To say that the Boeing B-47 "made" The Boeing Company would be a mild understatement. Early production orders for this swept wing medium nuclear bomber were considered low for the day. Only a few more than 2,000 variants were produced in the 1950's. And yet by 1969, all models of the B-47 were retired from active duty service.

The technology learned by the Boeing Company designing the B-47 is evident on even the latest Boeing 777. The engineering elements used in constructing a highly stressed and flexible swept wing with jet engines hung on pods is a philosophy of design evident in their jet airliners except the three holer. Throughout history dating to the late 1940's these early concepts are evident in commercial Boeing products from 707 through the latest 747 and the new 777 series.

When Boeing produced the first prototype B-47 it was designed to be a fast high altitude medium ranged nuclear bomber. It was a radical design change from the B-50 bombers rolling down adjacent assembly lines. The production run was considered low with slightly over 2,000 different variants of the jet built at several different factory locations. This airplane was about the same size and weight of today's Boeing 727 but it took 6 engines and assist from rocket pods to get airborne when heavy. And they drank kerosene in prodigious amounts.

By the time the Gold Class of 1959 graduated from the Academy, the Stratojet fleet had already passed its peak strength and was starting gradually to be phased out. B-52's were rolling off the assembly lines in Seattle while the B-58 was burning tarmac in Fort Worth. The distant, thunderous vibration of the Convair B-36 had faded into the dawn of the all-jet age. An assignment to a SAC Bomb Wing was received by 1959 graduate, Lt. H. W. Pete Todd and his new office was the back seat in the tandem cockpit of the B-47E.

Over 1,000 Lockheed F-5 Lightning's were built during World War II. They were unarmed and used for photo reconnaissance missions. General Henry "Hap" Arnold once said, "Our photo reconnaissance pilots are instructed to fly on the theory that fighter planes win battles while camera planes win war." Now we do it from space.

The blue "Haze" paint scheme depicted on the aircraft I depicted is an early production model. It was actually the first attempt at a "Stealth" paint scheme and it was very effective at hiding the airplanes when flown at altitude. Unfortunately it took a long time to paint each aircraft. Known as the "Haze" paint scheme it was discontinued because America needed the airplanes faster than they could be painted. Later production models were standard olive drab and gray. This took time too and a command decision was made to discontinue any camouflage and all aircraft after that decision were natural aluminum. The distinguishing feature of the F-5 are the camera's in the nose.

I chose to paint an early production "Stealth" version of the aircraft to show how far we have come in the aviation business since then. It "hides" well in my background and I felt there was an additional symbolism recognizing the class color of the class of 2000. I also positioned the aircraft in my painting so my pilot could capture the other aircraft and the cadet area on film.

Note the gold stains on top of the twin booms is from the sulfur content of the very high octane aviation gas these water cooled Allison powerplants consumed. A couple notes about the Lockheed Company philosophy of aircraft design are also worthy of mention here. The wings outboard of numbers 1 and 4 engines of the original Lockheed C-69 and early Connie series airliners were from the P-38. And the nose of the first jet prototype F-80 Shooting Star also came from P-38 engineering and assembly line jigs.

My father George Broome Jr., was an Air Force veteran and served our Nation in the Pacific theater as an enlisted Sergeant assigned to the 5th Air Force. Overseas for over two years, he had a number of assignments as a photo lab tech and combat photographer. The F-5 was his favorite airplane and I remember he called it "the forked tail devil."

Dad died in 1970 from cancer. I always suspected he may have been exposed to a significant amount of radiation from the nuclear attacks on Japan. Some of his war buddies from the photo lab he ran also developed cancer and died. My father was one of the first people to view the photos taken of both attacks. He personally processed and developed the film in his Air Force photo lab. Just before he died, dad gave me hundreds of negatives of non classified photos he was cleared to bring home. Most are large 4x 5 format negatives....

Information on the C-17 will be comming soon.

Information on the F-22 will be comming soon.

All digital photographs Copyrighted Rick Broome 1998