USAFNM Cold War Years - April 28th, 2012
Hello and welcome to the Cold War Aircraft display
Northrop F-89J Scorpion all weather interceptor, 1950
F-89J fired the first air-air nuclear warhead rocket, 1957
Northrup B-2 Spirit structural test aircraft (no engines)
Fire & Ice artwork signify temp testing (-65 to 120° F)
B-2's wings withstood stresses over 161% design specs
Boeing B-1B Lancer initiated 1981, B-1A canceled 1977
B-1B has great range and can fly Mach 1.2 at sea level
Four F-101-GE-102 Turbofan engines = 30K lbs thrust each
First combat in 1998, employed in Kosovo & Afghanistan
Northrop AT-38B Talon Lead-in-Fighter Trainer
Sikorsky MH-53M covert insert/extract special ops forces
Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk first flew June 18, 1981
F-117A first used in combat in Dec. 1989 in Panama
These F-117A pitot tubes do not look real at all
I betcha they are classified and these are dummies
This F-117A is 2nd one built, a test a/c retired in 1991
All F-117s were retired/mothballed in Nevada, April 2008
Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II ground support
A-10A GAU-8/A 30mm Gatling anti-tank gun
Panavia Tornado GR1 (UK, Germany, Italy) 1980
Lockheed AC-130A Spectre night attack gunship
Azrael destroyed a convoy of Iraqi tanks & trucks 1991
Azrael, in the Koran, severs the soul from the body
Versatile C-130 Hercules was designed in the 1950s
Vulcan 20mm Cannon can fire 100 rps
Two 7.62 miniguns fire at 2000-6000 rpm
Two 40mm cannon finish up the Azrael's armament
75mm Cannon flew on B-25 & A-26 in WWII
U.S. T9E1 75mm cannon automatic feed mechanism
McDonnell Douglas RF-4C Phantom II Recon aircraft, 1964
RF-4C reinforced RF-101s then in service
This RF-4C flew 172 missions in Desert Storm, retired 1994
General Dynamics EF-111A Raven electronic jamming a/c
F-111A escape module was first used on Oct. 19, 1967
F-111F Ardvark all weather strike bomber
F-111F could carry up to 24 conventional/nuclear weapons
General Dynamica F-16A Fighting Falcon
One of the first F-16 Thunderbirds received in 1982
This aircraft was replaced by a F-16C and retired in 1996
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29A Fulcrum production in 1982
MiG-29 has one 30 mm GSh-301 cannon
Built to face 1970's F-15 & F-16 but still no fly-by-wire
One of six first public display MiG-29s in Finland, 1986
McDonnell Douglas F-4G Wild Weasel Desert Storm fighter
Fitted w/electronic warfare equipment to destroy SAMS
McDonnell Douglas F-15A Eagle air superiority fighter
East Germans celebrate the raising the Iron Curtain
Began on Aug. 13, 1961 and ended on Nov. 9, 1989
~100 people died trying to cross the wall those 28 years
A symbol of socialism's failed promise of paradise
Trabant 601 S was even worse than a Zavasta Koral (Yugo)
Convair F-106A Delta Dart all weather interceptor
This a/c landed gently after the pilot ejected from a flat spin
Cessna T-37B Tweet twin engine jet aircraft trainer
Side by side seating prepped pilots for the T-38 Talon
Douglas C-133A Cargo Master built 1956-61
The larger Lockheed C-5 replaced the C-133 in 1971
McDonnell F-101B Voodoo prototype first flew in 1954
Oregon Air National Guard F-101B retired in 1981
Martin RB-57D flew reconnaissance missions 1956-1970
First operational Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird - March 1968
Convair F-102A Delta Dagger bomber interceptor, 1953-71
Boeing X-45A unmanned combat aircraft testbed, 2003-05
Gambit 1 KH-7 Recon close-up capable satellite, 1963-67
Gambit 3 KH-8 Recon high resolution satellite, 1966-84
Hexagon KH-9 Recon final photographic-film satellite
Hexagon produced wide area stereo panoramic images
Boeing RB-47H Stratojet gathered soviet air defense info
Flew thousands of ferret missions over communist nations
This RB-47H was based in Turkey & Japan, 1955-66
Head to the upstairs balcony in the Space & Missile room
Overview of the KC-97L, B-58A, and B-36J from above
Nice overview shot of the humongous B-36J Peacemaker
Overview of RB-47H with B-1B in the background
B-2, SR-71, F-102A, RB-57D and U-2A above
Closer view of the B-2, X-45A and SR-71
Convair B-58A Hustler, USAF 1st supersonic bomber
This B-58A set three speed records in 1962
Hustlers flew in SAC between 1960-1970
Martin CGM-13B Mace surface to surface missile
This Mace was based in Okinawa between 1961-1971
Martin TM-61A Matador tactical missile, 1951-57
North American F-86H Sabre never flew in combat
No skin reveals the F-86H's two M-39 20mm cannon
Boeing KC-97L Stratofreighter (B-29 tanker)
She kept the local air guard properly fueled
KC-135 Jet Tankers replaced the KC-97s after 1956
This KC-97L supported NATO units in Europe until 1976
Tough to get a clear side shot of the KC-97L
Republic F-84F Thuderstreak, evolved straight wing F-84
Lockheed F-104C Starfighter, was retired in 1975
F-104C set speed (1,404mph) & altitude (103Kft) records
Vertol CH-21B Workhorse first flew in April, 1952
This CH-21B "Flying Banana" was obtained in Jan. 1965
Grumman HU-16B Albatross amphibious utility, done 1973
Boeing WB-50D Superfortress, the last propellor bomber
Improved B-29 served between 1948-1955
Became weather recon a/c after replaced by B-47s
This was the last WB-50D retired in 1965
Republic RF-84K Thunderflash parasite fighter for GRB-36
Many near disasters experienced while hooking up w/B-36
North American F-82B Twin Mustang last propellor fighter
F-82B replaced the P-61 Black Widow into the Korean War
Betty Jo flew 5,051 miles, longest non-stop Prop ever
North American RF-86F Haymaker Sabre fast Recon jet
Vertically mounted cameras caused the bulge on the side
Grumman OA-12 Duck, USAF 1933-46, in 1970s movies
Cessna LC-126 Arctic rescue, operational in 1950
NA F-86D Sabre - electronics replaced 2nd crewman
F-86D, first fighter w/air-to-air missiles replacing guns
1957 Hughes Trophy to F-86D for air defense achievement
Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star trainer developed from F-80
Lockheed F-94C Starfire - US air defense, 1950-59
Northrop SM-62 Snark pilotless nuclear missile, 1945-61
Convair B-36J Peacemaker flew for SAC 1948-1958
B-36J's Mark 17 Thermonuclear (H-Bomb) - 41,400lbs
Original B-36 wheel was 110in diameter, 36in wide
Six Pratt & Whitney R-4360 engines enabled 230mph cruise
Four outer jet engines punched the max speed to 435mph
B-36J could carry 86K lbs of bombs or small aircraft
Mark 41 H-Bomb designed for B-47, B-52 & B-70
This B-36J made the last flight ever on April 30, 1959