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Description
| Manufacturer: | North American | |
| Base model: | B-45 | |
| Designation: | B-45 | |
| Version: | A | |
| Nickname: | Tornado | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Air Force | |
| Designation Period: | 1924-Present | |
| Basic role: | Bomber | |
Specifications
| Not Yet Available |
Known serial numbers
Examples of this type may be found at
| Museum | City | State |
| Castle Air Museum | Atwater | California |
B-45A on display
Castle Air Museum |
Recent comments by our visitors
| Jim Stadelmaier Charlottesville, VA | I was a radar maintenance mechanic,(Shoran Bomb/Nav system) for the B-45 in the 84th from 6/52-11/54. It was a memorable time in my life and would like to hear from anyone from that period. 04/14/2013 @ 04:52 [ref: 67733] |
| Jim Price Kilmarnock, VA | This aircraft was powered by 4 GE J-47-Ge-13 turbojets of approx. 5200 Lbs thrust each. 04/09/2013 @ 03:46 [ref: 67722] |
| James Hillier Lancaster, CA | I was stationed at Sculthorpe RAF Station from 1951 to 1955.
Tail gunner. log book record shows over 400 missions Plus training flights. Great ride, great aircraft and no bad memories of my time in England and the 47th Bomb wing... Go SAC. 08/09/2012 @ 07:59 [ref: 65198] |
| Peter B Gunn King\'s Lynn England, OTH | I am interested in your site as I am researching the history of USAF/RAF Sculthorpe, England. I would appreciate contacts with anyone with memories of their time there. I would like appreciate information on any aspect of operations there or air accidents, photos etc. Also personal stories etc.
Many thanks. 08/19/2011 @ 03:58 [ref: 46197] |
| Wayne L. McCann Sun City, AZ | I was a radar maintenance mechanic on RB-45C's. I was in the 4211th. Armament and Electronics Squadron from April 1951 to August 1, 1951 at Barksdale AFB, then TDY to Sculthorpe from Aug.1 to Nov. 27, 1951. After we gave all of our planes to the British, I went back to Lockbourne AFB and was there until July 1953, when I was sent to Ellington AFB to set up a radar repair operation for 65 T-29 trainers. (all with Q-24 systems).
I have never been able to find any of the men that I worked with. I would love to share experiences with anyone who worked on the RB-45C. 09/19/2010 @ 15:34 [ref: 30265] |
| Carty Lawson Leesburg, VA | I was a Q-24 Bomb/Navigation Radar technician with the 84th Bomb Squadron (47th Bomb Wing) at RAF Sculthorpe 1955-1957. In 2000 members of the various squadrons and support organizations of the 47th Bomb Wing (RAF Sculthorpe/RAF Alconbury) formed the 47th Bomb Wing Association (BWA), Ltd. One of the missions of this organization is to publicize the vital role of the B-45 in the "Cold War" from 1952 to 1958. In 2007 the 47th BWA dedicated a plaque of the B-45 at the Memorial Gardens of the Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright-Paterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio. May 15, 2009 the 47th BWA dedicated a B-45 Model and display case at the American Air Museum, (part of the Imperial War Museum), Duxford, Cambridgeshire, England. One of our current endeavors is to get a B-45 model in an appropriate display case into the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum near Dulles International Airport in Northern Virginia.
The 47th BWA publishes a newsletter, Contrails, several times a year and sponsors an annual reunion. Interested in becoming a member of the 47th BWA? Contact me at csrmlawson@verizon.net or crlawson16@yahoo.com Dr. John C. Fredriksen's book "The B-45 Tornado - An Operational History of the First American Jet Bomber" is now available from the publisher, McFarland & Company, Inc. 12/29/2009 @ 17:27 [ref: 25489] |
| Ken Leland Ketchikan, AK | I was a A/2c with the 84th B.S. "A" flight 1955-1957,crewed 47-091 and 47-059. Sgt Gay head crew chief. We lost both in crashes. 091 at Lakenheath, 059 near Sculthorpe. Believe this was one of the planes Mr. Owens referred to as one that was rebuilt. The only damage was to the nose section which plowed into a hedge row when it landed in a field and the nose gear collapsed.I remember seeing repairs being performed when I drove along the perimeter strip past the site. As for tipping the plane on to its skid to load the "Bomb", it was a very big improvement over the previous procedure of removing the bomb bay doors and then jockeying the Bomb cart back and forth trying to get it lined up, saved a lot of time (which was the whole reason for doing it that way)The only downside was the fuel leakage from the vent on the port side tail section. 01/11/2008 @ 14:31 [ref: 19255] |
| Jim Sharpe Jacksonville, FL | I was at Biggs Field, Texas, when the first B-45 landed for testing. I was with a group of Ordinance men. We were to load practice bombs to test the load and to see if the run way was long enough (not close), so it took off back to March Field California. Because of short run ways we had to move to Barksdale Field Louisiana. At that time we had B-26's in three squadrons. The flight crews flew into Barksdale and the enlisted men went by troop trains.
On June 9, 1949, number 8033 crashed while on training flight, killing 2 pilots with one survivor. Captain Ralph Smith - 27 years old and Captain Milton Costello - 31 years old, were killed and Captian Big Jim Lowden - 28 years old, survived, with severe injuries. Captain Big Jim was in the hospital for over 2 years but recovered for flight duty and retired as Lt. Col. The Airforce Museum in Ohio has the number 8010 B-45 on display and I have alot of the pictures and memorbilloia of the entire 1947 and 1948 47th Bomb Wing. I would be glad to share. 11/30/2007 @ 10:52 [ref: 18733] |
| Richard Lilley Gig Harbor, WA | I worked on the J-47 engines on the B-45s at Alconbury in the 86th BS from 1955 to 58. Also worked on the T-33s and L-20. I was there when Morgan, a mechanic on 046, took the B-45 off one night by hisself and crashed it into the English countryside. I have a few picture of what is left of the plane after it hit with the throttles wide open. 10/05/2007 @ 16:39 [ref: 18112] |
| Allan Owens , DE | As an Airman Second Class (A2C) at Sculthorpe from mid 1955 into 1959 I was involved in rebuilding crash damaged B-45 aircraft i.e. "079" & "042." The strangest sight I ever saw in my AF career were all those 84th and 85th BS "Tornadoes" flipped back onto their tail skid to allow loading of a bomb. I actually helped tilt one once and it was not hard to do oweing to the plane's centre of gravity. I've seen no photo of this unique procedure and won't since during "Alerts" we would not be taking pictures. Pilot's considered the B-45 a "Hot Rod" to fly. It did its job and did it very well. I was sad to see it go and never had any affection for the plane that replaced it. 08/08/2007 @ 05:51 [ref: 17517] |
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