Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is a heavy Transport aircraft of USAF conceived by the aeronautical Constructeur American Lockheed.

Design

To replace old the Douglas C-133, the US Air Force establishes in 1963 a schedule of conditions in the name of code CX-LHS (for Experimental-Heavy Cargo Logistics System ). the apparatus was for example to transport 60 tons of material on a distance of 13.000 km, it was to take off of rudimentary tracks a maximum length of 2.500 m on takeoff and 1.200 m to the landing. Lastly, the resistance of the wing was to be very important with wear since it was to be able to endure 30.000 hours of vol. Two manufacturers answered the offer; on a side Boeing had drawn the first steps of the B 747 and Lockheed imagined the C-5 future.

The June 30th 1968, the very first flight of the C-5A took place and as of the December 17th 1969, the first C-5A operational was delivered to USAF, 81 specimens were built and the last was delivered in May 1973. Then, even if the apparatus were expensive the army (it would have been even expensive to make build a new apparatus), this one required a version modernized of Lockheed, mainly on the level avionics but also on the level of the wings. The C-5B was built with 50 specimens and was delivered between January 1986 and April 1989.

On a standard mission, C-5 can transport 136.080 kg on a distance of 5.526 km is a loading of 36 pallets standards, 2 tanks M1A1, 4 tanks light M-551 “Sheridan” and Hummer, 16 Camion S of 4 T., 10 light armoured tanks LAV-25, 6 Hélicoptère S UH-60 “Black Hawk” or a heavy helicopter “Chinook” CH-47.
It can carry 363 passengers (73 on the bridge postpones higher, 290 on the principal compartment).
In January 2004, it remains 125 apparatuses in service on the 131 assembled.

Engagements

The apparatus was used with the Vietnam, during the Guerre of Kippour in 1973 but also for the Guerre of Kuwait 1990/1991 and Guerre in Iraq in 2003/2007.

During the operations Shield of the desert and Storm of the desert, C-5 transported 18,6% of the material and 42% of the troops, they added up 15.800 missions with 498.000 passengers. It is this very great capacity of carrying which does of C-5 still today one of the pillars of the American army.

On the 131 apparatuses, only 3 were destroyed of which only one during a military conflict. One during the War of Vietnam, the other was crushed in Germany and the third was crushed on April 3rd, 2006 in the United States.

Alternatives

C-5A : first version, 81 aircraft assembled
C-5B: version modernized on the level of the avionics (radar, engine…), 50 assembled apparatuses
C-5C: 2 C-5A modified for the carrying of space satellites and equipment, intended for NASA
C-5M: Project of modernization of C-5A with a new avionics and new engines

Other characteristics

C-5, like the Soviet Year-124, has a very high number of landing gears: not less than 13 are necessary, that is to say 28 tires (indeed, the central landing gears have two tires but that before has 4 of them).
the total useful interior volume of the apparatus is of 1.200 m ³.
One needs a length from 2.000 to 2.500 m so that the apparatus can take off whereas it lands over a length of 700 Mr.

See too

List of the military aircrafts
Factory Lockheed Martin de Marietta

Comparable planes

External references

: Gallery photographs of the US Air Force
Descrition detailed
Crash landing of 1975

Simple: C-5 Galaxy

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