04/30/2007. Remarks by Jack Mckillop: "This aircraft, the first Starlifter built, made its first flight on December 17, 1963 (the 60th anniversary of the Wright Brothers flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina) and was delivered to the USAF as a C-141A-1-LM. This was one of the four C-141As that was not converted to the C-141B standard.

This aircraft spent it's entire career as a test aircraft designated NC-141A, in various programs. Just before being retired to the museum, this machine was used to tow an F-106 fighter on a 1,000-ft (304,8 m) long towrope as a test to study the feasibility of launching the next generation of Space Shuttles from in-flight.

After a 34-year career as a test aircraft, it was transferred to the museum collection in February 1998."