superiority in the area in which they are deployed, no different than today. AAR, thanks for another excellent, obscure video . I always thought the 133 was cool as heck.

[@stephenlawson2546]

From what I remember.The last c133s had to where belly bands In order to keep from breaking up in flight.The fix was so expensive it ushered in the C5a aircraft to replace it.

[@LarryMarston]

The last time I was this early the Wright brothers were still jumping off of roofs.

[@joeg5414]

I don't think so. You're a lying dog face pony soldier.

[@LarryMarston]

j g r/woooosh

[@richardhead8264]

Lawrence McLane 🤣👏

[@billy4072]

Just not funny. Get original. Google original. 🖕

[@atatexan]

You do such excellent, professional work.

[@onebadlt123]

Superb quality as always Sky, thanks!

[@davidhall1407]

I was stationed at Travis and guarding the flight line. The aircraft was just so big. A pleasure to see it in the real.

[@htschmerdtz4465]

Very interesting and informative documentary. One small correction: The company using the modified "Guppy" aircraft was Aerospace Lines. That company's contributions to converting conventional aircraft for use with oversized cargo is legendary, inspiring both the Boeing 747 Dreamlifter and the Airbus Beluga aircraft; both companies used Aerospace Lines modified Boeing C 97s. I frequently saw C 133s at Long Beach California, where I learned to fly in the early 1970s.

[@barrysheridan9186]

Good selection of video clips. Well done.

[@coolbreeze253]

In 1970, flying an Army helicopter into Dover AFB in Delaware, I was told to hold short of the active runway as there was a plane on final, a C-133 from Vietnam. Its call sign was Air Hearse. What do you think the cargo was?

[@paulsuprono7225]

Hmmmmmm . . . our departed Vietnam returnees 🇺🇸 💀

[@paulsuprono7225]

HAND SALUTE . . . ready Front ! 😢 🇺🇸

[@free-birdrocker8809]

Great report on the C-133! Good looking bird!

[@paullee2177]

Worked on the C-133s at Hickam AFB Hawaii 65-67 when they stopped on the way to and from Vietnam. Jacked a lot of them to check landing gears. Hated changing main gear tires on them, AF, MSG, Retired

[@ralphh.2200]

Is it true that they had a dedicated jack for a 133 ? I once saw a restoration crew about to use a 130 specced jack and a retired 133 crew chief warned them that it wouldn't work.They heeded his warning and he shows them where it was stowed in the aft bay...

[@paullee2177]

@@ralphh.2200 Never saw one. It would have been one hell of a big jack and there would need to be two because sometimes the whole plane had to be lifted. Once in the air we would put a tripod jack at the rear and two on the nose just for stability. We had 70 ton "gator" jacks in the hanger that were used on C-133 mains. I think we had a lighter one for C-130s. At Hickam I was jack qualified on C-124s, C-130s, KC-97s, C-133s and C-141s.

[@lairdcummings9092]

My mother did data reduction for the development of this aircraft; back then the air force and aircraft companies hired young women straight out of UCLA to cross-check the computers - in fact her initial job title *was* "computer" because that's what she did. They went for young women because they were cheap to employ. The Dover AFB has a C-133 on display that she actually flew on, on display. Somewhere, underneath a wing skin panel, her autograph may yet be present.

[@lairdcummings9092]

Also: due to the cargo bay dimensions and shape, the fuselage had noticable flex while in the air, especially when unladen.

[@chuckcawthon3370]

Excellent Story. Well Done Sir.

[@Tractorman-xj4gt]

I remember watching these land at Tachikawa AFB in Japan back in the '60's...

[@AtlantaTerry]

I was stationed at Tachi from January '66 to January '68.

[@robertbohn5536]

My Father was a Flight Engineer on the C133 when he transitioned out of the KC97 in 1962 and we moved from Pease AFB, NH to Travis AFB, CA. Your video is pretty good but you are slightly unfair about the problems for the C133. Most all of the issues were wing spar related….breaks that occurred when the planes were over stressed moving an Army Tank unit into Vietnam.

[@CocoaBeachLiving]

Hey, it helped with the development of other heavy lift transports 👍

[@kenschaefer7625]

At first glimpse I thought it looked similar to the C-141 which replaced it. The C141 was turbo fan powered though and was a little shorter than the 133. Had a few rides in the C-141 in the 1980s.

[@scottmcintosh4397]

It bears a striking resemblence to an enlarged C-130. Much like the B-50 was a larger version of the B-29 ✈✈✈✈✈

[@trash4cash454]

Yeah in fact it seems like a giant C-130. So, the Hercules became much luckier

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

FWIW: I posted a separate comment under this video about this subject. I have been to the USAF AMC MUSEUM at Dover AFB, Delaware a couple of times. They have a C-133 there, and on one occasion they opened it up so you could go inside. It is BIG. I was in the US Navy and later the US Coast Guard, and worked on Lockheed C-130s during part of my time in both services. The C-133 is DEFINITELY BIGGER than the C-130. I would say you could take a Hercules *fuselage* -- with the wing roots and landing gear fairings completely removed -- and I *THINK* it would fit completely inside the fuselage of a C-133.

[@pavelavietor1]

hello, yes it resembles a oversized c 130 , go and visit it is at Tucson museum of aviation. saludos

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

@@pavelavietor1 >>> The last -- and up to now only -- time I was in Arizona was in 1988. UNfortunately I do not see myself returning for the immediate future. FWIW, when I *FIRST* saw photographs of the C-133 decades ago, in the 'pre-internet era', I had _NO IDEA_ what it was. I thought maybe some kind of modified Lockheed C-130. I only found out years later it was a different aircraft all together.

[@pavelavietor1]

@@Allan_aka_RocKITEman hello yes is a very large aircraft. saludos

[@easygoing2479]

Takes me back to my childhood days growing up near the NW landing approach to Scott AFB. C-119s, C-124s, C-130s, C-133s lumbering in to base. Then came the fancy C-141s. Finally came the _"HOLY @%&%*^"_ C-5s.

[@Miftahjaya96]

amazing documentary video,,,,nice,,,,

[@danielkennedy1524]

A great narrative and video!

[@cdstoc]

I saw many of these on Hickam AFB in the late 1960s, and saw them disappear quickly when the new C-5 came. The official name of the plane was "Cargomaster II", but the unofficial name was "Super Shaky", because it was bigger than the C-124 Globemaster II "Shaky". My dad, who was in the Air Force, said that the C-124 had the best safety record in the Air Force, and used to joke that whenever a C-133 flew, a C-124 was sent after it with spare parts.

[@williamsimmons152]

124 was “Old” Shaky.

[@mpgofast]

Hi, I actually had to fly in a C-133 with a R-4360 engine to Turkey to change a engine in a C-124, Those two airplanes were the only airplanes which would carry a R4360 on a L stand inside the cargo compartment. Very noisy inside that airplane, give me a Shakey any day

[@timothycook2917]

My father worked on this and the Thor missile project for Douglas 1955-1960

[@stebnalang2824]

Sky, I have been waiting for this video because this is my favorite airplane! Thank you so much for doing this one!

[@elrobo3568]

I used to park my Cessna under the wing of a C-133 which was parked on the west ramp of the Tucson international airport. The owner told me he used it and several others to transport huge cargo for the Alaska pipeline. He had this aircraft crammed with spare parts and he gave me a tour of the interior. He told me he could no longer fly any of them and I asked if he would consider selling this one. After some talking, he told me his lowest price was one million and I passed. My idea was to make it into a restaurant near the airport, oh well so much for dreams.

[@Seawizz203]

Nicely done! I never knew this plane existed.

[@sidefx996]

Fantastic video! Thank you!

[@alanpoh3386]

Very comprehensive

[@andrewsmactips]

I remember seeing some of these parked at Anchorage airport in the '80s.

[@H2R5GSXR]

Northern Air Cargo bought 2 of them from USAF. There is a story to this, perhaps a NAC old-timer will explain it. It was a strange-sounding airplane, no mistaking it running.

[@aj-2savage896]

The first still-photo of a 5-engine B-17 was Curtiss-Wright's test ship. The second still photo shows Pratt & Whitney's test ship, the right one for this story.

[@MisteriosGloriosos922]

Very well made documentary!!

[@mike89128]

The FAA steadfastly refused to certify the C-133 for commercial use, refusing it an airworthiness certificate. It had unmitigated structural integrity issues that couldn't be resolved.

[@youtuuba]

mike89128, that C-133s that were lost in accidents during its career were thought to have gone down due to its tricky aerodynamic issues, not structural problems, although it had those they probably were not the main concern of the FAA.

[@stever41g]

Excellent. Thx

[@331SVTCobra]

5:57 This B-17, Liberty Belle, was later converted back to its original configuration. On 13 June 2011 while carrying passengers on a short ride she caught fire, landed in a corn field, and like a B-17 got the humans on the ground safely before being destroyed by fire.

[@deonis095]

When will we see the Mil Mi-38 review? ))) You've got a very good English))

[@jacobgreengas7121]

After being retired from the USAF some C-133s entered into civilian service mostly in Alaska and continued to serve in that role until 2004.

[@roriquevernonii8439]

Everts?

[@jacobgreengas7121]

@@roriquevernonii8439 Cargomaster Corp

[@vloar]

Another great video my friend I really enjoy your content this is my favorite aviation channel on KZbin great research and enjoyable videos.