LETTER TO THE EDITOR: My role in the C-5A Galaxy cargo plane

Published 3:10 pm Friday, July 30, 2021

As salesman for O’Neal Steel, Inc. Atlanta, Georgia plant, I regularly serviced Potter and Rayfield Steel Fabricators’ needs for mill-rolled shapes, bars and plate steel. May 1964, I quoted 3/8″ thick Hot Rolled A-36 mill plate for 12 tanks, none configured to a known mechanical shape — random dimensions aptly described their shape. The drawings provided offered no clue as to its owner by company name.

Fortunately, each piece was meticulously measured, for ease of pre-fab by shear and flame cut. I guessed as to their ultimate use each time I questioned the fabrication foreman at Potter and Rayfield.

He replied, “Beats me,” as how or what their purpose could be. 

The tanks were quickly fabricated and lined up outdoors in the fab yard. I received a call to come to the plant. Upon arrival a hydraulic crane sat idly by the row of tanks with a wrecking ball attached. The crane operator began to destroy each tank.

I inquired, “Obviously, the customer did not appreciate your work. Did you call me to re-order the material?”

Potter and Rayfield Fabricators shipped the tanks to their customer. I later learned it was Lockheed Georgia, Marietta, Ga., for wing tanks for the C 5-A Galaxy cargo airplane. The tanks were for engineered destructive testing purposes. 

The next order from Potter and Rayfield was for certified 6061-T6 Aluminum Plate, for Lockheed’s production run. 

I felt a little pride in being a small part of such a distinctive national airplane project.

The first C5-A Galaxy Cargo Airplane Ser. No. 66-8303 rolled out of Lockheed’s Marietta, Georgia, plant Mar 2, 1968. Flight testing began 6/30/68, by the famous Leo Sullivan (test pilot) his call sign “8303 Heavy.” Pilot Sullivan reported no surprises, she flies OK. 

I witnessed this first flight. It was like watching a mountain flying thorough the sky. Wing span and total length of this aircraft- HUGE- HUGE!

Specifications of the C S-A Galaxy: 550,000 pounds airplane weight, with payload of 180,000 pounds. Flight speed 500 MPH (Mach 0.75). The cargo compartment 19 feet width, 13.5 feet height, 121 feet long. Total cargo capacity 31,000 cubic feet. Four jet engines with unbelievable fuel burn power ratio.

The first C5-A was delivered to the USAF Dec. 17, 1969. Its first mission July 9, 1970 in Southeast Asia during the Viet Nam war, ferrying troops and equipment small aircraft and army tanks. Later years the C5-A saw action in the final weeks of the war. Prior to the fall of Saigon, several C5’s were involved in evacuation efforts. One mission ended tragically killing 140 orphans.

A brief search did not yield any specification on the B-29 Super-fortress used to carry the Atom Bomb to Nagasaki and Hiroshima, Japanese, Islands. The B-29 was lauded as the ultimate weapon of war.

Tom Rogers

Moultrie, Ga.