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Aviation History
1958
1958 - 0576.PDF
592 FLIGHT Defense A CONDUCTED TOUR OF U.S. AIR POWER PART ONE — PARIS TO THE PENTAGON FLYING MATS is not such a magical thing as it sounds. Ifever the United States goes out of the armament business itwill have a ready-made airline which could knock a consider- able number of spots off some I.A.T.A. members we could men-tion. Even in the matter of stewardesses. We reported at the Military Air Transport Service terminal atOrly, Paris, on the evening of April 18. The United States Air Force, working with the U.S. Department of State, planned toshow us something of Americana as well as Air Force activities which we Western journalists usually learn only from hand-outs,impassioned news stories from Washington and—of course—the cinema. We checked-in ready for our four weeks' tour with clothing tosuit weather in Lincoln (Nebraska), El Paso (Texas) and some of the hotter spots in Los Angeles. The coloured master-sergeantbehind the counter referred to us as gennlemen, apologized for having to charge us 75 cents for our "lunch" (to be consumed about10 p.m., but not more than five hours after issue, because they'd had one or two cases of food poisoning when passengers had leftit longer before they ate), and checked our passports. Our aircraft would be landing in ten minutes from Frankfurt,he told us. Flight number was A 420, the "chicken" (because you can stuff so many passengers into it) was a C-118, or militaryDC-6A, and we should be routed via the Ay-zores. Remembering dear old Transport Command and some of itsequipment, we weren't looking forward to this long haul in a military transport. It was only when we realized that the twoglamorous young women we had seen lurking in the lounge were not flight stewardesses with PanAm but were actually airwomenof the U.S.A.F. that we perked up. The DC-6 arrived dead on time, and we discovered that thetwo airwomen in the lounge were no exception. Our own cabin crew was two pleasant and pretty young American girls with thespikiest of spike heels and sheerest of nylons. Complement—55. Twenty less than capacity. Tourist densityseating, backward-facing. All seats adjustable, pillows and blankets (if you needed one) provided in transparent envelopes. Iced-waterfountain by the two rear toilets. And in-flight smoking both in cabin and crew quarters. Hot—and good—coffee with your"lunch." Paris to the Azores (Lajes) is 1,411 miles. We arrived thereabout midnight Paris time, were out of the aircraft, into a bus and The Pentagon, in which is housed "the team of 30,000 people who administer and plan for the 250 U.S. bases throughout the world." By a Special Correspondent THE V.S. Armed Services have accorded specialfacilities to enable a selected party of journalists to inspect their newest equipment and methods.This is the first of a series of articles describing the tour, with emphasis on the aircraft andmissile aspects. in the Officers' Club in no time. Organiza-tion was well on the ball. Take-off was delayed to let a V.I.P. aircraft go through.This was the "Epicurean" of the MATS Atlantic Division—"The Blue Plane." Forty-fivs seats—"And boy! The chow!" said a U.S.A.F. colonel. Touch-down at Andrews Air Force Basewas about 0945 hr East Coast time after another 2,417 miles. For some little whilewe had dithered over the pleasant Maryland countryside waiting for clearance while theU.S.A.F. showed off to Washington the latest fighter for the capital's protection. This wasthe Delta Dagger, the Convair F-102. As we taxied on to the unloading ramp a sectionof F-102s landed, parachutes streaming.; Impressive indeed. But MATS were hustling us. No timeto talk about this supplement to the Nike batteries which encircle the capital except tolearn the Dagger is just supersonic. The later F-106 is faster. Through Customs and immigration withthe minimum of fuss, though a notice told us: "This terminal is being rebuilt for yourconvenience." And as I stepped into the bus I regretted the dollar bill I had stuffed into an envelope at Orlywhen persuaded to do so by a U.S.A.F. officer. All passengers, whether military or civilians, can insure against accident. Butthey pay their own premiums by airmailing them to an insurance company in Omaha. Into Washington for a shower and clean-up, past the wonderfulcherry blossom which had just sprung into bloom. Around the Tidal Basin and the Jefferson Memorial the effect of these cloudsof pink was fairy-like; and next day to the Pentagon, to hear Maj-Gen. Douglas Johnson, Deputy Director for Strategic Plansof the Joint Chiefs of Staff, tell us of the current military picture. Some of his facts were not new—but to hear them given to usin the quiet conference room in this vast military headquarters was impressive, for around us worked the team of 30,000 people whoadminister and plan for the 250 U.S. military bases throughout the world. Johnson's estimate of the armed forces of the Communist blocis about 8,000,000 men. It includes 400 ground divisions, 500 sub- marines and 25,000 operational aircraft. At the height of WorldWar 2 Germany and her allies had 400 divisions and almost severed our shipping lines with fewer than 100 submarines at sea.In fact, Germany began World War 2 with only 57 submarines. The General believes that steady improvement in the Sovietlong-range air force will continue. It can deliver high-yield nuclear weapons. And, above all, the Soviets have placed over-ridingemphasis on technological research and development of new weapons. In the United States Air Force, the General told us, mannedaircraft will continue to provide the base for air power for a considerable period. Virtually all Strategic Air Command bomberwings will be jet-equipped in 1959, and in that year the Command will begin to show a missile capability [with Thor and Atlas].Virtually all intercepter squadrons will be equipped with air-to-air guided missiles and a considerable number of squadrons will beequipped with the new nuclear-armed air-to-air missiles. As we toured the building (every visitor gets a neat plan to showhim how to reach his quarry) talk was all about the President's new plan for the forces. How would it affect the top brass—the menresponsible for the operations of the Army, Navy and Air Force? Comment was generally favourable, that a joint planning andoperational staff was a must in these atomic and pentomic days, that the Service departments should be purely housekeepers.
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