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Blytheville was the only Advanced training base in Arkansas. During its test flight, Boeing was performing tests to show the aircrafts resilience against low-altitude turbulence. A taxi way to the southern end of the apron joins the Blytheville Air Force Base Alert area to the main runway, which allows bombers and tankers with the quickest access to that . After it became operational in 1955, the B-52 remained the main long-range heavy bomber of the U.S. Air Force during the Cold War, and it continues to be an important part of the USAF bomber force today. Arkansas Razorbacks. Places to visit . My father manufactured this and built a front wheel carrier for my motorcycle so I could mount the front wheel and removed the chain and allow the rear wheel to freely roll as we towed it down the road. Jwt708 Well-Known Member. The Air Force packed up and left. This article was made possible by the help of Barrett Harrison, President of the Arkansas Aeroplex, Technical Sergeant Robert Charles, curator of the BAFB Exhibit, many Air Force veterans and the National Cold War Center. The model is on a 1/72 scale with a 26" wingspan. Deactivated at the close of the conflict, the base was reactivated in the 1950s as Blytheville Air Force Base and was renamed Eaker Air Force Base in 1988 . As a kid in nearby Jonesboro, our cub scout pack got to visit what was then Blytheville AFB. BLYTHEVILLE AIR FORCE BASE EXHIBITION. Albums. In 1988, the based was renamed to honor World War II General, Ira C. Eaker. "A B52 with a full nuclear payload, is the seventh most powerful country in the world.". 97th Bomb Wing has a long and honorable history. The Strategic Air Command had reached the end of the road. Club was demolished. Evans was from Osceola AR. Once more, however, the B-52G was called upon for the conventional role during Operation Desert Storm against Iraq in 1991. Formerly the site of family housing for Eaker Air Force Base, Westminster Village is a non-profit community. Blytheville, Walnut Ridge, Grider, Newport, Stuttgart, and Adams Field. By August 1973, they had flown 126,615 combat sorties with 17 B-52s lost to enemy action. Of the 3,778 acres the base is comprised of, two thirds of the land is abandoned. In 1988, the facility was renamed Eaker Air Force Base in honor of World War II General of the Eighth Air Force, Ira C. Eaker. As I recall, crew members were typically on alert for 10 days of every month. Coupled with the more regulation bound USAF of the 1950s, almost no B-36s or B-52s carried nose art, despite a larger "canvas" than the B-29 or B-17. Camo with white under belly North American AGM-28 Hound Dog Missile on display at the Global Power Museum at Barksdale Air Force Base. This gallery is to showcase old photographs from Blytheville, Arkansas. Explore. Donate to our causeCheck out our books! During the second World War, the United States needed more areas to train pilots, and launch aircraft to respond to the threat on the Eastern front. NCO Club. Holes in the roof create entryways for birds and rain. I think it is lost on most Americans that the first time a B-52 was used in actually live combat was in Vietnam and it was the only time a B-52 was lost to enemy fire. Building 1225 is currently registered on the National Register Of Historic Places and is quoted as being the crown jewel of the National Cold War Center campus. Though Phase Two of the project is underway (as of February 2022), there have been no announcements of when the museum will officially open. My USAF service had no connection to the Thunderbirds other than Juliet and I saw this Thunderbird perform at Blytheville Air Force Base Oct 25 1972. If you can make it, even for an hour, we will be glad to have you! 1942-1946, 1953-1992. ADM-20 Quail Decoy used to produce a fake B-52 signature on radar making a single B-52 appear to be as many as eight B-52s causing the Soviets to waste their SAMs chasing the Quails. Blytheville Air Force Base (BAFB) Exhibition: BAFB Exhibition - Blytheville/Eaker AFB - See 9 traveler reviews, 32 candid photos, and great deals for Blytheville, AR, at Tripadvisor. Eaker Air Force Base was home to a group of Strategic Air Command B-52 bombers and more than 3,000 military personnel before closing in 1992. The B-47 Stratojet was slated to be replaced by a mix of both the heavy Stratofortress and the Convair B-58 Hustler high-speed medium bomber. This increased the B-52Gs range over earlier B-52s, though it also added considerable weightone reason why the tail was shortened; to help the heavy bomber get off the ground, the water-injection system already present was increased. The first DC-3s were ordered by the USAAF in 1941 under the designation C-47, but there was no way to predict that simple designation would become a legend, that over 10,000 would be built and that the plane would be listed by General Dwight Eisenhower as one of the four pieces of equipment most vital to our success in Africa and Europe. There were countless modifications to the C-47 fleet, some taking place at the factory and some in the field. The facility now operates as the Arkansas Aeroplex and Arkansas International Airport. I have been to the former base and tarmac many times in the 2010s for Sports Car Club of America events. Home of 96th Bombardment Wing: 1953-1957; 11th . I had a great time and intend to go again next year. The B-52 has set numerous records in its many years of service. All photos (32) Top ways to experience nearby attractions. In June 1975 the aircraft was sent to the 97th Bombardment Wing (H) residing at Blytheville AFB, Arkansas. Looking for someone that served with you? The exhibits are impactful and tell the story of Base history. Washington, DCMay 26, 2020.Today, Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) joined Congressman Rick Crawford (AR-1), Congressman French Hill (AR-2), and Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR-4) in announcing the introduction of legislation to name the Blytheville/Eaker Air Force Base located in Blytheville, Arkansas the "National Cold War Center." The air force base was established in 1942 as a . In July 1991, she was retired, and as one of the Secret Squirrel aircraft, was donated to the Pima Air and Space Museum immediately. No photo description available. Thanks to Dave Howell for posting this photo of Miss Piggy and her crew. All of these were under the Strategic Air Command. Beechcraft AT-10, and Curtiss-Wright AT-9s. On the opening night of the war, a group of B-52s took off from Barksdale AFB, Louisiana and struck targets in Iraq with ALCMs, in a 34-hour nonstop round trip mission, a record that stood until 1996. The aircraft was flown from Castle AFB to Hill AFB, Utah, in its final flight. Dental Clinic. The population suffered as well. This VC-47D had been assigned to the 97th Bomb Wing, Blytheville Air Force Base, Arkansas. At the former Blytheville (Eaker) Air Force Base, now Arkansas International Airport, Delta Air Lines has stored many aircraft because of the downturn of passengers due to the 2020 Corona Virus. Since Eaker Air Force Base went under B.R.A.C. Because it was an Air Force base, the airport has room and facilities that are not available in many other complexes. On 7 July 1971 SACs last C-47 was transferred to the USS Alabama Monument Commission. Blytheville Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base from 1942, until it closed in 1992. Photo by Democrat-Gazette file photo . The Hound Dog was withdrawn in the 1970s and replaced with the AGM-69 SRAM, which could be carried in groups of 20 rather than just two of the huge Hound Dogs. Any monthly plan. It seemed like every morning at 5:00 AM the flight line maintenance crews would fire up some of the airplanes engines. In the Monett City Park is displayed the USAF Thunderbird F-4E Phantom II #3 Jet. I took this from the back seat of the P-51 Mustang Gunfighter. Currently, there is a restoration program working to rebuild and reuse buildings that arent disappearing. It is very possible the paint that is peeling on the walls is lead-based. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. On 16 January 1991, she was one of seven B-52s that would fly from Barksdale to fire cruise missiles at Saddam Hussein's Iraq on the first night of Operation Desert Storm. 4 items. Blytheville, established as lumber mill town in the 1880s, has also served as a center for the cotton-growing industry, a Strategic Air Command (SAC) airbase and a gateway city for the Natural State. Had many good times there. 732 of the aircraft were specifically aerial tankers. The G models were not equipped with the same robust electronic countermeasures suite as the Ds, nor did their crews have the same training. 10 free downloads. Serial Number 61-0023 landed safely in Blytheville. Learn how your comment data is processed. This Abandoned Air Force base is located three miles Northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas. . The aircraft on display saw extensive service in Southeast Asia and was severely damaged by an enemy surface-to-air missile on April 9, 1972. These three 97th BW aircraft were stationed and flown out of Anderson AFB, Guam, as part of the 72nd Strategic Wing (Provisional). "Hoosier Hotshot" was originally applied to a B-17G Flying Fortress of the 91st Bomb Group during World War II, but when SAC began applying nose art to their B-52s, a 97th Bomb Wing B-52G crew reproduced the nose art on 57-6486 as a tribute to the original. This Abandoned Air Force base is located three miles Northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas. Alas LRAFB was where we flew C119s to summer camp, but always hoped foe a fly in there. It was always fascinating to hear stories about how papers were left on desks and furniture left abandoned. Watch. The KC135 fuels other aircraft through an extendable boom on the aft of the aircraft. Touch . I was stationed at 3 bases that closed during this BRAC (Eaker, George and Chanute) and took an early out at the same time (volunteer compensated RIF in 1992). If was really not abandoned til 10 year ago becuae I went to preschool on the base then I got shut down because all of us got sick becuase the heat and air went out. It is the USAFs main aerial fueling aircraft. I only ask that you send older photos (probably sometime before 1970).and they can be of People, Places in Blytheville, and Things. The process is called B.R.A.C.. To differentiate ALCM-equpped B-52Gs from unmodified aircraft, a wing fairing was added solely for the benefit of Soviet reconnaissance satellites, in accordance with arms control treaties. The aircraft on display saw extensive service in Southeast Asia and was severely damaged by an enemy surface-to-air missile on April 9, 1972. My 1972 Suzuki looked exactly like the one in the brochure. In 1988, the facility was renamed Eaker Air Force Base in honor of World War II General of the Eighth Air Force, Ira C. Eaker. There are some items of interest in this photo of things that didn't appear on my uniform. In the years leading up to the reunification of Germany, the U.S. government sought out to begin a process that would eventually end in many bases like Eaker, to be closed. It was also a B-52 that made the first airborne hydrogen bomb drop over Bikini Atoll on May 21, 1956. The pictures and history lesson accompanying are amazing. On January 10th, 1964, a B52H loaned to Boeing by the USAF was testing the structural integrity of, and new technology for the aircraft. (KAIT) - Members of the United States Air Force in Little Rock and Louisiana landed aircraft on the Arkansas Aeroplex on the morning of . It has the exact same problems as the hospital, though both buildings trade off on extremities. . Enter your email address to subscribe to Abandoned Arkansas and receive notifications of new posts by email. All photos. Constructed on former agricultural land, the site was originally activated as the Blytheville Army Airfield in 1942. Suggest edits to improve what we show. On January 31st, 2022, the Arkansas Aeroplex officially announced that work had been started on restoring Building 1225. This is the alert facility, or "mole hole," where bomber and tanker aircraft crew in the Strategic Air Command (SAC; USAF) lived while they were pulling alert duty during the Cold War. The aircraft remained there until November when it was reassigned to the 320th Bombardment Wing (H) at Mather AFB, California. The WASP program tasked select women with many key roles on airfields across the nation. Another part was that the men who had flown in Vietnam and chafed under the official frowning upon of nose art were now the ones in charge. Buildings, schools, hospitals, hotels, restaurants, car . Glad to see the alert pad will be saved. The majority of buildings have suffered the same fate. He told me many stories about the German . By that time, the B-52G had already been tested in combat, with mixed results. 27 items. But it is well-worth the visit. Electrical work and flood damage repair have begun. The War Assets Administration officially closed down the installation in 1946, at which point control and responsibility for the land was transferred to the city of Blytheville. Photo from Facebook. Some commanders, such as General Charles Donnelly in USAFE (no relation to the author) reportedly considered making names and/or nose art on USAFE aircraft a requirement. After it became operational in 1955, the B-52 remained the main long-range heavy bomber of the US Air Force during the Cold War, and it continues to be an important part of the USAF bomber force today. The Air Force needed a long-distance bomber that could travel all the way to the former U.S.S.R., drop a payload on a target and travel back without needing refueling. The airbase was phased out years ago, but Blytheville has emerged as a steel production center and agri-business is strong. Owners of said buildings had big ambitions to renovate and repurpose the old buildings, but either plans never took off or money was tight. In 1988, the facility was renamed Eaker Air Force Base in honor of World War II General of the Eighth Air Force, Ira C. Posted to Facebook by William Travis. [2] In July 1959, the 97th Bombardment Wing subsequently assumed control of the base and brought with it the long-range B-52G bomber and the KC-135A Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft to support bomber operations. The B52 Stratofortress was the answer to all the problems found in the Convair B36 Peacemaker and the B24. May be an image of text that says 'David Pride 2000' No photo description available. KC-135A - 61-0267 - 97th BW, Blytheville Air Force Base by Darren Currie 19 International Air Tattoo 1987 - RAF Fairford. 3 talking about this. During the Korean War, when many USAF units were based in Japan and crews lived with their families, wives got to see up close the often risque nose art their husbands painted on their aircraft--and were not pleased with what they saw. Charles Fisher would forever be known as Mr. Leaving Little Rock as Arkansas only active base. I was stationed at this base in 1972-1976 and worked in the 97th Supply Squadron which is one of the large buildings located near the center of the photo. It was amazing. They could go out of the facility to visit family, go to a movie or the BX, but the whole crew had to go everywhere together. The heavier steel fuel tanks of the tall-tail series were replaced by integral fuel tanks, in which the entire wing served as a tank. As crew chiefs we had all spent many tours in the mole hole. TWS is the largest online community of Veterans existing today and is a powerful Veteran locator. . In December 1972, after being repaired, it flew four additional missions over North Vietnam. Since its organization on 21 March 1946, SAC had continuously used C-47s or Gooney Birds as they were usually called, for support and administrative purposes. Below is my Blytheville Air Force Base token collection. Two B-52G bombers were readied to strike the Soviet Union with nuclear weapons if necessaryfor which the wing received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for its performance during the crisis. The majority of the bases housing is still in use, a few buildings are in use, and the tarmac is now the Arkansas Aeroplex. U.S. Gosnell appears right center of the photo.. Today it is the headquarters for the group that runs the old base for civilian use and the aircraft are: I was promoted to Staff Sergeant after 37 months of active duty plus 5 months delayed enlistment program. Any and all donations are appreciated. by Ryan Nix, Photos by Jamison Mosley. B.R.A.C. In its prime, it housed over 3,000 service members, and a whole fleet of Strategic Air Command B52 BUFF Stratofortresses. The effect on the neighboring towns of Gosnell and Blytheville the closure had on were tremendous. Ash. The B-52 is one of the few planes I remember Dad talking about during his career at Hill Air Force Base. Doors and numerous truckloads of metal were being hauled off the alert pad. Eaker AFB was selected for closure under the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round of 1991. 766 th BS headquarters. Many times I stopped what I was doing and watched the full power, roaring and smoke trailing takeoffs. A B52 with a full nuclear payload, is the seventh most powerful country in the world.. This facility trained Army Air Cadets on Beechcraft AT-10 Wichita advanced trainer planes to learn to fly North American B-25 Mitchell bombers in all theaters of World War 2. Notable people who were stationed at the base durring this time include Carl Jr. and Frank . Veteran C. Young. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. The first of 12 model aircrafts that were once housed at the Blytheville Air Force Base (later Eaker Air Force Base) was delivered on Wednesday to the exhibition building. The KC135, along with the B52 is one of the only fixed wing aircraft with over fifty years of service. On January 18, 1957, three B-52Bs completed the first non-stop round-the-world flight by jet aircraft, lasting 45 hours and 19 minutes and requiring only three aerial refuelings. An exploration of the base's history and its impact on the community. Ritz. [4], It is a 247 acres (100ha) historic district which included 23 contributing buildings, 33 contributing structures, two contributing sites, a contributing object, as well as two non-contributing buildings. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. machine guns in tail plus up to 60,000+ lbs. at the old Blytheville Air Force Base now called the Blytheville Aeroplex where the city is planning to invest $20 million . It was also a B-52 that made the first airborne hydrogen bomb drop over Bikini Atoll on May 21, 1956. Like the Arc Light strikes of Vietnam, Iraqi forces on the ground could not hear or see B-52s before they struck. thrust each. Transferred from the 97th Bomb Wing at Blytheville Air Force Base, Arkansas, this aircraft was flown to the Museum in November 1978. In 1972, all of the bombers were temporarily moved to Guam before being returned to Blytheville AFB, at which time the installation resumed normal functions. In 1990, Blythevilles population was 23,443. action specifically caters to closures and revitalization of U.S. military bases. At the height of the Cold War, Eaker Air Force Base was home to the 97th Bombardment Wing, the 42nd Air Division, the 97th Air Refueling Squadron, the 97th Supply Squadron, the 97th Organizational Maintenance Squadron, the 820th Medical Group, and many more. Armament: Four defensive .50-cal. Louisiana was the aircraft's next stop when in May 1974 it was transferred to the 2nd Bombardment Group (H) at Barksdale AFB. Thanks VetFriends. Pictures, photos and images from Blytheville, AR. Today the base is mostly in a decrepit state of disrepair. Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment 3. The Cold War had come to and end. Many buildings are gone, and will continue to disappear. After World War II the C-47s were used in the Berlin Airlift, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Though, due to high traffic in that area, the aircraft had to change its course and headed for Blytheville Air Force Base instead. Officers Club. BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. [1], On 15 July 1955, the facility was reopened as Blytheville Air Force Base (AFB), when the 461st Bombardment Wing was moved from Hill Air Force Base in Utah. I thanked my dad for my upbringing. "Valkyrie" shows one of Norse mythology's legendary "choosers of the slain" in full armor on horseback, with her shield a SAC emblem and carrying SAC's red lightning bolts in her other hand--which is pretty inventive. Posted on Facebook by Michael Meagher, Photographer unknown. Today it is 14,011. Gosnell reported losing over half its students. The Blytheville Air Force Base Exhibition, a part of the National Cold War Center, is a permanent exhibit that showcases the air base and the people that lived and worked there. During Eaker's height, Blytheville was roughly the same size as Jonesboro, Smith said. The B-52G entered service in February 1959, and eventually 193 would be built, making it the most produced B-52 variant. Evans at Blytheville air show in 1980. Airmen from the 97th Bombardment Wing lost their lives and their photos appear on the lonely memorial at their abandoned base in Blytheville; Lt Col Keith R Heggen was in "Olive1", (now buried at Arlington Nat'l Cemetery) Lt Col Donald L Rissi, 1st LT Robert J Thomas and Msgt Walter L Ferguson were in "Charcoal 1" Major Bobby A Kirby, Capt Randall J Craddock, Capt George B Lockhart, Capt Ronald D Perry and 1st Lt Charles E Darr were in "Tan 3". (USAF Museum Official Website), Objects and images related to Blytheville Air Force Base, aka Eaker Air Force Base, The patch for the 340th Bomb Squadron assigned to the 97th Bomb Wing, Blytheville Air Force Base aka Eakers Air Force Base. The B-52 Stratofortress force had always been intended to be supplemented by newer designs, allowing older types and eventually the B-52 itself to be retired. I was stationed there from 1966-69. And in 1991, Eaker Air Force Base was on the top of the list. On Jan. 18, 1957, three B-52Bs completed the first non-stop round-the-world flight by jet aircraft, lasting 45 hours and 19 minutes and requiring only three aerial refuelings. ", From: www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/facility/bomber_alert.htm. Far in the northeast corner of Arkansas, five miles west of the Mississippi River, the city of Blytheville remembers a prosperous past while hoping for a bright future. Whether it be by the hand of the elements, or by deconstruction due to safety issues.
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