RB-36Ds at Sculthorpe in Nov 1951.
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RB-36Ds at Sculthorpe in Nov 1951.
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
Powers was flying a CIA operated U2 not a USAF one.
I saw a 'big plane with 6 engines pointing backwards' near my home not far from Bovingdon about this time. I ran indoors and told my brother (I was about 3 yrs old, he would have been about 7) and he hit me saying I was lying, there was no such thing!
Anyway I doubt if it landed at Bovingdon, but what was it doing there? It was about the right height to be going there.
I saw a 'big plane with 6 engines pointing backwards' near my home not far from Bovingdon about this time. I ran indoors and told my brother (I was about 3 yrs old, he would have been about 7) and he hit me saying I was lying, there was no such thing!
Anyway I doubt if it landed at Bovingdon, but what was it doing there? It was about the right height to be going there.
Last edited by chevvron; 19th Sep 2013 at 02:08.
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Last edited by ian16th; 19th Sep 2013 at 20:33.
