Roaming out west

[Garry Crookham]

A recent trip out west took me by South Big Horn County Airport in Greybull Wyoming, home of the Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting. This airport was the home base for Hawkins and Powers, a pioneer in the use of aircraft for fighting forest fires. Sadly after losing two PB4Y’s in 2002 resulting in the Forest Service banning the use of the old bombers Hawkins and Powers shut down operations. The museum has five airplanes on display and the airport has become a boneyard for many P2V, C119, C97, and C130’s.

https://photos.smugmug.com/Fire-bombers/i-Hd6PBxb/0/7b421935/S/DSC00927-S.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/Fire-bombers/i-bZfCxC8/0/d351481c/S/DSC00947-S.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/Fire-bombers/i-Fw5cVTp/0/e61e85c1/S/DSC00948-S.jpg

[N96337]

Re: Roaming out west

I remember climbing up into one of the 97's to talk to Gene Powers about a job in 85..... they just didn't want to pay what it was going to take to get me to stay in Greybull and work for them. But I did spend a few days hanging around and helping on the engines...got some good 4360 experience that came in handy later.
John

[N96337]

Re: Roaming out west

A song about 123 when it went down....sad day for sure!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGv0RGYGZj4

[LostnSpace]

Re: Roaming out west

A song about 123 when it went down....sad day for sure!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGv0RGYGZj4

Thanks for the memories, I flew a PB4Y-2 for Rosenbalm Aviation out of Medford, Oregon fire fighting many years ago, Tanker 85 went into Greybull lots and Chino, CA, often talked with Gene Powers, he and my dad flew together long, long ago, gary

[N96337]

Re: Roaming out west

I remember a couple guys that I had met from Neptune wanted to go fly the 4Y... Awesome airplane, just a sad deal. Did Rosenbalm's have the 2600's?
John

[Garry Crookham]

Re: Roaming out west

John, that must have been an interesting place to visit in 1985. The volunteer at the museum told me that Hawkins and Powers at their peak employed 200 people had over 50 aircraft. There is a memorial for the crews of Tanker 123 and Tanker 130 at the museum.

Gary, how much water (slurry, retardant) did the PB4Y carry?

[Dick Smith]

Re: Roaming out west

Back in the late 70's, Hawkins and Powers hauled salmon from Bristol Bay and Prince William Sound to Kenai for the frozen seafood outfit I was plant manager for. They used C-119's with jet packs and DC-6"s. I got to ride to King Salmon and back in one of the Douglas planes...Gene Powers let me have the right yoke for a minute or so while sliding through Lake Clark Pass...kind of a kick for a Taylorcraft guy! Dick

[LostnSpace]

Re: Roaming out west

I remember a couple guys that I had met from Neptune wanted to go fly the 4Y... Awesome airplane, just a sad deal. Did Rosenbalm's have the 2600's?
John

No, it was the P& W 1830's, we were in Winamucca, WA., worked for about 3 days, coming back from the fire, the airframe would sort of hic-up, the next time I saw the manifold pressure gage for #3 jump just as the airframe shook, we feathered 3, and landed, got the lower cowling loose and an intake pipe dropped to the ground, those radials amazed me what they could take and keep running, another the oil temp went to redline, feather it, and when we tried to pull the oil screen, it was jambed because of all the metal in it, Powers bought one of Rosenbalm's 4Y's and took it back to Greybull, the next summer it had the 2600's on it, gary

[N96337]

Re: Roaming out west

Yah, a radial will take an unbelievable beating and just keep going. I was a field service and tech rep for an overhaul outfit for a couple years and found some really interesting stuff out there!!! I've still got a box of parts, some that are recognizable as engine parts, from some of those adventures. What amazed me even more sometimes was when I'd found something full of metal and the pilot wanted to fly it home.....