50 Incredible C-5 Galaxy Facts
It’s the largest cargo aircraft in the U.S. Air Force fleet – and one of the most fact-laden planes in the world. It’s sheer size and cargo capabilities give it a unique niche in the world of aircraft. Well, niche may not be the best word because niche refers to a small slice of corner of an area – and the C-5 Galaxy is anything but small.
Measuring 247 feet long, 222 feet wide and 63 feet tall the C-5 Galaxy is about 25 percent larger than the next biggest aircraft in use by the U.S. Air Force. The C-5 carries almost a half a million pounds of cargo, and weighs 838,000 pounds at its heaviest. Its cargo bay can hold 1.5 Blue Whales (the largest animal on earth).
Because the C-5 is so massive, and so important to the Air Force’s mission, it is expected to be around for a long time to come. This means upgrades are continually being made to its three variants (C-5A/B/C). The Galaxy was conceived in the mid-1960s and is expected to last until 2040. Enjoy these awesome facts!
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What a behemoth! One of the largest military transport aircraft in the world, Lockheed-Martin’s C-5 Galaxy can transport a little less than half a million pounds of cargo and people. It’s one of the only transport aircraft that can move five Apache helicopters in its cargo bay. It’s used for some of the most important missions in the Air Force. There’s a lot to learn about this aircraft and we think you’re going to be shocked by some of these true facts.
50. The C-5 Galaxy is the largest transport aircraft in the Air Force. This flying warehouse can deliver supplies or deploy combat-ready military units anywhere in the world. With record breaking size and half a century of service, the C-5 is easily one of the most interesting military aircraft to ever be produced. Here are some incredible C-5 Galaxy facts. Stick around and see what all the fuss is about, the last few images and facts are sure to surprise you! Enjoy this information and we hope you learn a thing or two.
49. The C-5 Galaxy is so large it takes 2,600 lbs of paint to paint the interior and exterior.
48. The total length of the C-5 Galaxy is 247 feet 10 inches. Roughly the length of 7 school buses.
47. It’s total wingspan is 222 feet 8 inches.
46. Each wing of the C-5 Galaxy weighs over 40,000 lbs.
45. The C-5 measures a massive 63 feet 2 inches tall.
44. The C-5 can carry 142 tons on 2 decks. The lower deck is for cargo and the upper deck has seating.
43. When empty, Lockheed’s biggest military aircraft weighs 375,000 lbs.
42. When loaded, the C-5 Galaxy weighs 838,000. Well over double its empty weight.
41. It’s maximum takeoff weight is 769,000 lbs but 840,000 lbs during wartime.
40. When fully loaded the C-5 requires 8,300 feet of runway for takeoff and 4,900 feet for landing.
39. The maximum speed of the C-5 is 601 miles per hour and a cruising speed of 586.
38. The C-5 can fly at a height of 34,000 feet. Also known as its service ceiling.
37. The Galaxy’s fuel capacity is 49,000 gallons, equal to the volume of an average five-room house.
36. The C-5 carries enough fuel for the average American car to make 31 trips around the world.
35. The C-5 has a range of 3,700 miles.
34. To power the Galaxy, each has 4 turbofan engines that measure 7 feet across.
33. The C-5 engines produce power equal to 800 average cars. In this photo, Dover Airmen load the flight deck from the April 3 C-5 mishap onto another Dover C-5 for transport to Robins Air Force Base, Ga., Aug. 22. The flight deck will be used to as a training simulator to help prevent future C-5 mishaps.
32. Each C-5 Galaxy engine consumes roughly 42 tons of air per minute.
31. C-5 systems require more than 100 miles of wiring and 5 miles of control cables.
30. The C-5 has roughly 1,658,800 fasteners.
29. The C-5 has a 24 ton cooling capacity which is enough to air condition eight average sized homes.
28. The C-5 Galaxy has 28 wheels. 4 in the front and 24 under the wings.
27. A singe tire on the C-5 weighs an average of 150.5 pounds. All 28 tires combine to weigh an astounding 4,214 pounds!
26. For cargo the C-5 loads through the nose versus through the back — opposite of the C-130 Hercules.
25. The length of the C-5 cargo floor is longer than the length of the Wright brothers first historic flight.
24. The C-5’s cargo compartment will hold 6 standard Greyhound buses or 100 Volkswagen Beetles.
23. It’s large enough to carry 5 Apache helicopters.
22. The C-5’s cargo compartment is big enough to hold an eight-lane bowling alley.
21. To fill the C-5 it would take about 26,000,000 ping pong balls.
20. You could fit 328,000,000 aspirin tablets inside the C-5.
19. If you’re hungry the C-5 can carry over 3,200,000 tortillas.
18. An entire Chinook transport helicopter can fit inside a C-5.
17. You can fit two M1 Abrams main battle tanks in the C-5. Each weighs 67 tons.
16. In the 1970s NASA considered using the C-5 to transport the Space Shuttle to Kennedy Space Center but they went with the Boeing 747 because of its low-wing design.
15. The C-5 goes by a few nicknames. F.R.E.D., Linda Lovelace, Fat Albert and Lockheed Hilton.
14. The USAF has operated the C-5 since 1969. A half a century.
13. The C-5 Galaxy’s development was complicated and Lockheed suffered significant financial difficulties.
12. Cracks were found in the wings of many of the C-5 shortly after entering service.
11. A $1.5 billion re-wing program began in 1976 to restore full payload capability and service to C-5s.
10. Their are multiple variants of the C-5 Galaxy with unit costs ranging from $100 million to $224 million.
9. The C-5 Galaxy has a typical crew of 7. Aircraft commander, pilot, two flight engineers, three loadmasters.
8. The C-5 upper deck has seating for 75 passengers.
7. The front landing gear can rotate up to 20-degrees during take-off and landing and 90-degrees while landed.
6. The Galaxy uses its front landing gears to kneel for loading but this has been the cause of numerous malfunctions.
5. The C-5 has played a major role in many disaster relief efforts including Hurricane Katrina, Irma and others.
4. Three C-5 Galaxy aircraft have been lost in crashes.
3. There have also been two class-A C-5 losses as a result of ground fire.
2. Many C-5s have now been retired with others remaining in service.
1. The United States Air Force spearheaded a Reliability Enhancement and Re-engining Program (RERP) to keep the C-5 in the air until 2040. Now checkout these Best Images of Aircraft Nose Art.
Resources: Images & Info Military Machine
