Sea Stories

Atsugi
A typical flight takes 2 hours to get all our gear in the air. Here is how it went. Linemen and Plane Captains along with the Maintenance Chief take off in a military version of a Boeing 727. It's a C-22 I think. These aircraft had their own crew 2 pilots and several stewards. They were not attached to us but belonged to our detachment for the duration of the mission. If you were Military in Quam say and wanted to get to Hawaii you could check in and ride along if there was room. It was on our schedule not yours. Seats were taken out of the rear to tiedown our gear. An hour after the first 727, We would launch the flight of F4s. Another hour then the second 727 takes off with mechanics airframers and electricians and whomever is left behind. It was usually several plane captains that had launched the previous flight. On arrival the first crew sets up the transient line and prepares to catch the flight of F4s. The maintenance chief is already getting reports from the pilots as they land. When The second 727 arrives, we get out, Check in with Chief Towbar,fix whatever is broken and take off the next day.