4953rd Flight Test Squadron

4953d Test Sq, 1975-93

NC-141A Aircraft Flown: 61-2775, 61-2776, 61-2777, 61-2779

NC-141A Aircraft flown: 61-2775, 776, 777  and 779 were pre-production prototypes. These aircraft had multiple subtle differences evolved during design, most notable was the main crew door, which was hinged on the top and opened outward from the bottom. These aircraft were never fitted with air refueling capability or converted to C-141Bs. Aircraft specifics:

• 61-2775 was the first C-141 to enter service. She was named "First of the Fleet"; now on static display at the Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover AFB, DE.

• 61-2776 was named the "Desert Rat" by her Crew Chiefs, TSgt Patrick Goss and SrA Derek Whisler for her participation in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. She was mainly configured for Central Inertial Guidance Test Facility (CIGTF) missions and regularly performed cargo operations and unique missions such as "ARIA Rescue". She was retired to the boneyard at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, and "guillotined".

• 61-2777 was named "The Gambler" by her Crew Chief, WG-13 Sam Brasel. She had a large 'tail can or beer can' appendage added to support tests of various tail-warning detector sensor systems and a side-mounted radome 'bubble' for testing side-looking radars. She was also retired to the boneyard at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, and "guillotined."

• 61-2779 was named “Against the Wind” by her crew chief, Paul Laemers. Aircraft 779 was heavily modified to become the Advanced Radar Test Bed, which tests airborne radars in a counter-measure environment. Structural modifications included a “universal nose” that could be interchanged with B-1, F-15, and F-16 nose radomes and radar system housings to support in-flight instrumented radar testing.