The Washington DC July 4 celebration included one B52 low level fly pass.
Brought back memories from one 1960s summer when The US airforce had a low level exercise over southern Saskatchewan.
Starting in April, planes from Great Falls, Montana made a several hundred miles low level loop, think it was 200 feet altitude,simulating an attack.
At about our location 100 miles north of US border, the low level part was over and they took off for the stratosphere and Great Falls, trailing lots of black smoke.
Working on open tractor facing north could see them pop over the horizon a few miles away and be prepared. Some would be still low level and others in full power climb. Used to think the tractor engine was blowing up. They came one at a time fifteen minutes apart starting at 8AM until mid afternoon, most stayed within five mile wide corridor.
Couple of times there were B58 Hustlers, a delta wing supersonic bomber, once at 4AM, another in afternoon when B52s were finished for day.
Somewhere along the route there was an American radar tracking unit It attracted Canadian demonstrators once or twice.
Met a cruise ship passenger with cap saying Bomber Command. Said he remembered the exercise but had not been air crew. Said it went by acronym for over the horizon radar detection.
Always wondered if any came back to base with bullet holes, at 200 feet, they made a tempting target for a farm boy out in the middle of nowhere with his rifle.
Brought back memories from one 1960s summer when The US airforce had a low level exercise over southern Saskatchewan.
Starting in April, planes from Great Falls, Montana made a several hundred miles low level loop, think it was 200 feet altitude,simulating an attack.
At about our location 100 miles north of US border, the low level part was over and they took off for the stratosphere and Great Falls, trailing lots of black smoke.
Working on open tractor facing north could see them pop over the horizon a few miles away and be prepared. Some would be still low level and others in full power climb. Used to think the tractor engine was blowing up. They came one at a time fifteen minutes apart starting at 8AM until mid afternoon, most stayed within five mile wide corridor.
Couple of times there were B58 Hustlers, a delta wing supersonic bomber, once at 4AM, another in afternoon when B52s were finished for day.
Somewhere along the route there was an American radar tracking unit It attracted Canadian demonstrators once or twice.
Met a cruise ship passenger with cap saying Bomber Command. Said he remembered the exercise but had not been air crew. Said it went by acronym for over the horizon radar detection.
Always wondered if any came back to base with bullet holes, at 200 feet, they made a tempting target for a farm boy out in the middle of nowhere with his rifle.
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