| C-5 Galaxy |
Website Links For Galaxy |
Information AboutC-5 Galaxy |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT C-5 GALAXY | |
| jet aircraft | |
| lockheed corporation | |
| high wing aircraft | |
| multiple engine aircraft | |
| u.s. military transport aircraft 1960-1969 | |
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The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is one of the largest Military Aircraft in the world. It can carry Outsize and Oversize Cargo intercontinental ranges and can take off or land in relatively short distances. Ground crews can load and off load the C-5 simultaneously at the front and rear cargo openings. MISSION The C-5, with its tremendous payload capability, provides the Air Mobility Command (AMC) intertheater airlift in support of United States national defense. The C-5 and the C-17 Globemaster III are partners in AMC's Strategic Airlift concept. The aircraft carry fully equipped combat-ready military units (including Main Battle Tanks ) to any point in the world on short notice, then provide field support required to help sustain the fighting force. FEATURES robotic rescue vehicles.]] Features of the C-5 include:
The C-5 is similar in appearance to its smaller sister transport, the C-141 Starlifter , although the C-5 is much larger. Both aircraft have the distinctive high T-tail , 25-degree wing sweep, and four Turbofan engines mounted on Pylon s beneath the wings. The Galaxy carries nearly all of the Army's combat equipment, including such bulky items as its 74-ton mobile scissors bridge, from the United States to any theater of combat on the globe. The C-5 has four TF39 turbofan engines, rated at 43,000 lbf (191 kN) thrust each. They weigh 7,900 pounds (3,580 kg) each and have an air intake diameter of more than 8.5 feet (2.6 m). Each engine pod is nearly 27 feet (8.2 m) long. The Galaxy has 12 internal wing tanks with a total capacity of 51,150 US gallons (193,620 L) of fuel—enough to fill 6½ regular size US railroad tank cars. A full fuel load weighs 332,500 pounds (150,820 kg). A C-5 with a cargo load of 270,000 pounds (122,000 kg) can fly 2,150 Nautical Mile s (4,000 km), offload, and fly to a second base 500 nautical miles (900 km) away from the original destination—all without Aerial Refueling . With aerial refueling, the aircraft's range is limited only by crew endurance. BACKGROUND The first C-5A Galaxy (#66-8303) was "rolled out" on 2 March 1968. On June 30 , 1968 Lockheed-Georgia Co. began flight testing its new Galaxy C-5A heavy transport with the aircraft's first flight taking to the air under the call-sign "Allen-zero-three-heavy". Upon completion of testing the first C-5A was transferred to the Transitional Training Unit at Altus Air Force Base , OK, in December 1969. Lockheed then delivered the first operational Galaxy to the 437th Airlift Wing , Charleston Air Force Base, SC , in June 1970 . C-5s are stationed at Altus AFB, OK ; Dover AFB, DE ; and Travis AFB, CA . AMC transferred some C-5s to the Air Reserve components starting with Kelly AFB , Texas, in 1985 ; followed by Stewart Air National Guard Base, NY ; and Westover Air Reserve Base, Massachusetts . Beginning in October 2005 a squadron was formed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. This unit is made up mostly of aircraft transferred from Dover AFB, DE , and replaces the squadron's C-141's, which were the last C-141's to be retired. In the mid-1970s, wing cracks were found throughout the fleet. Consequently, all C-5A aircraft were restricted to a maximum of 50,000 pounds (22,700 kg) of cargo each. To increase their lifting capability and service life, 77 C-5As underwent a re-winging program from 1981 to 1987. (In the redesigned wing, a new aluminum alloy was used that didn't exist ten years prior.) The final re-winged C-5A was delivered in July 1986. The first C-5B incorporating significant improvements such as strengthened wings and updated avionics was delivered to Altus Air Force Base in January 1986. C-5 production concluded with delivery of the last "B" model aircraft in April 1989. In March 1989 , the last of 50 C-5B aircraft was added to the 76 C-5As in the Air Force's airlift force structure. The C-5B includes all C-5A improvements as well as more than 100 additional system modifications to improve reliability and maintainability. All 50 C-5Bs are scheduled to remain in the active-duty force, shared by comparably sized and collocated Air Force Reserve Associate units. Based on a recent study showing 80% of the C-5 airframe service life remaining, AMC began an aggressive program to modernize the C-5. The C-5 Avionics Modernization Program began in 1998 and includes upgrading avionics to Global Air Traffic Management compliance, improving navigation and safety equipment, and installing a new autopilot system. Another part of the plan is a comprehensive re-engining and reliability improvement program, which includes new General Electric CF6-80 engines, pylons and auxiliary power units, with upgrades to aircraft skin and frame, landing gear, cockpit and the pressurization system. This C-5M modernization program will restore aircraft reliability and maintainability, maintain structural and system integrity, reduce cost of ownership and increase operational capability well into the 21st century. Unlike its Russian counterpart, the civilian- and military-operated Antonov An-124 , use of the C-5 is confined entirely to the military sector. ACCIDENTS There have been four (4) C-5 Galaxy crashes in the history of the plane along with two (2) class-A losses resulting from ground fires and one (1) loss resulting from damage sustained on the ground.
SPECIFICATIONS (C-5M)
TRIVIA
The C-5 aircraft can hold
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