The Fastest Plane On Earth and The Pilots Who Flew Them

Tucson, Arizona (68 degrees, blue skies)

John proudly served in the Air Force from 1974-1996.  He was really excited to be able to visit the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson.  There are over 300 Aircraft spread out over 80 acres to view.  Some are on display in the hangers and most are outside.  All branches of service are represented and their were many volunteers around to answer any questions that you might have.  We especially liked to ease drop on the conversation of the visitors as they told their family or friends about their experience. 

It costs $15.50/person (senior/military discounts available) to tour.  We had purchased earlier a great coupon book from the Tucson visitor center that is full of buy one, get one free coupons.  If you are in the Tucson area be sure to pick one up.  They are only $15 and most attractions in the surrounding area participate.

Aerial View

The fastest plane on earth was on display and it was the star attraction this weekend. 

SR 71

This plane was requested to be built by the CIA during Johnson's administration and was secret until 1982.  It still holds the world speed and altitude record and routinely flew at the speed of MACH 3 (approximately 1980 mph). It flew at an altitude of over 85,000 feet. It can fly across the country from Washington DC to Las Angeles in 1 hour in 4 minutes.  Incredible!

The pilots and crew of the SR 71 were here for a special event over the weekend.  They held a panel discussion and talked about their experiences flying and maintaining this aircraft.  It was a fascinating discussion.  They are true heroes and seemed very proud of their service to our country.  One pilot said that 100,00 square miles could be photographed in an hour.  These planes were used for recognisance and were not used in battle.  It just flew too quickly.  SR 17 flew at a speed faster than the bullets it shot. 

Pictured below are a few examples of the planes we saw.  The descriptions come from their website and information John told me. 

Bell Iroquois

This is best-known helicopter in the world. It was made famous by its use in Vietnam. Versions of the Huey remain in both military and civil service today.

F-14 Tomcat

The famous Top Gun fighter plane was also on display.  It is a beauty and my favorite.  The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin engine, two seat fighterr aircraft.  It was developed by the US Navy designed for air combat against MIG fighters during the Vietnam War.   

 

There were several aircraft that had been painted by artists for a special display .

C-141 Star Lifter

We have a friend from our first NOMADS project that used to fly this type of plane.  The Starlifters saw extensive service in Vietnam. A few C-141s were built with stronger airframes to allow them to carry the Minuteman missile. After a short time in service it was found that the C-141 ran out of room in the cargo bay before it reached its maximum carrying weight and it was decided to lengthen the aircraft by 23 feet and add aerial refueling capability. One by one the Starlifters returned to Lockheed to be cut open and have two extra fuselage sections inserted, one in front of the wing and one behind it. The newly lengthened aircraft were called C-141B. The Starlifter has continued to serve in the U.S. Air Force up to the early 2000s. 

B-52

The "Big Belly" modifications resulted in the ability to carry 108 conventional bombs both internally and externally. This means this aircraft could carry 54,000 pounds of bombs, roughly the equivalent of three World War Two B-17s. B-52s dropped thousands of tons of bombs on targets in Vietnam becoming the symbol of American air power during that war.

John's first job in the Air Force was painting aircraft.  This style of plane was one that he frequently painted.

Rescue Helicopters

There were many styles of rescue helicopter on display.  It is humbling to think about the many lives they must have saved or provided assistance

Sikorsky CH-54A Tarhe or Skycrane

The CH-54 served through the last years of the Vietnam War and finally left military service in the early 1990s. Many surplus Skycranes have found new uses in civilian hands being widely used for fighting forest fires and as heavy lift aircraft for erecting electrical towers and in the timber industry.

Gryphon Cruise Missile

The Gryphon is a mobile Ground Launched Cruise Missile (GLCM) designed to serve as a tactical nuclear weapon in Europe. In 1987, the United States and the Soviet Union entered into the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty that called for the elimination of the Gryphon and similarly ranged Soviet missiles. This treaty marked the first ever reduction in nuclear forces. The last of them were deactivated in 1991

B-25 Mitchell

The B-25 is perhaps the most successful American medium bomber of World War II. It served in every theater of the war, with all branches of the U.S. military and with several allied air forces. It is most famous as the type of aircraft flown by the Doolittle Raiders from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet in early 1942.

B-36 Peacemaker

The B-36 is the largest bomber and the last piston engine powered bomber produced by the United States. First designed to meet a World War II requirement for a plane capable of hitting targets in Germany from bases in the United States. The development of the atomic bomb led the Air Force to conclude that it still needed a very long-range bomber capable of delivering the bombs over intercontinental ranges and production of the B-36 was continued despite the end of the war a year earlier.

We'd recommend this museum to anyone who is visiting in the Tucson area.  It was so interesting. In addition, there is also a tram that has narrated tours for an additional cost.  During the week there is a "bone yard" tour for an additional fee that takes you out to the Air Force Base to see more planes that have been retired from service.

Visiting the museum made me even more proud of John's service.  Thank a service man or woman today.