After we’d had a good look around inside the three hangars we decided to take a look outside. This was one of the first aircraft we came across. It has particular significance for me as it was the first jet aircraft I ever flew in. At the time I was a bit disappointed. By then (around 1969 I think) the English Electric Canberra seemed to me to be really old – about 17 years old (the same age as I was) and I’d been hoping to fly in one of the more modern jets (in retrospect I realize that, other than the Harrier, there weren’t any more modern British jets. I guess it was more that I wanted to fly in a fighter aircraft than a, to me, old bomber). I didn’t realize until much later just what a remarkable aircraft the Canberra is (I say ‘is’ because as you’ll read below NASA still flies two of them).

According to the Museum’s website (which also provides technical specifications):

Courtesy of the National Museum of the United States Air Force

During the Korean War, the U.S. Air Force wanted a jet-powered tactical bomber replacement for the piston-powered Douglas A-26/B-26 Invader. In order to expedite the process, the Air Force placed an order with English Electric for the British “Canberra.” But due to the fact that plane production for RAF took precedence, the Air Force then contracted with the Martin Company to build the Canberra under license making the this one of the few foreign aircraft designs adopted for operational use by the United States. Two Canberras were purchased from English Electric for Martin for evaluation. Martin made several modifications to the British design and replaced the Rolls Royce Avon engines with more powerful Wright J-65 turbojets.

The B-57A made its first flight in July, 1953 and by the time production ended in 1959, 403 of all versions were built. It adapted readily to various roles including testing the unusual Low Altitude Bombing System (LABS), or “toss bombing,” for nuclear weapons. Despite its initial World War II technology, B-57’s served with distinction with the USAF for more than three decades. Planned to be retired in the late 1950’s, a series of crises keep the Canberra in the Air Force inventory, including service throughout the Vietnam War, up to 1983.

While only eight B-57A bombers were made, the Museum’s Canberra is one of 67 photo reconnaissance RB-57A versions built with cameras installed aft of the bomb bay. After the RB-57A was replaced in the USAF by 1958, several planes were converted to EB-57A versions with electronic countermeasure equipment to act as aggressors against North American Air Defense Command radar detection sites to train the air defense units to detect electronic warfare threats. Most of the RB-57A’s transferred to Air National Guard units and were used for photographic surveys of the United States until 1971.

Two WB-57F’s still fly today with NASA for weather and environmental study nearly 60 years after the plane first flew. The plane was chosen for its high-altitude and all-weather capabilities, ability to fly day and night, and its 2,500 mile range.

Taken with a Sony RX-100 M3.

This was without a doubt the star of the show. It has an entire hangar to itself and it really is quite impressive, even if for some strange reason it seemed smaller than I thought it would be.

According to the Museum’s website (which also provides technical specifications):

The B-29 was a four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing for long distance and high altitude operation for use by the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II. It was first flown in September, 1942 and was the most advanced bomber of its era. Features included a pressurized cabin, an electronic fire-control system and remote controlled machine gun turrets. A total of 3,970 planes were built by Boeing in Wichita, Kansas and Renton, Washington, Bell Aircraft in Georgia, and the Glenn L. Martin Co. in Nebraska with production ending in 1946.

The “Superfortress” was primarily used in the Pacific War, culminating in its use in the dropping of the world’s first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August, 1945 which led to the surrender of Japan and the end of World War II.

After the war, B-29’s were used for in-flight refueling, anti-submarine patrol, weather reconnaissance, and search and rescue. The planes and crews were again called into service in the Korea Conflict between 1950 and 1953 and battled the new foes of jet fighters and electronic weapons. The final B-29 left service in September, 1960. There are now two one flying B-29 example remains, “Fifi,” which is operated by the Commemorative Air Force based in Addison, Texas, and “Doc,” restored and operated by Doc’s Friends, a non-profit based in Wichita, Kansas.

Our B-29 is the centerpiece of the Museum’s 58th Bomb Wing Memorial exhibit. The 58th Bombardment Wing merits an elite place in American history having played a key role in the defeat of the Japanese Empire in World War II. Starting in Kansas where they tested and trained to fly the B-29, a new and unproven aircraft, to the final bombing mission against Japan, they proved their courage and dedication in the most difficult of conditions — conquering the searing heat of India, “flying the hump” over the perilous Himalayas, operating from forward bases in China, and finally on the Pacific island of Tinian — to defeat a fierce and determined enemy.

Taken with a Sony RX-100 M3.

According to the Museum’s website (which also provides technical specifications):

Gift of Goodyear

The Museum’s control car is from airship K-28, one of 134 K-category airships built by Goodyear in Akron, OH between 1938 and 1944 for the purposes of anti-submarine patrol and convoy protection, mine sweeping, search and rescue and photography.

Only four “K” ships were available for operations at the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. K-28 was delivered to the U.S. Navy at Lakehurst, NJ in December 1942 and was assigned to Blimp Squadron ZP-14. The fleet of reliable blimps was steadily increased to a strength of over 15 squadrons, and were used along the U.S. east and west coastal waters, the South American coast, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and later in the war included one stationed in French Morocco, North Africa, protecting the waters of the Mediterranean.

… The upper portion of the blimp was called the envelop and was an elongated balloon made of three ply cotton fabric impregnated with rubber or neoprene and coated on the inside with paraffin. It was non-rigid, with no internal support, and measured 252 feet long and was inflated with non-flammable helium. The fabric alone weighed over three tons. The nose was reinforced externally with 24 spruce ribs (or battens) which radiated outward and rearward from the eight foot diameter nose cone which also contained the mooring attachment mechanism.

Post-WWII, Goodyear purchased and converted six K-class airships including K-28, along with seven L-class airships, from the Government to resume its fleet operations. Renamed the “Puritan,” it became the prototype to test a programmable light display system to be used to display advertising. Due to the weight of the light system, the interior was stripped of all none-essential equipment.

The control car was in this stripped state when the Museum received it with 90% of its original equipment missing. The restoration commenced in 1993 and searches were made for any plans, but when none were found, parts needed were drawn up and fabricated from photographs. To date, 14,000 hours have been spent on the project, which is still ongoing.

The effort has been worth it as this is the only World War II style K-ship control car in the world.

Taken with a Sony RX-100 M3.

As you can see this is an exhibit on the ‘Airship Era’. One thing in particular fascinated both of us. The top border is entitled “A Sense of Scale”. It contains a series of images. Second from the right you can see “The Hindenburg”. Right next to it is “The Titanic”! I had no idea of just how large some of these airships were. For another comparison look to the far left where you’ll see a “Boeing 747”, much much smaller than “The Hindenburg”.

Taken with a Sony RX100 M3.

According to the Museum’s website (which also provides technical specifications):

The R-4 was the world’s first production helicopter and is the offspring of Igor Sikorsky’s famed VS-300 which flew in 1940. After an initial prototype was built and flown in January, 1942, 30 were built for test use by the U.S. Army Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and the British Royal Navy. One went to Burma for hot weather operations and another to Alaska for cold weather trials. Results were highly successful and the USAAF ordered another 100. The first to enter combat served with Philip Cochran’s 1st Air Commando Group.

The Hoverfly was built at the Sikorsky factory in Bridgeport, CT and this R-4 served as a test aircraft at Sikorsky.

Taken with a Sony RX-100 M3.