by Jim and Melanie
We recently were treated to a tour of the C-17 Globemaster cargo plane flown by the U.S. Air Force. We posted previously about this plane and its missions. This wing-tip photo indicates we were at McChord Air Base in Washington state with Mt. Rainier in the distance.
We watched as the tail doors were opened. Cargo can be driven into the large space and dropped accurately at destinations via these doors.
We went around to the front side door so we could enter the cavernous space.
Once the doors were closed again, I walked toward the back and up the ramp before turning around to view the front.
We climbed the ladder up to the cockpit to view the instruments and seating arrangement. There are even two bunk beds for the crew to get rest on long flights.
As we left the tour, another plane took off, one of many that day.
The previous post on these giant planes, found here, has a lot more photos and information on size and capacity, among other things.
Our View From Iowa 
Wing tip photo with Mt. Ranier is a real treat. The whole series with the videos provides a ‘wish I could experience it’ tour delight.
I am sure you would find it fascinating. Jim takes most of the photos. I took the one you mentioned and am rather pleased with it, too. 🙂 Thanks as always for taking a look. We MUST get together soon!
Cool!
Indeed
Big always is fascinating, and really big is — well, even more fascinating. They should have Melanie quilt some new armrest covers for the cockpit.
They were a little tattered. Not sure there is a ‘quilt’ category on the requisition form. But, there should be.
Awesome tour! When I was a kid we lived near Moffett Field where they had all branches of service. Every year they would have an air show and would also have a bunch of planes that you could tour the inside of. I never got to see the inside of a cargo ship but I have seen the inside of a vertical take off plane, I don’t recall the name but it was the latest tech at the time. Another cool tour was an aircraft carrier and a submarine…some of the perks of teaching.
Those would be fun to see. Tours of special places are always on my list of things to do. I toured the WWII German U-boat at the Chicago Sci&Ind Museum a long time ago. Boy what a cramped space that was.
Sounds interesting!