Airplane Photos & Aviation Photos - View, Search, or Upload Photos! My Heritage. Posted on Facebook by Michael Meagher, Photographer unknown. Luckily, the nose art was removed first and donated to the nearby Pima Air and Space Museum. Desert Storm was the swan song for the B-52G. Hear those stories come to life from the soldiers who served at the BAFB Exhibition. It is planned to be its own exhibit within the system of buildings. (photo courtesy of Delta) On Tuesday, June 2, 2020, Delta Air Lines . Nose Art: Boeing B-52G Stratofortress "Hoosier Hotshot", Nose Art: Boeing B-52G Stratofortress "Valkyrie", N915DN Delta Air Lines | McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30 | Arkansas International Airport, N502DN Delta Air Lines | Airbus A350-941 | Arkansas International Airport, 59-1514 Boeing KC-135E Stratotanker United States Air Force, N907DL Delta Air Lines | McDonnell Douglas MD-88 | Arkansas International Airport, www.hill.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=5714, www.youtube.com/watch?v=leohcvmf8kM&feature=related, B-52G with an North American AGM-28 Hound Dog Missile, National Museum of the United States Air Force, Dayton, Ohio, Photoshopped image of Rick OKelley Age 20 on his 1972 Suzuki GT750J Le Mans, Post Card KC 135 refueling a B-52G from Blytheville AFB, Sign that set at the Main Gate at Blytheville Air Force Base, 1977477_10202915854723496_3494507586333601988_n, www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/facility/bomber_alert.htm, Blytheville Air Force Base exhibit at DGM, Rickie D O'Kelley Staff Sergeant 1975 - Age 22. Sign up and get notified about upcoming volunteer events! Blytheville herald-news Blytheville courier news (DLC)sn 89051348 58-0183 joined the USAF and the 4135th Strategic Wing, based at Eglin AFB, Florida; the 4135th oversaw several B-52 squadrons dispersed over the American Southeast to lessen their chance of being caught on the ground by a Soviet nuclear strike. 6 'Cat And Mouse' UFO Chase Over Cannon AFB January 1976. The aircraft on display saw extensive service in Southeast Asia and was severely damaged by an enemy surface-to-air missile on April 9, 1972. It was also a B-52 that made the first airborne hydrogen bomb drop over Bikini Atoll on May 21, 1956. Deactivated at the close of the conflict, the base was reactivated in the 1950s as Blytheville Air Force Base and was renamed Eaker Air Force Base in 1988 . Airwomen were tasked with testing electronics of aircraft, testing aircraft by means of flights, and ferrying aircraft. It seemed like every morning at 5:00 AM the flight line maintenance crews would fire up some of the airplanes engines. Link to the fact sheet on the museum's web page: www.hill.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=5714, Link to the other B52s I remember: www.youtube.com/watch?v=leohcvmf8kM&feature=related. My other picture of "Valkyrie" was taken from the right side, but the other day I realized I had never posted the picture of the aircraft's nose art. for another radio code that would tell him to turn around. Airmen from the 97th Bombardment Wing lost their lives and their photos appear on the lonely memorial at their abandoned base in Blytheville; Lt Col Keith R Heggen was in "Olive1", (now buried at Arlington Nat'l Cemetery) Lt Col Donald L Rissi, 1st LT Robert J Thomas and Msgt Walter L Ferguson were in "Charcoal 1" Major Bobby A Kirby, Capt Randall J Craddock, Capt George B Lockhart, Capt Ronald D Perry and 1st Lt Charles E Darr were in "Tan 3". Touch . When 58-0183 got its nose art, it was assigned to the 97th Bomb Wing at Blytheville AFB, Arkansas, but it would carry its nose art into combat during the First Gulf War as part of the 2nd BW at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. Another part was that the men who had flown in Vietnam and chafed under the official frowning upon of nose art were now the ones in charge. at the old Blytheville Air Force Base now called the Blytheville Aeroplex where the city is planning to invest $20 million . Military. Tiling soaked in stagnant water squishes under your feet, anything that could be rusted, is rusted. And the United States was about to enter war with Saddam Hussein. As a CAP cadet 1966-1969 the lore of this base was discussed often. Though, local organizations and legal entities constantly fight to preserve the base. While the B-52Hs remained on nuclear alert standby, the G models were used in the conventional bombing role after the first few nights of cruise missile strikes; at first, this was done at low altitude, but switched to high altitude later onnot because of the threat of Iraqi air defenses, which had been badly degraded, but of the psychological effect. I saw this jet in the Thunderbird performance at Blytheville Air Force base Oct 25 1972.. My USAF service had no connection to the Thunderbirds other than I saw this Thunderbird perform at Blytheville Air Force Base Oct 25 1972. Blytheville Eaker Air Force Base - KBYH, USA - Arkansas; By: Brady Brooks Photos | Profile | Contact; Reactivated as the 97th Air Mobility Wing at Altus AFB. c/n 18002/T0417. of conventional or nuclear bombs, www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=294. machine guns in tail plus up to 43,000+ lbs. Learn how your comment data is processed. Flickr photos, groups, and tags related to the "blythevilleairforcebase" Flickr tag. The KC135 replaced the KC97, as the latter could not keep up with newer, larger and faster aircraft. The Museums C-47 was manufactured by Douglas Aircraft, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and delivered to the USAAF on July 14, 1944. Blytheville Air Force Base aka Eaker Air Force Base. The National Cold War Center will be an entirely brand new building itself. Merged with: Blytheville herald-news (non-extant), to form: Blytheville courier news. Photo Gallery. Scrapped at Birmingham AL in 1997. In 1942, at the graduation ceremony it was believed that women could not fly as well as men. Was stationed there from 1967 to 1970 with 97th AMS, the old A&E Squadron. There were VIP transports (designated VC-47A/B) and there were SC-47s used as search and rescue aircraft. The heavier steel fuel tanks of the tall-tail series were replaced by integral fuel tanks, in which the entire wing served as a tank. The Air Force needed a long-distance bomber that could travel all the way to the former U.S.S.R., drop a payload on a target and travel back without needing refueling. Summary of H.R.859 - 118th Congress (2023-2024): To authorize references to the museum located at Blytheville/Eaker Air Force Base in Blytheville, Arkansas, as the "National Cold War Center". Eaker Air Force Base was located on 3,778 acres of land between the communities of Gosnell and Blytheville in Mississippi County. Since Eaker Air Force Base went under B.R.A.C. [1] It was located 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas. Whether it be by the hand of the elements, or by deconstruction due to safety issues. Currently, the main tarmac is used as Blythevilles airport. Gym - Center of Wing's Athletic Activities. While with the 97th Bomb Wing at Blytheville AFB, Arkansas, it received the name "Valkyrie" with appropriate nose art of a mail-clad female warrior on horseback; nose art made a renaissance in the USAF in the late 1980s, though not quite as risqu as that seen during World War II. Transferred from the 97th Bomb Wing, Blytheville Air Force Base, Ark., this aircraft was flown to the museum in November 1978. The facility now operates as the Arkansas Aeroplex and Arkansas International Airport. Select from premium Blytheville Air Force Base of the highest quality. The 2nd Bombardment Wing (H) at Barksdale AFB acquired the plane a second time in February 1987. The last duty station for this aircraft was with a previous owner, the 93rd Bombardment Wing (H) at Castle AFB, where it arrived in December 1988. As the 97th Bomb Group it's B-17 were the first to drop bombs on the Germans in France in 1942. The nose art of the B-52 version is a faithful reproduction of the B-17 version--one of the many Varga Girls that decorated World War II-era aircraft. The effect on the neighboring towns of Gosnell and Blytheville the closure had on were tremendous. This Abandoned Air Force base is located three miles Northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas. [1] Then the airfield briefly became a processing center for the rapid demobilization of military personnel being discharged. The B-47 Stratojet was slated to be replaced by a mix of both the heavy Stratofortress and the Convair B-58 Hustler high-speed medium bomber. May be an image of text that says 'David Pride 2000' No photo description available. The aircraft on display saw extensive service in Southeast Asia and was severely damaged by an enemy surface-to-air missile on April 9, 1972. This would determine if the base could go on operating in the future, or if it was deemed unnecessary to continue service. At one point, sharkmouths were banned by 7th Air Force in Saigon as being "too warlike"--despite, of course, the "non-warlike" aircraft carrying tons of bombs and missiles. Arkansas Razorbacks. Did you serve with BLYTHEVILLE AIR FORCE BASE? This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The plane . [1], The Blytheville Air Force Base Strategic Air Command (SAC) Alert and Weapons Storage Areas Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018. And in 1991, Eaker Air Force Base was on the top of the list. The small gold Hap Arnold Wings that appear just below my name tag was a gift from the widow of a deceased WWII USAAF pilot. Microscopy, Atomic Force Pulmonary Ventilation Acoustic Impedance Tests. Blytheville, Arkansas was selected as a training location due to its proximity to the Mississippi River, where supplies could easily be shipped to and from the site. Dental Clinic. It was also a B-52 that made the first airborne hydrogen bomb drop over Bikini Atoll on May 21, 1956. Rick O'Kelley was drafted in Oct 1971 and enlisted in the USAF November 10 1971 on delayed enlistment. My family and I were stationed here from about 1964 until 1970. The KC135 fuels other aircraft through an extendable boom on the aft of the aircraft. Eleven of these jets were flown from 1969 to Feb 1974 when they were retired due to the oil crisis. Those dorms were pristine (almost new if I remember correctly) when they were abandoned. Extensive efforts to offset the negative economic effects on the community of Blytheville were undertaken by local and federal officials, who cleaned up the site and then distributed the land to various organizations, including the Department of the Interior (DOI), the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The B-52G was to return to the nuclear delivery role through the 1970s and 1980s, with the SRAM itself replaced by the AGM-86 Air Launched Cruise Missile, a truly precise cruise missile. The airplane dismantler used most of the tarmac we were using and we havent been back since before covid. The nine surviving jets are scattered from coast to coast most of them restored and on display. Two B-52G bombers were readied to strike the Soviet Union with nuclear weapons if necessaryfor which the wing received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for its performance during the crisis. Veteran C. Young. Stock photos, 360 images, vectors and videos. Available for both RF and RM licensing. The boom is controlled by an operator lying prone under the cargo deck of the aircraft. Coupled with the more regulation bound USAF of the 1950s, almost no B-36s or B-52s carried nose art, despite a larger "canvas" than the B-29 or B-17. A total of 820 KC135s have been produced since 1956. Blytheville was the only two engine training base in Arkansas. There was no need for the Global Shield. The 17th Bombardment Wing (H) at Anderson AB was this aircraft's next duty station, arriving there in January 1973. Below is my Blytheville Air Force Base token collection. To differentiate ALCM-equpped B-52Gs from unmodified aircraft, a wing fairing was added solely for the benefit of Soviet reconnaissance satellites, in accordance with arms control treaties. The commanding general of the U.S. Army Air Forces, Henry Arnold, went as far as saying that he doubted a woman could control a B17. Any monthly plan. Under the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 the United States government is obligated to consider utilization, procurement and disposal of government property. Glad to see the alert pad will be saved. This has been an ongoing project for over a year. No photo description available. Jwt708 Well-Known Member. Blytheville AFB experienced a great deal of activity throughout the Cold War era, when for instance, the 97th Bombardment Wing went on airborne alert on 22 October 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was amazing. The B-52 Stratofortress force had always been intended to be supplemented by newer designs, allowing older types and eventually the B-52 itself to be retired. The base was deactivated in 1945 at the end of World War II. Since its organization on 21 March 1946, SAC had continuously used C-47s or Gooney Birds as they were usually called, for support and administrative purposes. Psychiatry and Psychology 1 Love Photoshop, a little bit of work and #3 does a flyby just for me 41 years later. The hospital has been tightly sealed up. by Ryan Nix, Photos by Jamison Mosley. He served active duty March 21 1972 to March 20 1976. Mr. Gorbachev tore down that wall. Find Blytheville Air Force Base unit information, patches, operation history, veteran photos and more on TogetherWeServed.com. Eaker. Description based on: Vol. Louisiana was the aircraft's next stop when in May 1974 it was transferred to the 2nd Bombardment Group (H) at Barksdale AFB. As a result, the B-52Gs took heavy casualties in the first days of Operation Linebacker II in December 1972, losing 15 aircraft; it was decided to pull the Gs out of operations after the first week. The last model 61-0040, was produced in 1962. The exhibits are impactful and tell the story of Base history. This gallery is to showcase old photographs from Blytheville, Arkansas. The 1980s saw something of a resurgence--oddly enough, mostly among Strategic Air Command units. On January 10th, 1964, a B52H loaned to Boeing by the USAF was testing the structural integrity of, and new technology for the aircraft. I don't have a clue who captured or created this image but this is it is an excellent computer generated image of a Pre-Vietnam War SAC Paint Scheme with a North American AGM-28 Hound Dog Missile. Community Profile: Blytheville, Ark., Spreads Its Wings after Air Force Base Closing. Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment 3. Ash worked from a photograph of the B-52 Blytheville plane. During the second World War, the United States needed more areas to train pilots, and launch aircraft to respond to the threat on the Eastern front. Blytheville Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base from 1942, until it closed in 1992. BLYTHEVILLE AIR FORCE BASE EXHIBITION. Hopefully the site will become available again for us. Setting near the base is a memorial bench for Army Spc Christopher Stark killed in Afghanistan Feb 28 2011. By August 1973, they had flown 126,615 combat sorties with 17 B-52s lost to enemy action. [2] In July 1959, the 97th Bombardment Wing subsequently assumed control of the base and brought with it the long-range B-52G bomber and the KC-135A Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft to support bomber operations. The first DC-3s were ordered by the USAAF in 1941 under the designation C-47, but there was no way to predict that simple designation would become a legend, that over 10,000 would be built and that the plane would be listed by General Dwight Eisenhower as one of the four pieces of equipment most vital to our success in Africa and Europe. There were countless modifications to the C-47 fleet, some taking place at the factory and some in the field. Renamed Eaker Air Force Base in 1988 honoring Gen. Ira Eaker, the entire facility closed in 1992. Jul 1999. I was stationed at Blytheville AFB in the late 1950s when it was a new SAC base and the first B-52s arrived. Who knew that 41 years later I would have a new Mustang or even still be alive. or the notorious F-105 "Cherry Girl," which positioned a full-frontal nude girl strategically over the refueling port on the nose. (Some joked that the ladies might just paint hunky guys on their aircraft!). Of the 3,778 acres the base is comprised of, two thirds of the land is abandoned. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Airman First Class Monex Thomas of the Blytheville Air Force Base died in an aircraft training incident on August 1 1982. N503DN Delta Air Lines | Airbus A350-941 | Arkansas International Airport by M.J. Scanlon 17 . Five feet of water was pumped out of the basement of the building. The project mainly serves to save the best buildings and bring buildings in the worst shape down for safety purposes. Posted June 9th, 2014 by NFFF & filed under Uncategorized. The group was awarded two Distinguish Unit Citations during WWII and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crises. The airfield was used as the Southeastern Training Command's flight training school, which closed in October 1945 after the Second World War ended. Blytheville AFB was created in 1942 as a location for pilot training, originally named Blytheville Army Airfield. As part of Operation Secret Squirrel, "Valkyrie" would be part of a record setting 34-hour bomb mission from Barksdale to Iraq and back again. My USAF service had no connection to the Thunderbirds other than Juliet and I saw this Thunderbird perform at Blytheville Air Force Base Oct 25 1972. In December 1972, after being repaired, it flew four additional missions over North Vietnam. This VC-47D had been assigned to the 97th Bomb Wing, Blytheville Air Force Base, Arkansas. The hospital is also a very large (plan wise) building, so it is very possible to get lost inside the building without a map. BX and Cafeteria. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Sara Robertson (Sara.Robertson2@mail.house.gov) Arkansas Delegation Introduces Legislation to Designate Blytheville Air Force Base as National Cold War Center 2/7/2023 Washington - Today, Representatives Crawford, Hill, Westerman, and Womack, along with Senators Boozman and Cotton, introduced legislation to name the Blytheville/Eaker Air Force Base located in . On the opening night of the war, a group of B-52s took off from Barksdale AFB, Louisiana and struck targets in Iraq with ALCMs, in a 34-hour nonstop round trip mission, a record that stood until 1996. But, right before the first man could bail, the pilot had realized they had marginal control over the aircraft. I was stationed at this base in 1972-1976 and worked in the 97th Supply Squadron which is one of the large buildings located near the center of the photo. Tin Roof. Blytheville Air Force Base was established in 1942 as a pilot training station. The Cold War had come to and end. Known as Operation Secret Squirrel, this 34-hour mission was at the time the longest aerial mission ever flown, and was not surpassed until the strikes on Afghanistan in 2001. Base Closure What happened to Blytheville, Arkansas? My 1966 Ford Mustang was setting in the parking lot the day we watched this jet fly. B52 for his quick thinking, response to a crisis, and heroic duties. This B-52G-100-BW (S/N 58-0191), nicknamed "Bearin' Arms," was manufactured by Boeing Aircraft Corporation in Wichita, Kansas, and delivered to the USAF on October 16, 1959. In the Monett City Park is displayed the USAF Thunderbird F-4E Phantom II #3 Jet. However, some F-15E Strike Eagle units have begun painting nose art again, so reports of its demise is probably premature. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. On 7 July 1971 SACs last C-47 was transferred to the USS Alabama Monument Commission. Officers Club. Since then, there have been only 744 aircraft built by Boeing. The current BAFB Exhibit is housed in the former B52 crew briefing building, and will continue to be an exhibit. Constructed on former agricultural land, the site was originally activated as the Blytheville Army Airfield in 1942. It was always fascinating to hear stories about how papers were left on desks and furniture left abandoned. The B-52G is missing its missile pylon because these were removed and destroyed as a condition of he SALT treaty launcher reduction conditions. JetPhotos.com is the biggest database of aviation photographs with over 4 million screened photos online! During Eaker's height, Blytheville was roughly the same size as Jonesboro, Smith said. Published: Jan. 11, 2022 at 6:25 PM PST. TWS is the largest online community of Veterans existing today and is a powerful Veteran locator. The US needed a long range aircraft able to refuel other long range aircraft. The airport was developed from the closed Eaker Air Force Base (formerly Blytheville Air Force Base), after its closure by the U.S. Air Force in 1992. . In the bomb bay were ADM-20 Quail decoys. In December 1972, after being repaired, it flew four additional missions over North Vietnam. Nose art, while almost ubiquitous during World War II and Korea, largely disappeared in the 1950s. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. if I remember correctly it was one of the rooms pictured (162). The boom operators on KC-135s got a laugh over it, the pilots loved it, commanding officers were horrified and eventually ordered it removed. It is the USAFs main aerial fueling aircraft. It was located 3 miles (5 km) northwest of central Blytheville, Arkansas. This view also shows how well 58-0183 is preserved, and the EVS bulges beneath the B-52's nose. Businesses have come and go, but the wear and tear of Mother Nature and Father time have taken their toll on many buildings on base. Assigned to Blytheville Air Force Base until deactivated in 1992. Camo with white under belly North American AGM-28 Hound Dog Missile on display at the Global Power Museum at Barksdale Air Force Base. I had a great time and intend to go again next year. Memphis Discovery Tour . Today, "Valkyrie" still wears her 1991-era SIOP camouflage and a SAC badge on the nose; the nose art is on the port side. When Castle closed in 1995, 57-6486 was retired and sent to AMARG in Arizona; it was scrapped soon thereafter as part of the START arms reduction treaty. (For some reason, this "Hotshot" never got eyes.). On January 11th, during Agile Combat Employment training exercises performed by the U.S. Air Force at Eaker Air Force Base, work had begun on the restoration process of Building 1225. The War Assets Administration officially closed down the installation in 1946, at which point control and responsibility for the land was transferred to the city of Blytheville. In the years leading up to the reunification of Germany, the U.S. government sought out to begin a process that would eventually end in many bases like Eaker, to be closed. The B52 Stratofortress was the answer to all the problems found in the Convair B36 Peacemaker and the B24. When I arrived in July 1972, Blytheville Air Force Base's B-52s, KC-135s, pilots, navigators, electronic warfare officers, tail gunners and many . Home of 96th Bombardment Wing: 1953-1957; 11th . Today it is 14,011. In any case, out of a sense of history and because commanders were now favorable to the idea, nose art began to return, though the USAF was very careful to ensure any "painted ladies" to have nothing more risque than bikinis. Hill Aerospace Museum officially received the aircraft for static display on July 11, 1991. In 1988, the facility was renamed Eaker Air Force Base in honor of World War II General of the Eighth Air Force, Ira C. Eaker. After it became operational in 1955, the B-52 remained the main long-range heavy bomber of the U.S. Air Force during the Cold War, and it continues to be an important part of the USAF bomber force today. It boasted a vibrant downtown and it had an eclectic population due to the wide variety of people the base brought to the city. Jun 18, 2016 - blytheville afb photos | Blytheville Air Force Base, Blytheville . The majority of the bases housing is still in use, a few buildings are in use, and the tarmac is now the Arkansas Aeroplex. Albums. NUMBER BUILT: Douglas built a total of 10,047 C-47s and derivatives.
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