AIRLINES: KEEP 'EM FLYING

Air Classics, Sep 2004

WIEN NORSEMAN

I was thrilled to see the photograph of the Wien UC-64 Norseman on the contents page of the March issue. I first flew that airplane in 1950 hefore I went in the Air Force. I remember when it arrived at Weeks Field in Fairbanks when Wien Alaska Airlines bought it surplus from the military in the late 1940s. I thought you would be interested in how the plane looked when it was still owned by the USAAF in Alaska. I think the photograph was taken in the Anchorage area in the canal between Lake Spenard and Lake Hood. The color photo was sent to me by the gentleman who restored the aircraft during the 1990s. Wien Airlines operated about eight Norsemans for many years and they served us well in the bush.

Merrill Wien

via e-mail

CACW P-40

Just a quick note to tell you how much I enjoy reading the magazine, but I have to tell you that the P-40E featured on pages 64-65 in the August issue isn't marked in American Volunteer Group (AVG) markings. The markings of this airplane are those of the Chinese-American Composite Wing (CACW) that was made up of both Chinese Air Force and USAAF pilots. They were part of Gen. Claire Chennault's 14th AF and were organized sometime in 1943. Being one of the original "plank holders" in the AVG, I just had to pull your leg on this one.

General David Lee "Tex" Hill

via e-mail

PEACEMAKER MEMORIES

The enclosed photograph was taken during July 1970 while I was visiting the USAF Museum in Ohio. At that time, the B-36 and other large aircraft were parked outside since the present large huildings were far from being built.

The Peacemaker was one of two B36s owned by the museum. Some years later, when the first large enclosed building was opened, the second B-36 was selected for display. B-36 571, a recon model, was by-passed - probably since it had deteriorated so much from exposure.

B-36 571 actually started life in the late 1940s. It was actually the second B-36 built and was designated as YB-36 s/n 42-13571 and made its first flight on 4 December 1947. This aircraft, and the prototype, had the very large single main tires and 571 was flown as a test vehicle in order for Consolidated to win approval for serial production of the type. After that, the plane was delivered to the Strategic Air Command.

Later, the aircraft went back to the factory and was converted to a RB-36D with new main gear legs that had four tires on each side and two J-47 turbojets in pods under each outer wing panel. The jets were an add-on in order to offer far better takeoff and climb characteristics.

We first encountered 571 at Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico, in September 1953 during our PCS assignment to that SAC base. The plane was assigned to the 60th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, one of three such recce squadrons of these giants that comprised the 72nd SR Wing. Ramcy, for years known as Borinqin Field, was renamed after one Gen. Ramey who perished in a B-36 crash during the late 1940s.

No. 571 remained with the 60th SRS during my time at Ramey and beyond. It was not long before Boeing B-52s replaced the RB-36s and they were removed, but their mission was not over. Even in the summer of 1955, the government was lengthening Ramey's runway in expectation of the Stratofortress. The base remained in SAC control for some time, also supporting super-secret U-2 spy missions.

About this time, 571 was selected for the USAF Museum. Most other B-36s were flown to Davis-Monthan AFB and scrapped. This aircraft was a recce model and, until 1954, was even equipped with a full photo compartment, complete with cameras, a small staff of photo people, developing lab, and delivery equipment (via capsule and parachute). This way, photos taken on a mission could be dropped to ground-based intelligence people even before the plane landed. Sound primitive? It was, but it also worked.

Many RB-36s were sent to Kelly AFB in 1954 for modification in a program named Operation Lightweight. General LeMay, then head of SAC, determined that the strategic air forces needed to shore up their nuclear delivery capability. The RB-36s were modified and the photo compartment removed and converted to a nuclear weapon hay. In addition, in order to get the plane to higher altitudes all armament was removed except for the tail gun position. Also, armor plating and other equipment was deleted in order to get the plane to the desired altitude for its "doomsday" mission to the Soviet Union. This mission soon became obsolete with the introduction of newer weapons.

However, there was still another need for the Peacemakers - electronic reconnaissance. These aircraft were modified with no less than two passive ECM collection stations in the rear compartment and at least two jamming stations in the cockpit area. The crew for ECM consisted of one ECM officer and about five enlisted crew as operators. We had, in training, collection requirements of considerable nature using what then was the latest electronic gear available. Jamming techniques were rarely required due to the lack of "enemy-based" emitters. That requirement surfaced when the Wing reflexed to Europe and missions were conducted near actual SOVBLOC regions. It was the nearest to the real thing that was undertaken by SAC in the mid-1950s until the faster, more sophisticated RB-47s were made available.