Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

The Lockheed C -5 Galaxy is a military transport aircraft metropolitan area, which was developed in the early 1960s for the U.S. Air Force, where it is still in use today. Until the Soviet Antonov An-124 Ruslan it was the largest aircraft in the world. Of the 131 copies produced in late 2012 are still 73 copies in the U.S. Air Force in use.

  • 2.1 World Record
  • 2.2 Problems
  • 2.3 modernization
  • 3.1 monoplane
  • 3.2 Two decks

History of development

Requirements

In the early 1960s gave the Air Force of the United States design studies for a new strategic long-range transport aircraft in order. The aim was to replace the aged Douglas C -133 Cargomaster and complement the existing, but small Lockheed C -141 Starlifter. The plan was the procurement of up to 200 machines. The technical requirements of the CX- HLS now ( Cargo Experimental -Heavy Logistics System) project mentioned from the beginning were very high:

  • One with over 100 tons more than twice the maximum load as in the C-141
  • Intercontinental range
  • A tall, short turnaround times accessible from both ends of trunk cargo space
  • Start a full load of 8,000 feet ( 2,438 m) runway length; Landing at 4,000 feet ( 1,219 m) ​​paved runway half

The aircraft manufacturer Boeing, Douglas, General Dynamics, Lockheed and Martin Marietta submitted designs for the plane a, and General Electric, Curtiss -Wright, and Pratt & Whitney for the engines. After a preselection Boeing, Douglas and Lockheed were allowed to run their design studies for the aircraft continued and General Electric and Pratt & Whitney for the engines.

Procurement

In August 1965, first awarded General Electric a contract for the development of the engines. With an estimated total weight of 350 tonnes and planned four engines had each engine can develop the enormous for that time thrust of about 180 kN. In October 1965, he finally got Lockheed - which only the C-141 had just been built - the production contract for 115 machines of the company's internal L -500 and adopted by the Air Force C -5A Galaxy aircraft. Although Boeing's design was favored for technical reasons of the assessment committee, the Department of Defense under Robert McNamara decided to Lockheed - whose offer was the most cost-effective. The final drafts of Boeing and Douglas were different from the design of the L- 500 is a conventional tail unit and also differed in side-opening bow doors of the winning Lockheed design which had an opening up Bugtor.

One of the designs by Boeing also had a shortened upper deck so that the aircraft was fitted with a hump. The idea of the hump flowed a short time later in the planning of the Boeing 747.

Production

The first flight took place on June 30, 1968 on the Dobbins Air Force Base in Georgia instead. The first C -5A was delivered in December 1969, it was reported by the Military Airlift Command (MAC) ready for use in September 1970.

World Record

At this time, the Galaxy was the largest aircraft in the world, in December 1982, she was overtaken by its Soviet counterpart, the Antonov An-124 Ruslan. Although this is less than the 6 m C-5, but has a larger span, a greater loading capacity and a higher starting weight. Since 1988, the Antonov An-225 is the biggest airplane. On September 13, 2009, a C -5 M 41 world records ( in the FAI submitted) in the Class C- 1.S in a flight on; e.g. 80 t payload in 24 min at 12 km altitude.

Problems

From the outset there were problems with the cost and with the technology of the project. The American press kept the demand for such aircraft conjured for artificially to give the aviation industry billions of tax-financed contracts, which, in turn, the politicians and the military would benefit. The whole thing became the first major procurement scandal of the U.S. defense industry.

The implementation of the overly ambitious requirements thus caused high development costs, that the price for a copy of the Galaxy continues to increase: from estimated 16.5 to 60 million U.S. dollars. In November 1969, the U.S. Air Force pulled the emergency brake and reduced the order from 115 to 81 machines.

Finally, showed in tests and in the first few times it soon became clear that the C- 5, the demands placed on them - especially the range with a heavy load - could not fulfill. So it turned out that part of the wing structure had been too weak and a reinforcement of the wing would cost around 2 billion U.S. dollars. The consequences were partially dramatic flight restrictions for load ( not to 100 tons ) or reach and, as a result, a lengthy and costly reconstruction program, which culminated in the redesign and replacement of the wings of the 80 C -5A to 1987.

The early eighties, decided the U.S. government as part of the upgrade program under President Ronald Reagan, to procure an additional 50 copies of the series. To this decision the positive experiences during the operation nickel grass had contributed. So Lockheed took over production for the improved model C -5B on again. My first flight took place on September 10, 1985, the machines were delivered from January 1986 to April 1989.

Lockheed tried from the start to win in addition to the military and other customers for their vans, but nevertheless remained unsuccessful.

All these circumstances brought the Galaxy the nickname FRED what for Fantastic Ridiculous Economic Disaster ( German to about: Fantastic ridiculous economic disaster ) is.

Modernization

Through a modernization program for the avionics and especially with new engines the performance of the Galaxy is to be increased in the coming years. The tags are designed to increase the reliability and lifetime of the Galaxy, so that they can still play a significant role in the strategic airlift of U.S. forces by the year 2040. First of all the machines get through the Avionics Modernization Program ( C-5 AMP) since October 2004 modern electronics. This Galaxys then pass through the Reliability Enhancement and Re - engining Program ( C-5 RERP ), in which Lockheed Martin electrical systems and fuel system replaced. The engines are up to 222.41 kN thrust, replaced by the F138 -GE- 100 type. This is a variant of the civil General Electric CF6- 80C2, which is also the Boeing 747-400 drives among others. The two programs are to be completed by 2020, the converted aircraft will then receive the designation C -5M Super Galaxy and also be named. A first test run of the new engines on a C -5 was held successfully in January 2006. On 16 May 2006 Lockheed Martin celebrated the rollout and on 19 June 2006 graduated from the C -5M its first flight on the Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia.

The original plans 5 machines should get new engines. Since the cost of the RERP but increased from the initially estimated 11.1 billion U.S. dollars in November 2001 to 17.5 billion in late 2007, only the B and C versions are now to be converted. By early 2008, a C -5A and C -5B two have been converted to the M- version, so still 49 Galaxys (47 C -5B and two C- 5C) due for modernization of the drive. The remaining machines in the A version, which had originally been modernized, are now provided for the withdrawal. The initial application reaches maturity in February 2014.

Technology / Design

Wing monoplane

In order to meet the requirements came from the outset only a construction as a high - wing monoplane or question. This has the following advantages:

  • The cargo area is not affected by the center wing.
  • The engines can be hung in a conventional manner in pods under the wings and still do not have sufficient distance to the ground. This prevents the use of semi- paved runways too much stirred-up dust is sucked.

This clearance is important for the further characteristic of the Galaxy well: In order to facilitate loading and unloading, the entire plane can be lowered over the chassis hydraulics. To keep the soil pressure on unpaved surface low, the weight is distributed to 28 wheels, four of them at the bow. The main landing gear consists of four columns, each with six wheels in a 2 4 arrangement.

Two decks

The two openings at the bow ( the nose is lifted up ) and rear are equipped with ramps and winches, which enables short turnaround times. The cargo space is 37 m long, 5.8 m wide and 4.1 m high. Thus, the C-5, for example, accommodate several battle tanks, helicopters, missiles or complete trucks in their cargo hold. Instead, even up to 270 seats can be mounted on a pallet on the main deck, the pressure vented, and the air-conditioned for this purpose. In the upper deck with cockpit, space is for a second crew and couriers as well as behind the center wing a fully equipped passenger compartment for 75 soldiers. Thus, the C -5 Galaxy take 345 soldiers (plus crew ) when it is used as a troop transport.

Use

A total of 131 machines of the type C-5 were built, one of which went so far six lost through accidents ( see below). The rest are in use at the Air Mobility Command (AMC ), the Air National Guard ( ANG) and the Air Force Reserve Command ( AFRC ).

Despite all the technical problems and high costs, the C -5 Galaxy has quickly proven with the USAF as indispensable, because with her even bulky military equipment or troops quickly - can be transported to every corner of the earth - through aerial refueling. Since the early 1990s it has increasingly been relieved of the C-17 Globemaster III, which can also operate more efficiently than the C-5 in many cases. 14 the older A models were flown from November 2003 to the end of 2005 AMARG and decommissioned.

Variants

  • L -500: Lockheed's internal model number and name for unrealized civilian versions of the Galaxy.
  • C -5A: First production series; 81 machines were built until 1973. 66-8303 to 66-8307 c / n 500-0001 to 500-0005 (5 pieces)
  • 67-0167 to 67-0174 c / n 500-0006 to 500-0013 (8 pieces)
  • 68-0211 to 68-0228 c / n 500-0014 to 500-0031 (18 pieces)
  • 69-0001 to 69-0027 c / n 500-0032 to 500-0058 (27 pieces)
  • 70-0445 to 70-0467 c / n 500-0059 to 500-0081 (23 pieces)
  • Withdrawn 70-0468 order
  • 71-0180 71-0212 withdrawn to order
  • 72-0099 71-0112 withdrawn to order
  • 83-1285 c / n 500-0082 (1 piece)
  • 84-0059 to 85-0062 c / n 500-0083 to 500-0086 (4 pieces)
  • 85-0001 to 85-0010 c / n 500-0087 to 500-0096 (10 pieces)
  • 86-0011 to 86-0026 c / n 500-0097 to 500-0012 ( 16 pieces)
  • 87-0027 to 86-0045 c / n 500-0113 to 500-0131 (19 pieces)
  • 68-0213 c / n 500-0016 (1 piece)
  • 68-0216 c / n 500-0019 (1 piece)

Losses

The following copies of the Galaxy have been lost due to falls or other accidents:

Specifications

  • Minimum (empty weight ): 295 kg / m²
  • Nominal (normal takeoff weight ): NA
  • Maximum ( maximum takeoff weight ): 659 kg / m²
  • Minimum (empty weight ): 299 kg / m²
  • Nominal (normal takeoff weight ): 606 kg / m²
  • Maximum ( maximum takeoff weight ): 661 kg / m²
  • 5481 km (at maximum load )
  • 9565 km ( at 60 t payload )
  • Maximum (empty weight ): 0.46
  • Nominal (normal takeoff weight ): NA
  • Minimum ( maximum takeoff weight ): 0.21
  • Maximum (empty weight ): 0.53
  • Nominal (normal takeoff weight ): 0.26
  • Minimum ( maximum takeoff weight ): 0.24

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  • Airbus A380
  • Antonov An-124
  • Antonov An-225
  • Boeing 747
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