Ron's Log's photos with the keyword: strategic air command

B-47s formed the backbone of the Strategic Air Command in the mid-1950s. It was the world's first swept-wing bomber and the first to use a bicycle arrangement for the landing gear, necessitated by the thin wings. By mid-1957, 28 bomb wings were flying 1,260 B-47s; another 800 reconnaissance and training versions were in use. This display aircraft at Castle Air Museum was retired in 1964 and transferred to the Navy for use as a photo-training target at China Lake Naval Weapons Center. It was there that museum volunteers spent over 36,000 man-hours restoring it to flying condition. In 1986 it flew to Castle, the last flight ever of a B-47.

B-47s formed the backbone of the Strategic Air Command in the mid-1950s. It was the world's first swept-wing bomber and the first to use a bicycle arrangement for the landing gear, necessitated by the thin wings. By mid-1957, 28 bomb wings were flying 1,260 B-47s; another 800 reconnaissance and training versions were in use. This display aircraft at Castle Air Museum was retired in 1964 and transferred to the Navy for use as a photo-training target at China Lake Naval Weapons Center. It was there that museum volunteers spent over 36,000 man-hours restoring it to flying condition. In 1986 it flew to Castle, the last flight ever of a B-47.

B-47s formed the backbone of the Strategic Air Command in the mid-1950s. It was the world's first swept-wing bomber and the first to use a bicycle arrangement for the landing gear, necessitated by the thin wings. By mid-1957, 28 bomb wings were flying 1,260 B-47s; another 800 reconnaissance and training versions were in use. This display aircraft at Castle Air Museum was retired in 1964 and transferred to the Navy for use as a photo-training target at China Lake Naval Weapons Center. It was there that museum volunteers spent over 36,000 man-hours restoring it to flying condition. In 1986 it flew to Castle, the last flight ever of a B-47.

B-47s formed the backbone of the Strategic Air Command in the mid-1950s. It was the world's first swept-wing bomber and the first to use a bicycle arrangement for the landing gear, necessitated by the thin wings. By mid-1957, 28 bomb wings were flying 1,260 B-47s; another 800 reconnaissance and training versions were in use. This display aircraft at Castle Air Museum was retired in 1964 and transferred to the Navy for use as a photo-training target at China Lake Naval Weapons Center. It was there that museum volunteers spent over 36,000 man-hours restoring it to flying condition. In 1986 it flew to Castle, the last flight ever of a B-47.

B-47s formed the backbone of the Strategic Air Command in the mid-1950s. It was the world's first swept-wing bomber and the first to use a bicycle arrangement for the landing gear, necessitated by the thin wings. By mid-1957, 28 bomb wings were flying 1,260 B-47s; another 800 reconnaissance and training versions were in use. This display aircraft at Castle Air Museum was retired in 1964 and transferred to the Navy for use as a photo-training target at China Lake Naval Weapons Center. It was there that museum volunteers spent over 36,000 man-hours restoring it to flying condition. In 1986 it flew to Castle, the last flight ever of a B-47.

B-47s formed the backbone of the Strategic Air Command in the mid-1950s. It was the world's first swept-wing bomber and the first to use a bicycle arrangement for the landing gear, necessitated by the thin wings. By mid-1957, 28 bomb wings were flying 1,260 B-47s; another 800 reconnaissance and training versions were in use. This display aircraft at Castle Air Museum was retired in 1964 and transferred to the Navy for use as a photo-training target at China Lake Naval Weapons Center. It was there that museum volunteers spent over 36,000 man-hours restoring it to flying condition. In 1986 it flew to Castle, the last flight ever of a B-47.

B-47s formed the backbone of the Strategic Air Command in the mid-1950s. It was the world's first swept-wing bomber and the first to use a bicycle arrangement for the landing gear, necessitated by the thin wings. By mid-1957, 28 bomb wings were flying 1,260 B-47s; another 800 reconnaissance and training versions were in use. This display aircraft at Castle Air Museum was retired in 1964 and transferred to the Navy for use as a photo-training target at China Lake Naval Weapons Center. It was there that museum volunteers spent over 36,000 man-hours restoring it to flying condition. In 1986 it flew to Castle, the last flight ever of a B-47.

B-47s formed the backbone of the Strategic Air Command in the mid-1950s. It was the world's first swept-wing bomber and the first to use a bicycle arrangement for the landing gear, necessitated by the thin wings. By mid-1957, 28 bomb wings were flying 1,260 B-47s; another 800 reconnaissance and training versions were in use. This display aircraft at Castle Air Museum was retired in 1964 and transferred to the Navy for use as a photo-training target at China Lake Naval Weapons Center. It was there that museum volunteers spent over 36,000 man-hours restoring it to flying condition. In 1986 it flew to Castle, the last flight ever of a B-47.

Although similar in size and appearance to the Boeing 707 airliner, the KC-135 was designed primarily for aerial refueling. The first one entered service at Castle AFB in 1957. All KC-135 crew training took place at Castle until the base was closed. This plane arrived at Castle in October 1957 and flew its last mission on January 27, 1993. It is a veteran of Vietnam and Desert Storm. Its nose art designates it as "The City of Atwater," reflecting the support given the museum and Castle AFB by the local community. This aircraft carried about 31,200 gallons of jet fuel in the "wet" wings and tanks in the lower fuselage. KC-135s that remain in service have been equipped with more powerful engines, updated avionics and systems and are planned to continue in service past 2020.

Although similar in size and appearance to the Boeing 707 airliner, the KC-135 was designed primarily for aerial refueling. The first one entered service at Castle AFB in 1957. All KC-135 crew training took place at Castle until the base was closed. This plane arrived at Castle in October 1957 and flew its last mission on January 27, 1993. It is a veteran of Vietnam and Desert Storm. Its nose art designates it as "The City of Atwater," reflecting the support given the museum and Castle AFB by the local community. This aircraft carried about 31,200 gallons of jet fuel in the "wet" wings and tanks in the lower fuselage. KC-135s that remain in service have been equipped with more powerful engines, updated avionics and systems and are planned to continue in service past 2020.

The F-111 was the first operational Air Force aircraft to have variable geometry or swing-wings. The wings could be extended for take-off, landing and slow speed flight or swept back, as seen on our aircraft for high-speed flight . It was equipped with terrain-following radar and could operate at supersonic speeds at extremely low altitude. It could carry two Short-Range Attack Missiles in its weapons bay and up to four SRAMs externally on the wings or 31,500 pounds of conventional bombs. In 1986, F-111 crews stationed at RAF Lakenheath, UK, along with Navy A-6 Intruder crews staged a retaliatory strike on Libya in response to Libyan-sponsored terrorism. F-111s were retired in 1996.

The Albatross was first produced for the U.S. Navy in late 1947 as the UF-1. A modified version appeared in 1955 as the UF-2. The USAF acquired 305 of them with the majority serving with the Air Rescue Services of MATS under the designation SA-16A with the UF-2 version designated as SA-16B. It replaced the PBY-5AQ Catalina amphibian for air-sea rescue work. With the uniform designation of all U.S. military aircraft in 1962, the SA-16s became HU-16A and B. The type was also used by the U.S. Coast Guard. It could be equipped with four JATO bottles for takeoff assistance. A few Navy Albatrosses were equipped with skis for Antarctic service. (The landing gear could not be retracted when skis were fitted.) It has provisions for a crew of four plus 10 passengers or cargo. Most were phased out of service in the 1970s; some are still in use by foreign navies.

The B-52 was for a time the largest, heaviest aircraft ever flown. It came into its own in the Vietnam War. Equipped with ground-mapping radar and able to carry 84 internal and 24 external 500/750 pound bombs, it wreaked havoc in North Vietnam. This particular aircraft at Castle Air Museum was stationed at Utapao Royal Thai AB, where it carried out bombing missions against North Vietnam. By the end of the war 31 B-52s were lost, 15 of them during Operation Linebacker during December 1972. The "D" model was produced in 1956 and phased out in 1983, along with the tail gunner position. Later model B-52s were effective against Iraqi forces in Desert Storm. 94 B-52s have been updated and continue in service with both active and reserve units.