What is the oldest Military Aircraft that you Operated, Jumped From, or Rode In as a Service Member?

MSG Lonnie Averkamp — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 00:19:37 -0500

As a young paratrooper, the first military aircraft that I jumped from was a Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (a Berlin-Airlift era aircraft introduced in 1949). To tell you the truth, I am happy that it was my first jump aircraft, because I could actually see the rivets in the skin spinning around, as the engines revved up, and I was HAPPY to get out. Interestingly, the C-119 was known to have one of the highest rates of parachute malfunctions, believed to be because of the unique slipstream from the twin tailboom assembly. I think that the second-oldest that I jumped from was a U-6A Beaver that entered Service in 1952. I always wanted to jump from a C-47 Dakota, but that was reserved mostly for the True Heroes from WW2 and Korea.

But this isn't just for Paratroopers. If you were Crew, Paratroops, or Cargo, tell your experience.

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Jan 31 at 2023 8:18 AM

SGM Mikel Dawson — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 08:18:36 -0500

UH-1

Response by LTC John Griscom made Jan 31 at 2023 9:13 AM

LTC John Griscom — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 09:13:55 -0500

H-13 Sioux at Fort Benning, 1965.

Response by MAJ Ronnie Reams made Jan 31 at 2023 9:54 AM

MAJ Ronnie Reams — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 09:54:57 -0500

C-54, I think, MATS version of a DC-6.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Jan 31 at 2023 10:32 AM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 10:32:08 -0500

Flew 1957 T37 trainer aircraft as a student in 1969 and 1974-77 as an instructor. As an ROTC cadet flew as passenger on a C124 Globemaster. Most of the C130E I piloted were 1963 or 1964. Some of those had over 30,000 hours on the airframe including multiple tours in Vietnam. Newest aircraft I flew was a 1971 C130H in about 1980.

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Jan 31 at 2023 12:09 PM

CPT Lawrence Cable — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 12:09:21 -0500

I flew in a C-119 while I was in Civil Air Patrol. That aircraft is older than I am. C-141 Starlifter was getting old when I was on it, as was the C-130. The UH1 and Chinook have been around for a long time, too.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Jan 31 at 2023 2:31 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 14:31:43 -0500

C47/DC3, C-119

Response by SGT Carl Blas made Jan 31 at 2023 5:41 PM

SGT Carl Blas — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 17:41:23 -0500

C-119, the Jump master called it, "Shake Rattle and Roll"

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 1 at 2023 7:52 AM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 07:52:48 -0500

As a flight school student, I flew a 1962 Huey that had started life as a D model, later converted to an H model. The battery was in the tail which was made it the odd Huey out on Lowe Army Airfield. This was in 1988. As far as I recall, that was the oldest aircraft still on the military rolls that I flew. Although, I've hitched a ride on some old-ass C-130's over the years.

Later, I flew a 1958, ex Air Force, H-34 that had been converted to a civilian S-58T.

Response by 1LT Voyle Smith made Feb 1 at 2023 11:39 AM

1LT Voyle Smith — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 11:39:15 -0500

I was not a paratrooper, but I rode on a C-119 in Vietnam in 1967. Don’t recall the details, but it iwas in Bihn Dihn Province near Bong Son. Don’t see the mission in my log book, so it had to have been in November or December of ‘67.

Response by CPT John Bower made Feb 1 at 2023 5:45 PM

CPT John Bower — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 17:45:07 -0500

I jumped the dollar 19 several times. It is the only time I ever had a personal meeting with another jumper in the air. I've also jumped the Beaver.

Response by LtCol Robert Quinter made Feb 1 at 2023 7:33 PM

LtCol Robert Quinter — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 19:33:43 -0500

I had flight time in the C-119 in 1973 and the C-117 in 1968. The interesting thing about the C-119 flight was that we struck a seagull on takeoff and it actually penetrated the wing. We took it back and, upon inspection, they found the aircraft was no longer safe due to the extreme corrosion.
The 117 flight was nowhere near as exciting. It was a flight from Cherry Point to Roosevelt Roads and the slowest airspeed I had experienced since a cross country flight in the H-34!

Response by MAJ Paul Graham made Feb 1 at 2023 8:47 PM

MAJ Paul Graham — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 20:47:06 -0500

At age 65,in 2022, I made my 4th and 5th static line jumps from a C-47 (Tico Belle). The Tico dropped paratroopers over St. Mere-Eglise on 6 June 1944.

Response by SrA Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 10 at 2023 3:46 PM

SrA Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 15:46:32 -0500

I worked on (electrical systems) and flew on (around 100 hours) C-124 at Dover AFB 1960-64.

Response by SMSgt Michael Gleason made Feb 13 at 2023 2:12 PM

SMSgt Michael Gleason — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 14:12:55 -0500

The oldest military aircraft in which I ever flew (as a passenger) was a single-engined DeHavilland DHC-2 Beaver, which in Army parlance was a U-6 (six passenger utility aircraft). The Beaver's maiden flight was 16 August 1947, and the U.S. Army eventually bought several hundred of these fine Canadian aircraft! In Korea from late 1968 to early '70, we had two Beavers assigned to the 7th Avn Bn, at our airfield A-220 ("Tong Du Cheon Int'l Airport"). I spent many happy hours flying "hither and yon" in those Beavers, and one of them was even used to fly Gypsy Rose Lee from Kimpo Airport in Seoul to our 7th Infantry Division. An incredibly versatile airplane, many hundreds are still in use today, on wheels, skis, and floats, serving agencies and private owners with a wide variety of missions!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 14 at 2023 4:00 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 16:00:24 -0500

UH-60 in terms of flying in one (they were virtually brand new at the time). Sat in a live 60's vintage Hungarian Mig 21 while killing time at Taszar Airfield. Should have taken advantage of more opportunities, there were a bunch.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 20 at 2023 2:22 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 14:22:44 -0400

Just like CPT Cable, I too flew in an old piston engine aircraft as a Civil Air Patrol cadet! It was a C-118 and we flew from Glenview NAS, IL to Wright-Patterson AFB, OH and back in Oct ‘82. I can still remember the sound and the smell of those four monster radial engines!!!

Oh, and by the way, Essayons CPT Cable! I’m an engineer as well (MOS 12B - Combat Engineer)!

Response by MSgt Jim Craig made Apr 20 at 2023 3:43 PM

MSgt Jim Craig — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 15:43:10 -0400

I had the opportunity while serving on a joint forces parachute demonstration team to jump from U-6A Beavers and C-47 Dakotas. The experience of the actual jumps were not any different than any jump. you stand up, hook up, shuffle to the door (or ramp) and fall until opening shock. Knowing that I was following in the footsteps of those stalwart warriors that dropped out of the sky from them on D-Day was worth the ride.

Response by MSG Frank Kapaun made Apr 23 at 2023 11:52 AM

MSG Frank Kapaun — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 11:52:44 -0400

I jumped a C-7A Caribou the Mississippi Army National Guard had, that was probably the oldest aircraft I jumped. The weirdest was the CH-54 Skycrane, a “people pod” was attached and one exited the back.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden Passed 7/29/2025 made Apr 23 at 2023 2:40 PM

CSM Charles Hayden Passed 7/29/2025 — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 14:40:50 -0400

MSG Lonnie Averkamp In 1954 I sat in a C 124 Globemaster while returning to Korea from
R n R in Japan. Having a red fire engine in the center of the aircraft and in my face left a lasting impression. (1954).

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 23 at 2023 3:54 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 15:54:33 -0400

Hmmm... Didn't check the manufacturer's nameplate or VIN on the C-130, Huey, or Chinook. Softest landing was a water jump from a Huey into San Francisco Bay by NAS Alameda.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bC8HDPEg_ho

Airborne Jump, music by Van Halen - Jump

Van Halen - Jump music

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 23 at 2023 4:23 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 16:23:47 -0400

None. My job was simple. If it flies. It dies.

Response by PO1 Lyndon Thomas made Apr 23 at 2023 8:38 PM

PO1 Lyndon Thomas — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 20:38:18 -0400

A4 SKYHAWK

Response by Amn Roger Omberg made Apr 24 at 2023 1:48 PM

Amn Roger Omberg — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 13:48:28 -0400

I caught a ride going back to Andrews back in 1963, on a C130 USNAVY, thank You very much.
It was a grand take off, landing. the ride started in Grand Prairie, Texas naval air station, & there was Marines Navy, Army & USAF (me), on board. Great ride, the pilot said He wasnt going to shut the engines down for us 7 guys to board, so we had to hump our ass on board, & glad to have that chance! Just glad I had the opportunity to serve!

Response by GySgt Kenneth Pepper made Apr 24 at 2023 2:08 PM

GySgt Kenneth Pepper — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 14:08:24 -0400

CH-46 with beer can patches leftover from Vietnam.

Response by MSG Lonnie Averkamp made Apr 24 at 2023 2:48 PM

MSG Lonnie Averkamp — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 14:48:37 -0400

I had over a hundred flights as "cargo" in C-130's. We would often take off at dusk, fly several hundred miles, and then parachute at 1:00 to 2:00 AM, somewhere. I got into the habit of catching a needed nap with the droning of the Herc's engines. One night, we rigged our weapons & equipment, donned our parachutes, and took off in a C-130. As normal practice, shortly after take-off, I started getting that "warm, fuzzy feeling" and was drifting off to sleep. Then the little voice in the back of my head yelled, "Hey, Dumb-Ass! You're the Jumpmaster.", and it startled me, awake.

Response by PV2 Dereck Oliveira made Apr 26 at 2023 8:36 PM

PV2 Dereck Oliveira — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 20:36:59 -0400

Was a passenger on a C-130 1976 flew from California to Oahu seats facing backward with that fabulous box lunch while I stared at two jet turbine engines chained down in front of me

Response by Sgt Joseph Avary made Apr 29 at 2023 9:00 AM

Sgt Joseph Avary — Sat, 29 Apr 2023 09:00:03 -0400

I as the First Mechanic and later Crew Chief of the C-119 during my years in the Fourth Marine Air Wing. Stationed a NAS Whitbey Island and NAS Glenview. I also was Mechanic on the C-117 while stationed at MCAS Beaufort (HAMS-32). The 119's were 1952 models, as was I. Fun times!

Response by Sgt Joseph Avary made Apr 29 at 2023 9:00 AM

Sgt Joseph Avary — Sat, 29 Apr 2023 09:00:20 -0400

Response by MSG Bob S made May 6 at 2023 6:11 PM

MSG Bob S — Sat, 06 May 2023 18:11:54 -0400

The Air Assault coarse at Ft. Ord, CA in 1992 used a UH-1 Huey and a UH-60 Blackhawk for the helicopter rappelling and I got to rappel from the skid of the Huey. However I flew on a 1967 CH-47 Chinook in 1993 according to the crew chief.

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made May 7 at 2023 12:15 PM

SGM Erik Marquez — Sun, 07 May 2023 12:15:54 -0400

C47 during a Normandy ceremonial jump

Response by Cpl Craig Howard made Jun 3 at 2023 12:11 AM

Cpl Craig Howard — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 00:11:08 -0400

I worked and rode in CH-46's. The oldest one rolled off the line in June of 1966... Two months after I was born. It was also the last bird I worked on.