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Update for the Strategic Air and Space Museum


gwb123
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The Strategic Air and Space Museum (commonly called the SAC museum around here) seems to be constantly working on upgrading it's exhibits.

 

Two things stand out.

 

Out front, on Missile Row, there have always been an Atlas, Thor, and a sounding rocket. There was an additional pedistal that has been empty for years.

 

That spot has now been filled by a fully restored Snark missile.

 

http://en.wikipedia....i/Snark_(rocket)

 

It was considered a land launched cruise missile, although far less sophisticated than today's weapons. It's reliability was problematic. It was in service from 1958 to 1961 and only deployed to a base in Maine.

 

I'd seen photos of this before, but never realized how big these things actually are. It is 67 feet long with a wingspan of 42 feet. This makes it as large as many of the aircraft of its time. (note the size of the park benches and the fire hydrant in the photos.)

 

Apparently only 30 were operationally deployed (not counting test models), and 5 survive today.

 

The restoration work is excellent... the missile looks like it is ready to launch.

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A real star of the museum is their fully restored B-29, painted in the guise of Lucky Lady.

 

They have been working on this aircraft for a number of years, and it was interesting to look into the restoration area and see it both disassembled and reassembled piece by piece.

 

To make room for the B-29, the museum's RAF Vulcan bomber has been moved to outside storage.

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Detail shots of the B-29. The've left a stair case in front of the aircraft so you can view the "front office" including the Norden Bombsight. (Unfortunately with glare off the plexiglass, the bombsight did not photograph very well.)

 

Even with restoration, the engine cowlings show the effects of use and wear.

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The museum has a program to boost attendance where they open up select aircraft so that visitors may view the interior.

 

This is the cockpit of their immaculate HU-16 rescue amphibian.

 

Aside from rescue duties these were also used for clandestine missions as well.

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Next up for the restoration gallery... a C-54.

 

I just finished reading an account of the Berlin Airlift (Those Magnificent Men) which described that the C-54 could carry 3 times the cargo of the C-47's that were initially used. The USAF and USN basically recalled all C-54's from as far away as Japan to supplement the airlift.

 

Here you can see the derelict condition some of these aircraft are in when they begin the restoration process.

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Hiding on the far side of the restoration gallery is a MIG-21 with a truly mysterious past.

 

It is very possible that this was one of the MIG-21's used by the Red Eagles of the 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron under Constant Peg.

 

This was basically augmenting pilot training by using a live squadron of Warsaw Pact aircraft that had been "borrowed" and salvaged from around the world.

 

The very last chapter of the book "Red Eagles" mentions a MIG-21 that was consigned to the musuem area at Offutt, AFB after Constat Peg was shut down. This is very likely that same aircraft.

 

The museum notes on this aircraft are somewhat sparse, noting only that it was delivered in 1990, previoiusly with North Vietnamese Air Force markings.

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Having lived through the nuclear years of the Cold War, the Strategic Air and Space Museum is always a fascinating trip for me. If you happen to be crossing Nebraska this year on I-80, it is a mere 10 minutes off the road in Ashland, NE. It is worth a good 2-4 hour stop, and they are very active in having special exhibits that augment the permanent aircraft on display.

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