C-141 Tail Number: NASA 714
This series of NASA photos and other material was submitted by Lloyd Domeier from his personal collection.
Here's a note from Lloyd who was associated with 714 for 21 years.
September, 2005
We got good treatment from the USAF and we never had to stage on other units
aircraft like during Vietnam missions. However, I did spend a lot of time
in the Air Force taking off at sundown and landing at sunup!!
My first
trip to Hickam was 1957 to spend a month in C-124 maintenance school and
many more trips there since, I figure I have been there about 120 times.
I also did my share of flying out of Mildenhall all over Europe in old shakey {C-124}
I was active duty from 1957-1961 and got recalled in 1968 for two
more years because of the Pueblo incident.
The old "I was in the right place at the right time" applied to me.
I was working at Travis in 1973 when I saw this beautiful blue and white 141
taxi in for fuel cell maintenance.
I found out were it came from and called the chief of maintenance at NASA Ames
and asked for a job. He said come in and talk to him. I did and got hired on.
Three months later I was promoted into the crew chief slot which I held for 21 years.
Had a great job and met lots of interesting folks. Only shut down one engine in flight in all that time.
We were on the way home from Christchurch N.Z. and after refueling in Pago Pago Samoa
going nonstop to Ames we lost all the oil from # 2 engine.
We diverted to Hickam and replaced a cracked oil line. Two hour later we were airborne again.
Had two in-flight failures, one after take off from Travis when we took a goose in #2 engine,
the other one was on take off from Christchurch, the pins holding the turbines on #3
engine sheared and locked up the engine.
Last flight was in 1995. My hope is some museum will get 714 and put her on display.
Lloyd Domeier
Crew Chief NASA 714
S/N 6110
Model L-300
Was N4141A with Lockheed
Became N714NA with NASA
Had about 425 hours when NASA bought it
Total hours now 13,500
This is a brochure published by NASA about 714
L-300 N414A - NASA bought this aircraft in 1971. It had about 400 hours on it and was stored about 4 years and never was in the AF inventory. It was originally a 'demonstrator' built by Lockheed when they were trying to sell the C-141 for commercial use.
At Lockheed GA getting overhauled for NASA. (1971)
The first NASA paint job. Before the Kuiper Telescope port was installed. (1971)
1973
The telescope and door have been installed at Lockheed in Ontario.
It is now ready to fly 8 hour astronomical missions.
This was a shot of the first test flight with the door open.
1981
All of the Ames toys were assembled for this photo.
The Convair 990 on the left is now the 'gate guard' at Mojave Airport.
1987.
Returning to Ames after minor work at Travis, where all minor and major work was done.
The Golden Gate bridge can be seen below (about 50 years old at the time!)
NASA Paint Job #2. (Minor changes to the original layout, and inclusion of the NASA logos.)
NASA 714 stopped flying in 1995 after accumulating about 13,500 hours.
Most C-141's were flown to about 40,000 hours
(or until the wings fell off, whichever came first)
Lloyd's current toy.
It's smaller than a C-141 but at least it's got a high-wing.
Last Updated: Wednesday, September 14 2005 (06:51 AM)