Not Model Aviation but-----------------------------------

[Bob Zambelli]

This is something I would probably pay to see!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A B-47 takeoff on JATO

Can you imagine the sound??

Bob Z.

[Bill Little]

Hi Bob,

Next time you see Doug Taffinder, ask him abuot that!  I don't know how many times he experienced that type of take off.  He was on a B-47 Flight Crew for a pretty long time, I understand.  Navigator??

[Steve Hand]

Something you don't want to see, but you never forget. March 31, 1960. I was 12 and my father and I were in the living room that morning while he was having coffee. Next, a deafening explosion. We both ran to look out the front door. Here was a B-47 raining fire and parts all over several sections of Little Rock. I will never, ever forget watching one of the wings windmilling to earth while on fire. We stood there mesmerized until the sky was clear of parts. His next words to me were " it just seemed like I watched some of my buddies go down again over Germany". Heavy!

[Alan Hahn]

One of the best (if not the only) movie for B47 (and B36) was Strategic Air Command with Jimmy Stewart. It has a nice JATO takeoff of a B47 (unless my mind is playing tricks on me!).

[Howard Rush]

There's a B-47 program at the Seattle Museum of Flight Saturday.  Here's the lowdown:

"December 17 marks the 60th anniversary of the first flight of the XB-47 from Boeing Field. Join us for a panel of men who were involved with the design and operation of this revolutionary airplane. The panel includes Ken Holtby, a senior vice president at Boeing who was involved in the development of many of the company’s jet aircraft, John K. (Jack) Wimpress, aerodynamicist for the B-47 project, Brig. Gen. Guy Townsend, the first military pilot to fly the B-47 and Richard Taylor, the Boeing test pilot who came up with the toss-bombing technique for the plane. They will be available for autographs after the program."

Boeing people will recognize Jack Wimpress as the inventor of wing area. 

[Elwyn Aud]

I've read about one having a wing fail over Tulsa but I can't remember the date. I do remember being at a football game and seeing one fly over rather low although the time period should have been long after they were retired so my memory may not be reliable.

[john e. holliday]

In my later teenage years we lived almost due south of Whiteman Air Base.  The B-47's were always flying over head well after takeoff.  It was something to see all the black smoke once they got out a ways.  Hardly ever seen any on landing approach.  Guess we were too far south of the base.  DOC Holliday

[phil c]

When I was about 9 or 10 my dad took us to Wold-Chamberlain field in St. Paul,  now the MSP International airport.  At the time they were still flying military planes extensively from there.  We watched an RF101 VooDoo taxi out.  He went way down the field to the end of the runway, just barely visible and started his takeoff roll.  About half way down the runway, directly opposite us on the observation deck, he disappeared behind a hangar.  We heard a big explosion, and I thought sure something had blown the plane up, but suddenly the plane came out from behind the hangar and took off at about a 30 degree angle.  He'd lit off the afterburner!   Wow was that impressive.

[Dwayne]

Kewl pic!!  That ones on my desktop   
What a rush it must have been to be the pilot!!!