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Description
| Manufacturer: | Convair |
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| Base model: | C-131 | ||
| Designation: | HC-131 | ||
| Version: | A | ||
| Nickname: | Samaritan | ||
| Designation System: | U.S. Air Force | ||
| Designation Period: | 1925-1962 | ||
| Basic role: | Transport | ||
| Modified Mission: | Search and Rescue | ||
| See Also: |
Specifications
| Not Yet Available |
Examples of this type may be found at
| Museum | City | State |
| Edward H. White II Memorial Museum | Brooks AFB | Texas |
| Fred E. Weisbrod Museum / International B-24 Museum | Pueblo | Colorado |
Recent comments by our visitors
| Bill Turnbull corpus christi, TX | I was stationed in Corpus Christi with Ron, Russ, and Keith along with many others during the last year and a half of the "Thunder Pig". There is nothing quite like the feeling and the sound of those R-2800 99W's firing up and at take -off power! There wern't many dropmasters who could stay awake during the runup on a hot day. In that year and a half, I spent a lot of time in the air....a lot of it 7 or 8 hours at a time......and the Navy box lunches were the pits! Ralph (aka Bob S) and I got pretty good at changing cabin compressors, and working on the " A/G" System. Then there was always plenty of corrosion work to do! It was truly a experience I won't forget. 10/16/2007 @ 16:07 [ref: 18211] |
| Bill Turnbull corpus christi, TX | I was stationed in Corpus Christi with Ron, Russ, and Keith along with many others during the last year and a half of the "Thunder Pig". There is nothing quite like the feeling and the sound of those R-2800 99W's firing up and at take -off power! There wern't many dropmasters who could stay awake during the runup on a hot day. In that year and a half, I spent a lot of time in the air....a lot of it 7 or 8 hours at a time......and the Navy box lunches were the pits! Ralph (aka Bob S) and I got pretty good at changing cabin compressors, and working on the " A/G" System. Then there was always plenty of corrosion work to do! It was truly a experience I won't forget. 10/16/2007 @ 16:07 [ref: 18212] |
| Bill Turnbull corpus christi, TX | I was stationed in Corpus Christi with Ron, Russ, and Keith along with many others during the last year and a half of the "Thunder Pig". There is nothing quite like the feeling and the sound of those R-2800 99W's firing up and at take -off power! There wern't many dropmasters who could stay awake during the runup on a hot day. In that year and a half, I spent a lot of time in the air....a lot of it 7 or 8 hours at a time......and the Navy box lunches were the pits! Ralph (aka Bob S) and I got pretty good at changing cabin compressors, and working on the " A/G" System. Then there was always plenty of corrosion work to do! It was truly a experience I won't forget. 10/16/2007 @ 16:07 [ref: 18210] |
| Dale Bartels Travelers Rest, SC | I worked on and flew on the HC-131As assigned to USCG Airsta Miami. The C-131s were ex Air Force and were used as an interim aircraft between the HU-16E and the HU-25A. I was an AM (structural mechanic)so I got to do a lot of weld repairs to the augmentor tubes, they were a joy to remove and replace-not! Due to the less than stellar performance of our contract engine overhaul company, we had a fair amount of engine problems. Nothing like being off the coast of Cuba at night with a backfiring R-2800. Due to windshield frame cracks we flew unpressurized but most of our flights were at low altitude anyway. I got checked out on the Loran A system and would relieve the enlisted navigator on long leg flights. Though I cursed them at times there is a place in my heart for the "Thunder Pig" as we lovingly called them.
Remember they are not leaking oil they are just marking their spot. 08/06/2007 @ 01:01 [ref: 17477] |
| Robert West , CA | Although the aircraft now bears an "N" [N54215] number I am putting it on this page because it was an HC-131A [Bu.No 5784] prior to the modification. That modification being specific to the CES (crew escape system) testing for the Space Shuttle. This one of a kind aircraft is now located at the California City Municipal Airport,CA. There is a metal stairway up to the large hatch in the port side of the fuselage where visitors can view the interior of the plane and the simple rack that was part of the testing. 02/20/2007 @ 13:00 [ref: 15601] |
| Kevin Jaynes Bonham, TX | My first (and only) duty staion out of A school was ATC Mobile. I was one of the first aircrew to get qualed in the HU 25. I was the *only* one back then who wanted to get qualed on the Pig before the 25, but they wouldn't let me. I never even got to ride on her. I loved that bird the first time I saw her. I knew I was going to get qualed on the Falcon, but I wanted to do some time in the Pig before they phased them out, which was immediately as I got to Mobile. They pushed me right into the 25 program though.
I was qualed on the 3F also but got out before I could even get a ride on the new HH65 which had taken delivery of We always got everything first at Mobile of course, and when we got the 65 we all thought it was an assinine purchase. 09/26/2006 @ 03:49 [ref: 14289] |
| Russell Hoover Kapolei, HI | They were and will always be known as "THUNDER PIGS" 40 gallons of 115/145 and 100 gallons of oil! They sure beat the whistling piglet. 02/05/2005 @ 02:39 [ref: 9366] |
| Keith Lloyd , MA | Not Many of the old timers left that had the privilage to fix and fly this old girl. Used to be considered two oil leaks held together by an electrical failure. But... she would always bring you back, no matter how many jugs were missing. I flew these out of Corpus Christi from 81- 83 while we waited for the new Falcons to arrive. 11/03/2004 @ 22:08 [ref: 8549] |
| Ron Anderson , TX | I was in the Coast Guard stationed in Corpus Christi, Tx from 1976-1982. The C-131A's came to us with a fresh coat of paint. That was all that was fresh about them. We got them after the Air Force had disposed of them. They were so unreliable when we got them, the standing joke was just before takeoff roll, the pilots would announce: In the event we do get airborne, it will be treated as an in flight emergency! After we got the bugs worked out of them, they became very good airplanes. I racked up many hours on them and actually enjoyed flying them. I do not miss changing all those spark plugs though. 03/10/2002 @ 10:19 [ref: 4479] |
| HAROLD W JOHNSON CHESAPEAKE, VA | WAS STATIONED AT BROOKS MAY 57 THRU SEP 59. ASSIGHEN TO THE 14TH AIR TRANSPORT SQ OF THE 1ST AEROMEDICAL TRANSPORT GROUP. THIS WAS THE "HEAVY SQ" OF THE GROUPS FIVE SQ'S. WE HAD THE C131E WHILE THE OTHER UNITS WERE EQUIPPED WITH THE "A" MODEL. A LOT OF DIFFERENCE I MUST SAY. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO LOCATE A LITTLE HISTORY OF THE 1ST AMTG, MATS, BUT NO LUCK YET. IF ANYONE HAS ANYTHING ON THIS UNIT. GIVE ME A RING.. THANKS H.W.JOHNSON. SMSGT RET 08/26/2001 @ 02:29 [ref: 3013] |
Recent photos uploaded by our visitors
