Hi Smitty,

Welcome. I didn't see your post until recently. I've been out of town for 3 weeks.

You're right, that first picture is of a C-97. I worked for the FAA for 31 years and now am retired. Never got to (or had to?) fly on the C-97. It's main claim to fame was being converted to a 'pregnant guppy' and 'supper guppy' for NASA to transport rockets and booster. Very weird looking acft.

Pic of Pregnant Guppy

When I was in the Air Force, I spent a year in Sondestrom Greenland in '68-69' (Greenland or Alaska is where they liked to send chaps from FL, ). The C-130 was the most widely used acft there as support for the 4 "DEW Line" sites (Distant Early Warning radar). These planes were outfitted with skies AND wheels. You're all correct. The C-130 is very noisy. I always used ear plugs when having to fly on that plane.