Skunk Works Mailing List
RE: Off-Topic Request
From: Erik Hoel
Subject: RE: Off-Topic Request
Date: Thu, 9 Sep 1999 08:48:11 -0700
Robert Hopkins wrote:
> I received an e-mail that has, frankly, left me skeptical: Some
> RB-36s Peacemakers were painted all black with red tail codes, and
> operated from North Africa on missions along the Turkish-Soviet
> border. During these missions, the RB-36s purportedly overflew the
> USSR, and may have tangled with MiGs. I have found absolutely no
> evidence to corroborate this claim of unique paint scheme or
> overflight in any of the documentation I have uncovered from the Air
> Force overflight programs.
I just happened to be reading the new book on the B-36 entitled "Convair
B-36" by Meyers Jacobsen (large format, thick/huge book, stuffed with
pictures). Despite not having an index, I was able to find some information
related to this question. In one of the chapters detailing Soviet responses
to the B-36, Bill Van Orman (a B-36 tail gunner) detailed a 1956 "border
skirting mission". He states:
"We flew along the Turkish-Russian border for well over 100 miles. I do not
know if we intruded on Russian airspace. I do know that we were very close.
This was in effect a 'thumb your nose at them' mission. I could see MiGs
trying to get up to us, both on radar and visually out of the blisters. They
could not reach us."
This was from a letter dated 8/31/96 to Chuck Hansen.
Given that some of the superfeatherweight B-36s (e.g., 50-1086) reportedly
got up to 59,000, and given the ceilings of the various MiGs of that era
(MiG-15bis 51,500; MiG-17 54,450; MiG-19 57,550), this type of mission
appears doable, though quite risky. Apparently, the B-36s out of Ramey AFB
in Puerto Rico often flew through the Med to Turkey, often landing in either
North Africa or Adona, Turkey.
Regarding the unique paint scheme, I have not yet come across anything like
it.
Erik
--
Erik Hoel mailto:ehoel@esri.com
Environmental Systems Research Institute http://www.esri.com
380 New York Street 909-793-2853 (x1-1548) tel
Redlands, CA 92373-8100 909-307-3067 fax
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Created: Thu Sep 9 12:02:20 EDT 1999