Here are four bases where your bombers and tankers will feel right at home.
The scenery files go directly into your MAIN SCENERY folder. If they don't load on your next start up, install them manually after you start the simulator and by using the senery dropdown menu. Use the "use direct option"
Why?...
These particular bases where built for B52 Bombers. The runways are precision runways and the radios are right on the button. You can select these bases using map view, flight planner etc. etc.
These bases will not kill your frame rate. Use the "use directly" option under your scenery options. The bases will appear and disappear withing 20 nautical miles.
I regret having to use Microsoft Default buildings but used these in ways that will surprize you...these bases are layed out the way they where during my days in "SAC" and SAC was a 24 hour, 365 day a year job. So much for home security which our congress is now talking about. If our congress did not close these military bases, things would have different and things that have happened... would have never happen.
SOMETHING FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND THESE BASES BETTER
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Three of the bases are sister bases of the 45th Air Division SAC. There are more bases and in time these too will be created or reworked.
Loring was the second coldest base in the Air Force, Minot was first and nobody wanted to be stationed or land at Minot. Limestone, Caribou, and Presque Isle are the local communities about Loring AFB. The base and these communities are a stone's throw from Canada.
Today Loring is a business park. What you will find is a ballpark area...this area got its got name, because of the "ballpark lights" situated on the hardstands at the north end of ramp-1 ( Just off G, Golf Taxiway) You will spot the area when you first land.
Starting at the tower, there is a DC Hanger (huge) Arch Hanger (huge) the tower and base operations. The taxiways running in-line with the runway are A and B. The three ramps 1, 2, and 3, contain the nosedocks and hardstands. The first taxiway after the tower is ECHO, the next FOXTROT, the last GOLF.
There are 50 hardstands (Sorry... I can't get the nose docks needed) Microsoft buildings reflect the nose docks.
You will have no problems getting around and Loring is not that big and you will find the base more exciting than most of Microsoft's default type airports.. The runway lights up bright and so does the ballpark lights and taxiways. The six hardstands at the far end (North) where called the pea-patch area, which was used for transit aircraft visiting Loring or enroute to other destinations.
To recover a bomber a" tug and towbar" was needed to back them onto a hardstand and the ballpark was the busy area. The only time a bomber was put into a dock was for phased and periodic inspections and fuel cell work. The only hanger on the base that could completely house a bomber, without the tail hanging out was the Arch Hanger up by the tower. KC-135's used the hardstands on ramp-2 and ramp-3. We had 18 tankers and 16, B52-G model bombers.
The bombers where silver with white paint on the bottoms. Later on they where three shades of green with touches of brown and white bottoms. The tankers where all silver paint and always in need of a paint job.
KPSM... Pease AFB, New Hampshire... 509th Bomb Wing
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The best thing about Pease AFB is it has and open ramp. There was no need to use a tug and towbar to recover a plane. Just marshal them, bring them to a stop and chock the wheels, that was it. Pease had KC-135 Tankers and F111' Fighter Bombers, which never flew anywhere and spent most of their life inside hangers.
The F-111 could not be left outdoors in the winter months.
Pease was a very busy tanker base during (1971-1973) before the C-141 and C-5 began everyday logistic missions, which the air force desperately needed.
I was a bomber crewchief working tankers and was called "that bomber crewchief" Pease was the best of my service years. Great people... dedicated people... and plenty of interesting places to see and visit. Never the less my broken down tanker became the No. 2 VIP plane and we flew everyday and everywhere...never did make NO. 1.. Ssgt Gary Gray, held the slot right up till all of us where shipped overseas.
The 509th was the bomb wing that dropped the atomic bombs and therefore everytime we flew to Japan we had spray paint over the 509th decal or remove it.
Today Pease is called Pease Tradesport International here is a community who once complainted about jet aircraft noise, but now makes no complaints with there new international airport, hence they don't have to drive to Boston or Bangor.
Westover has a history that dates all the way back to WW-II.
It was a very important de-barkcation point for our armed forces. Westover had B52-D (Black Belly) bombers, these where the first bombers sent overseas for the Vietnam War. The wing was broken up between Anderson AFB and Utaphao RTAB... the latter situated in Thailand.
Westover is a great area especially for families and exploring the Berkshires
it a place everyone should have the opportunity to visit, at least once in their life.
The base soon became an air force reserve wing, who where flying C-130's and then closed down in (1984) So this base became as you may have guessed? Another business park, where freight companies capitalized on its central location here in New England.
If Westover had remained open the hijacked planes of 911 would have never made it across the state of Massachusetts, let alone into New York air space.
Like Loring ...Westover could handle over 50 aircraft...it too has nose docks and the bombers had to be backed onto a hardstand. But the difference was they used their nose docks in the winter...the tails hung out...but the rest of the bomber got plenty of heat and warmth.
VTBU Utaphao RTAB, Thailand.
I stopped into many bases in the Pacific, but was only stationed at "UT" or Utaphao for my long tour of duty.
I left Pease AFB and in less than 24-hours later, was found running engines on a B52-B model bomber...yes a B ...I was now right back to being a bomber crewchief!...once again.
Eventually... I was assigned tail number #100, which was a B52-D Black Belly bomber....
At "UT" we had as many as 50 or more bombers (coming and going) all day and all night, like Quam, we where running 24 hours a day. The shifts where 12 hours long and we rotated one month of days and then one month of nights...This was to beat the heat in the hot season ...hence to give everyone a chance to get out of the hot sun.
You will find 25 parking areas on the east side where the bombers where kept...here you will see the "WALLS" where the bombers where backed into and worked and reloaded and sent out for their next mission.
I ask you fly the best bomber you have...(In your flight sim hanger) Into "UT" for the first time and use a professional VFR approach and landing...It will pay tribute to all those who served there, both crews and ground crews, our losses where heavy.
UT is only one short hour from Vietnam...Our crews did have to fly 5000 mile round trip distances, to complete their missions, like the poor crews stationed at Anderson AFB, had been forced to accomplish.
Stateside is was the same way, 12 hours shifts with ever other Sunday off if possible , which means it was usually not possible. The typical stateside mission in a bomber was an 8-12 hour training mission and occassional 25 hour endurance mission...our crews where in constant "readiness" conditions.
If those walls at 'UT" could talk, you would hear hundreds of stories.
Up by the red and white water tank, was the bomber branch and a small open style building where we could get a cold drink and take a rest. The tank can be seen from either end of the runway. The hardstands without walls (asphalt) where called the "Snake Pits" big snakes where often found coiled up between the rear main gear of the bombers...many people where shocked when going back to remove the rear wheel chocks!
Well thanks and thats about it for the short stories...but you see? The B52 bomber has been around for five decades and hundreds of people have had some type of involvement with this long lived aircraft. Our congress had complained about the high cost of these bombers back the early 1950's, but Boeing had said if you want a good plane, then you have to pay for it. In truth the B52 has paid for itself! It is a remarkable plane and see it still flying... is even more remarkable...
As for old warriors...we just fade away....it takes young men... to work and handle bombers, the job is not easy and one can say it can be most demanding and when the chips are down, it can be even more difficult.
My favorite is the B52-D which was the "Queen of the Hive" and could out fly all the other models...therefore hope... Kotoaro... will follow through and build a D-Model for us old timers who would like to have a more deluxe model (like these new H-Models) which he created and put up on the flight sime networks.
Again your comments, views, are welcomed...if you have any trouble with the scenery feel free to contact me at the e-mail address below...
robertdaddario@hotmail.com
Hope you enjoy the bases...
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