DougGordon
18th Sep 2013, 18:12
Allegedly, in November 1951 a number of RB-36Ds visited RAF Sculthorpe. These aircraft were apparently engaged in clandestine overflights of the Soviet Arctic. The unit they were attached to was, I think, the 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing of the 15th Air Force based at Fairfield-Suisun (later Travis) AFB.
The B/RB-36 visited the UK and Europe several times during the 1950s. All of these visits are fairly well documented; but the visit to Sculthorpe in Nov 1951 remains a mystery.
It has been suggested to me that SAC, in the aftermath of the Gary Powers shootdown, destroyed their Overflight documentation, fearing a Congressional committee probe. However we know that details of many B/RB-47, RB-45, RB-29 and RB-50 overflights made it into the public domain.
Is there anyone out there who has knowledge of the November 1951 RB-36D sojourn at Sculthorpe? Please get in touch if you can help me unravel this one.
Thanks,
Doug
The B/RB-36 visited the UK and Europe several times during the 1950s. All of these visits are fairly well documented; but the visit to Sculthorpe in Nov 1951 remains a mystery.
It has been suggested to me that SAC, in the aftermath of the Gary Powers shootdown, destroyed their Overflight documentation, fearing a Congressional committee probe. However we know that details of many B/RB-47, RB-45, RB-29 and RB-50 overflights made it into the public domain.
Is there anyone out there who has knowledge of the November 1951 RB-36D sojourn at Sculthorpe? Please get in touch if you can help me unravel this one.
Thanks,
Doug