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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DAYDREAMING

Post by Joe Gopan » Tue Jun 10, 2014 3:06 pm

Maine Air Guard started out with CCKW's and Jeeps 67 (now 70) years ago. The Air National Guard was still a part of the Army National Guard when the post war units were chartered. The Maine Air Guard under Col Phillip E. Tukey got their Federal Recognition in 1947. Col Tukey hit up a lot of his old enlisted and commissioned WWII friends to join the unit. CCKW's and Jeeps were sent out on drill weekends to bring in unit members. Their first aircraft were P-47, AT-6, C-47 and an A-26. It was not long before Maine along with California got the first Air Guard Jets- brand new F-80C's. The Air Advisor assigned to the unit was Colonel Harrison Thyng.
The Maine Air National Guard had a 4 Ton Diamond T 6x6 Cargo Truck as late as 1960, and an MBT as late as 1966.
Attachments
Hydrovac_Jeep_018.JPG
Hydrovac_Jeep_018.JPG (65.63 KiB) Viewed 4853 times
Last edited by Joe Gopan on Thu Jan 05, 2017 4:19 am, edited 3 times 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


lacoda56
G-Master Sergeant
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Re: DAYDREAMING

Post by lacoda56 » Thu Jun 12, 2014 4:02 am

Thanks Ben, it's always good to hear about the units that used these vehicles. Thank you also for your years of service and dedication!
Ron
'43 CCKW w/Leroi air compressor
'43 M5-H6 w/Quickway crane
'45 WC63 project truck
'52 M135 snow plow truck
'57 M45 Utica Bend w/water purification unit
'68 M54A2 Kaiser Jeep cargo
'77 M880 project needing lotsa parts
'76 M882 Daily Driver

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

Re: DAYDREAMING

Post by Joe Gopan » Sun Jun 15, 2014 6:33 am

A few years back during an ANG Open House, General Chuck Yeager was guest of honor, there was a ceremony honoring General Tukey and the naming of a new KC-135 parking ramp after General Tukey. General Yeager flew a salute to General Tukey in a P-51D. The day before, General Yeager did a short aerobatic ballet in the P-51 that belonged to Ed Shipley. I was approached to provide a Jeep for General Yeager's convenience. I waited 45 years to meet General Yeager. A couple years ago the ANG Base was the site of a warbird airshow and I finally got the B-25 flight after missing out one on the B-25 assigned to the former Dow AFB 50 years earlier.
Kinda neat to be in a B-25 bobbing up and down in formation with a P-40, P-51 and FG-1 Corsair. :wink: What else was neat is that I was invited to take part in this flight on Fathers Day 2012 along with two retired WWII pilots who flew the B-25 in combat.

The P-51 is Dakota Kid, featured on the cover of this months D-Day Anniversary Edition of "Flight Journal" magazine. The B-25 is "Betty's Dream".
The FG-1 Corsair's center section has a data plate indicating that that portion of the aircraft was built by Willys.
The Warbirds belong to Texas Legends.
Attachments
B-25 Flight.jpg
B-25 Flight.jpg (150.48 KiB) Viewed 4712 times
Last edited by Joe Gopan on Thu Jan 05, 2017 5:55 pm, edited 3 times 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 » Sun Jul 13, 2014 11:07 pm

Made a couple trips with the CCKW to Dow for a relaxing cup of Tim Hortons coffee, AWACS and transient F-15 activity indicates something is up.
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 25, 2014 2:51 pm

Stopped by Hangar #1 today it was near this spot that I saw a new F-84F Thunderstreak make a spectacular JATO take off, late Summer 54 was quite active, there was a lot of new F-94 A and B activity, The 101st had just traded their F-51H Mustangs for the F-94 and got rid of the C-45. Saw my first and only B-45 Jet Bomber land, it was the RB-45 model The following year, F-94 A, B, and C Fighters with wing mounted rocket tubes from ME, MASS, and NY ANG were staging out of Dow using the Dow Field target range. The tips of the rocket pods were plastic and the returning F-94's made a weird howl without the tips. The KB-29 Refuelers were quite active and were interesting to watch especially when landing with an engine out. The Maine Army Guard was getting more of the new M-38A1 Jeeps and M-54 5 Ton Cargo Trucks, M-135 and M-211 GMC's replaced the CCKW. The local 314th AAA BN had Quad 50's mounted on the M-135's and occasionally one would pass thru the base. The Dow Field Small Arms Range was quite active and a good source of Carbine Ammo Crates to store my model airplane stuff in. Growing up in the 50's was exciting for youngsters whose hobby was Military Aircraft and Army Trucks with a nearby Armory and a very active USAF Base across the road.
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 » Tue Nov 25, 2014 5:02 am

Stopped at Hangar #1 yesterday, sure miss the sight of the IOWA ANG F-51's, that were parked at either end of the hangar and next to the giant coal pile for heating the hangar. This unit was at DOW from early 1951 thru December 1952, their flightline vehicles were a mix of MB Jeeps, Clarktor Tugs and Cletracks. The unit was on 24 hour alert with a pair of F-51's in the air 24/7.
Our burger joint was kept busy with off duty airmen, and during the colder season we were allowed to make trips past the guard shack with orders of coffee and food. The did not have coffee pots at the work places and the trips allowed me to get a close peek at F-51's and the units B-25 and T-6 Texans. There was a lot of transient F-86 activity. The first B-36 to visit DOW landed in September 1951 with engine trouble. It was huge!
GI's with autos that were uninsured were parked off base across the street and not allowed by the guard shack. I looked out one day during a snowstorm to see 4 or 5 airmen trying to push their stuck mid 40's Desoto out of the parking lot, a snow blower was coming out the gate headed for our place, he turned on the blower and the car disappeared, when the cloud of snow settled, the guys who were at the rear of the car had swapped ends and were suddenly at the front pushing it back into the parking lot. :lol:
There was a Gray C-7 Caribou on the adjacent general aviation ramp it appears to be still military but has temporary "N" number, also is now turboprop. Reminds me of 60's Ft Benning.
Hangar #1 at Dow has been the site of a few military aircraft rides for me, B-17, B-24, B-25, C-47, C-54, KC-97G, KC-135A, O-IA, O1-E, U-6, OH-23C, OH-23D, CH-47, H-34, U-6, to name a few.
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 Jul 27, 2015 2:10 am

Hangar #1 today, Tim Horton's Coffee sure tasted good. It was 60 years ago that the Columbine was parked right in front of me during a visit from President Eisenhower. There was another Constellation from Eastern Airlines that accompanied it. Never saw so many high ranking brass or big shots all in one place. Security was different as the crowd was not restricted from walking around the aircraft.
The big Lincoln Limousine lost a hub cap and the gov't made a big stink of its not being returned.
Mission Aircraft at Dow were KC-97 G, F86 F from 49th FIS, F-94 A and B of the Maine Air National Guard, plus T-33A, C-45, C-47, T-6G, TB-25N support aircraft.
I viewed the B-50 "LUCKY LADY II" from this spot about 60 years ago when it was on tour of USAF Bases.
Last edited by Joe Gopan on Mon May 23, 2016 10:31 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 Feb 22, 2016 6:39 am

Oh, for those long gone days of yesteryear with clean starched pressed tailored fatigues, spit shined boots, 170 Lb, 31" waist, "white wall" hair cut and a spunky, shiney US Army Issue M-38A1 under my behind.
What is neat tho is that a passing Army Band with marching music erases all those aches and pains of the years in between. :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 » Thu Apr 28, 2016 4:37 am

Part of owning a WWII thru Korean War era MV is being able to experience the same view while sitting in the drivers seat (or anywhere) that the GI's of that time period witnessed. Part of the fun was also having driven some of these same MV's while in the military. Most fun truck? The gas powered 5 Ton 6X6's with their power steering and "go where you point it" feeling.
Most impressive truck? The 10 Ton LeRoi (Gas) powered 6X6 with its irratic exhaust sound. :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 » Mon May 23, 2016 3:59 pm

Good memories are forever.
There is nothing like being seated in your WWII MV and listening to the sound of a WWII aircraft overhead. Most memorable was Chuck Yeager flying a P-51 in honor of General Phillip E. Tukey, 8th AF WWII 356th Fighter Group CO, while I sat on the flight line in my MB that was waiting to be used by General Yeager.
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 » Sat Sep 17, 2016 4:41 am

Not so much a familiar sight at Hangar 1 anymore.
An 80-90 year old Dow Field Veteran with out of state (Fla) registration driving up to the fence and posing in front of the hangar while his wife takes that one more pic. It's an honor talking to them for a few moments while I help remember a few names of Airmen and Officers who served at DOW during 40's-60's.
Hope he returns today while I am there sipping my Tim Horton's coffee. Have a few 40's-50's pics to share.
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 » Sun Oct 02, 2016 1:31 pm

Stopped by Hangar 1 today, left the CCKW home (sprinkles). Hangar 1 never fails to bring back 40's-50's memories of sights and activities. Today I remembered seeing KB-29 engine cowlings sitting on the hangar floor with an F-84G or two in the hanger. Never realized that the fronts of the B-29 cowlings were stainless steel and were a part of the B-29 exhaust system.
Lots of transient KC-10 and C-17's today, there has been for the past 10 days. Takeoff runs are long.
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 » Sun Oct 23, 2016 5:25 am

Stopped by Hangar #1 yesterday, C-17 Globemasters are the most numerous transient aircraft. Lots of them on the ramps this past week. Take offs are longer than usual, they are real heavy. What's amazing is that normal take offs by the C-17 don't appear to be much longer than the C-47.
Sure miss the F-80, F-84, T-33, TB-25 KB-29, T-6 activity of yesteryear. Flight line vehicles then were motorcycles, Clarktors, a mix of MB and M-38, 6X6 Beidermans, and the new Strata Blue 51 Chevrolet P.U.. Sometime during the 51-51 period there was a large staff car which I assumed was a Cadillac. I never got close enough to tell.
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 Jan 05, 2017 4:18 am

Winter's here 2017 at DOW FIELD, the USAF snowblowers and runway plows are a lot different than the WWII FWD, Oshkosh, and Walters used in the early 50's. Lots of transient C-17's EC-135's and C-5's mixed in with the KC-135R's of the ANG. Gone are the F-51's F-80's, F86's , T-6's, L-5s, C-45 C-47, C-54, C46, VB-25, B-26 KB-29's, F-84's seen daily. 1954 was the year the F-94's appeared with the rocket pods on the wings, they made a funny noise upon return with the plastic noses gone. Come to think of it, the F-51's also had a unique sound from the gun ports after they had been fired. Dow Field Mustangs were in the air 24 hours a day back in 51 due to security concerns.
Last F-80s to be stationed at Dow were with the 49th FIS and they were replaced by F-86F by 1954.
Sometime during this period, I became a member of the GOC and volunteered at the local Filter Center plotting aircraft reports from observer towers that over flew Maine. Every once in a while we would get a report from the coast of a B-17. Thinking back it was probably one of the Coast Guard versions assigned ice patrol in the Newfoundland area. Those observer towers could get awful cold in winter.
I sure miss the AIO men coming over to our burger joint in an Oshkosh to get 20-30 cups of coffee to go during the storms.
Every day was an airshow thru the bay window of our office.
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 » Sun Jan 08, 2017 1:16 pm

It was cold today, in the teens. Reminded me of those cold days of winter 1952 when the first C-124 came thru Dow. It got stuck for a few extra days. I remember seen the crew attempting to start it in the cold, one engine would spin to beat hell and almost start. This went on for two days and it finally left. Strange sounding aircraft when taxiing it squealed like a herd of elephants.
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


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