One of the best things about being stationed at Korat was the presence of the EC-121, the military version of the Lockheed Super Constellation. The EB-66s I worked on were on the same part of the flightline as the "Connies." We would drop whatever we were doing whenever one of these elegant birds fired up those big piston engines at the start of the day's mission. It could also be a little frustrating to work so close by and not be able to get a ride!

Once back in 'the world', I was content to be able to see a few of the remaining Connies at the USAF Museum, since the type was long since obsolete. However, in July of '96, I was surprised -- no, shocked -- to hear the roar of those Wright engines as a Constellation came flying into town! It was the MATS Connie, a 1948-vintage C-121A "Baby Connie" painted up in the colors of the old Military Air Transport Service. I signed up as a volunteer, and less than two months later I was winging my way throughout the southwest on a 9-day 'barnstorming' tour. Owned by The Constellation Group of Scottsdale, Arizona, the plane travels six months a year to all parts of the country, staying in each town for about three days at a time, to educate the public about this magnificent aircraft and revive old memories. Here are some of my favorite photos from the tour...

	Here I am...in a carefully posed candid shot. This 'baby Connie' is about the size of a DC-9.
	The back end of the MATS Connie highlights the plane's trademark triple tails.
	This is something you just can't imagine unless you've been there. Photographed as we were flying just above the cloud deck of a storm cell in Kansas, you felt as if you could just reach out and touch this endless field of puffy white cotton. The drone of the four Wright R-3350 Cyclone engines heightened the sensation of 'walking on air'.
	Another view of the clouds...just because I like it so much!
	Flying over farmland somewhere between Illinois and Missouri. There's nothing like low & slow to really appreciate what flying's all about. Note the Connie's shadow, lower center. (And try to imagine what the people on the ground are thinking as they're seeing and hearing this plane just above their heads!)
	Does anybody think I really know what the *@#$&  I'm doing in this seat?!?!
	Here are some special photos, courtesy Alan Wood from Stallion Photo. He took these gems on a junket to the Southwest in 1996; which, naturally, included our favorite C-121A. Seeing the old Connies below makes us appreciate the efforts of the Constellation Group that much more. You can e-mail Alan by clicking HERE and reach Stallion's home page HERE.
	Alan's photograph of this hulk shows what can happen to a plane after a few years of neglect. Fortunately, as a working example, the MATS Connie was spared this fate. However, with plenty of work and $$$, even a plane like this can once again take to the skies.
	This is an early Constellation, in old TWA livery. Notice the rounded nose...this was prior to the widespread use of radar. Can you imagine crossing an ocean without out one?!?!
	A Dutch Constellation (a 'baby Connie'; same size as the MATS Connie).
	A South African 'Super Constellation'. The stretched version was the mainstay of the passenger liners; the most popular being the Model 1049G, aka the "Super G."