Castle Air Museum

Ted722
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Ted722
Stopped by the Castle Air Museum in Atwater on the way back from the Endurocross. Did not expect to see 70+ planes. Pretty cool.

Here's a few:















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kzizok
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kzizok 11/21/2016 9:10am
11/21/2016 9:10am
SR-71 alone would be worth it. Cool pics.
kzizok
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kzizok 11/21/2016 7:14pm
11/21/2016 7:14pm Edited Date/Time 11/21/2016 7:18pm
Speaking of planes. This is somewhat perplexing to me. I took photos of these planes as they are about 10 miles from my house. What has me perplexed is these are Air Force planes that permanently reside at our commercial airport, not at the Air Force base that is only 10-15 miles away.

Are these passenger planes? If so, who do they fly in them? Prisoners? Federal transfer station, type prisoners?

Like a Con-Air type thing?

Anyone have any insight?
kzizok
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kzizok 11/21/2016 7:16pm
11/21/2016 7:16pm


I meant to put this pic in.
Wildeye511
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Wildeye511 11/21/2016 7:37pm
11/21/2016 7:37pm
Could possibly be there parking for exercise or something of the sorts. Also some guard and reserve units have parking at commercial airports.

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kzizok
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kzizok 11/21/2016 7:54pm
11/21/2016 7:54pm
Wildeye511 wrote:
Could possibly be there parking for exercise or something of the sorts. Also some guard and reserve units have parking at commercial airports.
Im asking because I don't know. Are national guards and reserve units not allowed to board at an Air Force base?
Sully
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Sully 11/21/2016 8:05pm
11/21/2016 8:05pm
It looks like a KC10 tanker, so the answer could be anything from an overflow ramp for the AF base, to the civ airport having better/bigger fuel storage capability.
kzizok
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kzizok 11/21/2016 8:25pm
11/21/2016 8:25pm
Sully wrote:
It looks like a KC10 tanker, so the answer could be anything from an overflow ramp for the AF base, to the civ airport having better/bigger...
It looks like a KC10 tanker, so the answer could be anything from an overflow ramp for the AF base, to the civ airport having better/bigger fuel storage capability.
Interesting. Those are things I didnt think of.

What about this: would they rather fly directly into the Federal Transfer center rather than fly into the Air Force base, from a logistical standpoint?
JW381
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JW381 11/21/2016 8:26pm
11/21/2016 8:26pm
Ted722 wrote:
Stopped by the Castle Air Museum in Atwater on the way back from the Endurocross. Did not expect to see 70+ planes. Pretty cool. Here's a...
Stopped by the Castle Air Museum in Atwater on the way back from the Endurocross. Did not expect to see 70+ planes. Pretty cool.

Here's a few:















Wow, there are some real classics there. Extremely jealous.
rhargrave431
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rhargrave431 11/21/2016 9:04pm
11/21/2016 9:04pm Edited Date/Time 11/21/2016 9:05pm
Speaking of the SR-71, an article popped up on my Facebook the other day about the design of it. Much of the plane was designed in the 50s, well before the use of computers. I guess an airplane design company used all of the handwritten data and put it into a computer, and the computer wouldn't of changed a single thing from the pencil and paper the designers in the 50's has drawn!


Edit. Here is the link
https://frontlinevideos.com/blogs/videos/researchers-ran-sr-71s-hand-de…
Harry Backmon 11/22/2016 10:20am
11/22/2016 10:20am
Sully wrote:
It looks like a KC10 tanker, so the answer could be anything from an overflow ramp for the AF base, to the civ airport having better/bigger...
It looks like a KC10 tanker, so the answer could be anything from an overflow ramp for the AF base, to the civ airport having better/bigger fuel storage capability.
Agree with Sully. Tanker. I've been mixed up with the Navy/Marines for my whole life, so don't know much about the Air Force, but I think most of their tankers are flown by reserve outfits...or guard.

Why that field? Longer runway maybe? Those things need a lot of concrete - thick concrete - for regular operations. They will literally ruin a field not built for heavy jets.

Example: NAS Jacksonville has been in the process of transitioning from the P-3 to the P-8. The P-8 is heavier than the P-3 and was breaking up the runway. As a result, NAS Jax shut down for an entire year (June 2015 through June 2016) while they tore out the old main runway and replaced it with new, thicker concrete.
kzizok
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kzizok 11/22/2016 10:32am
11/22/2016 10:32am Edited Date/Time 11/22/2016 10:32am
I obviously have no idea when it comes to this stuff, although, I still find it all very interesting. The weight and runway length makes sense. AWACS home is here (at the AF base) so I assumed size and weight are comparable but pure fuel has to be super heavy.
Harry Backmon 11/22/2016 10:38am
11/22/2016 10:38am
kzizok wrote:
I obviously have no idea when it comes to this stuff, although, I still find it all very interesting. The weight and runway length makes sense...
I obviously have no idea when it comes to this stuff, although, I still find it all very interesting. The weight and runway length makes sense. AWACS home is here (at the AF base) so I assumed size and weight are comparable but pure fuel has to be super heavy.
I was going to ask you what AF base you're referring to and what do they fly out of there. With AWACS there it might just be a function of not having enough room. Another thought...

How far from town is the KC-10 airport, and how far is the AF base? They might be figuring in that for the reserves it is closer to town for guys that are civilians for most of the year.

It's really hard to say. It's probably a combination of a bunch of things.
Wildeye511
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Wildeye511 11/22/2016 10:39am
11/22/2016 10:39am
Wildeye511 wrote:
Could possibly be there parking for exercise or something of the sorts. Also some guard and reserve units have parking at commercial airports.
kzizok wrote:
Im asking because I don't know. Are national guards and reserve units not allowed to board at an Air Force base?
There is no issue with reserves and guard parking at active bases as long as there is space available. Sometimes the flightline gets full and they have to park at alternate airfields. Like here in Vegas during the big exercises there are times that other aircraft play in the games but do not even take off or land here, they are based at another airfield that is within a reasonable distance to be part of the exercise.

At some bases the reserves and active duty share the aircraft, that is why you see two different designations for what wing has operational control over it painted on the front of the aircraft. KC-10's are shared by the reserves and active units.
kzizok
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kzizok 11/22/2016 6:18pm
11/22/2016 6:18pm
Thanks for all the replies. I learned a lot and agree, its probably a combination of reasons. I think I have hi jacked this thread enough. Sorry.
JW381
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JW381 11/22/2016 6:33pm
11/22/2016 6:33pm Edited Date/Time 11/22/2016 6:34pm
I'm really fortunate, as a huge aviation buff, to have the evergreen museum and water park about an hour from me. For such an obscure corner of the world (McMinnville Oregon), it's crazy to have such an awesome museum with so many amazing airplanes. I need to go back.
Ted722
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Ted722 11/22/2016 7:10pm
11/22/2016 7:10pm
kzizok wrote:
Thanks for all the replies. I learned a lot and agree, its probably a combination of reasons. I think I have hi jacked this thread enough...
Thanks for all the replies. I learned a lot and agree, its probably a combination of reasons. I think I have hi jacked this thread enough. Sorry.
No problem! I like the dialogue.
omalley
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omalley 11/22/2016 8:04pm
11/22/2016 8:04pm
rhargrave431 wrote:
Speaking of the SR-71, an article popped up on my Facebook the other day about the design of it. Much of the plane was designed in...
Speaking of the SR-71, an article popped up on my Facebook the other day about the design of it. Much of the plane was designed in the 50s, well before the use of computers. I guess an airplane design company used all of the handwritten data and put it into a computer, and the computer wouldn't of changed a single thing from the pencil and paper the designers in the 50's has drawn!


Edit. Here is the link
https://frontlinevideos.com/blogs/videos/researchers-ran-sr-71s-hand-de…
My grandfather worked at the Skunk Works (Lockheed's secret airplane division) and was part of the SR-71 project. Although he worked on other aircraft (F-104, U-2, etc) he was incredibly proud of the SR-71. There is a pride that everyone that was connected with the aircraft has that is indescribable. I think only recently has the true magnitude of what they accomplished really come to light. What was funny was growing up, I would build plastic models and I built an SR-71 and showed him. He spent an eternity studying the model and he would occasionally have a look of recognition and say something like "I'm surprised they put that on there." "What grandpa?" "Sorry, not allowed to say, but someday."

Ironically, when I got my pilot's license, the head of the flight school turned out to have been a navigator in SR-71's. I ended up talking to him quite a bit about grandpa and the airplane. Kind of intimidating to take your checkride with a guy that was one of the elite few who got to be a crew member of that airplane.

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rhargrave431
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rhargrave431 11/22/2016 8:34pm
11/22/2016 8:34pm
rhargrave431 wrote:
Speaking of the SR-71, an article popped up on my Facebook the other day about the design of it. Much of the plane was designed in...
Speaking of the SR-71, an article popped up on my Facebook the other day about the design of it. Much of the plane was designed in the 50s, well before the use of computers. I guess an airplane design company used all of the handwritten data and put it into a computer, and the computer wouldn't of changed a single thing from the pencil and paper the designers in the 50's has drawn!


Edit. Here is the link
https://frontlinevideos.com/blogs/videos/researchers-ran-sr-71s-hand-de…
omalley wrote:
My grandfather worked at the Skunk Works (Lockheed's secret airplane division) and was part of the SR-71 project. Although he worked on other aircraft (F-104, U-2...
My grandfather worked at the Skunk Works (Lockheed's secret airplane division) and was part of the SR-71 project. Although he worked on other aircraft (F-104, U-2, etc) he was incredibly proud of the SR-71. There is a pride that everyone that was connected with the aircraft has that is indescribable. I think only recently has the true magnitude of what they accomplished really come to light. What was funny was growing up, I would build plastic models and I built an SR-71 and showed him. He spent an eternity studying the model and he would occasionally have a look of recognition and say something like "I'm surprised they put that on there." "What grandpa?" "Sorry, not allowed to say, but someday."

Ironically, when I got my pilot's license, the head of the flight school turned out to have been a navigator in SR-71's. I ended up talking to him quite a bit about grandpa and the airplane. Kind of intimidating to take your checkride with a guy that was one of the elite few who got to be a crew member of that airplane.
That's an awesome story man. Crazy to really think of the things that have never came to light.
RM Mike
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RM Mike 11/24/2016 6:22am
11/24/2016 6:22am
Castle Air Museum is not far from us. I had a orientation meeting at Castle AFB right before I went into the USAF. Tried to get stationed there...

The museum is neat. Try to go when they have open cockpit day.
hillbilly
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hillbilly 11/24/2016 6:36am
11/24/2016 6:36am
Didn't the sr71 benefit from reverse engineering used to build the u2 ? That crash in 47 got the ideas rolling.

I heard George talking about it one night
Ted722
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Ted722 11/24/2016 6:43am
11/24/2016 6:43am
RM Mike wrote:
Castle Air Museum is not far from us. I had a orientation meeting at Castle AFB right before I went into the USAF. Tried to get...
Castle Air Museum is not far from us. I had a orientation meeting at Castle AFB right before I went into the USAF. Tried to get stationed there...

The museum is neat. Try to go when they have open cockpit day.
Yeah, I was told they do it twice a year. Memorial weekend Sunday and in the Fall in September.
JW381
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JW381 11/24/2016 10:04am
11/24/2016 10:04am
hillbilly wrote:
Didn't the sr71 benefit from reverse engineering used to build the u2 ? That crash in 47 got the ideas rolling. I heard George talking about...
Didn't the sr71 benefit from reverse engineering used to build the u2 ? That crash in 47 got the ideas rolling.

I heard George talking about it one night
This took me a sec to decipher but that is funny shit haha

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