@ Fairfield, CA
May 2022
Travis Air Force Base’s C-141B (63-8088), better known as the Golden Bear, was just one of hundreds of C-141s operated by the Air Force between 1965 and 2006. This was the first C-141 to land at Travis (in 1965), was also the first C-141 to be flown operationally, and lastly flew its entire 31-year career out of Travis. Golden Bear saw its final flight on March 17, 1996, logging a total of 41,470 hours and 21,982 landings at airfields around the world. Earmarked for preservation, this C-141 was dedicated on this location on Sept. 16, 2005, 40 years after its arrival. First flown in 1963, 285 Starlifters were produced. The last C-141s were retired in 2006, being replaced by the C-17 Globemaster III.
