A Navy design to replace its A-4, the A-7 proved its capabilities in the Vietnam War. The A-7 was one of the few designs developed by another service accepted into the USAF. The A-7A first flew Sept. 27, 1965 with the D-model entering service in 1968. A total of 459 aircraft were delivered to the USAF and the Air National Guard. Max Speed: 698 mph. Max Range: 2,871 miles. Ceiling: 51,000 ft.

Exhibit at the South Dakota Air & Space Museum.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Eli Goff, a 28th Operations Group air traffic controller at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., checks the tread on his tires Nov. 17, 2010, for safety during the winter season. All Airmen should check vehicles throughout the winter and before long trips to ensure the vehicles won't break down. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Anthony Sanchelli)

A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer takes off from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Jan. 5, 2011. (DoD photo by Senior Airman Kasey Close, U.S. Air Force/Released)

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Timothy Foreman, a munitions load crew member with the 28th Munitions Squadron, ensures a GBU-31 joint direct attack munition is secured to a bomb lift during a phase II operational readiness inspection at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Oct. 15, 2010. (DoD photo by Airman 1st Class Anthony Sanchelli, U.S. Air Force)

Robert Gruss, Bishop of the Diocese of Rapid City, takes control of a B-1 bomber simulator during his tour of Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., May 2, 2012. The bishop visited a variety of facilities on Ellsworth, experienced the thrill of flying theB-1 in the simulator, received an up-close look of an actual B-1, and met with Col. Weatherington, 28th Bomb Wing commander, and other base leaders during his visit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Alystria Maurer/Released)

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Dave Komandt pulls a dummy to the next stage of a firefighter challenge on Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Sept. 30, 2009. Komandt is an electrical power pro-technician assigned to the 28th Civil Engineer Squadron. (DoD photo by Airman 1st Class Matthew Flynn, U.S. Air Force/Released)

The F-100 was the USAF's first operational aircraft capable of flying faster than the speed of sound in level flight. Its first operational flight was May 25, 1953. Before production ended in 1959, a total of 2,294 F-100s had been built. Cruise Speed: 587 mph. Max Speed: 848 mph. Ceiling: 31,800 ft.

Exhibit at the South Dakota Air & Space Museum.

Ellsworth is the home of the B-1B and the 28th Bomber Wing. When I toured the base on September 12, 2012, I was able to record a B-1B taking off. It's a four engine, variable sweep wing, supersonic bomber designed by Rockwell International (now part of Boeing). Max Speed: Mach 1.25. Max Range: 6,478 miles. Ceiling: 60,000 ft. Crew of 4.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Isaac Bliek secures his area during a phase two operational readiness exercise at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Oct. 7, 2009. Bliek is a patrolman assigned to the 28th Security Forces Squadron. (DoD photo by Airman 1st Class Matthew Flynn, U.S. Air Force/Released)

While the USAF had no interest in Northrop’s N-156F low-cost fighter program (which eventually became first the F-5A Freedom Fighter and then the F-5E Tiger II), it saw potential in the two-seat N-156T. The T-33 Shooting Star and T-37 trainers then in service offered only subsonic performance, while USAF fighters in the late 1950s were nearly all capable of supersonic speed. Students graduating from subsonic T-33s would be going immediately into supersonic “Century Series” fighters. With this in mind, the USAF ordered the N-156T as the T-38A Talon in March 1959, with the aircraft entering service in 1961. Fifty years later, the Talon is still the USAF’s primary trainer, with no change in external appearance.

As a trainer, the T-38 has performance equal to that of a fighter, and is quite nimble and fast. For this reason, it has also been used as an aggressor aircraft on occasion by the USAF and US Navy, as a chase aircraft and astronaut trainer by NASA, and even as “emergency fighters” by the Portuguese Air Force. Despite being something of a “hot rod,” the T-38 is still quite forgiving in its role as a trainer, and over 55,000 pilots have won their wings while flying it. During the early 1980s, the USAF converted a small number of T-38s to AT-38B standard, adding a centerline hardpoint for weapons training. In 2003, the USAF upgraded its remaining T-38As and AT-38Bs to T-38C standard, bringing the design into the 21st Century, with upgraded avionics, HUD, INS, GPS, and modification to its engines for better thrust at low altitudes. Besides the USAF, six other air forces have also used Talons, and many more have trained with USAF aircraft.

Information on T-38s tend to be sparse, and 62-3634 is no different. All that can be found about this aircraft is that it was at one time in storage at the Hill Aerospace Museum in Ogden, Utah, but was declared surplus to the museum's needs, along with a T-37B and a F-5B. All three were purchased or donated to the Western Sky Warbird Aviation Museum in St. George; 62-3634 arrived at St. George in 2015.

Its identity remains something of a mystery. It carries the EL tailcode of Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, meaning that it was assigned to the 28th Bomb Wing. It carries an unusual camouflage of two shades of gray (the blue titling on this side of the aircraft are probably where the aircraft was masked for repainting). While it would not be unusual for T-38s to be assigned to USAF bomber units as familiarization or general duty aircraft, there's no listing that I could find of the 28th BW having T-38s on strength. 62-3634 will have to remain anonymous for now, until I can find more information on it. I saw this aircraft in August 2020.

The T-38 became the USAF's first supersonic trainer. The T-38 prototype first flew on April 10, 1959 and production continued until 1972. A total of 1,189 T-38s were built. The T-38 is still in use today by USAF, NASA astronauts, U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, NATO and a few are also under civilian ownership. Since its introduction it is estimated that some 50,000 military pilots have trained on this aircraft. Max Speed: 812 mph. Max Range: 1,093 miles.

The 7th Bomb Wing leadership team greets B-1B Lancer crewmembers from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., on the flightline at Dyess AFB, Texas, Feb. 3, 2024. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Holly Cook)

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Justin Hildreth, 28th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aerospace propulsion journeyman, provides pre-flight maintenance for a B-1B Lancer during Red Flag 12-2 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Red Flag is a combat training exercise involving the air forces of the United States and its allies. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Hubenthal)

Rockwell B-1B Lancer of the 34th Bomb Squadron "Original Thunderbirds" from Ellsworth AFB seen at Nellis AFB, November, 2017.

Members of the Cub Scouts Pack 74 march in their hometown during a parade in downtown Rapid City, S.D., Nov. 11, 2007. Rapid City hosted this parade down Main Street in honor of all those who have served and are currently serving in the United States armed forces on Veterans Day. (U.S. Air Force photo by SSgt Michael B. Keller)(Released)

In the late 1930s, the Beech Aircraft Company anticipated a market for small six-to-twelve seat aircraft that would be used in regional areas unsuited to bigger airliners such as the DC-3. Moreover, with war on the horizon, Beech also anticipated that the military would need light transports. With this in mind, Beech began work on the Model 18, a fairly simple two-engine design that could hold six passengers. While successful when it first flew in January 1937, the Model 18 faced an uphill battle with the proven and more popular Lockheed Electra 12. By December 1941, less than 40 Beech 18s had been sold and the company was in danger of bankruptcy.

Like so many designs, however, America’s entry into the war after the Pearl Harbor attack saved the Model 18 and Beech. The USAAF underwent massive expansion and needed training aircraft in a hurry. Lockheed had to end production of the Electra to concentrate on building P-38 Lightnings, leaving Beech in a perfect position to market the Model 18. Both the USAAF and the US Navy quickly adopted the Model 18 as the C-45 Expeditor and SNB-1 respectively, using it to train navigators and photo reconnaissance personnel.

Faced with the need for aerial gunners as the USAAF began to plan for the strategic bombing offensive against Germany and Japan, the C-45 was then modified into the AT-11 Kansan, with a glass nose and dorsal turret mounting machine guns. Trainees, following ground practice, would go up in the AT-11 and fire at aerial targets to get used to a moving platform; thousands of gunners who would end up on B-17s and B-29s started off in the Kansan, while navigators cut their teeth in the more conventional C-45. The plane’s reliability also meant that it was useful as a liasion aircraft as well.

Following the end of the war, the C-45/Model 18 did not wane in popularity; both services kept it in the inventory. While the AT-11 was retired (and most converted back to Model 18s), the C-45 remained in service as a navigation trainer and liasion aircraft. Beech, for its part, marketed the Model 18 very successfully, with the result that 9000 were built in a dizzying 32 variants. This does not include individual modifications, which exceed 200 known subtypes with different fuselages, landing gear arrangements, engines, and seating. Production did not end until 1980, and hundreds are still flyable. It was massively exported, to the point that every air force in the Western Hemisphere has had C-45s in their inventories at one time or another.

This C-45, 42-37418, is one of the older examples left in existence; it was originally built as an AT-11 Kansan gunnery trainer during World War II. After the war, it was converted to a standard T-11 navigation trainer, and then a C-45H with upgraded engines in 1954. In 1963, it was retired and sold to the Alabama Highway Department, and went through a few more owners between then and 1986; it was involved in a fatal accident in 1977, but repaired and returned to flight. Its last owner donated the aircraft to the USAF when it was grounded in 1986, and in turn 42-37418 made its way to the South Dakota Air and Space Museum at Ellsworth AFB.

Today, 42-37418 is displayed as 54-0796, a spurious designation based on Beech's manufacturing number when it was converted to a C-45H. It represents C-45s assigned to the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth; SAC wings often had Expeditors on strength as "hack" general duty aircraft. It is slightly inaccurate as most (if not all) SAC C-45s were painted with white upper fuselages over bare metal, which 42-37418 lacks, though it is in excellent condition for its age.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Myro Wilson and Airman 1st Class Derrick Scott install an aerosurface assembly on an inert Guided Bomb Unit-31 at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Dec. 8, 2009. The Airmen are conventional maintenance crew members with the 28th Munitions Squadron. (DoD photo by Airman 1st Class Anthony Sanchelli, U.S. Air Force/Released)

Rockwell B-1B Lancer of the 37th Bomb Squadron "Tigers" from Ellsworth AFB participating in Red Flag 14-3 exercises at Nellis AFB. A review of the exercise can be found at www.airshowsreview.com/2014_Red_Flag_2014-3_Exercise.htm .

(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Christina M. Bennett)

Eight-year-old Noah Misselt from Box Elder, S.D., tests his flight helmet with help from Airman 1st Class Jory Bordreaux and Senior Airman Jennifer Lopez, 34th Bomb Squadron aircrew flight equipment technicians, during the Aircrew for a Day program at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., March 4, 2011. Noah was diagnosed with leukemia in 2008, and began chemotherapy almost immediately. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Anthony Sanchelli)

The F-101B was in service from 1957 until 1985. Max Speed: 1,094 mph. Max Range: 1,520 miles. Ceiling: 54,800 ft.

Senior Airman Yesenia Lopez Diaz, a physical evaluation board liaison officer assigned to the 28th Medical Support Squadron, wears a traje zacatecano (Zacatecano dress) in front of a mural in the 28th Medical Group at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Sept. 15, 2017. The traje de luces (suit of lights) is the traditional clothing that Spanish bullfighters wear. The term originates from the sequins and reflective threads of gold or silver. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Donald C. Knechtel)

USAF B-1B Lancer (75) "McLast Laugh" of the 34BS doing a high speed pass at the Abbotsford International Airshow,

I toured Ellsworth Air Force Base on September 12, 2012 and one of the stops was the last remaining missile silo (now used strictly for training). The Minuteman II (LGM-30F) is a nuclear missile, a land-based ICBM, that was in service from 1965 until 1997. When in service, it carried a 1.25 megaton warhead, could reach a speed of 15,000 mph and could rise to an altitude of 140 miles on a parabolic flight path over the North Pole to its target. It could be launched in a minute and reach a target on the other side of the earth in 30 minutes.

Strategic Air Command (SAC) needed an Airborne Command Post, a specially equipped aircraft to be airborne at all times, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, in the event that SAC's underground command center was destroyed or became disabled. For 29 years beginning in 1961, EC-135s carried out that mission. They conducted continuous airborne command and control operations, accumulating more than 281,000 accident-free flying hours - an aviation phenomenon. The mission was dubbed "Looking Glass" because it mirrored ground-based operations. In 1990, "Looking Glass" aircraft ceased continuous airborne alert, but remained on ground alert 24 hours a day. On September 25, 1998, the Air Force handed over its "Looking Glass" mission to the Navy's E-6B aircraft. The EC-135 performed the flying command post mission for a total of 37 years. Max Speed: 580 mph. Max Range: 3,450 miles. Ceiling: 50,000 ft.

ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE S.D. -- Airman 1st Class Jordan Linial, 28th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron weapons technician, straps a guided bomb unit-31 to a munitions handling unit before it's loaded onto a B-1B Lancer during a phase II operational readiness exercise, July 21. During the phase II ORE, maintenance Airmen are a vital piece of mission in the simulated deployed environment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Anthony Sanchelli)

(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Christina M. Bennett)

Airmen check over a technical order while working on a B-1B Lancer during a Phase II Operational Readiness Inspection Oct. 15, 2010, at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. Maintenance Airmen use the technical orders to ensure safety and accuracy. The Airmen are assigned to the 28th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Chris Gausepohl, 34th Bomb Squadron pilot, participates in water survival training at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Dec. 1, 2009. Aircrews must take Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) water survival training every 36 months to maintain current certifications. (DoD photo by Airman 1st Class Corey Hook, U.S. Air Force/Released)

D894_6401

16/08/2018 : Box Elder, SD, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota Air and Space Museum: Rockwell B-1B Lancer

Members of the 28th Medical group are ready to serve team Ellsworth if they are feeling sick. The influenza virus, affects roughly 64 million people a year. Symptoms can include fever, fatigue, dry cough, runny nose, chills, muscle aches, severe headaches and sore throat. (U.S. Air Force photo illustration by Airman 1st Class Donald C. Knechtel)

Rockwell B-1B Lancer of the 37th Bomb Squadron "Tigers" from Ellsworth AFB participating in Red Flag 17-1 exercises at Nellis AFB.

The B-25J on display was converted as a personal transport for General Dwight Eisenhower. The top of the bomb bay was lowered and the remaining bomb bay space was fitted with a full tank for additional range. Two seats were installed immediately aft of the bomb bay, and behind these seats a fold-down table was fitted which extended the full width of the airplane. The rear entrance hatch was revised for easier access to the cabin. The interior walls were insulated from sound and were paneled like those of a commercial aircraft. The aircraft is on display at the South Dakota Air & Space Museum next to Ellsworth AFB. Max Speed: 272 mph. Max Range: 1,350 miles. Ceiling: 50,000 ft.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Eric Bauer, mission weather noncommissioned officer-in-charge of the 28th Operations Support Squadron, and Staff Sgt. Joshua Wisnewski, a flight weather forecaster with the 28th Operations Support Squadron, view the forecast for Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Sept. 10, 2009. (DoD photo by Airman 1st Class Corey Hook, U.S. Air Force/Released)

Fear that the Atlas ICBM would fail led the USAF to request a second liquid-fueled ICBM in case the Atlas ran into problems. Martin was given the contract to develop the B-68 (later LGM-25) Titan I in 1956. The project suffered from the constant threat of cancellation, as it was expensive and the Atlas was seen to be adequate enough. the launch of Sputnik I ended those threats in 1957, though development of the Titan I was marred by a number of early and spectacular launch explosions.

The Titan I got through these issues and began to be deployed in 1960. The missile did have many of the issues common to early ICBMs: it was not accurate (which required large megaton-level warheads to be carried, and it was mainly targeted at easy to hit cities), it took up to 15 minutes to be fueled (which made it vulnerable to a first strike), and the fuel was highly volatile. Nonetheless, about 100 Titan Is were produced, and provided valuable experience for later ICBMs. It was quickly retired by 1965 in favor of the more reliable Titan II and the solid-fueled Minuteman series.

When the Titans initially went into service, they were assigned numbers just like aircraft in USAF service, so this is 61-4523. The missile was deployed at Ellsworth AFB as part of the 850th Strategic Missile Squadron, initially assigned to the 28th Bomb Wing and later the 44th Strategic Missile Wing. The 850th SMS did not last long: it was deactivated along with the Titan Is with the arrival of the Minuteman IA ICBMs in 1965. Since 61-4523 was intended as a spare missile and never fueled, it was kept as a museum piece.

Despite the Titan Is being retired in 1965, 61-4523 did not go on display at the South Dakota Air and Space Museum until 2016, after a long period of cleaning and restoration. One of the factors in the long delay was the lack of actual Titan I reentry vehicles (as a spare, 61-4523 never had one), nearly all of which had been destroyed in the 1960s; a mockup had to be built. It was finally displayed "all-up" in 2017. It is displayed horizontally instead of vertically to reduce wind damage to the missile.

Senior Master Sgt. Jesse Frank, the 28th Security Forces Squadron operations superintendent, shakes hands with Chief Master Sgt. Justin Walker, the 28th Bomb Wing interim command chief at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Dec. 4, 2018. Frank was informed that he’d been selected for the highest enlisted rank: chief master sergeant. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Thomas Karol)

Rockwell B-1B Lancer of the 34th Bomb Squadron "Original Thunderbirds" from Ellsworth AFB participating in Red Flag 14-3 exercises at Nellis AFB. A review of the exercise can be found at www.airshowsreview.com/2014_Red_Flag_2014-3_Exercise.htm .

44-87779 USAF | Boeing KB-29M Superfortress | South Dakota Air & Space Museum

During a joint combat exercise the Army and Air Force fire fighters train on putting out a simulated aircraft fire.

Strategic Air Command (SAC) needed an Airborne Command Post, a specially equipped aircraft to be airborne at all times, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, in the event that SAC's underground command center was destroyed or became disabled. For 29 years beginning in 1961, EC-135s carried out that mission. They conducted continuous airborne command and control operations, accumulating more than 281,000 accident-free flying hours - an aviation phenomenon. The mission was dubbed "Looking Glass" because it mirrored ground-based operations. In 1990, "Looking Glass" aircraft ceased continuous airborne alert, but remained on ground alert 24 hours a day. On September 25, 1998, the Air Force handed over its "Looking Glass" mission to the Navy's E-6B aircraft. The EC-135 performed the flying command post mission for a total of 37 years. Max Speed: 580 mph. Max Range: 3,450 miles. Ceiling: 50,000 ft.

I toured Ellsworth Air Force Base on September 12, 2012 and one of the stops was the last remaining missile silo (now used strictly for training). The Minuteman II (LGM-30F) is a nuclear missile, a land-based ICBM, that was in service from 1965 until 1997. When in service, it carried a 1.25 megaton warhead, could reach a speed of 15,000 mph and could rise to an altitude of 140 miles on a parabolic flight path over the North Pole to its target. It could be launched in a minute and reach a target on the other side of the earth in 30 minutes.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Louis Heidema, a weapons systems officer from the 37th Bomb Squadron, is greeted by his children at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Jan. 27, 2010, after returning from deployment to Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. (DoD photo by Airman 1st Class Matthew Flynn, U.S. Air Force/Released)

High Definition-Several Rockwell B-1 "Lancers" sit on the flight line covered in snow after an early snow storm at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, on Oct. 5, 2005. The Lancers are assigned to the 28th Bomb Wing.

Sparky, Ellsworth Fire Safety Dog gives hugs and high fives to the children.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Joel Marbury, an aircraft structural maintenance apprentice with the 28th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, sprays to strip old paint off a B-1B Lancer aircraft stand on Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Feb. 2, 2010. The structural maintenance shop has a corrosion prevention program where they sand, blast and paint equipment on a daily basis. (DoD photo by Airman 1st Class Corey Hook, U.S. Air Force/Released)

The B-1B is a four-engine, variable sweep wing, supersonic bomber used by the U.S. Air Force. Designed by Rockwell International (now part of Boeing), the first production B-1B was rolled out on September 4, 1984. Max Speed: Mach 1.25 at high altitude. Max Range: 6,478 miles at low altitude. Ceiling: 60,000 ft.