Pages 122-123 Dad's Military Album Vol. II

Journaling:
Located in Oxfordshire, England RAF Upper Heyford was opened in July 1918. In 1923 it became a strategic bomber base. In the 30s it became a training base for bombers. Then during the Cold War the USAF leased the airfield from the Ministry of Defense as part of the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) alliance. In 1952, the USAF's Strategic Air Command (SAC) B-47 bomber aircraft arrived. SAC stayed until 1965. The base retained the designation as a RAF station but was maned by USAF personal. The senior RAF officer present was known as the RAF commander and senior liaison officer. Because of the unique relationship the Royal Air Force Ensign was flown alongside the United States flag Originally a small number of US Air Force personal were stationed at RAF Upper Heyford. One officer and 26 airmen. Beginning in 1951 USAF personal were rotated through RAF Upper Heyford on Temporary Duty (TDY) from their home base in the United States. These rotations were typically 90 days.

Billed as one of the most notable events of 1954 was the arrival of the RB-36. The RB-36 was the first bomber capable of delivering nuclear weapons. Built by Convair it was the largest piston-engined aircraft ever built. It had a wingspan of 230 feet. Making it the longest wingspan of any combat aircraft ever built. Its range was 10,000 miles. The 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing flew in with their RB-36 bombers during the months of June and July 1954. The 5th Air Base Group, which Dad was assigned was part of the 5th SRW at Travis. He was sent TDY to RAF Upper Heyford as a communications specialist with a cryptographic clearance during June & July 1954 as part of the notable event. The TDY rotation of personal into and out of Upper Heyford would last until 1966 when United States Air Forces Europe (USAFE) took over from SAC and assigned units to Upper Heyford for permanent tours.

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