After World War II, General Curtis LeMay created something the world had never seen before: an air force powered by all-jet engines that was capable of nuclear and conventional warfare at high altitude or low level. The Strategic Air Command, or SAC, flown and maintained by trained professionals, was dedicated to the preservation of peace. The general led SAC from 1948 to 1957.
Abysmal Start
When General LeMay took over the just-birthed SAC in 1948, the fledgling outfit was a terrible mess. The accident rate of SAC that year was over 60 per 100,000 flight hours, which by any count is atrocious. People were leaving SAC as fast as they joined. Morale was miserable, and living quarters for single and married folks were terrible.
One quick significant measure of LeMay's success was a total turnaround in the flight safety record, which plummeted to about 9 per 100,000 hours by the end of 1956. Why? Because he cared. He called the wing commander and went over every accident in detail. It was uncomfortable, but it worked. LeMay developed an aircraft preflight checklist so that every aircraft commander inspected his aircraft before every flight, and each flight crewmember did the same with his own workstation areas and instrumentation. And those checklists were detailed. (I know, because I was the navigator aboard the B-52Ds flying combat missions over North Vietnam in 1972)
One may begin to see that what made SAC the most powerful air force was creativity, innovation, continued re-invention of "what's good enough," and General LeMay's incredible hard work ethic and demands for perfection-both of his people and of himself. But this tells only part of the story.
World War II & the Berlin Airlift
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Keeping 'em Flying!- The new generation of warbird pilots, restorers and mechanics
The new generation of warbird pilots, restorers and mechanics. Nearly 80 years after the end of World War II, the fighters, bombers, and trainers that defended freedom continue to enthrall and inspire audiences at airshows, thanks to generations of warbird pilots, maintainers, restoration specialists and collectors. In our September, 2022 issue we introduced you to the young warbird pilots, maintainers and restorers who are already beginning to displace more "experienced" warbird fliers and fixers.
The Corsair Maker- Bringing the Vought Corsair to the fleet was a daunting challenge that spanned nearly three years.
When the first production Corsairs exited the Stratford factory in June 1942, Guyton, as seen here, was tapped to manage the flight and production test program. Armament was improved to six wing-mounted .50s, displacing the wing fuel tanks now placed forward of the cockpit which necessarily was moved rearward by 32 inches. Overall length was increased, armor plate added, landing, arresting and tail gear improved, aileron control enhanced, and a new version of the R2800 engine was incorporated. But those significant improvements unearthed numerous idiosyncrasies that would take an extended period to make the Corsair acceptable for carrier operations
STARFIRES Over Korea
F-94 pilots tangle with MiGs
Training Mission
BY THE TIME THIS TRAINING SCENE WAS RECORDED in Canne, Italy, in July 1944, Allied Yugoslavian airmen had several years of experience working side by side with the RAF.
KC-46A PEGASUS
Next generation aerial refueler
"SATAN'S ANGELS" ACE - Tales from a P-38 pilot in the South Pacific
\"AS A KID GROWING UP on the bow of my father's tugboat, hauling oil from Seattle to Alaska, I had a lot of time on my hands.
WACO YKC - Stunning and Ultra Rare Golden Age Cabin Flier
BETWEEN THE IMPLEMENTATION of the Air Commerce Act of 1926 and December 31, 1948, all U.S. registered flying machines sported an N-number, much as they do today, the \"N\" being an internationally recognized identifier for the United States. During that period, however, an additional letter-identifier followed the \"N.\" Depending on their category, they were registered in the NC (Commercial), NG (Glider), NL (Limited), NR (Restricted, usually meaning race airplanes), NS (State government), and, finally, NX (experimental).
BADER'S HURRICANES
Double amputee fighter ace Douglas Bader and his Battle of Britain Hurricanes
Scourge of the Allied Fighters
IT HAD TO BE THE MOST HELPLESS FEELING in the world: you're at 25,000 feet over Europe knowing that your primary function is to drop bombs-or flying escort for the bombers while being a slow-moving target for some of the world's finest shooters. However, you have John Browning's marvelous .50 caliber invention to give some degree of protection. Unfortunately, you're absolutely helpless against flak. Piloting and gunnery skills play no role in a game where sheer chance makes life and death decisions. For that reason, the Krupp 88 mm Flak 18/36/37 AA cannon could be considered WW II's ultimate stealth fighter. You never saw it coming.
ZERO MYTH, MYSTERY, AND FACT
A test pilot compares the A6M5 Zero to U.S. fighters
