I really believe General Lemay would possibly have backed the B-58 if the engineers could have figured out a way to do side by side seating for the pilot and co-pilot – Boeing finalized the B-52 build contract only by converting the prototype inline seating to side by side – General Lemay was a fan of side by side seating and when Boeing changed the design he was all in for it . . .
I have been to the SAC museum multiple times – and when it was all out in the open at Offutt Air Force Base – and the open house days once a year? – glorious – you got to crawl around in the aircraft – the B-36 was the star of the show – they would set up two sets of steps – one into the aft compartment and one into the nose – and if you wanted to you could get on the dolly and airmen would crank you 80 feet down the tube from one end to the other – almost too much fun!
Couldn’t possibly do that tube ride today – liability and all that shit – Oh Well . . .
The museum at Ashland? – I do admit that “Greased Lightning” looks a lot better all cleaned up and out of the weather . . .
Have Fun! – Run the Gun! – and remember – Fish Heads are Cheap!!
. . . and for you folks that like to read – here’s a couple of links – some short stories from Phil Rowe HERE – and some of Phil’s longer stories HERE – and here’s a bonus pic for YOU if you read “At The Klaxon’s Call”
Filled up and drank out of in officer’s clubs at many bases – this old stein is literally a world traveler! – it’s now leading a life of quiet retirement on the shelf in the buffet . . .
Guns, Fun, Food and More 