Ftrooppilot

Years of speculation are now being made factual through publication of "The History of Big Safari" by Col. Bill Grimes.

Pages 60-68 (link below) document 1960's RB57F reconnaissance efforts against the USSR with some missions flown by the Pakistan Air Force. The long suspected "shoot down" of US crewed RB57F on December 14,1965 is more factually detailed. The pilot and systems operator are still "missing."

The entire book is a treasure trove of the most secret reconnaissance aircraft ever operated. Sometimes it was an old KC-97 (Boeing Stratocruiser) carrying a two ton camera that was eventually installed in the RB57F. Pages 81-83 provide interesting info on RB57F Weather (radioactive) sampling. Page 86 documents the RB57F being used for Bomb Damage Assessment over North Vietnam. " Second Slice 3 " aircraft (page 86) had a camera with a one foot resolution at 60 miles slant range. (IN 1968 !!!)

The History of Big Safari - Colonel Bill Grimes, USAF Retired - Google Books


A great read and available on Amazon.com.

PS. We never painted them black . Therefore we are not eligible to join the "Blackbird Association."

SeanTheNav

My copy is in the mail! I got to meet Col Grimes last year, he still visits the "dets." The stories he can tell over a beer are fantastic, looking forward to see what he can do in 500 pages!