#Strategic Air Command

[stone-cold-groove]

The Convair B-58 Hustler with a General Electric J93 engine pod mounted for testing at Edwards Air Force Base.

[nocternalrandomness]

"Christmas Tree"

[usairforcehistoricsociety]

[usafphantom2]

When my Dad, Richard “Butch” Sheffield, was flying the B-47, he volunteered for a brand new airplane called the B-58. He lost his spot promotion and had to go back to being a lieutenant. He writes about it in a book he left for his family. I am sharing this for the first time today.

I entered the B-58 Combat Crew Training School (CCTS) as a student. The school was about two months long with academics and simulators. I was crewed with Captain Sparks (Sparky), aircraft Commander (AC), and Lt. Patrick, Defense Systems Officer (DSO).

We soon started flying, and I loved the B-58. The bombing and navigation system, plus the cockpit, were excellent. We became combat-ready fast and were one of the first crews checked out in the aircraft, number fourteen, I believe.

CENTRAL EVALUATION GROUP (CEG)

General LeMay wanted all SAC crews to be changeable. Each crew and crew position was to have procedures alike for the aircraft they were flying in. The Central Evaluations Group (CEG) visited each wing and tested and evaluated the crew force to see if all wings performed the same procedures. To pass CEG was a big deal in B-47’s.

The first B-58 crew to go through CEG

The CEG people wanted to get their foot in the door on this new program, so they decided that they should come in and give a check ride to one of the crews. We were selected.

It was a joke; they didn’t know anything about the aircraft, but they went through the motions and checked us; it was a piece of cake; we passed. So, we became the first B-58 crew ever to pass CEG.

-The first pilot quits, stalls over Dallas

About six months after we became combat-ready, we flew a Mach 2 bomb run on Dallas at night. When the run was over, and we went to start our descent from fifty thousand feet, Capt. Sparks pulled back the power but FORGOT to take the altitude hold off.

The aircraft went into a nose-high stall, and we began to drop quickly; the engine’s compressor stalled, and the generators all went offline. We lost all electrical power; I had only a tiny battery-powered light in the cockpit. The only thing I could see was the airspeed and altimeter. I called the pilot, who said the flight controls had locked up.

It took one hundred and fifteen pounds of pressure to override the autopilot. He was a petite guy trying to override it, not knowing that altitude hold was on. It was a wild ride down. We were falling tail first with very little forward motion.

I decided to eject at fifteen thousand feet as we were trained. At about twenty thousand feet, I felt the nose of the aircraft starting to drop, and he said, I think I have got it (he had overridden the autopilot). Once the nose came down, the engines could be re-started, and we recovered at about ten thousand feet; we landed at Carswell. No one said a thing.

The following day, when I went into the Squadron, everyone was saying, did you hear about “Sparky?” I said no. They said he went into the commander (CO) office this morning and threw his wings on his desk, and said, “I quit!” He then went around the Squadron bad-mouthing the B-58 and telling the other crews they should quit the program, too, because the aircraft was unsafe; the CO told him to get out.

Someone recently asked if I had any B-58 stories, so I saved this beautiful picture of a B-58 and found the story in my dad‘s book. Dad stayed with the B-58s until he was hired away to the SR 71 program in 1964. He had to pass the astronaut physical at Brooks, Air Force Base, Texas and then he arrived at Beale Air Force Base in 1965.~Linda Sheffield

@Habubrats71 via X

[us-air-force-2]

[historyofguns]

The article "Convair B-36 Peacemaker" by Peter Suciu, published on "The Armory Life” on October 19, 2024, explores the significance of the B-36 Peacemaker, an imposing strategic bomber that played a vital role during the Cold War. Developed for long-range nuclear missions without refueling, it was the largest mass-produced piston-engined aircraft with a significant wingspan and length. Originally conceived to bomb Nazi Germany, its development pivoted towards counteracting the Soviet Union after World War II. Although seen as controversial due to concerns over its practicality in the modern military landscape and causing friction with naval aviation interests, it was a crucial asset in the Strategic Air Command (SAC), capable of carrying massive hydrogen bombs. Despite never being used in combat, the B-36 served as a deterrent to the USSR during its operational years, bridging the transition from propeller-driven bombers to the jet-powered age, until being replaced by the B-52 Stratofortress. Today, only four B-36 Peacemakers survive, including one at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, underlining its historical legacy as a deterrent rather than a combatant.

[bigcheese327]

Convair B-58 Hustler.

[stone-cold-groove]

Run away on the runway.

[cdchyld]

Just added to Etsy

~ "The Winged Armada: The Story of the Strategic Air Command" by Martin Caidin (1964) First Edition

[joepageii]

Upcoming Title...Fall 2023?

[usafphantom2]

BREAKING NEWS: A recent poll by the United States Air Force revealed that the American people want to see the SR-71 Blackbird brought back to the skies! We need all former SR 71 pilots and RSO’s to check and see if they can fit into their flight suits.

As a result and after very successful tests conducted in 2022, during which retired SR-71s were reactivated for test trials, the U.S. Air Force and DoD decided to team up to allow new pilot recruits into the SR-71 program.

Not only will these new elite SR-71 pilots experience flying faster than a speeding bullet with stunning views at the edge of the stratosphere, they will feel pride in serving their country in one of the most recognizable aircraft to ever exist.

As an added incentive and early bird bonus, the new pilots will receive free t-shirts printed with the image of the iconic Blackbird! ( see pictures below for your T-shirt design)

Do you think you’re ready to be accepted into this elite program? Please send all pilot applications to: aprilfools@beale.af.mil

Good luck, everyone😄~Linda

PS: I have my father‘s old orange flight suit I can fit into it so I am ready to fly!

THIS IS A APRIL FOOLS JOKE🤣🤣

@Habubrats71 via X

[us-air-force-2]

[ofthecaravel]

went outside and saw no less than 3-4 people I had catastrophic high school beef with/have slept with/have tried to sleep with me

[historyofguns]

The article, authored by Peter Suciu, chronicles the evolution and significance of the McDonnell F-101 Voodoo, an advanced military aircraft developed during the Cold War. Originally designed as a long-range escort for Strategic Air Command bombers, the F-101 was adapted into a long-range interceptor, nuclear strike aircraft, and tactical reconnaissance plane. Notable for its speed and altitude capabilities, the Voodoo's design stemmed from the XF-88 prototype. The article highlights its various configurations, including the single-seat F-101A, the two-seat F-101B, and the RF-101 reconnaissance models. It discusses its operational roles and deployments by the United States Air Force, Canadian Air Defence Group, and Taiwanese pilots, particularly during crises like the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War. The Voodoo’s legacy is preserved in numerous museums across the globe.