My First Engine Run Experience

Not long after I started work on the crew of 150, in fact
it very well could have been the very first day, I do not
remember.  At any rate, we were working a little overtime
on this particular day.  There was some engine problem and
I have no idea today what it was. As I recall, there were
only three of us working, Nick, the crew chief, Sparky, a
SSgt and assistant crew chief and myself. I think Sparky's
real name was Kenneth Sparks.

Getting the engine cowling all closed and secure, it was
now time for an engine run to test the results of the work.
I do remember, Nick told me to get into the pilots seat
and ride the brakes during engine run-up.  Well, this being
a new aircraft and a new job to, I knew how to ride them
but did not know how to set the brakes.  I don't remember
why, but I asked no questions.


The aircraft was parked with the nose of the plane just a
few, some 50 to 60 feet from one of the shop buildings. It
was parked where it would have to be backed out with a tow
vehicle.  With this in my mind and in my eyes, I was not
about to let that airplane get to that building.

It seemed like the run-up took about an hour. Finally, I
don't really remember who was at the panel doing the run
and who was on the ground controller cord.  But when they
finally said it was time to shut down, I enthustiaclly
replied, "Boy am I glad, my feet are sure getting tired."
They then instructed me in the proper procedure for riding
the brakes, and got a little chuckle out of it.

My First Experience Flying at Night

I had not been at Kelly long before I was jumping on the
local flights. The locals were flown as the name says, in
the local area.  They were to get in any requirements for
landings, takeoffs and of course in some cases, the hours
needed to qualify for flight pay.

I had flown a couple of these local flights before but I
was now getting one that although we took off during day-
light hours, we would not return until after dark. Being
the new kid on the block, I was getting my turn at the
job of Scanner.  The Scanner had the responsibility of
keeping an eye on the engines, wings and of course the
goings on in the cargo compartment of the aircraft. We
made routine checks at 30 minute intervals.

Well it was now dark and time for another visual check of
the wings and engines, looking for any abnormalities ie.
oil leaks etc.  Well as I looked out over the right wing
there seemed to be an awful lot of red glow inside the
number 3 engine nacelle, you could see it clearly through
the cowlflap opening.  Being green, I thought this was
abnormal.  I called on the interphone, "Engineer from
Scanner", no response, again, "Engineer from Scanner",
again, no response.  Then I called, "Pilot from Scanner",
no response, again, "Pilot from Scanner", and again no
response.  Then I called, "Anybody from Scanner, number
3 engine is on fire".  NOW, I get a response. The Engineer
told me to check the other engines.  When I looked out
the left side, number 2 engine looked just like number
3.  I reported this to the Engineer.  His reply, wait a
minute, and down the ladder came Nick.  Nick looked out
at the two inboard engines and asked me if that is what
I had seen.  I replied it was, then he explained to me
that it was nothing but the red glow of the exhaust system
and that it was normal.

The Aircraft Commander was a Captain Marbury, he carried
me high from that day on.  He was, as myself, from Arkansas
and we enjoyed many a flight together after that.  I would
bet that if we met today, 41 years later, he would remind
me of it.  He said the most amazing thing of the whole
situation was that I did not seem the least excited.

'Note: I have now, located Captain, Marbury.'

I recently got a roster of former 19th Logistics Support
Squadron and among those listed was, Captain Marbury. It
also had his phone number.
I gave him a ring on the phone. When he answered, I did not
identify myself but posed a question.  I said if you were to
go back about 45 years and while flying a night mission, some
young airman tells you over the interphone that you have two
engines on fire, would you know who this is? Immediately and
without any hesitation he replied, Wheeler.  He further said
he remembered exactly where we were at the time, over Tyler
Texas.
We had a good visit via the phone and I told him that in the
near future I would drop down and visit him at Benton Arkansas
just south of Little Rock. I occasionally visit Little Rock
and Benton is only some 20 miles south.

Re-charging the Emergency Air Bottle

Not being the only new guy on the crew, this one is not on
or about me. But I did overhear it.

I do not remember why, but the Emergency Air Bottle was in
need of re-service.  Its purpose was a last ditch effort to
stop the aircraft. As a last resort its contents was applied
to the emergency brake system.  As I remember, it was a
rather small bottle or tank.  Seems like it was 4-6 inches
in diameter and some 16-20 inches long.

A fellow named Perry, I can't remember his first name, was
told by Nick, to remove the Emergency Air Bottle from inside
the nose section of the aircraft, take it over and service
it up to 1000 pounds and re-install it.

With a straight face and in all seriousness, Perry replied,
"If I put 1000 pounds of air in it, How do I lift it back
into the aircraft?".

Perry would later be hit and killed by an automobile while
walking back to the base, just a short distance outside
the main gate at Kelly.

My Request for a loan from Nick

As most of you know, the late 50's were infected with Rock
and Role music, Elvis Presley and Sideburns.  Also as you
most know, the sideburns on a military haircut were next
to none.

Well, I was among many who let them inch down below what
was acceptable. When Nick thought mine were getting a little
to long, he would casually tell me it was time to get a
haircut or get a guitar. Next morning, I would show up with
a new haircut.

Once, I knew it was about time for Nick to say something
about my sideburns so I thought I would beat him to the
punch.  Shortly after rollcall one morning, I asked him,
Nick, do you have ten dollars I can borrow?  He replied,
What do you need ten dollars for?  I said, "I want to buy
a guitar."  LIT his fuse, I thought he was going to have
a fit.  He later laughed about it, but I had a new hair
cut the next morning.    Nick was firm but fair.

The Cylinder Change in England

I do not remember just when this story occured nor do I
remember all the players. I do remember Nick was along
on this flight and I think there were 2 others, a total
of 4 Mechanics.

Well we found that we had a cylinder to change on one of
the engines after we landed in England, (do not remember
where, just England). Also, I do not remember just what
the reason was but would guess a blown exhaust port, a
common problem.

The cylinder change was on an engine that had given us
trouble ever since it was installed at a time change.
Every time we landed, there was a nights work on that one
engine.   As the old cylinder was removed we immediatly
noticed that one of the piston rings was missing.  There
was no evidence that it had broken and was in the engine,
but how were we to know for sure, the oil screen checked
free of metal.

Seeing the opportunity to change the troublesome engine,
we opted to increase the odds of finding metal in the oil
screen, which would call for an engine change.  Since we
knew one ring was already missing and unaccounted for, we
decide to make sure there was metal showing up in the oil
screen, we would increase the odds.  Nick took another or
the rings from the old piston, (a new matched piston comes
with each new cylinder) broke it into small pieces and
dropped it inside the crankcase of the engine and then
we installed the new cylinder.

After everything was put back together and closed up, we
pulled the engine runup.  After runup, we removed the
oil screen to check for metal content, nothing, not a bit
of metal.  Re-installed, we pulled another long engine
run and again pulled the oil screen, again, nothing.

Now we began to become concerned, we knew there was metal
floating loose inside the engine, yet could not prove it.
Neither could we expose our secret of trying to destroy or
at least get the engine to be damaged to the extent that
it would have to be changed.

The next morning, we were off to our next destination,
fingers crossed.  Upon landing, we immediately pulled the
oil screen to check for metal. None, not a bit. Believe it
or not, that engine ran to time change and no metal ever
appeared in the oil screen.  BUT, from that day on, we
had to check that oil screen after every flight.

A Very Spooky Tunnel Check

The C-124 had a crawlway in each of the wings, commonly
called the tunnel.  On long flights the Flight Mechanics
pulled routine tunnel checks. When the tunnel checks were
to be made was up to the individual Flight Engineer. They
would go to the rear of each of the 4 engines, the
accessory section and check for leaks, or other defects
or damage.

Here they would hook up to the aircraft intercome system,
make contact with the Flight Engineer and the other man
stationed in "P" compartment, a compartment in the lower
part of the fuselage and at a point between the two wing
root and contained the doors leading into the wings. The
man stationed in "P" compartment was supposed to double
check, to insure that the Co-pilot had placed the landing
gear handle un the up position, hydraulic pressure applied
to the up position rather than the landing gear just
resting on the uplock.

Here we were, about 8,000 feet over the icy waters of the
North Atlantic, heading for Europe and it was my time for
a tunnel check, I do not recall who was in "P" compartment.
I had just made my way out the left wing, crawled down and
was squated on the catwalk, between the two left main
landing gear tires. Just as I was reaching for the intercom
connections, a sudden powerful jerk or movement in the
landing gear.

I could immediately visualize, that landing gear dropping
out from under me, leaving me with nothing between me and
the icy waters below but the narrow cat- walk.  It took
forever to get those two connections made. I guess it was
a good thing it took so long because by the time I did get
hooked up, I was over my scare and did not say anything
that could have gotten me in jail for cursing a superior
officer.  Yes, he had forgotten to put the gear handle in
the up position before I entered the wing and the man who
was to double check him had also dropped the ball. When
the 3000 psi hydraulic pressure hit the up side of the
landing gear retraction cylinder, It violently lifted the
landing gear off the uplock.