The B-47 is the plane Jimmy Stewart flew in the 1955 film "Strategic Air Command". The history of this aircraft is detailed below.
Boeing WB-47E-55-BW "Stratojet"
S/N 51-2360
Crew: Three
Engines: Six General Electric J47-GE-25 turbojets; 7,200 lbs thrust each w/ water injection
Wingspan: 116 ft 0 in
Length: 107 ft 1 in
Height: 28 ft 0 in
Weight: max: 226,000 lbs
Speed: cruise: 560 mph; max: 610 mph
Range: 3,500 miles
Service Ceiling: 39,300 ft
Armament: Two M-24 20mm cannons in tail turret; up to 25,000 lbs of bombs (nuclear or conventional)
This WB-47E (s/n 51-2360) was manufactured by Boeing Aircraft in Wichita, Kansas, and delivered to the U.S. Air Force on April 10, 1953. It was immediately flown to Grand Central Aircraft Company in Tucson, Arizona, for modification work. In March 1954 it was assigned to the 43rd Bombardment Wing of the Strategic Air Command at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. In May 1956 the plane went to the 96th Bomb Wing (SAC) at Altus AFB, Oklahoma. The 380th Bomb Wing at Plattsburg AFB, New York, next received the aircraft in December 1957. While there it was temporarily deployed to McCoy AFB, Florida.
The plane returned to the 96th Bombardment Wing of SAC in August 1961, this time at Dyess AFB, Texas. In January 1963 it was flown to Lockheed Aircraft in Marietta, Georgia, where it was modified to become a WB-47E weather reconnaissance aircraft. That May it was assigned to the 55th Weather Squadron of the Military Air Transport Service at McClellan AFB, California. It went to the 53rd Weather Squadron (MATS) at Hunter AFB, Georgia, in March 1966. That May it was relocated to Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico.
The aircraft was dropped from the USAF inventory in July 1966 and transfered to the USAF Museum System. It was displayed for years at the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, but was heavily damaged during a severe storm. It was relocated to Hill AFB in October 2002 and is currently in restoration at the museum.
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