
C-141B “Starlifter”
SERIAL NUMBER: 63-8088
SPECIFICATIONS
-
Official Designation: C-141B Starlifter
-
Primary Role: Strategic airlift
-
Secondary Role: Special operations, aeromedical evac
-
National Origin: USA
-
Original Contractor: Lockheed-Georgia Co.
-
Operator: United States Air Force
-
Wingspan: 160 ft. (48.77m)
-
Length: 168 ft. 4 in. (51.3m)
-
Height at Tail: 39 ft. 7 in. (12.07m)
-
Cargo Hold
-
Length: 104 ft. 3 in. (31.76m);
-
Width: 10 ft. 3 in. (3.11m);
-
Height: 9 ft. (2.74m)
-
Armament: None
-
Engines: Four Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-7 turbofans
-
Thrust: 21,000 lbs. (94kN) per engine
-
Cruise Speed: 520 mph (837km/h; Mach 0.70)
-
Max Speed: 550 mph (885km/h; Mach 0.74)
-
Range: 5,550 nm (10,279km) without cargo;
Unlimited with inflight refueling -
Service Ceiling: 36,000 ft. (10,973m)
-
Operating Weight: 144,492 lbs. (65,540kg)
-
Fuel Capacity: 154,550 lbs. (approx. 24,000 gallons)
-
Max Payload: 90,880 lbs. (41,222kg)
-
Max Takeoff Weight: 343,000 lbs. (155,582kg)
-
Crew: Six (pilot, co-pilot, navigator, two flight engineers, one loadmaster)
-
Date Deployed: October 1964 (C-141A);
-
December 1979 (C-141B)
-
Total in Service Less than 200 aircraft (retirement phaseout)
The U.S. Air Force C-141 B was a modern, high-speed aircraft that was designed for and met all Air Force requirements for a logistics system. Its capacity, load ability, and airdrop capacity did not compromise its ability to maintain high subsonic cruise speeds up to 495 knots. A uniquely faired afterbody plus a T-Tail combine to provide high aerodynamic efficiency in flight with ease of loading and unloading.
Our C-141 B 63-8088 (Golden Bear) arrived at Travis AFB, 23 Apr 1965 as a C-141 A model and was assigned to the LTF (Lead The Force) accelerated aging program. This program required the Aircraft to amass as many flying hours as fast as possible in order to asses aircraft structure and systems integrity. As part of the fleet upgrade, the aircraft was stretched 23 feet to a "B" model. This Aircraft was also a part of Operation Home Coming (returning Hanoi POWs) 12 Feb 1973. The last flight of 8088 was 17 Jan 1996. It was then assigned to the Travis AFB Museum. Final destination of the Golden Bear followed a complete repainting and movement to its current location at the intersection of Travis Ave and Burgan Blvd.
A Tribute to the C-141
Golden Bear
Among all aircraft, our GOLDEN BEAR is the most notable. It is located at the intersection of Burgan Boulevard and Travis Avenue. The GOLDEN BEAR had long been in storage at Travis and had suffered from exposure to the elements. The Travis Heritage Center and Travis heritage Center Foundation, with support from the 60th Air Mobility Wing Civil Engineers, restored this historic aircraft in 2005. The cost of restoration, and placement on exhibit of the original GOLDEN BEAR was funded by volunteer labor, corporate, individual and Travis Heritage Center Foundation contributions. The 30-day project included repainting, movement of the aircraft and site preparation, such as lighting and landscaping.
More than 100 people were on hand for the ceremony to dedicate the newly restored C-141B, “Golden Bear,” on 16 September 2005, POW/MIA Day. The aircraft, now the best preserved C-141 in the Air Force as well as the most historic, rests next to the “Oath of Enlistment” wall at the intersection of Burgan Boulevard and Travis Avenue below the old hospital. Among the guest speakers for the ceremony were Mr. Dave Fleming, President of the Doolittle Air and Space Museum Foundation, Col. Regina Aune, who had been a flight nurse on C-141s, Lt. Col. Richard Brenneman, who was a POW in Vietnam, CMSgt Don Hume, who had served on the flight crews of C-141s, Col. Lyn Sherlock, Commander 60 AMW, and Brig. Gen Thomas Gisler, Commander 349th AMW who had flown the “Golden Bear.” At the end of the ceremony, there was a flyby of a C-5, KC-10, and C-141. The latter was on its way to the “boneyard” at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ. As it slowly glided over the crowd gathered for the “Golden Bear” it wagged its wings in salute.
