1:144 Roden 330 C-5B Galaxy Plastic Model kit

In the mid-1960s transport aircraft began to play a more significant role in the new types of military conflict that erupted one after another and faded away in various parts of the world.

The invisible confrontation between the two major superpowers, the USA and the USSR, involved occasional but very frequent intervention by one or the other (and in most cases - both) country, a circumstance which would quickly draw in a significant number of soldiers and different kinds of military equipment including heavy machinery. Under these conditions, the demand for new types of military transport aircraft grew as fast as the appetites of the military, who wanted to expand their presence in almost every 'hot spot' on the planet. At that time, the US Air Force transport fleet was quite varied - from well-proven and still capable veterans like the C-130 Hercules and the C-133 Cargomaster, to the relatively new C-141 Starlifter. However, they could not fully satisfy all the requirements of the military for the rapid transfer of a large number of troops and armored vehicles in a short period of time. The appearance of the Soviet An-22 'Antei' ('Cock' in NATO classification) was a real shock for the West - suddenly it turned out that the Soviet Union had an aircraft capable of carrying 60 tons of cargo, more than any US Air Force aircraft. In 1964, the US Air Force Command issued requests to manufacturers for a new super-heavy jet aircraft, which could lift a payload of 100 tons. The Lockheed company, which had a vast experience in building large transport planes, was one of the first to respond, offering the concept of an aircraft with a hinged nose, which would greatly facilitate the loading of heavy equipment into the cargo compartment. In the middle of 1965 Lockheed was recognized as the winner and given an order for the manufacture of 58 aircraft with an option for 57 more. On March 2, 1968 the first aircraft, officially named the C-5A Galaxy, was presented to the public and honored guests, among whom was President Johnson.