Lockheed Pulled Out All the Stops on the Way to Making the C-5 Galaxy a Reality
When Lockheed first flew the C-5A Galaxy strategic airlifter on 30 June 1968, the company had already overcome a myriad of engineering challenges to build the jet.
The film “C-5 Galaxy–World’s Largest Aircraft” was made to tell the story of how Lockheed designed, engineered, and built what was indeed (at the time) the world’s largest aircraft. FRED fans will appreciate this flashback to the time when excitement about the C-5A was at a fever pitch. The 1969 film was uploaded to YouTube by Classic Airliners & Vintage Pop Culture.
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The C-5 Galaxy Used to Be the Biggest Ever
The C-5A was the world’s largest aircraft when this film was made. In the 1980s, the Antonov Design Bureau introduced the Antonov An-124 Ruslan, which narrowly surpassed the Galaxy in size. Then, in 1988, Antonov launched the even larger An-225 Mriya airlifter, finally eclipsing the C-5 with two massive airlifters that clearly borrowed heavily from the Galaxy’s design. (Editor’s Note: The An-225 Mriya was destroyed in 2022 during the first weeks of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.)
In terms of wingspan actually flown, nothing has beaten the Hughes H-4 Hercules – better known as the Spruce Goose – with its 320-foot wings. The Scaled Composites Stratolaunch carrier aircraft has longer wings at 385 feet but hasn’t flown. Yet.
Longevity and Flexibility: The C-5 Galaxy
The C-5A Galaxy first entered US Air Force service with the 437th Airlift Wing at Charleston Air Force Base (AFB) in South Carolina in June of 1970. The C-5As were replacing Douglas C-133 Cargomaster airlifters.
Today, Air Force, Air Force Reserve, and Air National Guard squadrons operate C-5 strategic airlifters from Dover AFB in Delaware, Travis AFB in California, Kelly/Lackland AFB in Texas, and Westover Air Reserve Base in Massachusetts. Upgrade programs have enabled the remaining C-5 Galaxy fleet to serve well in the 2040s- when the basic design will be more than 70 years old.
BONUS VIDEO
Enjoy this great color footage of the C-5A undergoing tests back in the day. It was uploaded to YouTube by PeriscopeFilm.
