RB-45C Tornado RAF overflights
 

Can anyone help in identifying the serial numbers of the RB-45C Tornadoes which were involved in the overflights of the Soviet Union in 1952 and 1954.
There were four in total.
Thanks

Thanks,
I was researching for the before and after RAF markings US serials. I have some idea but needed confirmation.
Doug

http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...old-war-7.html

Have a look at this thread. V1Prods is in touch with the families of some of the aircrew. The details may be in their logbooks

I have a tentative identification of one of them, I'll dig out my notes and re-post

I have it in my mind that I saw somewhere recently that 48-037 was one of them but I can't remember for the life of me where I saw it.

I saw one of them at Prestwick when I was a youngster (a diversion) and it definitely did not have an RAF or USAF serial number anywhere.

It is recorded in my spotter's log as "5856". Perhaps that was the radio callsign (as in Rafair 5856)?

I have a copy of a letter sent from Headquarters, 91st Strategic Reconnaisance Wing, Lockbourne AFB to General Curtis Le May at SAC, Offutt AFB dated 10 October 1951 which details the training that the nine RAF aircrew received at Lockbourne and the total training flying hours the three crews completed (167Hrs).

It also showed the total fuel used on this operation (Ju Jitsu) including 65,805 gallons transferred by the six KB-29P Tankers. The Tankers were so unreliable, they had to send up two for every RB-45C in case one had to return with faults.

The only mention of a serial number was when they were initially flying the four RB-45C aircraft from Lockbourne to Sculthorpe (three operational & one spare). "RB-45C number 8042, piloted by Major Charles S. Graham, completed the two flights of the mission (Lockbourne to Goose Bay then to Sculthorpe) in 8Hrs 56Min, is believed to be an unofficial record for a flight of that nature".