The ‘Goliath of the Skies,’ the world’s largest operational plane, was based at San Antonio’s Kelly AFB from 1949 to 1957.
During the 1950s, an aircraft was parked at Kelly AFB. I believe it was the prototype of the Convair B-36 intercontinental nuclear bomber, flown by the Strategic Air Command and deployed to Carswell AFB, Fort Worth , the forerunner to the B-52 . To my knowledge it was never developed as a cargo carrier. I’m curious as to what happened to the old bird. — Retired Air Force Col.
Historic wooden structure at Port San Antonio could be early flight control tower for Kelly AFB A product of the Cold War, it was intended to provide global airlift support, maybe even directly from the United States to Europe if necessary. The propeller-driven, piston-engined plane had a wingspan of 230 feet, was 182½ long and stood 57½ feet tall, or about the height of a six-story building. It was capable of carrying 400 troops and 100,000 pounds of cargo at a top speed of 300 mph.
Charles Lindbergh survived San Antonio flight training accident thanks to the new tech of the time While in use, the aircraft set international records for cargo carrying at various speeds and altitudes. But jet technology pushed the XC-99 into obsolescence, and the Air Force never ordered another. Plans for building a commercial version as a luxury passenger plane also fell by the wayside, as it would have been hard to fill and expensive to operate.
Kelly planes crashed 4 months apart Over the next few decades, the big plane went through some changes in ownership and location until it was acquired by the Air Force museum in the early 2000s. No longer in flying shape, the XC-99 was disassembled and transported in 2007 to Wright-Patterson AFB near Dayton, Ohio, where the museum is located, said Tracy English, Air Force 37th Training Wing historian. There it was stored for possible reassembly.
Air shows keep San Antonio looking up to local military This facility, which was established after World War II, is informally known as the Boneyard.
S.A. B-52 Strategic Air Command Aerospace Maintenance And Regeneration Group Disabled American Veterans Consolidated Vultee Chamber Of Commerce San Antonio Light Air Force 37Th Training Wing Jay Feibelman Tracy English J. Edwin Kuykendall Charles Lindbergh Sanantoniohistorycolumn XC-99 Kelly AFB San Antonio Carswell AFB Fort Worth Air Force Base Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth Port San Antonio National Museum Of The United States Air Force United States Ohio Europe AMARG Davis-Monthan Tucson Arizona Wright-Patterson AFB Boneyard Dayton Cold War World War II Convair B-36 Www.Dm.Af.Mil [email protected] | X Twitter @Sahistorycolumn Facebook Light Goliath Of The Skies
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Port San Antonio gets critical congressional backing for Air Forces Cyber HQ proposalThe bipartisan letter of support urges the Air Force to consider building a new cybersecurity headquarters in San Antonio.
Read more »
Thirty passengers injured after ‘strong turbulence’ forces Air Europa Boeing plane to land in BrazilA flight from Madrid to Uruguay forced to make an emergency landing after encountering turbulence has ‘landed normally,’ according to Spanish airline Air Europa.
Read more »
Alaska Air returns 737 MAX 9 involved in mid-air blowout to BoeingAlaska Air returns 737 MAX 9 involved in mid-air blowout to Boeing
Read more »
Hill Air Force Base air show expects larger crowds and smoother security intake this yearThe last weekend of June is hosting a favorite event that attracts hundreds of thousands of people in Davis County: the massive air show at Hill Air Force Base,
Read more »
Illinois Air quality alert issued for Monday; air quality ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups'The air quality alert, issued by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency due to ozone levels, is called an 'Air Pollution Action Day.'
Read more »
Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier Compact Review: Cleaner Air For As Low As $50?I'm a Chinese-American journalist in Hong Kong, covering consumer tech in Asia. Before focusing on this exciting beat, I was a general culture writer and editor with bylines in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated, New York Magazine, among others. Feel free to email me at bencsingmail.
Read more »