Though the company as we know it today didn’t officially exist until 1995, iterations of Lockheed Martin have been manufacturing aircraft for the U.S. military and other governments for over 100 years. Over that span, the air and space titan has produced vessels of all shapes, sizes, and tactical capability, a list that includes some of the best fighter jets ever pressed into action.
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As impressive as its fighters are, one of the best jets in its repertoire was not manufactured to face off against enemies in aerial dogfights. That’s the C-5 Galaxy, a massive transportation vessel that currently serves as the U.S. Air Force’s only strategic airlifter. The craft was commissioned by the Air Force in 1965, with the first C-5 Galaxy taking flight in June of 1968. Two years later, the C-5 Galaxy flew its first official mission, ferrying supplies to Southeast Asia. The mighty jets have continued such missions in the decades since.
While the massive aircraft has seen numerous upgrades and re-designs over the years, its primary goal is unchanged — to carry the heaviest payloads around the globe. The C-5 Galaxy is, understandably, a heavy load in and of itself, as the jets take flight with a reported operating weight of 374,000 pounds. Per some reports, the paint alone required to cover the C-5’s frame weighs in at 2,600 pounds, with each of its wings notching 40,000 pounds themselves, facts that make its payload capacity all the more impressive.
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