Anothe laser item I like is the laser incidence meter. Good for checking stab/wing relation incidence, as well as checking for warped wings, etc. Sears also is selling some kind of laser that shoots vertical and horizontal lines, and is self leveling, according to the ads I've seen. Haven't got a close look at it yet though. I think they were selling it for $39.95.
Regarding LAPES, I saw a video taken at Ft. Bragg years ago where for some reason the pilot got the decent out of whack, and the Herk impacted the runway pretty hard, causing the tail section to break over the tailgate. As the Herk went out of the frame of the cameraman, the tank was coming out the back and the Herk continued on into the woods at the end of the runway with the tail drooping. They were doing the drop as part of a demo in front of a grandstand full of people. Last scene was smoke billowing up from the woods. I think the loadmaster either was bounced out or jumped out the rear of the plane and survived somehow.
Randy