DAYDREAMING

Military Trucks 2 1/2 ton and greater, Wanted, For Sale (NO AUCTION or EBAY), and Knowledge Base

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Joe Gopan
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Re: DAYDREAMING

Post by Joe Gopan » Sun Apr 23, 2017 12:21 am

Hangar #1 is still a daily ritual, if only the transient C-17's, C-5's, KC-135's, AWACS, EC 135's BAC 400's, AC-130's could talk. Am sure there is history in the making. F-22's are kind of frequent, and hoping an F-35 will soon come by. Wasn't too many months ago that some German F-4's stopped by.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO


Joe Gopan
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Re: DAYDREAMING

Post by Joe Gopan » Mon Dec 11, 2017 6:43 pm

A Russian made C-130 like aircraft landed today (no camera), it was gray with orange stripes on the top surface of the wings
Got a nice AP photo dated 1947 with Col's Lew Chick, George Laven, Clure Smith, and William Samways standing under the Port wing of a Republic YP-84 at the factory. They were out at the Republic factory inspecting the new P-84B's that the 14th Fighter Group at Dow Field was about to receive. It seems like yesterday that these Jets were across the street from our business.
Last edited by Joe Gopan on Mon Dec 11, 2017 7:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: DAYDREAMING

Post by Joe Gopan » Mon Dec 11, 2017 6:43 pm

A Russian made C-130 like aircraft landed today (no camera), it was overall gray with orange stripes on the top surface of the wings.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: DAYDREAMING

Post by Joe Gopan » Wed Jan 24, 2018 4:36 am

What's neat about old Military bases are their sounds. Gone are the days of F-51's, F-80's, B-25's, B-29's, C-45's, C-124's T-6's, etc., and their familiar sounds, but the still linger vividly in my memory. The base was buzzing with every day noises, such and the .50 MG's on F-80's, F-51's, and F-84's being bore sighted, along with the signature noises of the MB and M-38 Jeeps, Cletracs, CCKW's, Staff Cars, Chev. Pickups, WC22 White tractors. If one paid careful attention, the different models of the 2 1/2 and 5 Ton 6X6 could be distinguished as some had different each with different sound. 5 Tons that hauled aviation fuel had spark arresting mufflers as did the CCKW refuelers and they could be recognized by their unique sound. The G-506 had sort of a "wimpy" exhaust signature. Jeeps had personalities also, especially those that hesitated due to carburetion or had a skip on a cylinder.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Joe Gopan
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Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: DAYDREAMING

Post by Joe Gopan » Wed Jan 31, 2018 10:37 pm

Stopped by old HANGAR ! today to enjoy my Tim Horton's Coffee and Bagel (Tim Hortons is only a quarter mile up the road). I begin each day with a trip to Tim Hortons and ordering "One Burned Plain Bagel-with Butter" and hearing the girls yelling "It's Joe!" It makes my day. Active during those few minutes was a C-117 and KC-135, it amazes me to watch a C-17 take off in less distance than a C-47. The original WWII Tower sat next to Hangar 1, it was 85' to the control deck . Back in the 50's the Air Force would let Open House visitors up in the tower. Last time I visited the tower was in 1952, the ramp adjacent had a Squadron of Active Duty F-51D's (Iowa/Nebraska ANG a half dozen Yellow T-6G's and a few 49th Fighter Interceptor F-80C's that were taken over from the Maine ANG during the Korean War. Getting back to the tower, there was, in addition to the inner stair well, an emergency escape rope tied to the railing of the outside platform and a sign with instructions when to use it. I wish it were still there, I would enjoy sliding down that emergency rope.
Last edited by Joe Gopan on Fri Dec 21, 2018 2:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Joe Gopan
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Re: DAYDREAMING

Post by Joe Gopan » Mon Apr 02, 2018 5:51 am

I miss the 50's Dow Field, it's Airmen were our best customers and kept our burger joint busy, Hangar flying was a constant, war stories fresh in the memories of young WWII veterans would be going on. What I did not realize at the time is that I never once heard my Uncle Joe mention that he was a WWII Ranger during those bull sessions. The Wurlitzer Juke Box was full of the latest Dean Martin, Eddie Fisher, Patti Page, Jo Stafford songs, some of my favorites were by the 4 Tunes. The pinball machine kept dinging away while ringing up an income, and the ashes on Uncle Harry's cigarette kept getting longer without falling onto the burgers he was grilling. I kept a few model planes on a shelf, my favorites were the Balsa Monogram Speedee Bilt Kits of the P-51, Stearman, Corsair, A-26, etc that were gifts from Airmen that picked them up at the Base Exchange for me to build. The Base closed in 1968 but the good memories live on. One of the yellow 506th SFW M-38'swith the hard cab still exists 65 years later, the route it took to civilian life is shady and now legendary.
Warbird activity is now mostly C-17 and KC-135 and a couple EC-135's. There used to be a lot of transient Fighters from our allies passing thru on their way to Nellis, but that has slowed down too. There is a strange C-17 like transport with turboprops from the Italian Air force that passes thru weekly. There is no mistaking a B-1 in the middle of the night from 5 miles away, they are loud. Can't wait to take my "dooms day" MB to the Commissary to do a little shopping, it's a hit with the older retirees who use the facility.
There's something about driving an MV on a military reservation that is special and brings back good memories.

MY NEXT WARBIRD FLIGHT-THE P-51!
Lets see what the coming year brings. :wink:
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: DAYDREAMING

Post by Joe Gopan » Fri Apr 13, 2018 5:22 pm

The year was 1952, Patti Page, Jo Stafford, Rosemary Clooney, Dean Martin, Corporal Eddie Fisher was on the Juke Box of our burger joint, the pinball machine was raking in the nickels, and on Saturday Afternoons Uncle Harry and our customers would listen to the Road Show hosted by Bill Cullen. One of our Dow Field Airmen customers whose last name was Regan was related to band leader Phil Regen.
Dow was just about to be home to the 506th Stragic Fighter Wing equipped with the F-84G and a Squadron of KB-29P Superfortress Refuelers. I remember the B-29 as being a quiet aircraft compared to the B-25's stationed at Dow. It was exciting to watch the T=6 Trainers taking off with target sleeves in tow and returning an hour later to drop them.
It seems that there were a lot of incidents on the radio about a C-124 having a couple engines out trying to make it to Hawaii, or a B-36 emergency. The airmen customers loved to make "hangar talk one Master Sgt would often share stories of testing captured Me 262's at Langley AFB or his recent TDY to Eglin and witnessing new leftover WWII aircraft being used as targets.
It was just about this time period that the base started getting the new 2-1/2 ton and 5 ton M-series 6X6 truck, gone were the Beidermans, CCKW's and Diamond T's .A few CCKW Airfield Refuelers did stay thru mid 50's. the remaining Chevrolet 4X4 and CCKW radio van assigned to MARS were still painted OD.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: DAYDREAMING

Post by Joe Gopan » Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:15 am

Nothing like a Corsair, Mustang, and Kittyhawk in formation off your wing, is there? This same airfield has treated me to C-47, C-54, KC-97G, KC-135, B-17, B-24, B-25, O-1, U-6, CH-47, H-23, and almost got up in the HH-43. Best flight were the B17 and O-1, worst was in the C-97 from Grand Forks AFB to Dow AFB, which got struck by lightning. Am sure the crew did not realize the dozen smoke pots that were sneaked onto the aircraft.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Joe Gopan
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Re: DAYDREAMING

Post by Joe Gopan » Thu Oct 11, 2018 12:32 pm

Note the feature photo on the latest editiom of MVPA "History in MOTION. That WC-54 Ambulance looks awful nice in front of the C-54. I flew in the last C-54 that was assigned to DOW FIELD in the late 60's.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: DAYDREAMING

Post by Joe Gopan » Fri Sep 06, 2019 11:34 pm

Anyone remember he F-94?
The Maine Air National Guard had a mix of F-94A and F-94B Interceptors in the late 50's, they were armed with four .50 MG. Late in their career they has rocket pods installed on the wing leading edges. F-94 units from NY/New England ANG Bases would visit the Maine ANG for a week or so to compete in Rocket Firing practice. The Air Force Reserve had a Squadron of B-26 (A-26) bombers that provided towed target sleeves for the firing excercises. The F-94 wing tip rocket pods had plastic tips that would make an erie 'coke bottle" noise after the rockets were fired.Lotsa loud.afterburner noise at DOW during those F-94 years they sounded like the tail was being blown off the aircraft.. The USAF 49th Fighter Interceptor Squadron stationed at DOW had F-86F Sabres. The familiar sound of the conventional armed Fighter aircraft being bore sighted was a near everyday event.
Earlier in the 50's there were a lot of T-6 aircraft towing Target Sleeves for the IOWA/Nebraska ANG P-51 unit that was activated during the Korean War.
Most unusual Aircraft I witnessed at DOW during the 40's-50's was the B-24 "Ice Research" bomber that visited DOW in summer of 52.The RCAF Lancasters that visited DOW during the 50's were very noisy.I wish I could find the Newspaer article from back in the 50's about Jacqueline Cochran stopping at DOW on some sort of USAF Business during this period.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: DAYDREAMING

Post by Joe Gopan » Thu Sep 19, 2019 3:52 pm

Memories of Dow Field. My MB served at Dow Field during a time when many famous WWII Aces were stationed there, it was surplused from Dow in 1946, the Base Commander at that time was Col Glen Eagleston, A famous WWII Ace. Wonder if my MB and Col. Eagleston ever crossed paths?
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: DAYDREAMING

Post by Joe Gopan » Thu Apr 16, 2020 11:05 am

Daydreaming is getting to be the norm, hopefully the virus will soon be a thing of the past.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Dozerman51
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Re: DAYDREAMING

Post by Dozerman51 » Thu Apr 16, 2020 2:30 pm

I think this virus is here to stay for a lot longer than people think. Furthermore, I feel that our country and society is never going to be as it was before the virus came along.


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