Douglas C-133 Cargomaster

[The Big Gimper]

The Curse of the Cargomaster

Readied to transport the first U.S. ICBMs, the Douglas C-133 had a peculiar habit. It kept crashing.

Read more at https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/the-curse-of-the-cargomaster-2241392/#YCB1o0Y5MxcrWfCp.99

[Jeffry Fontaine]

The C-133 was a regular visitor to NAS Adak in the Aleutian islands when I lived there.  It never parked at the passenger and cargo air terminal.  It landed then taxied to the end of the runway and parked with the aft end facing the tundra and the small access road that led from there to the nuclear weapons storage area located a few hundred yards from the end of the runway.  Visits were short and with packages delivered and others loaded it would then start engines and taxi out to take off until the next visit.  C-133 was probably the largest aircraft to visit NAS Adak in the time I was there.  We had the occasional C-124, C-130, C-141, and on one occasions a pair of B-57B (very dark blue overall, may have been part of the Patricia Lynn program).  Also had an AC-119 make an unscheduled visit due to maintenance issues en route to or from SEA.

[elmayerle]

What the USAF had to settle for when the C-132 was cancelled.

[Old Wombat]

Despite being built by Douglas, the C-133 looks a lot like an overgrown Lockheed C-130.

Now, if it had been slightly more reliable, an AC-133 would be one mother of a gunship!

[kitnut617]

What the USAF had to settle for when the C-132 was cancelled.

Do you think the C-132 would have been any better Evan ?

I'll have to get going on the 1/72 kit I have of the C-133, which is about the same size as the Short Belfast BTW

[GTX_Admin]

I'll have to get going on the 1/72 kit I have of the C-133, which is about the same size as the Short Belfast BTW

Which kit is that?

[kitnut617]

I'll have to get going on the 1/72 kit I have of the C-133, which is about the same size as the Short Belfast BTW

Which kit is that?

Gene Hooker kit. I then got some detail resin from J Rutman for it. Only J Rutman doesn't do all the 1/72 resin he used to do anymore.

[GTX_Admin]

Ok - wasn't sure if it was that one or the Annigrand one.

Re ideas, for some reason, I can see a jet version with Pratt & Whitney TF33s from a C-141 being done.

[GTX_Admin]

Also what about some alternate operators:

• RAF instead of  Short Belfast C.1s
• Civilian heavy lift

[Kerick]

I saw one of these at the museum at Dover AFB. What a monster! IIRC the C-133 did not have the strengthened floor like the C-141, C-130 or C-5 so it couldn’t carry tanks and such. Otherwise it might have soldiered on longer.

[GTX_Admin]

I wonder how one would go taking the wing, engines and empennage from a C-133 and mating it up with a new fuselage (say a DC-8) to create a new turboprop airliner or even maritime patrol aircraft?

[Kerick]

Maybe a fuselage stretch to match the wingspan?

[GTX_Admin]

Maybe a fuselage stretch to match the wingspan?

Of a standard C-133? 

[kitnut617]

Ok - wasn't sure if it was that one or the Annigrand one.

Re ideas, for some reason, I can see a jet version with Pratt & Whitney TF33s from a C-141 being done.

There is the Combat Models one too ----

The Belfast was proposed to have a C-141 wing with RR engines, it could have gone on the C-133 too I think

[GTX_Admin]

I was actually thinking of keeping the wing but just adding the TF33 Nacelles/pylons.

[kitnut617]

I was actually thinking of keeping the wing but just adding the TF33 Nacelles/pylons.

Ah OK, like a Chase XC-123 then

[GTX_Admin]

Yes, though with single engines per pod

[Rickshaw]

I saw one of these at the museum at Dover AFB. What a monster! IIRC the C-133 did not have the strengthened floor like the C-141, C-130 or C-5 so it couldn’t carry tanks and such. Otherwise it might have soldiered on longer.

It could carry light armoured vehicles.  In 1965, the USAF carried M41 light tanks for the ARVN from Saigon to Da Nang to put down a rebellion headed by the "Third Force" (primarily Buddhist followers) which wanted to negotiate with the NLF (Communist) forces.   Apparently it was fairly hairy but it was accomplished.  The sudden arrival of tanks, even if only light tanks was enough to stop the rebellion in it's tracks (pun intended).

[finsrin]

When I was in Anchorage Alaska early '70s saw one fly over low.  Impressive.

[The Big Gimper]

Via Facebook.

Text translated from French.

Study of a container installed on the Douglas C-133 Cargomaster for the transport of heavy loads (in particular Saturn rockets). Ultimately, the decision was made to install petal-type doors on the back so that the opening was large enough to insert the Atlas, Titan, and Minuteman missiles. As for the large elements of the Saturn V rocket, transport will be provided by the Super Guppies of Aero Spacelines.

[M.A.D]

What the USAF had to settle for when the C-132 was cancelled.

Good point, and I agree.

MAD

[M.A.D]

Via Facebook.

Text translated from French.

Study of a container installed on the Douglas C-133 Cargomaster for the transport of heavy loads (in particular Saturn rockets). Ultimately, the decision was made to install petal-type doors on the back so that the opening was large enough to insert the Atlas, Titan, and Minuteman missiles. As for the large elements of the Saturn V rocket, transport will be provided by the Super Guppies of Aero Spacelines.

Now that's an awesome model 😯

MAD