biggest military airport in the world

"Air Force Jayhawk" wrote in message
...

Not military (anymore), but Salina Kansas airport is 13337 ft long.
Used to be Schilling AFB, rumor has it the runway was extended to
support B-70 ops until the program was canceled and the base was
closed and turned over to the city.


I think you'll find the runway was lengthened to better accommodate the B-52
and KC-135 that were scheduled to replace the B-47 and KC-97 at Schilling.

In article .net,
"Steven P. McNicoll" writes:

"Air Force Jayhawk" wrote in message
...

Not military (anymore), but Salina Kansas airport is 13337 ft long.
Used to be Schilling AFB, rumor has it the runway was extended to
support B-70 ops until the program was canceled and the base was
closed and turned over to the city.


I think you'll find the runway was lengthened to better accommodate the B-52
and KC-135 that were scheduled to replace the B-47 and KC-97 at Schilling.

Actually, that doesn't hold up, at least in the B-52/B-47 matchup.
B-47s were horrendously underpowered. A heaviweight B-47, on a
standard day, without JATO, would be using something on the order of
11,000' of runway. The equivalent B-52C/D (The worst for takeoff),
would be off the ground in 8,000'.

Hmm. At one point, for about 10 years, there were 90 B-47s at
Pease. with about 12,000' or runway. It's rather amazing that Great
Bay didn't get filled up with B-47s running off the runway during
rejected takeoffs.

Data from the Standard Aircraft Characteristics, B-47E-IV, and
B-52C/D.

--
Pete Stickney
A strong conviction that something must be done is the parent of many
bad measures. -- Daniel Webster

"Peter Stickney" wrote in message
...

Actually, that doesn't hold up, at least in the B-52/B-47 matchup.
B-47s were horrendously underpowered. A heaviweight B-47, on a
standard day, without JATO, would be using something on the order of
11,000' of runway. The equivalent B-52C/D (The worst for takeoff),
would be off the ground in 8,000'.

Hmm. At one point, for about 10 years, there were 90 B-47s at
Pease. with about 12,000' or runway. It's rather amazing that Great
Bay didn't get filled up with B-47s running off the runway during
rejected takeoffs.

Data from the Standard Aircraft Characteristics, B-47E-IV, and
B-52C/D.


Nevertheless, the runway was lengthened in 1959-60, between B-47/KC-97 and
B-52/KC-135 operations at Schilling, and long before the B-70 would have
been operational.

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
k.net...


Nevertheless, the runway was lengthened in 1959-60, between B-47/KC-97 and
B-52/KC-135 operations at Schilling, and long before the B-70 would have
been operational.

Even though the preparations were made for B-52 operations there it did not
happen. See:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/fa.../schilling.htm

From which the following paragraph is quoted.

On 19 November 1964, the Department of Defense announced that Schilling
along with 574 other bases around the world would be closed. At this time
the base was home to approximately 5,090 men. Within the next six months,
all planes and men were relocated, including the Atlas F ICBM Squadron, and
the base was closed on 30 June 1965.

End quote.

I was TDY to Schilling AFB in January 1965, visited the Command Post several
times and watched an exercise, and I assure you the bombers in the unit were
still B-47s. My home base at the time was a B-52 base and I assure you I
knew the difference. They started the closing shortly after I left.

Regards,

Tex Houston

"Tex Houston" wrote in message
...

Even though the preparations were made for B-52 operations there it did
not happen.


So, then, the runway was lengthened to better accommodate the B-52
and KC-135 that were scheduled to replace the B-47 and KC-97 at Schilling.
I believe I said just that in an earlier post.

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
nk.net...

"Tex Houston" wrote in message
...

Even though the preparations were made for B-52 operations there it did
not happen.


So, then, the runway was lengthened to better accommodate the B-52
and KC-135 that were scheduled to replace the B-47 and KC-97 at Schilling.
I believe I said just that in an earlier post.

Yes, the preparations were made (about $160 million) but when the base
closed it was still a B-47 unit. I suspect it was also still KC-97s but
just don't remember.

Tex

"Tex Houston" wrote in message
...

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
k.net...


Nevertheless, the runway was lengthened in 1959-60, between B-47/KC-97
and
B-52/KC-135 operations at Schilling, and long before the B-70 would have
been operational.

Even though the preparations were made for B-52 operations there it did
not
happen. See:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/fa.../schilling.htm

From which the following paragraph is quoted.

On 19 November 1964, the Department of Defense announced that Schilling
along with 574 other bases around the world would be closed.

Whoa! *574* bases closed around the world?! I could believe 57 or 74, but
574 seems like a typo. Or did they include dozens of tiny little radio
shacks on Pacific islands with perhaps 5 personnel manning each one?
I know of Bong AFB in Wisconsin being closed before completion in 1961 but
that doesn't really count here...

Nick