Super 8 Rantoul Il

On the Tarmac

by Toughluck

"Convair B-58A Hustler"

Wingspan: 56 ft. 10 in.
Length: 96 ft. 10 in.
Height: 31 ft. 5 in.
Weight: 163,000 lbs. maximum take-off
Engine: four General Electric J79-GE-5 turbojets; 15,000 lbs. thrust each w/afterburner
Speed: 610 MPH cruise; 1,380 MPH maximum
Range: 4,400 miles w/o aerial refueling
Armament: Assorted nuclear weapons in detachable pod beneath fuselage
Crew: 3

The B-58 was the US Air Force's first supersonic bomber. The primary mission of the Hustler was to deliver nuclear weapons to targets deep within the Soviet Union. Because of its restrictive fuselage, the B-58 was unable to have an internal bomb bay. Consequently, a detachable pod beneath the fuselage held the nuclear weapons. The B-58 was eventually replaced in the late 1960s with the General Dynamics F-111 fighter-bomber.

Chanute AFB had the primary responsibility for training maintenance crews for the Hustler.

In November 1962 the aircraft was assigned to the 6515th Organizational Maintenance Squadron, Air Force Systems Command, at Edwards AFB, California. In January 1964 it was delivered to the 3345th Maintenance and Supply Group, Air Training Command, at Chanute. In February 1967 it was dropped from the USAF inventory and transferred to the USAF Museum System. For years it was on static display on base before being moved to Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum for exhibit. It is on loan to the museum from the Air Force Museum.

"Grumman HU-16B Albatross"

Wingspan: 96 ft. 8 in.
Length: 62 ft. 10 in.
Height: 25 ft. 10 in.
Weight: 36,000 lbs maximum take-off
Engine: two Wright R-1820 reciprocating radials; 1,425 hp each
Speed: 165 MPH cruise; 250 MPH maximum
Range: 1,650 miles
Armament: None
Crew: 4

The HU-16 Albatross was an amphibious search and rescue plane developed from a U.S. Navy design for a utility aircraft. The prototype SA-16 (designation changed to HU-16 in 1962) first flew on 24 October 1947 and soon the Air Force ordered examples for air-sea rescue duties. Grumman delivered 297 HU-16A aircraft to the Air Force. In 1955, Grumman developed an improved B model with increased wingspan and larger aileron and tail surfaces. Many A models were later converted to the improved B configuration.

During the Korean War, Albatross aircraft rescued almost 1,000 United Nations personnel from coastal waters and rivers, often behind enemy lines. They were also used to rescue downed American airmen during the Vietnam War.

"Lockheed WV-2/EC-121K Warning Star"

Wingspan: 126 ft. 2 in.
Length: 116 ft. 2 in.
Height: 27 ft. 0 in.
Weight: empty: 72,815 lbs; max take-off: 145,000 lbs
Engine: four Wright R-3350 Turbo-Compound radials; 3,400 hp each
Speed: cruise: 240 mph; maximum: 290 mph
Range: 4,000 miles
Service Ceiling: 20,000 ft.
Armament: None
Crew: 27
Cost: $2,031,000

This WV-2 aircraft, U.S. Navy Bureau Number 141311 (Lockheed Serial Number 4435), was completed by Lockheed Aircraft Company and delivered to the Navy in August 1956 -- one of 142 WV-2 examples built over the years. It was first assigned to Navy patrol squadron VW-13 at Patuxent River, Maryland, but later served with VW-2 and VW-15 at the same base. It was flown on “Atlantic Barrier” missions during the height of the Cold War, serving as one of the many airborne early warning aircraft that extended the ground-based Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line across far-northern North America eastward out over the North Atlantic. For these missions the aircraft operated out of Argentia, Newfoundland. With its specialized radars and radio equipment the plane continuously watched over the northern horizon for incoming Soviet aircraft, flying a ceaseless 200 mile-wide racetrack pattern between Newfoundland and the Azores. Typical missions for the aircraft’s 27 crew members were 12 to 14 hours long.

In April 1962 the aircraft was reassigned to the Pacific Missile Range as a down-range missile tracker and stationed at Point Mugu, California. On 18 September 1962 all Navy WV-2 aircraft were re-designated as the EC-121K, but they retained their official nickname of Warning Star. For the next several years ‘311 flew for the Pacific Missile Range, which later became the Pacific Missile Test Center. By June 1975 the airframe had accumulated 12,347 flight hours.

"Lockheed C-130A Hercules"

Wingspan: 132 ft. 7 in.
Length: 97 ft. 9 in.
Height: 38 ft. 3 in.
Weight: 59,328 lbs empty; 124,200 lbs maximum take-off
Engine: four Allison T56-A-1A turboprops; 3,750 horsepower each
Speed: 328 MPH cruise; 384 MPH maximum
Range: 2,090 miles
Armament: None
Crew: 4

The C-130 was developed in the 1950s as a large cargo hauler. It has been used by the Air Force as a gun ship, troop and cargo transporter, aerial refueler, and medical evacuation ship.

This aircraft is on loan to Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum from the National Museum of the United States Airforce.

"Douglas C-133A Cargomaster"

Wingspan: 179 ft. 7 3/4 in.
Length: 157 ft. 6 1/2 in.
Height: 48 ft. 8 in.
Weight: 120,263 lbs. empty; 286,000 lbs maximum take-off
Engine: four Pratt & Whitney T34-P-3/7W turboprops; 7,500 horsepower each
Speed: 310 MPH cruise; 359 MPH maximum
Range: 4,027 miles with 52,000 lbs. payload
Armament: None
Crew: 4