Air-to-Air Formation with a Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

Shot from the open rear cargo ramp of a now-retired Lockheed C-141 Starlifter, a Lockheed C-5 Galaxy transport flies in close formation above an unspecified shoreline. Despite being the largest aircraft in the US Air Force, with a 222-foot wingspan, 28 wheels, and a tail over six stories tall, the C-5 is remarkably flexible, capable of operating into and out of shorter runways than its size might suggest. At light weights, the approach speed can be as low as 110-115 knots – slow among jets, and remarkably slow given the C-5’s massive size.