The
West Virginia Air National Guard's final C-5A Galaxy airlifter flew to the
boneyard last week, completing the 167th Airlift Wing's
conversion
to the C-17 Globemaster III, unit officials
announced.
Lockheed Martin saluted the conclusion of a 52-year partnership with the wing,
spanning the C-121 Super Constellation, C-130 Hercules, and finally the C-5,
during the ceremony marking the transition to a Boeing aircraft. "Today we
pause to celebrate a sustained and successful era of iron and partnership, but
it is the people who move the iron that are the most important," said
167th AW Commander
Col.
Shaun Perkowski during a May 20 ceremony in Martinsburg. The 167th AW is
the last of three ANG units to transition to the C-17 as part of the Air
Force's plan to retire its oldest Galaxies and
convert
the remainder to C-5M Super Galaxy standards. The unit has received seven
of its eight C-17s, the last of which is slated to arrive in July, according to
the unit.