orange B-57B

[Shane]

B-57s and T-33s were used in the early 60s and 70s by NORAD as targets for US exercises.  They would fly as Soviet bombers at high altitude as NORAD ground controlers would vector us interceptors to attack them (F101, F102, F106, etc).  Day glow was probably used to keep fighters from making the mistake of "attacking" TWA, PanAm flights at the same altitude.

Shane

[BenB]

Used my Google-fu & found the Dash-60 (A/M32-60A) didn't come into use until 1965.

Ben

[BenB]

Looks like they didn't need much in the way of ground equipment for starting B-57s (via Mike West):


In Mikesh's book and others, the only ground equipment that's ever close by during engine start are a fire extinguisher and one of those big, self-propelled MD-3 ground power carts. Since they used starter cartridges on the B-57, they didn't need a huffer cart (I don't know if they could use one on a B-57. BTW, anyone know when the Dash-60 came into use?), and battery power was sufficient for normal ops, so the MD-3 was just for stand by. Here's a link to some MD-3 pics:  http://www.auctionflex.com/showlot.ap?co=25927&weiid=4188442&lang=En  The only reason I know what they were called is we had a couple at an FBO I used to work for back in the '80s. The big placard inside the control panel cover had settings for various airplanes, like B-47s, F-84s, etc. I don't think it mentioned anything built after 1960.

Ben

[Spanky]

Steve,you were talking about starter carts further up the thread.I'm looking for refs on various ground support stuff like huffers,tow tractors and other stuff.I've searched and have come up with nuthin.I have various kits of these things but no info.
spanky

[BenB]

Thanks, Lee!

[Lee_K]

Dana Bell wrote an article about Artic and Conspicuity Markings for the March 1996 issue of Fine Scale Modeler.  Up until 1958, all "Artic Red" markings were really just plain ol' Insignia Red FS 11136.  In 1958 the Air Force ordered the use of fluorescent paint, and two colors were used: first fluorescent yellow-orange FS 28915, then in 1960 to fluorescent red-orange FS 28913.  The fluorescent paints were a real pain to apply and weathered badly, requiring re-painting in as little as three months.  They were also quite expensive.  In 1970 the Air Force gave up to economics and removed all the fluorescent paint from aircraft in favor of International Orange FS 12197.  So, your B-57B could be painted in any of the above colors, depending on when it was operational.  If you can date the picture exactly in 1959, you can use whatever applies above, most likely Yellow-orange, which is a paint in the Testors enamel range (1775).

Lee K

[Ryan K]

Joseph at Fireball Modelworks lists the arctic red used for the AH-1G Cobra arctic test as FS1136 Gloss Insignia Red.
http://www.fireballmodels.info/images/FMD-11a.jpg

HTH

[BenB]

I read somewhere that "Arctic Red" was just Insignia Red. There was a bright orange, I think called "International Orange" that they used on the high-vis panels on T-38s after they figured out Day-Glo doesn't last very long. I'm guessing that's what they used on the B-57E.

Cheers!

Ben

[Herk]

Ben,
Great Information! I think the red/orange is the Arctic Red used by SAC & ADC on their a/c operating in Northern areas.
B-57 engines could be with the use of a black powder starter cartrage if a compressed air or starter cart was not avaliable. (Early model KC-135s used a similar system with the exhaust down to the left - check the ramp areas for stains)  The exhaust angled up to the left (as viewed from the front).  All aircrews had to be certified/recertified on "cart" starts.  As the photos indicate considerable smoke was created which "got the attention" of any newbee or uninformed personnel on the ramp.  More than one new crew chief or ramp rat grabbed the fire extinguishers during a "cart start".

Spanky,
Have fun with intruder photos - especially the one with the scolloped markings.

Regards,
Steve P.

[Spanky]

Hey Ben and Steve,thanks for the info.I got an Airfix B-57 on the way from ebay.I like all that orange on that plane but I decided to build a B using the Super Scale sheet.I like the glossy black planes as well.
spanky

[BenB]

Hi all,

55-4290 was a B-57E. Mikesh's excellent B-57 book has a whole chapter about them. The E-models were built at the factory as a target tugs. The book says they were "high visability orange", but doesn't mention if that means Day-Glo or something else. Acres of Day-Glo would look awesome in 1/48! 4290 was modified to use a tail-mounted basket that held 2 frangible radar reflective targets instead of the banner-type targets. There is a pic in the book of 55-4289 with the same set-up, and the target looks like it was similar in size and shape of a Mk117 750lb bomb. They were towed as high as 40,000ft and up to .74 Mach so F-86Ds, F-89s, and F-94s could fire rockets and radar guided missiles at them. They operated with the 17th TTS out of Yuma and some out of Tyndall in 1958. Given the reliability of the radar-guided missiles of the day, I would think the lives of those pilots would have been quite a bit more exciting than what I would want to live!

After looking closer at the second photo, it looks like the radome is Day-Glo and the rest of the plane is some other orange. Compare the radome with the windscreen frame.

Also, in the third photo, notice what looks like shadows on the fuselages of the jets, near the wing leading edges. That's soot from the left engine's cartrige starter, which blew its exhaust out of the right sides of both engines.

Ben

[Herk]

Spankey,
This is definitely NOT a target towing A/C.  Note the tubes on the aft fuselage of both A/C in the attached photo.  The target sleeve was in these until deployed.  With the Arctic colors, this is very possibly an ADC/NORAD aircraft.  These were used with T-33's to test and check the radars and ops centers in the 50's & 60's.
Regards,
Steve P.

[Spanky]

Steve I searched hi and low for info on this plane and came up with zip.I did find out that by '59 that field in Casper,Wy was turned into a municipal airport.During the war it had B-17s,B-24s and finally B-29s.It was shut down in '49 and later sold.Here's a head on shot of the same plane.
spanky

[Herk]

Spanky,
Can you identify the fin flash?  This might give some indication of the unit assigned and mission.  The single band on the fuselage seems to indicated a Squadron or Flight commander's A/C.    The buzz number could also help ID the unit.
Your idea of a target tow A/C is possible - would need to see under the wings and tail to tell better.  If my memory serves correct, the tail number indicates the A/C was built in 1954.
Steve

[Ryan K]

Looks like an arctic scheme....

my guess it is it is red.

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t56390.html

HTH