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The first C-141A Starlifter arrives in California April 1965. (U.S. Air Force illustration)
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C-141 Starlifter arrives
Posted 4/22/2009
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On April 23, 1965, the first operational C-141 Starlifter aircraft was delivered to Travis Air Force Base, Calif. Capable of crossing any ocean nonstop at more than 500 miles per hour, the Starlifter could transport up to 70,000 pounds of payload, including 154 troops, 123 paratroopers, or a combination of troops and supplies. It was built by Lockheed.
As the aircraft was used, the Air Force lengthened the C-141A's fuselage by 23.4 feet and added aerial refueling capability. The first modified "stretch" C-141B arrived at Altus AFB, Okla., in December 1979, and Lockheed completed the modification program in 1982. The C-141B's additional cargo capacity gave the Air Force the equivalent of an additional 90 C-141As. Later modifications strengthened the wings and added extra service life to the Starlifter. From 1997 to 2001, C-141Bs were converted to C-141Cs by the addition of advanced avionics.
The C-141A, built between 1963 and 1967, was AMC's first jet aircraft designed to meet military standards as a troop and cargo carrier. The development of the B model was the most cost-effective method of increasing AMC's airlift capability.
The C-141, with its changeable cargo compartment, can transition from rollers on the floor for palletized cargo to a smooth floor for wheeled vehicles to aft facing seats or sidewall canvas seats for passengers, quickly and easily, to handle over 30 different missions.
The first C-141A for testing and evaluation was delivered to Tinker AFB, Okla., in October 1964, and began squadron operations in April 1965. Starlifters made flights almost daily to Southeast Asia, carrying troops, equipment and supplies, and returning patients to U.S. hospitals.
The C-141 was the first jet transport from which U.S. Army paratroopers jumped, and the first to land in the Antarctic. A C-141 established a world record for heavy cargo drops of 70,195 pounds (31,588 kilograms).
The C-141 force was a workhorse, almost achieving nine million flying hours. In addition to training, worldwide airlift and combat support, the C-141 also amassed a laudatory record in response to humanitarian crises. The last active-duty C-141B retired Sept. 16, 2004, at McGuire AFB, N.J. Air Mobility Command began transferring C-141s to the Air Reserve and Air National Guard forces in July 1986.
General Characteristics
Primary Function: Cargo and troop transport
Contractor: Lockheed-Georgia Company
Power Plant: Four Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-7 turbofan engines
Thrust: 20,250 pounds, each engine
Wingspan: 160 feet (48.7 meters)
Length: 168 feet, 4 inches (51 meters)
Height: 39 feet, 3 inches (11.9 meters)
Cargo Compartment: Height, 9 feet 1 inch (2.77 meters); length, 93 feet 4 inches (28.45 meters); width, 10 feet 3 inches (3.12 meters)
Cargo Door: width, 10.25 feet (31.24 meters); height, 9.08 feet (27.6 meters)
Speed: 500 mph (Mach 0.66) at 25,000 feet
Ceiling: 41,000 feet (12,496 meters) at cruising speed
Range: Unlimited with in-flight refueling
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 323,100 lbs (146,863 kilograms)
Load: Either 200 troops, 155 paratroops, 103 litters and 14 seats, or 68,725 lbs (31,239 kilograms) of cargo |
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