Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/08/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Thanks for the info, Ira. Philippe Op 16-aug-07, om 07:48 heeft ISILVERMN@aol.com het volgende geschreven: > On Wed, 15 Aug 2007 22:07:37 +0200, Philippe Orlent > _philippe.orlent@pandora.be_ (mailto:philippe.orlent@pandora.be) > wrote: > > "Was it ever operational?" > > Hi Phillipe, > > It sure was, and was America's first truly intercontinental bomber, in > squadron service with the Strategic Air Command between 1948 and > 1958, until it > was phased out for the B-52. Because of its size, it was > affectionately > referred to as the "Aluminum Overcast." > > Aside from its normal service, it served as a test bed for several > parasite > fighter programs (XF-85 Goblin, F-84 FICON and Tip-Tow), and was > the first > aircraft to carry a working nuclear reactor aloft (NB-36). > > It starred with Jimmy Stewart and Karl Malden in the movie > "Strategic Air > Command." > > There is a preserved example at the Air Force Museum at Wright- > Patt. It's > notable because the plane was moved into position, and then the > original > museum building was built around it. Hence, one room contains the > nose section, > another the wing nacelles, another the tail, and so on. It's one > seriously > large airplane. > > Best regards, > > Ira > > > > ************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all- > new AOL at > http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >