For The Latest Updates To This Site See:……………
Apr 02, 2013 Added a sequel to “[ Stories Page" item 5 a ]
Jan 23, 2013 Added new page ["Ft Walton Reunion 2014"]
The swept-wing, multi-jet engine design of the Boeing B-47 Stratojet bomber provided a model for commercial jet airliners from the time of its introduction in the late 1940s through the 1960s. Commercial aircraft such as the Boeing 707, the Boeing 747 and the Douglas DC-8 owe their aerodynamic profiles to this Cold War bomber.
Soon after forming the Association, we decided to make an Internet Presence and became the B-47.Com to allow our membership a means of fellowship connection as well to inform the Internet community and general public of our place in history while proudly serving our nation during the Cold War.
To Navigate through this Internet Site use the page options listed below the picture that appears at the top or side of each page. To see other options and links click on the ‘Front Page’ or other links throughout this site. I use Adobe PDF Files extensively on this Site. I suggest you might consider updating your Adobe Reader, or If you need the Adobe Reader get it here free. –> Adobe Reader
Jim Diamond is currently maintaining this site. Please direct any suggestions, comments, or questions on or about this site please post a comment on the site or e-mail me at: imjackd@gmail.com
The B-47 STRATOJET ASSOCIATION Feb 21, 2002
has an exempt status under section 501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code as an organization described in section 501 (C) (3).
Anyone desiring any information on the B-47 STRATOJET ASSOCIATION about the above exempt status should contact:
Dick Curran, Treasurer
219 Charles Court
Danridge, TN 37725-3333 Home Phone Number (865) 940 1020
Is it possible to get a copy of a specific B-47 crash accident report? If so, where?
Thanks.
William; We do have a summary of some but not every one of the crash/accident reports. Send me the tail number, date or location of any you are interested in seeing. My e-mail address is on the first page of this site.
Mr Ferreria; did you know about the crash on take off during an O.R.I of a fully loaded B-47 at Dyess About 1961?. I was a crew cheif and my plane was two
behind his. I know more about this incident.
Thanks for this site, this has provided me some invaluable information for my research project. I wish I knew about it earlier for I would like to get a first-hand account of these wonderful pieces of Cold War Technology. I have been sure to cite your website properly and to only use what has been on the website as an information section of sorts and not any comments or related posts. This site has been a life-saver and I give the association and its affiliates full credit and such for all of its information used on this aircraft and saving my project from an untimely demise (lol).
Thank you,
I purchased a negative of the 307th’s #6244 ” The Lady” upon its arrival at W-Pat. She still bears the 307th markings. As you already known she was the last B-47 made. The 307 bomb wing website has all the back story on her. My father was in the 370th and 371st. I would like to send you a digital copy of the photograph, but I don’t know how to attach the file
Steven; Thank you for your post and yes I did get your attachment picture of 6244. I will add it to my collection.
My husband’s father was the captain on the B-47 that was lost in 1956. It is assumed the plane went down somewhere near the straits of Madagascar, en route to parts unknown from McDill airforce base in Tampa Florida. It is known that an A-bomb was onboard. My brother-in-law has researched this incident in depth. We know the aircraft was due for a mid-air refueling but had an unsuccessful initial hook-up with re-fueling aircraft. Upon go-around for a second try the B-47 was lost with no known May Day, communication of any type, explosion, or wreckage at sea….just doesn’t make sense to us family members. Many years later, my brother-in-law spoke with an aging officer with knowlege of the incident and he swore the airforce had no idea what happened to the plane. Are you familiar with this incident?
Carol; Here is what I have in our records.
10 March 1956 B-47E 52‑534, 306th B W MacDill AFB, FL. This aircraft disappeared over the Mediterranean Crashed on a let down for air refueling and disappeared over the Mediterranean Sea. It was carrying two unarmed nuclear device. No trace of the aircraft or the devices was never found.
ADDED INFO: The aircraft was one of a flight of four scheduled for nonstop deployment from MacDill Air Force Base [Tampa, Fla.] to an overseas air base. Takeoff from MacDill and first refueling were normal. The second refueling point was over the Mediterranean Sea. In preparation for this, the flight penetrated solid cloud formation to descend to the refueling level of 14,000 feet. Base of the clouds was 14,500 feet and visibility was poor. The aircraft, carrying two nuclear capsules in carrying cases, never made contact with the tanker. An extensive search failed to locate any traces of the missing aircraft or crew. No weapons were aboard the aircraft, only two capsules of nuclear weapons material in carrying cases. A nuclear detonation was not possible.
Jim,
It looks as though my book, Jet Age Man: SAC B-47 and B-52 Operations in the Early Cold War, will finally be available late this summer (see amazon.com for ordering info). I’ve been contacted by Bill Clark and will meet with him Tuesday (22 May) to discuss the reunion, etc. By November I should be able to give you the signed copy I promised for your enormous contribution to the B-47 portion of the book, which includes every aircraft loss throughout the B-47′s SAC career.
Many thanks, Mac
Earl; Thanks for your contribution to the legacy of the B-47 and I know it has been a great effort on your part and I am looking forward to reading your book. I’m sure there will be many wanting to have their own copy as well.
I just found your site and am pleased that one exists. I was stationed at Dyess AFB straight out of Tech school (Amarillo) in the early sixties. Tsgt Carvel Collins was my first roomie, a cool guy and one of the crew chiefs on the B-47. Any info about his whereabouts/demise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your effort. SAC was the best for this young recruit.
Jim; Lets hope your post will help locate Carvel Collins. Yes SAC did help a lot of us grow up. Other than Basic and Tech School I spent the rest of my 20 years in SAC.
To: Earl McGill:
Earl, I was eagerly awaiting the printing of your book and subsequent purchased from Amazon.com. I was informed just this week that Amazon will not be carrying your book. Are there other book sellers that will have access to your wonderful book?
Thanks,
Jeff Wallach
USAF Auxiliary
Jeff; Earl has told me the book in going to press this coming week and will soon be on sale. I sent your post to Earl and I think by now he has replied to you.
Was assigned to the 68th Bomb Wing, 51st bomb squadron, @ Chennault AFB, in Lake Charles from 1958-1960. checked out as B-47 navigator. A/C was Ken Somers ( now deceased) Made 5 trips to Fairford. Did local strip alert. Squadron Navigator was Wade Birmingham. Suadron Commander was Joe DeJulio.
Left airforce in June 1960. Greatest experience in my life. made the reunion at CAFB in the 1980s.
Anybody out there want to talk about “Old Times”, would love to hear from you.
Bob; Thanks for dropping by, come by anytime. Anyone from the 68th BW remember Bob, drop him a message. Thats what this section is on the site for.
Just checked the spelliing of A/C it was Somers not Sommers. Ken died a cpuple of years ago.
How do I send you a photo?
Jim; I see you found out how to send in photos. I got it and will use it.
Hello, My name is Michael Giddings. My father Wayne Giddings served with the 513th and 514th of the 376th bomb wing between 1956 and 1960, flying the B-47 as copilot. I was a very little person at the time,and don’t remember a lot of the people who were flying with my dad; but Col. Lloyd Wentworth and his family were a part of our lives then and until recently. My father passed away last year, so I really am not able to ask him about the people he flew with. I have to say though, before he passed we sat and talked about his flying days. Those seemed to me to be some of his happiest memories.
I am trying to find a resource for the purchase of the appropriate shoulder patches for these two squadrons and bomb wing. Can anyone at this site help me? My e-mail address is : mgiddings1@cfl.rr.com
Michael; I am not able to tell you just where you can obtain the patches. Have you looked at the “SAC B-47 Wing Patches” page on this site. By looking up the 376th Wing you can see the patches for both the 513th & 514th Sqdns. patches. By searching companies on line that does this type of work they may be able to help you out. Can anyone else reading this help Michael?
Michael, I was assigned to the 514th Bomb Sqd from Nov 1953
to March 1958. I spent most of those years as the Crew Chief for B-47 tail No. 52-2424. I don,t remember the name Giddings. I will look over my old orders. He may have been, as you say in the 513th. There were 3 Sqds in the 376 Wing. they were the 512th,513th,and 514th. All three sqds deployed together and flew wing exercises. If you have specific questions, as to deployments and missions I will be happy to try and answer
Did you get any info on the 376 th BW? I flew b47s at Lockbourn in the early 60s,and would like to find shoulder patches also,lost mine after vietnam, thanks scott
Need help locating information associated with a little known B-47 used for atmospheric / weather research by Air Force Geophysical Research Directorate (AF Cambridge Research Laboratory – in Bedford Mass.) between 1953 and 1967 – for book project. Specifically its participation in hurricane research in 1960 and Project Stormfury (1965-67).
This is not the NHRP WB-47B used by the weather bureau in 1956-58.
Looking to connect with anybody involved with the GRD B-47 aircraft.
David Reade
P-3 Publications
Nova Scotia
Canada B0K1H0
david@p-3publications.com
From Jan 1960 to Jan 1963 worked on the Bomb/Nav system on B-47′s. Stationed at Homestead AFB, 19th Bomb Wing, and MacDill AFB, 306th Bomb Wing, during that time. Tech school at Lowery AFB, Denver CO from June 1959 to Dec 1959. Also, during the Cuban Missle Crisis went to Hunter AFB, when the bombers were moved to get away from any potential danger. Repaired, and replaced the Bomb/Nav equipment on the aircraft, including times at the end of the runway with crew in the aircraft waiting to take off. Most all the computer were first generation with most of the inside being mechanical in nature when it came to calculating displays for the navigator. Many fond as well as scarey memories of those times. I recall watching a B-47 take off from MacDill AFB, seeing puffs of smoke from the engines as they exploded on the take off run, and watching it plunge into Tampa Bay shortly afterwards. Pilot and Co-pilot ejected safely, going up from the aircraft, but the navigator ejected downward right into Tampa Bay with his chute opening. Tragic. Debriefed crew member after immediately following an hours long training, as well as times when they returned from TDY overseas. Had previously debriefed the Navigator who died in the accident a few weeks before it happened. As I said, many memoried of that time.
Bruce Engstrom, Winter Haven, Florida
I have read Col. Sigmund Alexander, USAF (Ret.) book “B-47 Aircraft Losses” and have been to the site of the B-47 that crashed near Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada November 30th, 1956. Is there anyone out there that may know more about this accident?
Does anyone remember James Grossart? The B-47 was one of many aircraft he flew.
Jet Age Man Update. Book sales are reported as “strong” and all reviews and comments from readers have been excellent. My publisher plans to release JAM in Kindle eBook format in February. In the meatime, Black Tuesday Over Namsi-B-29s vs. MiGs… is on sale in Kindle format until the first of the year for $2.99 (reg. $9.99).
Anyone out there that was at Pinecastle (McCoy) AFB from 1956 to 1960? ! was a Navigator and my AC was Carl Axtell.
I was a crew chief on a B-47E at 340th BW Whiteman AFB MO
From 1955 to 1959 was with 488th Bomb Sq. I have a picture
of me and the flight crew in front of my B-47.
Charles; Please send me a digital copy of that picture to my e-mail address, imjackd@gmail.com
My Dad, Lt Karl Penner, was a B-47 co-pilot and pilot and was stationed at Barksdale AFB, LA in the 1954-1956 timeframe. This was before I was born and he died when I was only 6 in a general aviation crash in 1969. Does anyone know the unit number of the B-47s at Barksdale. I think it was part of the 301st Bomb Wing. I have a picture of my dad as a 1st Lt with a Maj Fenton and a Maj Miller. They are standing in front of tail number 23347. Anyone out there fly with my dad or have heard of him during his time at Barksdale?
Bruce; The unit numbers that were assigned to the 301st Bomb Wing at Barksdale were 32nd Bomb Sq., 352 Bomb Sq., 353 Bomb Sq., and 419th Bomb Sq.
Hello,
Several years ago I purchased a B-47 Co-Pilot’s ejection seat on Ebay. The serial number is 53-6235. Does anyone have any information or pics of 53-6235?
Thank You
Thanks Jim for maintaining this site. It’s been a decade since you made this. I have been a regular visitor here and I have witnessed how the site changes. By the way, where can I see a photo of Robert Robbins? test pilot for the B-47, 1949.
Just go to the page called “Front Page” and then click on item number 1. Called “the first and last are now gone” and you will find a picture of Bob Robbins at the last reunion he attended.
Jim,
I’ve enclosed a link to a B-47 photo taken in September 1960, at Schilling Air Force Base, Kansas. The bomb wing that I was in, the 310th, had a B-47 on static display one weekend, and I took my visiting uncle out to see it.
On the left is my uncle, Carl Strandt. I’m standing in the middle. Next to me is Matthew E. “Bill” Loar, aircraft commander. I was the navigator on his crew.
The boy walking up to us is, I believe, Major Loar’s son, Billy.
Who took the photo I do not know.
This picture has always had a sentimental, personal appeal to me, and maybe it’s too personal for use on the association’s website. Still, the camera angle makes the airplane look formidable, which it certainly was, and if you’d like to use it on the site, that’s fine with me.
If the link doesn’t work, let me know.
Bill Paxson–USAF 1951-1971; SAC 1958-1966
https://plus.google.com/photos/107779038693736603398/albums/5714686448901821953/5795206477963819650?banner=pwa
I don’t know if this link works for you, but I have a photo of 52-0166 in flight, which is ID’d as an RB-47H, but I am curious if it is actually a B-47E
/Users/kennethholley/Pictures/iPhoto Library/Modified/2013/May 7, 2013_2/AIRCRAFT – b47 2.jpg
Kenneth; B-47 52-0166 was a B-47E built by Douglas-Tulsa. I am unable to get your link to work for me, but would like for you to send me a copy of the picture to my e-mail address. Jim Diamond
I have a steering control wheel from one of the first SAC delivered B-47. Is there a way to get info from all the decal # that are on my yoke? My limited search show it came from aircraft 009 (delivery sequence) . I would be happy to send pics. please email me.