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As jets take charge of fire-bombing missions, the 62-year-old piston-powered Tanker 60 takes its last flight over Oregon
As jets take over as fire-bombing aircraft, the piston-powered Douglas DC-7 plane, aka "Tanker 60," is going into retirement. This Eastern Air Lines plane was built in 1958 and spent its early years flying up and down the East Coast and to the Caribbean. In the 1970s, the plane was gutted and refit to be a air tanker and fire bomber, used to drop fire retardant from above, and has since spent over 40 years fighting fires. (www.msn.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
Great article. Thank you Tanker 60 and crews for service above and beyond!
On the 31st January this year one of the jet replacements saved our property here in Bermagui (Australia) dropping 3 loads of retardent - each one coming from a base in Canberra 128 KM away (as crow flies) - we will be forever indebted to the crews and management of these types of planes. Thanks guys.
It would be nice to think that a flying museum would purchase Tanker 60 and perhaps return her to original condition. I know it would be an expensive project, but at least they would be starting with an airworthy example of the DC-7.
Yes, very expensive to operate, too. In the fifties flying transcons, three engine approaches were rather common with the DC 7. On the other hand, I read that the crews were running the engines pretty hard. Perhaps if you "babied" them...
The trick was to keep them in Low-Blower. BUT, you couldn't climb very high and could risk giving the folks in back a rough ride.
In any event, those 3350TC's were very prone to failure. They were on the Super Constellations as well.
In any event, those 3350TC's were very prone to failure. They were on the Super Constellations as well.
There is an Erikson Aircraft Museum in Madras, OR where it's last flight ended. Maybe it will join their collection.
Tillamook Air Museum...