Strategic Air Command Museum

As I mentioned in a previous post, David II and Amy do a great job when we visit, taking us around to various area attractions, historical spots and restaurants.  Our visit in November was no exception!

This ‘borrowed photo’ shows the front of the Strategic Air Command (SAC) and Aerospace Museum. (I don’t know what happened to my front view of the complex!) In any case, this museum focuses on aircraft and nuclear missiles of the United States Air Force.  

Originally located at the Offutt Air Force Base near Bellevue Nebraska, it was relocated to this new complex in 1998.  Laurie and I had visited the previous location many years ago.  One positive is that most of the planes are now on exhibit indoors where they can be cared for and preserved.

When visitors enter the SAC Museum, they are immediately confronted by an attention grabbing suspended Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.  This long-range, high-altitude strategic reconnaissance aircraft operated at speeds above Mach 3 and it’s held the world record for the fastest air-breathing manned aircraft since 1976.  At its upper range for example, it could fly from Los Angeles CA to Buffalo NY or from San Francisco CA to Cleveland OH in an hour.

This plane was so fast that if a surface-to-air missile launch was detected, the aircraft’s standard evasive action was simply to accelerate and out fly the missile.  A total of 32 Blackbirds were built and the aircraft served with the US Air Force from 1964 until 1998.

FYI, the 300,000 sq. ft. Strategic Air Command museum cost $29,500,000 to build.  The glass atrium is constructed of 525 glass panels.  The complex also features 2 attached aircraft display hangars, a traveling exhibit area, a children’s interactive gallery, a 200-seat theater, a museum store, a snack bar and an aircraft restoration gallery.

This is a Grumman HU-16 Albatross.  I was surprised to learn that this large twin-radial engine amphibious flying boat was primarily used by the US Air Force…but also by the US Navy and the US Coast Guard.  A total of 466 Albatross aircraft were built.  The plane served the Air Force from 1949 – 1961 and the last one was retired from the US Coast Guard in 1983.

The HU-16’s primary role in all cases was as a search and rescue aircraft.  During the Korean War its combat rescue efforts gained it a reputation as a rugged and seaworthy aircraft.  This aircraft also saw extensive combat service during the Vietnam War.  Later in its useful life these aircraft were utilized by the USAF’s Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service.

The General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark is a supersonic, medium-range interdictor and tactical attack aircraft that also served as a strategic nuclear bomber, aerial reconnaissance and electronic-warfare aircraft.  It first entered service with the USAF in 1967 and then with the Royal Australian Air Force in 1973.  The last USAF Aardvarks were retired in 1998 but the RAAF continued to fly them through 2010.

A total of 563 F-111 Aardvarks were built.  These aircraft could fly as high as 66,000 feet and reach a top speed of 1,650 mph.  Their terrain-following radar allowed them to operate as low as 200 feet above the ground at speeds of up to 552 mph.  They saw service in Vietnam, Libya and in Iraq during Desert Storm.  In the latter they were credited with the destruction of over 1,500 tanks and other armored vehicles.

This aircraft pioneered several new advancements including variable-sweep wings, after burning turbofan engines and that terrain-following radar.  It was the only aircraft in USAF history that never had an official name while in service.  It had been given the nickname ‘aardvark’ by its crews due to its talent for hunting in the dark with its nose to the ground.  RAAF crews affectionately called it ‘the pig’ for the same reason.  It was officially designated as the “Aardvark” when it was retired.

It may look like a killer shark but the AQM-34L Firebee was developed in the late 1960s as a low altitude photographic reconnaissance drone.  Launched and controlled from a ‘parent’ C-130 aircraft, they saw a lot of service over North Vietnam.  Once the mission was completed, these drones would be directed to a safe area over water where the engine would be shut down and a large parachute would deploy.  They could travel at speeds up to 645 mph and they had a range of 750 miles.

Two methods of recovery were used.  First, the drone could be recovered directly from the water but if possible this method was avoided due to the damage salt water would do the Firebee’s systems.  The preferred method was for a helicopter to snatch the 3,200 pound drone out of the air with a special hook system.  That had to be a bit challenging… 

This Boeing EC-135 was behind glass in the restoration gallery at the SAC Museum.  The Boeing EC-135 was a command and control version of the Boeing C-135 Stratolifter… Both were based on the same prototype that led to the introduction of the Boeing 707 airliner.

 

The EC-135 is best known as having been modified to perform the ‘Looking Glass’ mission…where an EC-135 was always in the air 24-hours a day for over 29 years in order to serve as a flying command post for SAC in the event of nuclear war.  They served this mission from 1963 until 1990.  At least 11 EC-135C command post aircraft were provided to the Commander in Chief, SAC, and were based at various locations throughout the USA.

This is an overview of one of the impressive large hangar display areas at the SAC Museum.  It was taken from the stairs down to the hangar floor.  An elevator is available…

The Piasecki CH-21 'Workhorse' or 'Shawnee' was commonly called ‘the flying banana’ or “Amblin’ Annie”.  It was a multi-mission helicopter, outfitted with wheels, skis or floats.  Originally developed as an Arctic rescue helicopter for service, the CH-21B could carry 22 fully equipped infantrymen or 12 stretchers and 2 medics in the medevac role.  It was used to maintain and service the DEW (Distant Early Warning) line of radar installations that were in place from the Aleutian Islands all the way to Iceland.

Only 707 H-21s were built, but they not only served with the American military, but also with French, Canadian, Congolese, Japanese, Swedish and West German forces.  There is only one flight worthy H-21 remaining in the USA and its part of the collection at the Classic Rotors Museum located in Ramona California.

This is a Fairchild C-119G “Flying Boxcar”.  It was a military transport aircraft used by SAC, the US Army, Navy and Marine Corps.  It was designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients and mechanized equipment as well as to drop cargo and troops by parachute.  Production began in 1947 and ceased in 1955.  Due to its cargo-hauling ability and unusual twin-boom (tail) configuration as shown in the second picture, it acquired its nickname, ‘Flying Boxcar’.  It was a popular aircraft, with 1,183 manufactured in 9 years.  In addition to the USA, these aircraft were utilized by the United Nations and 13 other countries.

There also was a variant of the C-119, the AC-119G “Shadow” gunship.  It was fitted with 4 six-barrel 7.62 x 55mm NATO miniguns, armor plating, flare launchers and night-capable infrared equipment.  A later version, the AC-119K “Stinger” was made even more deadly with the addition of 2 General Electric M61 Vulcan 20 mm cannons. 

Note: On August 19, 1960, a C-119 recovered film from the Corona space mission, code-named Discover 14.  This was the first recovery of film from an orbiting satellite and the first aerial recovery of an object returning from earth orbit.

The Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter was a strategic tanker aircraft.  Outfitted with a flying refueling boom and loaded with fuel, this 4-engine, propeller-driven airplane could fly fast enough to match the minimum speed of B-47 or B-52 jet propelled bombers.  Fighter jets were also refueling customers for the tankers.  This particular aircraft was built by Boeing in Seattle and delivered to the USAF in April of 1955.  It was delivered to the SAC Museum in September of 1964.

Except for the whale-like ‘double-bubble’ fuselage, the KC-97 closely resembles the B-29 bomber, the aircraft on which the KC-97 was based.  Most of the 880 KC-97s built were tankers despite the ‘Stratofreighter’ name.  They could carry about 46 tons of cargo or fuel.  Other than the USA, only Spain and Israel included this aircraft in their inventory.  Several of these aircraft later served as air water tankers to fight forest fires…

The Sikorsky H-19 'Chickasaw' was a multi-purpose helicopter that was used by all of the American military services as well as about 28 other nations around the world.  The Air Force version of this helicopter was used primarily for search and rescue missions.  They were introduced to US forces in 1950 and they were retired from service in 1969.  A total of 1,728 H-19s were produced by Sikorsky and by licensees in the United Kingdom, France and Japan.

The H-19B was called the ‘Whirlybird’ by the Air Force.  It was severely tested by the US armed forces throughout the Korean War, especially the Marines.  These aircraft were very durable and their use completely changed the way troops and equipment are deployed on today's battlefield.  They could carry 10 soldiers or 8 stretchers.  

I’ll end this post with an aircraft that wasn’t built in the USA or that served in the American Air Force.  This is the Russian designed and built Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21F. (NATO designated name, “Fishbed”) It is a multi-role fighter and interceptor aircraft that has been used by roughly 60 countries over 4 continents…and it’s still flying in a few air forces around the world.  No wonder so many are still in service.  With 15,000 built, more MiG-21s have been produced than any other jet aircraft in aviation history. 

This single-seat fighter has a cruise speed of only 284 mph…but it can reach a top speed of 1,373 mph and it has a range of 1,400 miles.  It does have one weakness of note.  When in afterburner mode, the engine operates very close to its surge line and the ingestion of even a small bird can lead to an engine surge/seizure and flame out.  Nevertheless, many American aircraft, especially F-4 Phantoms, fell prey to North Vietnamese pilots flying these smaller, more nimble aircraft throughout the War in Vietnam.

I’ll be spreading them out but there will be 2 more posts about our visit to the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum…

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave