C-133 Cargomaster D.E.W. strip alert support *finished*

[sandiego89]

North American Air Defence Command (NORAD) was looking for ways to temporarily stage interceptors much closer to Russian bombers coming "over the top" of the North pole. Building the infrastructure for full airbases and the associated support was deemed too costly, but NORAD began looking at a mobile base concept where a large cargo aircraft could support a pair of interceptors at a few of the remote strips that had been built for the establishment of the Distant Early Warning (D.E.W) sites running across the northern parts of Alaska, Canada and Greenland, and the Mid-Canada and Pinetree radar lines.  Under this program, eleven sites were upgraded with longer runways and aprons that could support a mother ship and few interceptors. 

It was envisioned that in times of increased tensions the mother ship would deploy to the D.E.W strip alert sites with three interceptors (one spare), and the mother ship would provide all required support for up to 72-hour deployments, providing fuel, crew rest areas, rearming (including Genie nuclear rockets), heat etc.  F-89's, F-101's (both USAF and RCAF), F-102's, F-106's and CF-100's could be supported.  This mobile base had the added benefit of keeping Russian planners guessing where the interceptors could be launched from.  Only very limited external support was required, mainly the snowplows from the D.E.W. site to keep the apron and runways clear. 

Strategic Air Command (SAC) also became intrigued with the idea, as the "Chrome Dome" missions that kept fully armed B-47's and B-52's in the air around the clock were very taxing on the crews, aircraft and tanker support.  Parking a few nuclear-armed aircraft at remote sites above the Arctic circle with a ground-based mother ship had some attractiveness  The Canadian government was less enthused, but quietly did not object to "feasibility" exercises. 

Several C-133A's received minor modifications to act as the forward support bases.  This included an additional APU, hose reels for fuel, heat, and power to support three interceptors, palletized water and sewage tanks, a palletized galley and sleeping quarters, and a wooden covering over the rear cargo area and ramp to allow small bulldozers to be carried without harming the cargo deck, additional survival gear, and thermal protection.       

The victim, Roden C-133A Cargomaster. 1/144 scale. And a few guests....

and besides the C-133 is under-whiffed! 


C-133, Roden 1/144 scale, and a few guests on D.E.W. strip alert 



Looks crisply molded.



1/72 F-104 for scale



Tail section and decals







   


     

[PR19_Kit]

Ooooh magic! I've always liked the C-133, as you say a well under-Whiffed aeroplane. 

[Gondor]

I would not be supprised if this was something that was actually considered, although I think the Australian F-101 crews might find it a bit cold.

Gondor

[sandiego89]

I would not be supprised if this was something that was actually considered, although I think the Australian F-101 crews might find it a bit cold.

Gondor

Ha! corrected!  Yes those Aussie crews might be a bit chilled....

[zenrat]

I'd love one of these in 1/72 injection styrene.

Looking forward to this Dave.

[Gondor]

I would not be supprised if this was something that was actually considered, although I think the Australian F-101 crews might find it a bit cold.

Gondor

Ha! corrected!  Yes those Aussie crews might be a bit chilled....

Thought it was a typo, made it more fun though and another potential whiff where the F-101 is in Australian markings 

Gondor

[Steel Penguin]

crew and pilot exchange ?

[kitnut617]

I'd love one of these in 1/72 injection styrene.

Looking forward to this Dave.

I have a Gene Hooker 1/72 vacuform kit that needs a new home -------

[PR19_Kit]

Oooooooh, that's got to be WONDERFUL model!

I've got a 1/72 vacform C-141B that must be around the same size, and it's HUGE! 

[kitnut617]

C-133 is a bit bigger Kit, the C-141 vacuforms I have the fuselage isn't any bigger than a C-135 fuselage, IIRC the C-133 fuselage it the same as a C-130, just a lot longer.

[kitnut617]

I had plans on building this --

[scooter]

I had plans on building this --

Boeing's C-141 proposal?

[PR19_Kit]

Boeing's C-141 proposal?

Just what I was thinking, yes.

[kerick]

Now was that based on the 707 fuselage width or the KC-135?

[sandiego89]

C-133 is a bit bigger Kit, the C-141 vacuforms I have the fuselage isn't any bigger than a C-135 fuselage, IIRC the C-133 fuselage it the same as a C-130, just a lot longer.

That is a common miss-interpretation, but the C-133 is much bigger than the C-130 in all dimensions, and in no ways a stretched C-130. 

The C-133 main cargo bay interior was 180 inches wide (15 feet), by 159 inches high (142 inches under the spar).  The C-130 cargo bay is about 10 feet wide and 9 feet high.  Having been all over both at the excellent Dover AFB museum, the size difference is even more apparent than the numbers would say.  The C-133 there has a large fire engine inside and you can easily walk past it-  o way doing that in a C-130.  Outside dimensions are even more impressive.   

here is a 1/144 C-130 and C-133



you can see the spar on the C-133 is much higher.