Category: US Air Force
P-80 44-85402
According to the marking forward of the cockpit, this aircraft was assigned to the Flight Test Division, Wright Field. It sure carries an interesting mixture of attachments. The aircraft was later assigned to the 336th FIS and the 26th FIS where, in 1950, it met its demise.
P-80 44-85111
This bird had a short but eventful career. Entering service with the 412th Fighter Group, it transferred to the 1st Fighter Group where it joined the 71st Fighter Squadron as seen here. Unfortunately, the “incident” pictured here was not its last. After some necessary repairs to the underside of the aircraft, it eventually ended up with the 26th Fighter Interceptor Squadron where it crashed for good in 1950.
T-33A (56-1687) out for an early morning tow
Unsure of the unit, but judging by all those fancy stripes, this is the bosses’s aircraft. Location looks like McChord AFB.
T-33A of the USAF Thunderbirds
This T-Bird, 53-5547, was later passed down to the Brazilian Air Force. Flown for many years, it is now on display in Sao Paulo.
F-80A (45-8393), 196th Fighter Squadron, Jet.
F-89J, 84th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Hamilton AFB
52-2163 started life as a D model, but was upgraded to the J. The 84th flew the Scorpion from 1956-59.
Thudville, USA
Nellis AFB was indeed Thud central in the early 1960’s. These F-105D’s were only a few years old at the time, but they have a rough road ahead of them. Of the identifiable tail numbers, all save one would be lost in Vietnam.
Latest news from Bell
The December 17, 1953 front page of the Bell Aircraft News features the “old man” himself, Larry Bell, and the man who made Bell aircraft synonymous with speed, Chuck Yeager. Once again, he was the fastest man in the world.
Sketch of C-119 operations in Korea, 1951
B-47E Stratojet doing just what a 1950’s jet aircraft did with perfection…
…that is, smoking like rubber factory going up in flames. Here, 51-5222 of the 96th Bomb Wing makes its contribution.
F-51 44-63495, Michigan Air Guard.
F-51, Minnesota Air National Guard
This aircraft, 44-73656, belongs to the 109th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. Check out the gopher emblem on the tale. Gopher = Minnesota’s favorite beast.
California Air National Guard P-51 Mustangs
Well, come to think of it, by the time these photos were taken, it was the F-51, but let’s not split hairs. Serials are 44-74720, 44-74825, and 44-74607.
New & Shiny KC-135A 56-3594
This is one of the so-called “short tail” tankers, a feature found on the earliest 135’s. Photo taken at Walker AFB, NM. Although closed decades ago, Walker is used for many aviation activities (the now former Reno Air Races will soon be one of them). The massive SAC hangar in the background is still in use today.
KC-97 receives a new prop
C-97F 51-0391, Illinois Air National Guard
She started life as a tanker, but was eventually modified to a straight trash-hauler. When this photo was taken at Boeing Field, the plane was part of the 126th Air Refueling Group. Aircraft was scrapped in 1964.
YC-97 at Boeing Field
This hand-tinted YC-97 belongs to the 1st Strategic Support Squadron at Biggs AFB. The 1st Strategic Support Squadron had the interesting mission of hauling atomic bombs from point A to point B. The squadron’s mission was not dropping the bombs, but transporting them.
RF-4C 65-0879, 16th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
The B-52 arrives at Mather AFB, 1958
Dubbed “The City of Sacramento”, this B-52F (57-0163) arrived to great fanfare to become part of Mather’s 4134th Strategic Wing. The original post was supplemented by the later contribution of the photo seen at the top. Such contributions from readers are always welcome.
(Photo #1, courtesy of Max Pashnev, Jim Webb Collection)
B-52D 56-0687
Seen here with it’s .50 cal guns getting a look over, 687 was the last B-52D to fly when it arrived in 1984 for permanent display at Orlando Airport (AKA former SAC base, McCoy AFB.)
Vernon L. Burge of the “Government Aero Corps.”
Burge was one of the first members of the Aeronautical Division, US Signal Corps, and was also one of America’s earliest pilots, having been taught to fly when he was an army corporal in the Philippines. Promoted to sergeant, and much later, to colonel, Burge had an interesting and long career.
F-86E, 119th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, New Jersey Air Guard.
The B-50
B-50’s of the late 1940’s & early 1950’s. First up is B-50 (46-044) of the 43rd Bomb Wing on final to its home at Davis-Monthan AFB. On the nose is the group’s motto “Kensmen.” 47-0161 is up next. Last, 49-337 of the 509th Bomb Wing.
F-86E (52-2857) of the 336th Fighter Interceptor Squadron
The Jive Bomber 