Same old story

Thirty plus years ago, the U.S. TV network CBS aired a documenrtary on “The Selling of the Pentagon”…a condemnation of the military having any sort of public affairs or public relations programs.
The Thunderbirds and Blue Angels were singled out for criticism for “wasting money” and “promoting militarism”.
Never mind the role thay play in showing the taxpayers where their money goes.

Report: B-29 for sale…Plus B-50 project?

An American magazine is reporting that Kermit Weeks is offering a B-29 for sale that he has in store in California. It’s an ex-China Lake bird and is said to be 100% complete for static display or 85% for a flying project.
This plane is in addition to his well known Superfort, the ex-NACA drop ship.
When that plane was owned by an Oakland museum it was taken to a few airshows, I saw it at Mountain Home AFB Idaho in 1978. It was in very nice shape then and had a great history.
The B-29 at the USAF Museum..the Nagasaki “Boick’s Car” is very nice, I got a chance to sit in it during an open cockpit event while I was stationed there. Also they have a “walk-through” B-29 fuselage, pretty neat and is good resource for model makers.

The ex-Wright Patterson KB-50 was sent to Castle AFB museum…or was it March Field? Anyway, it’s alive and well in California.
Also the SAC Museum in Nebraska has one.
Plus there is the fuselage for the round the world B-50 at Planes of Fame at Chino. I was wondering if it could be re-assembled using KC-97 wings and tail?
It would be a great project for someone, especially since KC-97s are still being scrapped.

Okay….

Okay, Peter, granted it wasn’t the front line, but at least he served…unlike some other famous U.S. politicians. And flying high performance jets back then wasn’t exactly the safest occupation in the world (look at the accident rates for 50’s-era jets). He could have taken a ground job…
And in his defense, remember no North Vietnamese MiGs made it past Houston!

Lest this forum turn into a political discussion, lets remember the basics…
Granted the ANG was a “way out” during Vietnam…but nobody put a gun to his head and made him go to flight school. He could have done a safe ground job like public affairs like Al Gore (and myself!!!).
Anybody who straps on a jet fighter derserves respect for the talent it takes to make it through flight school and the guts it takes to fly them. It’s not like he was in a C-47 with a co-pilot to help him out if he got into trouble.

And having represented the USAF in the UK as a public affairs officer, I’m far from convinced ANY U.K. paper has no axe to grind when it comes to U.S. politicians or the military.

Don’t forget Ronald Reagan, the actor who later did something in Washington…in WWII he was in a training film unit commanded by Paul Mantz (famous Hollywood stnt pilot and aerial second unit director…(films. SAC, Spirit of St. Louis, etc). The unit was based at thge foamous Hal Roach studios (home of the “Our Gang” comedies and
(I believe) Laurel & Hardy.

Also the current U.S. president George W. Bush flew F-102s in the Texas ANG.

My flights….

A T-6E (sole Tuskeegee airmen survivor).
B-17G “Texas Raiders”
Tiger Moth (no sn sadly many years ago before I kept records)
DH 89 (Duxford)
DC-3C (ex C-47B)
Piper Cub
Ercoupe
Bell 47D & G (both ex OH-13E), and J (I’ve flown the D & G)
and while it was still operational with the USAF: B-52G
Plus more elderly military planes…KC-135A and R, C-130E & H, C-141B

French Yales

One reason they may of had a different model number is they had throttles that act in the reverse of the U.S. standard.

Nicest Airworthy B-17s..

The CAF Arizona Wing “Sentimental Journey ” gets my vote. I’ve toured it several times and it’s outstanding. The CAF’s other Flying Fortress, “Texas Raiders” is also nice…seems to have all the interior items. A few years back I flew in it between Dyess AFB, Texas to Dallas…the ride of a lifetime.
I haven’t seen the interior of the Yankee Air Corps or Collings Foundation aircraft, but they’d have to be pretty sharp to beat the CAF ships.
The “Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby” is great, but its flying days are over.