W.O. Grubb Contracted to Lift C-17 Fuselage

W.O. Grubb took part in a unique operation, involving a C-17 “Globemaster” large cargo transport plane section. The fuselage, which originated in California where it was loaded on a vessel and sailed down through the Panama Canal and up the Atlantic, was put onto Army Barges and floated up the James and Appomattox Rivers. One of Grubb’s Liebherr LR 1400’s (450 ton) was ready and waiting along with several members of W. O. Grubb’s  rigging team, when the C-17 “Globemaster” arrived to lift it off the Army’s barges and onto a heavy haul trailer, where it was then transported to nearby Fort Lee. The 170 foot long 50 ton fuselage will be used as a training tool for US Solders and international militaries to learn firefighting, loading cargo, and jump training techniques. Moving the donated plane from the Boeing factory in Long Beach California ended up being more cost effective for the Army then purchasing a brand new unit.