Gargantuan C-5M Galaxy taking off with gear retraction is a pure masterpiece
- The C-5 Galaxy is a massive cargo plane
- It can reach Mach 0.79
- The cargo compartment is 121 ft (37 m) long, 13.5 (ft) 4.1 m high and 19 ft (5.8 m)
Published on Apr 23, 2024 at 7:27 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Apr 26, 2024 at 12:44 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
This is the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, the C-5M to be exact, a massive military transport aircraft.
More importantly, it has one of the coolest gear retraction systems ever designed.
You can check it out in the video below:
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The C-5M is one of many variants derived from the original C-5 design.
Unveiled in 1968, the C-5 Galaxy was built by Maryland-based Lockheed Martin, the same aerospace company that gave the world the ultra-fast SR-71 Blackbird and its successor, the SR-72.
The C-5 is a different type of animal, though.
It’s a military cargo plane, which means it prioritizes efficiency and, of course, room on board.
The cargo compartment is 121 ft (37 m) long, 13.5 (ft) 4.1 m high, and 19 ft (5.8 m), which means you can fit a lot of tanks or fighter aircraft in there.
You can probably squeeze in a few Leopard tanks, which is the one Supercar Blondie’s very own Sergi Galiano has driven.
It is also very heavy.
This varies a lot depending on the model but, on average, a C-5, assuming the tank is full and the cargo area is loaded, can weigh up to 381,000+ kg.
It needs a powerful engine, which it has considering it can reach Mach 0.79, and some pretty solid and sturdy wheels.
The C-5 has 20 wheels in total, and the gear retraction system is a beauty to behold when it’s in motion.
Through the years, Lockheed has developed different versions but the one thing they all have in common is the complex, and fascinating, gear retraction system.
Upon take-off, the plane retracts its wheel in a way that’s quite frankly hypnotic.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
