USAF C--119 Cargo Plane and C120 Constellation

I was stationed in Bermuda for two years. I was the replacement for an airman who went nuts due to island fever. Some people just can't handle small areas and the guy I replaced was like that. He went nuts and checked out a .45 cal. machine gun at the armory and commenced shooting people. 

After I had been there over a year I decided to take some of my accumulated leave time and fly home to Mich. I caught a hop with two other people on the mail plane the C-119, photo below. After we were airborne the pilot told us the heater for the cargo area where we were did not work so it might be a little cool. Before we got to Selfridge AFB the three of us were huddled so close together - had we been any closer we would all be melded together. Glad that flight was over.  

On my return I had to fly a Constellation (photo below) back to the island. I had to carry my parachute and dingy with me as at the time they were too large for the mail to accept. As I was stowing them in the overhead rack the woman in the window seat asked me what they were. I told her and she asked why I would have those. I wish I could take back what I jokingly told her because, even though I was kidding with a big smile, I told her that they had been having trouble with the plane and they needed someone to survive to tell them what was wrong. 

She turned to the window and I did not have an opportunity to to explain to her it was not true. We were about half way to the island when the pilot feathered one of the engines and just out from Bermuda another engine failed and was feathered. She had her face plastered to the window watching the good engine and her back to me. We landed on a foamed runway and everyone on board was scared. I would say that was perhaps the worst timing for an engine to quit. 

There have been so many times over the years that I wished I had not been such a smart ass and not have said that. That was the first and last time I flew on that airlines and I suspect many of the other passengers felt the same, including that lady at the window seat.