Dyess AFB Linear Air Park

[jinxx1]

Seriously.

The hun looks weird to me though. What model is it?

It is an F-100C, serial number 54-1752. For some reason it has always been painted as 1753.

Here is a shot of it at MASDC in 1979 still in NM Guard markings.

[Cobrahistorian]

It is an F-100C, serial number 54-1752. For some reason it has always been painted as 1753.

Here is a shot of it at MASDC in 1979 still in NM Guard markings.

I'll have to do some digging, but I believe that is one of the Huns that the 188th TFS took to Vietnam when they were mobilized in 1968. A National Guard Vietnam combat bird! That's pretty rare!!!!!

Jon

[jinxx1]

I'll have to do some digging, but I believe that is one of the Huns that the 188th TFS took to Vietnam when they were mobilized in 1968. A National Guard Vietnam combat bird! That's pretty rare!!!!!

Jon

More than likely it was in 'Nam. Most of the Cs at MASDC in the late 70s were 188th TFS, as was 752. Bits and pieces of 188th birds are still on the Oscuro bombing range.

[mhoupt]

I asked about the paint job, and he told me it was redone in 2007 using latex! He doesn't like it either, but is hoping for a decent paint job next time. I'd love to help!

Mark,

What are you painting those other aircraft with? They look fantastic and I am thinking a few people here at a local museum can take a few lessons, starting with the right paint not bought at Walmart.

Mark

[ThePhantomTwo]

They picked up quite a few more aircraft since I left Dyess in 1987,and they are keeping them in better condition now as well.I remember they had the F-84F and the F-101 near the O'Club and the F-89 and the C-47 in front/to the side of the Headquarters building.The majority of the displays back then just sat off the side of the road coming from the main gate,the larger(B-52,B-47,B-17,KC-97) ones were located at the intersection not to far from the main gate and the rest were before the traffic circle/roundabout.Back then they were just shoved off the road into the dirt.

I do remember climbing around in the B-52 several times,kids would bust off the padlock at night and use it for a drinking hang out,when I would do base patrol with LE,I'd always have who I partnered with stop at the BUFF and clear the kids out of there and get another lock on it.The museum should also have my dad's old C-47 astrocompass and some of his tech manuals(I probably should have kept it in hindsight) but I'm not holding my breath,I heard some years back that one of the volunteers ran off with a bunch of stuff for the aircraft/museum and sold the stuff he took before he got caught.

[BAM'n'IVM]

RF-86F 42-4492 is now at Wright-Patt:

I thought there was an RF-80 as well, but that was a long time ago so I am not sure.

Man, she's lookin' GOOD! Last time I saw that aircraft the wings were off and the rear fuselage was sitting on a shipping pallet beside the front section. Glad to hear that none of them seem to have gone to the scrap heap.

I can't remember if there was an RF-80 either, now that you mention it...

[Aggressor Supporter]

That RF-86 Sabre looks very good. Question for anyone who would know, did the RF-86 pack the guns internal guns too or did they take them out?

[jinxx1]

That RF-86 Sabre looks very good. Question for anyone who would know, did the RF-86 pack the guns internal guns too or did they take them out?

The RF-86 did not pack heat. The gun troughs are just painted on to give the impression of a regular F-86.

Once again, I want to thank Mark for starting this thread. It was nice to see the airpark as it is today. Any more photos?

[boeing767mech]

Wow how things have changed. I found some pictures in my basement of the F-104 when it was silver and the B-52 when they towed it out to the main gate before they moved it closer to the base. To bad the pictures where moldy and waterlogged from the basement getting flooded this winter.

David

former Dyess AFB military brat.

[carlizle84]

It did indeed sit where the FB-111 is now. They pulled the EB-66 back there in 2005 when they retired The Star of Abilene. They cut down a bunch of mesquite trees back and bulldozed a road back there to pull the B-1 through the woods instead of trying to move it across base to the front gate. Believe me, it was really strange watching a B-1 being pulled through the woods, especially how rough it is back there between the bomb dump where I worked and the hospital. After they pulled the Star back there, they towed the EB-66 there, and it's sat there since then.

Not in the Air Park! This is an RB-66B, s/n 53-0466. Lot's of history too! I've read it was on display at Pima, then Bergstrom AFB, and when that place closed it moved to Dyess. As I understand it, it used to sit where the F-111A is now. For some time (longer than I've been at Dyess - 2007 - it has sat in a field west of the clinic rotting. I've heard they want to clean it up and put it back on display, but they don't have the money. Makes sense. If anyone has a display photo at Dyess (or other bases) I'd love to see them. This is the only one I've found. (Open it and scroll down a bit.)

http://www.b66.info/EB-66-photos.htm

Here are some of the shots I took today. BTW, I would not recommend anyone who is not familiar with Dyess go driving around trying to find this aircraft. The SPs would have a fit.

[Steve jahn]

I thought the F-104 looked familiar. I have a photo of it on my wall.Back in 1977 that aircraft was at a local Mall in Bradenton Florida. It was being used as a recruiting tool that was moved around on a flat bed truck.It was modified so it could be taken apart very easily. It actually got me started on thinking of joining the USAF, which I did.

Steve

[Hawk10]

I'm glad the A-26 looks so good - I was involved getting that thing down to Dyess after we discovered that it had a busted LH rear spar - the guy who owned it was a chiropractor in Topeka and had bought an old FAA C-47 and swapped it to Texas Instruments for two highly modified On-Mark A-26s (both had the biggest, ugliest radomes on them and were used for development of the B-1 ground avoidance radar). Anyway we made a repair built out of 3/8" steel plate,a whole bunch of 1/4" An nuts, bolts and washers and 2 really big AN bolts and shipped it south on a ferry permit. In return we got an airworthy A-26 which the Atomic Energy Commission had given Dyess for restoration for display. We also worked a deal to replace the both the low time props and engines (IIRCC they had between 200 and 250 hrs since overhaul) with runout props and engines (in addition we got to take parts which would not be noticed as a display a/c (eg flap motor, oil coolers etc). Unfortunately that particular a/c flew into the top of a mountain on Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico a bunch of years later.

[B1crewdawg21]

This is in response to the RB66. I got tired of seeing the RB sitting back there rotting away while I used it for my annual CDDAR exercises so I asked my CC to bring up the idea to the MXG CC of us towing it over to our sheetmetal shop to be repaired. Boy I didn't know what I got me and my guys into.... We removed both wings and today we actually towed it over to the fab shop. We are estimating 10 months to refurbish. Then she can take her place at the museum where she belongs.

[Kevan Vogler]

Those are all great pics.

I still find it incredibly jarring to see a B-1 in a museum.

[Litvyak]

That last one is a great shot of the Hun, indeed! Looks like she's just about to leap into the air of her own accord!

[SteveV22FE]

This is in response to the RB66. I got tired of seeing the RB sitting back there rotting away while I used it for my annual CDDAR exercises so I asked my CC to bring up the idea to the MXG CC of us towing it over to our sheet metal shop to be repaired. Boy I didn't know what I got me and my guys into.... We removed both wings and today we actually towed it over to the fab shop. We are estimating 10 months to refurbish. Then she can take her place at the museum where she belongs.

I was in the 40th when they did the restoration on the RB-66 in 94/95!

I can't believe they pushed that aircraft in a field to be left to the element. Well, I am glad to hear that it is getting another redux!

Edited October 12, 2012 by SteveV22FE

[phasephantomphixer]

A few things if I remember to ask; Considering the age of this post, what paint was used for the NM A/C? If known, it should be advised of use to other museums. And how does it still look today? If anyone there (Dyess) can get the time, submit a detail walk around of the C-7 please?! Certainly one not seen often. Also some closeups of the RATO's on that Herk? With the painting of the F-4, the history of it would be motivating to make it as exactly as it looked (camo pattern, etc.) when it scored the last kill of the war. If it has to be done with Latex due to environmental restrictions, a trick the New Orleans Cajuns did for the A-10 "Camel Jockey" was took the FS color deck down to the Sherwin Williams dealer and had the colors matched. Then for soft edge camo it was best applied with rollers if no sprayer available. It does look brilliant the first few weeks, but tends to weather in nicely. And gives some good protection.