Flightradar24 Interesting Finds

[Redbug]

Yeah, I live right under the flight path between the Fort Wayne air base and Grissom, and hear the fighters fly over all the time and never can see them on flightradar

My father and later me...were in the Air Force. As a kid I remember living at Grissom and went to Maconaquah Middle School. Those were some cold winters.

 

[MossRoad]

My father and later me...were in the Air Force. As a kid I remember living at Grissom and went to Maconaquah Middle School. Those were some cold winters.

I remember when it was named Bunker Hill. Not so cold anymore.

Another interesting Bunker Hill story....

Indiana's 'broken arrow' — that time 5 nuclear bombs caught on fire

The area was surrounded by a high, chain-line fence. Old, rusted signs said "Controlled Area," and "No Digging."

www.indystar.com

 

[Redbug]

Interesting stories Moss! I remember a static B-58 Hustler was just past the main gate as you went in. Later after I got older I remember reading about the crash and the bomb.

 

[MossRoad]

Interesting stories Moss! I remember a static B-58 Hustler was just past the main gate as you went in. Later after I got older I remember reading about the crash and the bomb.

There is an outdoor aircraft museum there now. The Hustler is still there.
(click to enlarge)



When I was a kid, we'd travel to Indy and Cincinnati pretty often. Back in the 60s there were B-58s in quonset hut-type hangars along US31. There were WATCH FOR LOW FLYING AIRCRAFT signs along the highway. As I recall, a yellow VW bug got smushed by a landing gear one year.

The pads for the hangars are still there...

 

[Redbug]

Wow Moss. Funny how we remember and know those things.

 

[MossRoad]

Wow Moss. Funny how we remember and know those things.

I have family down in Indy, so I drive by several times a year.

I'd guess I've been by there several hundred times in my life. I stop at the museum once in a while, especially if I see a KC-135 doing touch and go's.

Are you familiar with the old circus barns about 1/2 mile north of there? If not, too late. They let them go into disrepair and they were torn down a few years ago. I recall seeing elephants and camels there when I was a kid.

Indiana circus barns built by `Lion King' set for demolition

PERU, Ind. (AP) — Historic barns that a man once known as “The Lion King” built in northern Indiana to house circus animals are set for demolition this spring once crews salvage artifacts from them.

apnews.com

 

[Redbug]

I have family down in Indy, so I drive by several times a year.

I'd guess I've been by there several hundred times in my life. I stop at the museum once in a while, especially if I see a KC-135 doing touch and go's.

Are you familiar with the old circus barns about 1/2 mile north of there? If not, too late. They let them go into disrepair and they were torn down a few years ago. I recall seeing elephants and camels there when I was a kid.

Indiana circus barns built by `Lion King' set for demolition

PERU, Ind. (AP) — Historic barns that a man once known as “The Lion King” built in northern Indiana to house circus animals are set for demolition this spring once crews salvage artifacts from them.

apnews.com

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View attachment 3479824

Yes I do remember all that!

 

[MossRoad]

Ever seen this?
(click to enlarge)



In relation to Grissom...



It is one of many auxiliary fields built when Bunker Hill was built. They were for emergency landings. This one is called Caldwell field.

 

[Redbug]

Ever seen this?
(click to enlarge)

View attachment 3481846

In relation to Grissom...

View attachment 3481847

It is one of many auxiliary fields built when Bunker Hill was built. They were for emergency landings. This one is called Caldwell field.

That's a new one to me. All kinds of things went on during the Cold War. Grissom was quite the base in its day. They had their own coal fired power plant and quite independent of the outside city. I used to walk those RR tracks crossing 31. There used to be a large mill with silos for grain on the south side. It is all gone now. I had always explored around.

 

[orezok]

When I was in college in El Paso, we lived about 2 miles off the end of the main runway at Briggs Field. Nuclear equipped B52’s were stationed there. Every month or 2 they would do an emergency scramble exercise. First the KC135 tankers would take off, spaced about 15 to 30 seconds apart. Then the 52’s would go, same spacing. Crossed the house at less than 1000’.

It seemed about 10 minutes of deafening roar.

I never thought about if one of them would crash.