Heads Up - "Strategic Air Command" on TV

[Warmtoast]

Very short notice but I see the 1955 film "Strategic Air Command" starring James Stewart and June Allyson, in being broadcast on TV tomorrow (Friday 9th February) at 0800 on Sky Cinema Greats.
Visually stunning with air-to-air shots of B-36s, B-47s and B-52s very well worth watching.
WT


http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Strategic%20Air%20Command%20Film/SAC.jpg


http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Strategic%20Air%20Command%20Film/StrategicAirComand17.jpg


http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Strategic%20Air%20Command%20Film/SAC-B-473.jpg

[Herod]

Great film for the aircraft alone. Watch out for Jimmy Stewart's mistake. In the film he is supposed to be a B 17 pilot from WW2. In reality he was a B 24 skipper. When he is talking to his wife about the B 36 he says "I thought the B 24 was big, but oh, boy" I guess it was a Freudian slip, and no-one picked it up.

[PDR1]

I thought it was one of those that you could find free on youtube, like "By Dawn's early light".

PDR

[PDR1]

Great film for the aircraft alone. Watch out for Jimmy Stewart's mistake. In the film he is supposed to be a B 17 pilot from WW2. In reality he was a B 24 skipper. When he is talking to his wife about the B 36 he says "I thought the B 24 was big, but oh, boy" I guess it was a Freudian slip, and no-one picked it up.

Maybe he was just supposed to be referencing what he [the character] had previously thought to be the biggest US bomber (regardless of whether he'd actually flown one). The B36 was more than double the span of either B17 or B24 (as well as having nearly 7 times the MTOW) so it would certainly have looked impressive to a former driver of either type!

PDR

[sandiego89]

or maybe he was comparing the B-36 to the earlier Consolidated/CONVAIR product....


Great flight images. I especially like seeing how much the aft end of the B-36 shook around when undergoing full power run up. A real washing machine experience back aft.

[Dan Gerous]

And if your Scottish and voted for independence, the big wall map at the briefing will bring a smile to your face.

[Tankertrashnav]

I don't have Sky :{

Just looked at the trailer on YouTube and Jimmy Stewart refers to "aeroplanes" (not airplanes). A legacy of his time in the UK?

[India Four Two]

TTN,

I couldn’t find the complete film on YouTube, but there are lots of segments from it, including this piece about B-47s:

https://youtu.be/iV1hVLGLZ-w

The “independent Scotland” map is featured at the beginning and then some great shots of B-47s. I learnt something new - I had no idea that it had a three man crew.

[RAFEngO74to09]

TTN,

Here's the full movie (no sign up needed).

https://solarmoviex.to/watch/strategic-air-command.prxz4/7x4946

[RAFEngO74to09]

In the 1950s, entire 45-aircraft wings of B-47s used to be based in the UK - TDY for 90 days from 1953 to 1958 - with 15 aircraft on alert armed with nuclear weapons.

7th Air Division SAC - HQ at South Ruislip then High Wycombe - controlled Fairford, Brize Norton, Greenham Common and Upper Heyford.

From 1958 to 1965, "Reflex Alert" aircraft were deployed from several bases in the USA to the UK for 21-day deployments - 4 bases above + Lakenheath to 1960 and Mildenhall and some minor dispersal bases like Chelveston and Bruntingthorpe.

In addition, ELINT RB-47Es/Hs were operated from Brize Norton then Upper Heyford until December 1965. I used to see them as a kid at UH - usually in a hangar near the public road with the tail sticking out through a specially fitted opening in the hangar doors.

An impressive aircraft when it first came out and built in huge numbers - 2,032 all marks at an average cost of $1.9M ($16.2M in 2016 $ - not bad at all !).

Some interesting Reflex memoirs in the links here including photos of their alert locations and R&R trips in Europe.
https://b-47.com/?page_id=2890

[Airbubba]

TTN,

Here's the full movie (no sign up needed).

https://solarmoviex.to/watch/strategic-air-command.prxz4/7x4946

I get phony spyware alerts and install Java popups on that link. :=

I'm sure you can trust it since the TLD is Tonga, right? ;)

[bosnich71]

sometime in the early 50s,I was riding my bicycle along a quiet country lane 'somewhere in England' when this aeroplane appeared from behind the trees alongside.I thought for a moment that Martians had turned up.very impressive

[Airbubba]

In addition, ELINT RB-47Es/Hs were operated from Brize Norton then Upper Heyford until December 1965. I used to see them as a kid at UH - usually in a hangar near the public road with the tail sticking out through a specially fitted opening in the hangar doors.

In about 1977 I saw a Navy EB-47E on the ramp at NAS Roosevelt Roads in Puerto Rico. It was flown by a civilian Boeing Wichita crew as a 'Pandora' plane, used to do jamming in fleet electronic warfare exercises. I climbed up into the cockpit and briefly chatted with the crew. They said the plane would be soon retired and sent to Dyess AFB in Texas as a gate guard.

I seem to remember that VAQ-33 had an Electric Whale, EA-3B, on the ramp at Rosey as well.

The B-47 on display at Dyess appears to be 52-0412 which the Navy supposedly called 24120. It now has SAC markings, I'm pretty sure it said Navy on the side when I saw it in 1977 or so.

I found this online about the Navy EB-47E's:

Two EB-47Es (s/n 24100 and 24120) were loaned to the US Navy for electronic countermeasures (ECM). Modified and redesignated as EB-47Es, they were operated and maintained by McDonnell Douglas Tulsa, OK.

Each aircraft had it's long-range external wing tanks replaced with electronic countermeasures equipment, multiple antennaes were added and chaff dispensers were installed. Each remained operational with the Navy long after the last USAF B-47s were retired from service.

The final operational flight of a B-47 occurred on 20 December, 1977, when after accumulating more than 10,000 hours on it's airframe, 24100 was flown to Pease AFB, NH, where it was demilitarized and put on display.

https://b-47.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/14.-EB-47E.pdf

As I said, I remember the crew I met as Boeing ICT, but maybe they were McDonnell D folks out of Tulsa. It's been a few years...

[Tankertrashnav]

Thanks for the links to the full movie chaps. A film about early jets with Jimmy Stewart in it - what's not to like?

Btw - does anyone know what happened to the aircraft that used to be on display (outdoors) at Offutt AFB? I saw my one and only B36 there -amazing.

[Bigpants]

As child my Aunt and Uncle took me for a ride in their Ford Anglia past Greenham Common and we took a couple of distant pictures of the B47s parked out around the airfield.

I have the film on DVD, purchased it some years ago, great flying scenes.

[VIProds]

It must have been 1958 when I was on my Radar Mechanics course at RAF Yatesbury (H2SMk4A). One of the guys on the course, whose mother owned a Ladies Fashion shop in Newbury invited me to stay at the flat above the shop for the weekend (lovely Lady), as I only got to travel back to Edinburgh once in a "blue moon", so spent every weekend on camp. Paul had just bought himself a three wheeler "Messerschmitt" which had tandem seats like the B-47 (the only similarity)! On the Saturday, we decided to drive down to Greenham Common to see & photograph the B-47's there, or so we thought. Once we arrived & got out of the car at the perimeter fencing, jeeps & armed Military Police descended on us from all directions & ordered us to move on! We managed to get a fleeting glimpse of the B-47's & noticed their jet packs on the rear fuselage, but that was all.

[ROC man]

In the 1950s, entire 45-aircraft wings of B-47s used to be based in the UK - TDY for 90 days from 1953 to 1958 - with 15 aircraft on alert armed with nuclear weapons.

7th Air Division SAC - HQ at South Ruislip then High Wycombe - controlled Fairford, Brize Norton, Greenham Common and Upper Heyford.

From 1958 to 1965, "Reflex Alert" aircraft were deployed from several bases in the USA to the UK for 21-day deployments - 4 bases above + Lakenheath to 1960 and Mildenhall and some minor dispersal bases like Chelveston and Bruntingthorpe.

In addition, ELINT RB-47Es/Hs were operated from Brize Norton then Upper Heyford until December 1965. I used to see them as a kid at UH - usually in a hangar near the public road with the tail sticking out through a specially fitted opening in the hangar doors.

An impressive aircraft when it first came out and built in huge numbers - 2,032 all marks at an average cost of $1.9M ($16.2M in 2016 $ - not bad at all !).

Some interesting Reflex memoirs in the links here including photos of their alert locations and R&R trips in Europe.
https://b-47.com/?page_id=2890

It was a B-47E en route to Bruntingthorpe that managed to drop it's 30kt weapon on Mars Bluff, South Caroline 11.3.1958

[Airbubba]

Btw - does anyone know what happened to the aircraft that used to be on display (outdoors) at Offutt AFB? I saw my one and only B36 there -amazing.

I assume you mean a B-47 on display, not a B-36.

Here's an aircraft that was transferred to the SAC Museum in 1964, it possibly was displayed outside before the museum was expanded:

https://sacmuseum.org/what-to-see/aircraft/b-47e-stratojet/

[obgraham]

I never tire of watching that long takeoff scene. I think I'll call it up right now!

[Guernsey Girl II]

If you have Sky Q it is available to download ‘on demand ‘

[TBM-Legend]

I saw the only B-47's to come to Australia in the '60's doing a demo to the RAAF as we had been offered 24 on loan to cover the phase out of the Canberras and introduction of the F-111's. A most elegant looking aircraft!

***we knocked them back and leased 24 F-4E's instead...

[Herod]

TBM. I remember that. It must have been about '61 that a B 47 arrived at RAAF Pearce. I can remember getting to the flight line, as a 14 y.o. Airforce Brat, but not getting near the aircraft, unlike the RAF "V" bombers, where we could get within touching distance.

[Pontius Navigator]

I assume you mean a B-47 on display, not a B-36.

Here's an aircraft that was transferred to the SAC Museum in 1964, it possibly was displayed outside before the museum was expanded:

https://sacmuseum.org/what-to-see/aircraft/b-47e-stratojet/in 65/66 the B36 was the most impressive aircraft at Offutt. I can't recall the others but there were several. They might have had a Valiant even.

[Airbubba]

in 65/66 the B36 was the most impressive aircraft at Offutt. I can't recall the others but there were several. They might have had a Valiant even.

There is indeed a B-36 at the SAC Museum as well. :ok:

See: https://sacmuseum.org/what-to-see/aircraft/b-36j-peacemaker/

No Valiant at Offutt these days, there is a Vulcan at the SAC Museum but it didn't arrive until 1982:

https://sacmuseum.org/what-to-see/aircraft/avro-hawker-vulcan/

The only B-36 I've seen is at the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patt. Like the SAC Museum, they've also got an XF-85 parasitic fighter that was supposed to ride along with the B-36.

[pulse1]

I have only ever seen one B47. I should say that it was too close for comfort but, as a teenage school boy, I found it very exciting. I was coming out of school, walking through some trees, and heard multiple jet engines approaching. Thinking it was the local RAF Aux Vampires in formation, I rushed out from under the trees to see a B47 come right over us at what appeared to be just above the trees. Certainly the tree tops were blowing about a bit. We then watched it fly in a steeply banked turn around the town and, again, it looked like the wing tip was just above rooftop height.

Most of the papers the next morning covered it on their front pages, describing panic in the streets. Apparently, it did pretty much the same over most of South Wales and Gloucestershire. It was said that the pilot wanted to go back home to the US.

[Chugalug2]

No doubt he achieved his ambition, pulse1, albeit under close arrest post CM!

When 30 and 47 Sqns were equipped with the then new Hercules C1, it was at RAF Fairford. The a/f had been closed for a few years after the USAF B47's had left. Evidently they performed QRA on an ORP that had heating elements embedded in the concrete, to ensure an ice free surface in the winter. The locals always knew when it was switched on as all their lights dimmed....

[Pontius Navigator]

Chug, I also heard years ago that there was a car park, not sure if Fairford or Heathrow. It was always clear of snow and ice. Seems no one swutchecy off the UFH when the building was removed.

[megan]

A most memorable movie seen as an impressionable teenager, along with the "Flying Leathernecks" and "Sound Barrier".

[Shandy52]

Bigpants, we lived in 1962-63 just outside Greenham Common's perimeter fence. Our dog used to chase B-47s as they took off parallel to the drive - never caught one though!

[Heathrow Harry]

2032 B-47's built............................ just think about it

[Pontius Navigator]

And remember the B47 could do a loft attack.

[RAFEngO74to09]

Use of LABS by an aircraft the size of the B-47 was impressive - led to wing cracking later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqIJL8lx00o

The RAF was offered 90 new B-47s in 1954 but these were rejected on various grounds.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_E

[Guernsey Girl II]

https://youtu.be/Cem6mc6avgY
https://youtu.be/ilu3NSvl3Ow

Very interesting hour or so looking at the films. Didn’t realise that on the B47 the outriggers and the rear part of the main-gear would be selected down at high level and the front gear later on in the decent.

[RAFEngO74to09]

Interesting interview here with a docent (former B-36 S/Sgt gunner) at Pima Air Museum (which displays the last B-36 built).

A few interesting anecdotes:

In 1953, a 32-hour recce mission over Russia at 44,000 ft with impunity as a Mig-15 could only get to 38,000 ft > 40,000 ft.

Taking off as #9 - 100+ other B-36s lined up behind - with a nuke on board - when an inexperienced pilot mistakenly opened the bomb doors. A gunner hand cranked the doors shut as the electrics hadn't warmed up enough to close them and they didn't want to be responsible for screwing up the MITO launch.

385 built.

Convair B-36J Peacemaker on display in Tucson, Arizona near Davis-Monthan AFB (http://www.airplanesofthepast.com/b36-pima-air-museum.htm)

https://youtu.be/5ojf9IJeZl4

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/B-36_Pima_Air_Museum_Tucson%2C_Arizona_%2812201049605%29.jpg

[West Coast]

Evidently they performed QRA on an ORP that had heating elements embedded in the concrete, to ensure an ice free surface in the winter.

Interesting. Wonder if there were consequences for aircraft performance as the temp immediately above the runway(and thus ingested in the engines) might have differed from ambient? Guess it could also offset performance hits from a contaminated runway.,

[RAFEngO74to09]

More excellent insight into the B-36 here - anecdotes, cutaway diagrams etc.

Primary weapon was the Mk-17 thermonuclear weapon weighing in at 43,500lb and 25 ft long.

US Air Force B-36 Flying 1955-1957 (http://www.zianet.com/tmorris/b36.html)

[NRU74]

Having watched the film, was interested in the KC97 refuelling sequence with the B47
Looked at Wikipedia next, was it relatively easy to change from transferring Avtag to Avgas (or their then equivalents)to a piston engined receiver ? Wiki speaks of something called SAVE but not explained.
PS Good to see the Flight Engineer on the B36 was later Col Potter in MASH !

[Pontius Navigator]

RAFEng, I was sceptical about that claim until I saw on wiki that a B36 Feather weight III could reach 47,000 feet. On the Might ceiling though I think they could reach 50k.

More likely they could not fly slowly enough to intercept the B36.

[snippy]

“Chain of Command” currently on the National Geographic channel is very good viewing.

[Fonsini]

That movie still has some of the best flying sequences ever filmed, the B-36 takeoff sequence is amazing.

Strangely Stewart was demoted to Lt. Col. in the movie as he was in reality a “full bird” in the air force reserves at the time. I wonder how many people also know that he flew a combat mission in Vietnam?

As for June Allyson, she really was the perfect american wife.

[Arclite01]

I am told that people used to look at Jimmy Stewart strangely when he turned up with his real wife at social events - people were so used to seeing him and June Allyson together as man and wife (in several films) that they sort of assumed that they were in real life !! (a bit like Terry Scott and June Whitfield in the UK!)

Agree that Strategic Air Command has some of the best air to air sequences of any film. I particularly like the high altitude shots as they transit out to Alaska in the B36 - pretty amazing..............


Arc

[Krakatoa]

Strategic Air Command was Jimmy Stewarts eighth film directed by Anthony Mann

[Airbubba]

From the USAF Twitter feed:

https://twitter.com/usairforce/status/963019864670658561

[sandiego89]

More likely they could not fly slowly enough to intercept the B36.


Yes, I have read several accounts of jet interceptors that would fall off trying to get into a shooting position, or just get high enough for a B-36 intercept, but they could not maneuver at all. The B-36 could do a gentle turn and the fighter would fall out of the sky trying to match the turn. Intercepts had to be timed perfectly and early 36 crews felt rather safe.

[George Richardson]

In the early 1950`s contrailing B36s & B47s were a regular sight over N Yorks. B36s used to make mantelpiece ornaments vibrate! I believe that the local Sabres from Linton on Ouse, 66 &92 Sqns did have difficulty carrying out practice interceptions on the B36 at high altitude. The SAC film was so evocative,especially the sound as a B36 flew over the baseball game!!

[Crromwellman]

There is a story that when RAF fighters intercepted a flight of B-36s over UK, the Section Leader gave the order: "Blue One, Land on and start the invasion."

[Pontius Navigator]

I just recall our nav instructor was a Javelin nav. One night he did a radar to VID. At min range he told the pilot to look out. The response was look at 2 o'clock. There, way out, was a flashing light. He didn't know why his radar talk was so far out. Then he was told to look to 10 o'clock, and finally look right up!