Air Force C-5 to go on display Nov. 9 at Air Mobility Command Museum

A short ceremony will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 9, to symbolically transfer C-5A serial number 69-0014 from the 164th Airlift Wing of the Tennessee Air National Guard to the Air Mobility Command Museum in Dover for public display.

The AMC Museum is the only museum in the U.S. dedicated to airlift and air refueling aircraft, and this will mark the first time a C-5 has ever been retired to a museum.

C-5s have been assigned to Dover Air Force Base for more than 42 years. The 69-0014 was assigned there from 1973 until 1977. The plane made its final flight in August, landing at Dover so it could be prepared to become another star at the popular local attraction.

Zero-One-Four, as the plane was known to crews, has another distinction from early in its career. For the first and only time in history, an intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from an aircraft in flight. The test, which took place off the coast of California, was undertaken to give the U.S. one more option in basing its strategic missile inventory. Although the test was successful, the idea was deemed impractical.

Everyone is invited to attend the dedication, to be followed by guided tours through the massive airlifter. Visitors should plan on arriving at the museum by 9:30 and are invited to bring lawn chairs, as seating will be limited.

For more information, check www.amcmuseum.org or www.facebook.com/amcmusem, and follow twitter feed @AMCMuseum in case of inclement weather.

To get to the museum, take Exit 91 off Delaware Route 1 and follow the signs to the museum. Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Admission and parking are free, and photography is welcome. Call 302-677-5938 for general information.