Unknown WW1 aviator
This photo hung on our squadron wall until the unit deactivated. It was in an ancient frame, and they were going to toss it out (!)
New and shiny C-124 in 1950
“Old Shaky” hadn’t shook much when this photo was taken.
XC-99 gets a new motor
The one and only XC-99 decided to break at MacDill AFB in the late 40’s, and, as the photos illustrate, it took all hands to get the thing back in the air. A B-29 (44-62023) of MacDill’s 307th Bomb Wing is dwarfed by the broken down brute XC-99.
C-82 Packet of the 1st Rescue Squadron
The 1st was stationed at MacDill AFB when this photo was taken in 1950. 45-57734 was later sold off to an oil company in Guatemala where I expect it led a rather tough life.
B-29 undergoes maintenance at MacDill AFB, Fla. in the late 1940’s.
“Hangar No. 2” is still in use today. For the sake of accuracy though, and for those who say “hey, I work in that hangar!”, the “Hangar 2” in this photo is no longer “No. 2”. When I arrived at MacDill in 1978, the hangars looked exactly like the one seen here. Same lettering, everything. Very classy. But after I departed in 1980, the USAF said “get out the brown & tan and paint everything not moving.” They also re-numbered the hangars: The former #2 (as seen here) is now Hangar 4.
Oh, and the reason they renumbered them is that as one walked down the flightline back in the old days, the hangar numbers were not sequential, i.e., they went 5,3,1,2,4. I admit that the renumbering is less confusing.
Robert E. Haney, 80th Fighter Bomber Squadron, Itazuke Air Base, 1957
8th Fighter Bomber Wing commander Colonel Rehmann presents Lt. Haney with the patch (and award) of “Far East Air Forces Able Aeronaut.” Within a few weeks, the Far East Air Forces (FEAF) would be re-named Pacific Air Forces (PACAF).
June 1980, Delta inaugurates non-stop service from Atlanta to MacDill AFB
I was stationed at MacDill when this occurred and we all got a good laugh out of it. The next day, I talked to a security cop who had responded to the 727’s unexpected arrival as a security breach and a possible hijacking. When he went aboard the airliner, some of the passengers, seeing men with guns surrounding the aircraft, assumed they had been hijacked (to Cuba). On the local evening news, the reporter stated “the aircraft eventually departed MacDill and flew non-stop to Tampa International.” That was a good dig – anyone watching knew Tampa Airport was only 8 miles from MacDill.
T-33’s of the 3575th Pilot Training Wing, Vance AFB, 1960
51-9304 was written-off at Moody AFB in 1964, 55-4391 is supposedly the T-Bird on a stick at Lewiston, Id. 51-4404 went to the Danish Air Force, where it is preserved today. 52-9495 was retired, 55-4394 crashed at Craig AFB in ’64.
F-104 of the 479th Tac Ftr Wing visits Vance AFB, 1960
Photo taken by a young man in pilot training at Vance, and even now I can hear him saying “yep, that’s what I’m going to strap on my ass.” Well, not this particular 104 – it was destroyed in a mid-air the following year.
T-33, Vance AFB, circa 1960.
This T-Bird, 51-9127, survives to this day and can be viewed at the Warbird Heritage Foundation in Waukegan, Il.
B-58 Hustler, 55-0671 of the 6592nd Test Squadron, Carswell AFB. Clinton-Sherman AFB open house, 1959
Big-bad-Voodoos, Clinton-Sherman AFB, 1959
RF-101C (56-0184), and F-101A 54-1480. The latter is a long way from its home at RAF Bentwaters, UK. It carries no external tanks, and it beats me how it attended this Oklahoma airshow in 1959.
Clinton-Sherman AFB open house, 1959
F-89 Scorpion (53-2580), F-86L Sabre (53-0916), WB-66 (55-0393), Bomarc missile, C-133 ( 54-0142), and a veteran B-25, 44-86723.
SAC tankers, Clinton-Sherman AFB, 1959
KC-135 of the 902nd Air Refueling Squadron, and a KC-97.
B-57 of the 498th Bomb Squadron, Clinton-Sherman AFB, 1959
Despite their less than stellar quality, I humbly submit these photos for your viewing pleasure.
F-104 Starfighters at Clinton-Sherman AFB in 1959
56-0747 (x 2) and 56-0785 of the 83rd FIS, Hamilton AFB. It bears the name “Lil Shaky II” on the nose.
F-100 Super Sabres, Clinton-Sherman AFB, 1959
55-3779 (x 2) of the 366th TFW, and 55-3796 from Nellis AFB.
F-102’s, Clinton-Sherman AFB 1959
At the open house. In order: 57-830 of the 482nd FIS, 54-1351 of the 71st FIS (The first TF-102 built, it is now on display at the Selfridge Museum), and 56-1195 of the 71st FIS.
B-47 Stratojets, Clinton-Sherman AFB open house 1959
Pilot training, 1960
Fledgling birdmen of the 3576th Pilot Training Squadron, Vance AFB. Coming soon to a sky near you.
B-58 Hustler, 1959 Clinton-Sherman AFB open house
James E. Stewart, Harlingen Aerial Gunnery School
Stewart went on to serve as a B-17 flight engineer with the 833rd Bomb Squadron, 486th Bomb Group, at RAF Sudbury. Stewart is standing, left.
The Jive Bomber 