Last Flight of the Pegasus

[BillD22]

Here are some shots of the U.S. Navy Lockheed C121J "Pegasus" 1970 flight from Christchurch New Zealand down to McMurdo Research Station in Antarctica.

 

After 6 years of making annual summer flights supporting McMurdo this was to be the seventh. It turned out to be the last. On arrival at McMurdo conditions were zero-zero in a blinding snowstorm with a 40-knot direct crosswind. After 4 landing attempts to the 11,000-foot ice runway, the airplane crash-landed on the fifth attempt when a landing gear snagged a snow drift on touchdown and spun the aircraft. Although Pegasus was damaged beyond repair there were no serious injuries among the 80 passengers and crew.

 

Let's fly along.

 

Departing Christchurch airport.

 

 

Wing and cockpit views on the climb.

 

 

Leveling off at cruise altitude for the 7-hour 2000-mile flight to McMurdo.

 

Descending for a 5th landing attempt.

 

Looking and feeling for the white snow and ice-covered runway in a blinding snow storm and crosswind.

 

Suddenly touching down, our gear snags a snow drift and we spin out. We walk away unhurt but this will be Pegasus last flight.

 

Edited August 24, 2022 by BillD22

[Macroburst]

Very good replication.

Enjoyed

[NMLW]

Nice work recreating Pegasus' last flight Bill. :cool: It's a shame it had to end that way. :(

[BillD22]

Nice work recreating Pegasus' last flight Bill. :cool: It's a shame it had to end that way. :(

 

Thanks Larry & Blair. It's amazing everyone walked away. I don't know what happened with the crew but I hope they got a medal. They deserved it.

[Downwind66]

Very nicely presented, thanks for sharing!

 

Rick :cool:

[darrenvox]

nice work

[RI_Red]

Great job Bill, makes me tempted to get the Connie now for MSFS.

[Firefalcon]

Yeah, nice!