When I was kid. I used to see these aircraft flying over my parents home. I never put 2 and 2 together now. Red stripes on the aircraft. Thank you for taking care of our forest.
I worked at Hemet-Ryan during the summer of '83. I mixed spray for the dusters and helped clean the fire bomber tanks. Glider flying after work was a bonus!
Great video! I flew the 119 for Hawkins and Powers. First flight the capt pushed the lever for the jet full forward and wrapped a bungee around it. Then power up, 2700 rpm and about 50-60? inches. Barely climbed. 30 min later the plane behind us blew the internals of the engine R3350 out through the power recovery turbines and he shut it down. I remember the boss, my capt saying 'Get your jet going, don't dump the load, get the jet going....... He landed with the load and one feathered. Hard core.
Great nostalgia there. Loved the JATO on the C119. At 4:40, dust from the mixing plant where the dry Phoscheck (or Firetrol) is being dumped in the tank to be mixed with water to create the slurry.
Great video! I recall seeing some of these types flying over to put out fires in the hills north of Marseilles, France in the late 1980s- early 1990s. They used to fly directly over several times a day in a small and very varied group of about 6 to 9 planes. There was a B-25 and a B-26, a DC-7, a C-119? and what had to be a Martin Mariner PBM (distinctive twin rudders)and a few others. There only one of each type. Seeing these lovely old birds lumbering into the distance towards the burning hills was a real treat. I still can hear the wonderful sound. Sadly I never managed to photograph them (no camera phones then) and when I did have my camera they took another route.
These old girls (bombers) were never meant to fly the hours they did nor the missions of being a tanker. I can't remember exactly what the DoD specified for a service life in hours for these planes, but I was surprised how low it was. These WWII planes flying here were well beyond their intended service life.
I was rather surprised to see the B-17 still in use as a fire bomber as late as 1980. I remember the big Malibu fire back in 1970. I watched the fire retardant and refueling operations at the Lockheed Airport. There was a B-17, PBY, and an F7F Tigercat. In 1980 I was in the Navy stationed at NAS North Island. There was an anti-submarine unit there and they were still using S-2 Trackers.
Fire bombers used to be soo dangerous. Using old WW2 planes that had fatigue fractures all over just waiting for them to give for the last time. Cost a lot of pilots their lives flying these old planes.
0:50 douglas dc-4
1:05 grumman s-2 tracker
1:50 boeing b-17 flying fortress
2:05 Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
3:10 convair pb4y-2 privateer
When I was kid. I used to see these aircraft flying over my parents home. I never put 2 and 2 together now. Red stripes on the aircraft. Thank you for taking care of our forest.
I worked at Hemet-Ryan during the summer of '83. I mixed spray for the dusters and helped clean the fire bomber tanks. Glider flying after work was a bonus!
Great video! I flew the 119 for Hawkins and Powers. First flight the capt pushed the lever for the jet full forward and wrapped a bungee around it. Then power up, 2700 rpm and about 50-60? inches. Barely climbed. 30 min later the plane behind us blew the internals of the engine R3350 out through the power recovery turbines and he shut it down. I remember the boss, my capt saying 'Get your jet going, don't dump the load, get the jet going....... He landed with the load and one feathered. Hard core.
What a time to be alive, fantastic video, thank you for sharing
I saw these with my own eyes @ Hemet while I worked there in the early 1980's. Will never forget it!
Great nostalgia there. Loved the JATO on the C119. At 4:40, dust from the mixing plant where the dry Phoscheck (or Firetrol) is being dumped in the tank to be mixed with water to create the slurry.
Great video! I recall seeing some of these types flying over to put out fires in the hills north of Marseilles, France in the late 1980s- early 1990s. They used to fly directly over several times a day in a small and very varied group of about 6 to 9 planes. There was a B-25 and a B-26, a DC-7, a C-119? and what had to be a Martin Mariner PBM (distinctive twin rudders)and a few others. There only one of each type. Seeing these lovely old birds lumbering into the distance towards the burning hills was a real treat. I still can hear the wonderful sound. Sadly I never managed to photograph them (no camera phones then) and when I did have my camera they took another route.
These old girls (bombers) were never meant to fly the hours they did nor the missions of being a tanker. I can't remember exactly what the DoD specified for a service life in hours for these planes, but I was surprised how low it was. These WWII planes flying here were well beyond their intended service life.
Thanks for posting. I recall these were still flying in the early 90’s in Northern California
You just cannot beat the sound....on a 5.1 sound system it sure sounds amazing!!
Awsome video and the sound of those huge radials is just wonderful. Thanks for posting.
I was rather surprised to see the B-17 still in use as a fire bomber as late as 1980. I remember the big Malibu fire back in 1970. I watched the fire retardant and refueling operations at the Lockheed Airport. There was a B-17, PBY, and an F7F Tigercat. In 1980 I was in the Navy stationed at NAS North Island. There was an anti-submarine unit there and they were still using S-2 Trackers.
Now we got different air tankers in Hemet I live like 10 minutes away from the air attack base to this day.
Well then I'm not too far from you! I worked there about two years after this video was made. Sure brings back memories!
@@Shift2Movies well thank you for your Service.
Is that not Chris Keagel in 02 and Larry Hill in 82? I knew them!
cool the grmman s-2 worked for CDF and the fairchild c-119 worked for Hemet valley
Wonderful stuff. Thank you for sharing.
The DC-6 is impeccable, everything else is subject to scrutiny
Fire bombers used to be soo dangerous. Using old WW2 planes that had fatigue fractures all over just waiting for them to give for the last time. Cost a lot of pilots their lives flying these old planes.
I was watching Ryan Field in the 70's, Good days.
Nice planes back then! That B17 :)
Wow, great video thanks for sharing.
Eta anak teh nu gelis nitip,,