25 February 2007
Finding Coolidge MAP ended up being quite a challenge. My favourite planning tool, Google Earth, did not show it marked and to make matters worse had one of those really bad quality satellite images of the area. None of my maps showed the airfield so I just drove into town. Ah ha – a sign in the town pointed to the airfield, but my success was short lived as the road was closed not half a mile from the main drag. I followed the diversion signs until they ran out completely and then just guessed where to go, ending up at a dead end street in the middle of nowhere. Luckily an old local man in a pick-up truck stopped when I waved him down and told me I only a mile from my intended destination – success!
I can see one reason that International Air Response move to the field is good for them – there is no one around to complain about anything – this really is out in the middle of literally nowhere.
There was an immaculate white C-130 (N117TG) sitting on the ramp to greet me. It looked like it could have been straight out of the production line.
There were a further two C-130's here. One ex USAF machine, tail less and probably being used for spares. The second was one of Hawkins and Powers ex machines (N131HP) that I’d seen in Greybull that IAR had obviously bought in the auction.
The other gem on the field was the DC-7B (N4887C/T-33) resplendent in partial Delta colours and looking simply immaculate, and still looking like it would be active for the coming fire-bomber season.
The only other aircraft I saw was a forward fuselage of another DC-7C named "African Queen" with is N90804 - this is an ex BOAC Seven Seas aircraft G-AOIF - a lot of history sitting here!
update 4th November 2007:
I was in the area again so decided to drop-in.
I was easier to find this time around - I've bought a GPS unit so no getting lost and looking at crap maps!
Quite a few things have changed in this short time.
A lot of the random "rubbish" has been cleared out making the Severn Seas DC-7 cockpit easier to photograph.
The ex USAF C-130 was not on the ramp - it may well have been in the hangar?
Their other active C-130 (L-382) was present this time - N118TG, again looking immaculate.
The active DC-7 was also moved to a much better photographic position on the ramp - lovely!
update 15th December 2007:
The ex USAF C-130 on the ramp has been transformed into N121TG - and very nice she looks too.
The two remaining C-130s at Chandler Memorial have now been ferried here and are waiting to be worked on. (N131FF and N138FF)