One of my early memories is mom getting dressed up in long dress, hat and gloves, formal outfit. We went to a family open house on the flight line and they wanted to show the families the airplanes the husbands and fathers flew. We went inside the C-124 often called the pregnant elephant, and I was astonished to see the rope ladder they had to climb to get to the cockpit. It was way up there, of course I was just a little kid, so sizes are magnified.
He talked about the time they landed at some pacific island that was not part of the US fuel supply. It was a British protectorate and they would have to pay for the fuel. Dad said he sat there wondering now what, and remembered the training that there was an envelope under the seat, inside was a metal credit card. The told the FBO to add a few thousand pounds of fuel, and they were all doing happy dances as it was the biggest fuel sale ever to fill up, or top off a C-124. The FBO gave them a few dozen cases of beer as a thank you for the big sale. They went on to the next remote island and walked int to the Officer's club and asked for a beer. They were laughed at and told they had not had beer in weeks. He said send a crew out to that 124 and we can fix you up. They were heroes on that island for bringing beer.
Likely more cargo weight than our 182-T can haul, but not even noticed in a 124.
