Martin RB-57F

Raymond Wozniak, e-mail, 24.11.2014 02:27 Worked on this aircraft at Yokota AFB in 1971. Great plane. Easy to work on. I was a Sgt from the Pneudraulic Dept reply

John Penz, e-mail, 04.11.2014 02:23 Last call you all! Joe Devenport and I have just about finished with the list of identified folks in the yearbook. We are still lacking many, especially the enlisted men in the "mill around" picture on page 14 upper, page 14 lower along with Sam and Pappy, certificate holders on upper left page 15 behind Maj Consta.We will be making an addendum to the book with all the names provided to us, and will furnish it at no cost to those that help ID folks. hanks and Bless. Long Live the Longwings! reply

Clark Wilberg, 03.06.2014 22:05 I was an SEO (Special Equipment Operator) with AFTAC and had the pleasure of working with, and flying with, many of the folks listed in these comments. Gordon Blevins--always enjoyed flying with you on the WC-135; had a few flights on WB-47s and thoroughly enjoyed that aircraft as well; 417 was my favorite! I had the privilege of working with -57F navigators--teaching them the operation of the sampling equipment for their sampling operations. reply

Joe Devenport, e-mail, 28.05.2014 04:05 For anyone that owns a 58 WRS book: If you can ID anyone in the photos in the sq book, please let us know. contact John Penz or me. Please provide their name, the page and the location on the page, if required. Please use 58 WRS Photos in the subject line. thank you reply

Joe Devenport, e-mail, 08.05.2014 03:25 Rodney, if you would like to have a model perhaps you can check this web site out. It's aimhigherjets.com. I have seen some of their work and they do good work. They have a 1 800 number, too. I plan to have them make a model for me soon. As for the helmet, they look better displayed, as for a price, I'm not sure you will make more than a few $$. Perhaps, we will see you on Pawn Stars some time. Let me know how you make out with it. good luck. reply

Rodney Carroll, e-mail, 07.05.2014 16:20 Joe, Thanks for the info. I collect interesting items but this items is a bit large. What I wanted was the RB-57 model. I missed out on that, but I knew the flight helmet was a good deal because I knew what it was related to. I knew about the RB-57 from watching a program of either the History channel or Discovery. I am really into the SR-71 and the U2 missions. I do plan on selling the helmet. That is why I was trying to figure out how it was used. reply

Joe Devenport, e-mail, 06.05.2014 00:26 Rodney, not all flights required the pressure suits. We also had the C model. I'm sorry to hear about the Col. He was a good man. So, are you a collector of some kind? reply

Rodney Carroll, e-mail, 03.05.2014 07:11 I recently attended the estate sale of Colonel Gene Durden. I acquired a standard style flight helmet that belonged to him. The helmet has "F-Troop" and "58 WRS" stickers on it. This is not a "Space Helmet" like I see in photos of the pilots of the RB 57F. Was this standard style flight helmet used in the unit? Where they used for maintenance flights. Was there other aircraft in the unit that the Colonel could have been flying? reply

John Penz, e-mail, 16.12.2013 01:55 Hello all. The 2nd preinting of 10 books is sold out. I have several folks wanting a book, so through the good graces of my neighbor, Joe Herring, owner of Herring Printing in Kerrville, I am going to have 5 more books printed. This will be the last print at the original price, $22 + tax and insured priority mail + /- $5.80, so if you or one of your friends want one, let me know hubba-hubba (WWII term). I will be going to press right after the 1st of the year. email me at jrpenz@windstream.net Merry Christmas and a Happy healthy New Year. JP reply

john holbein, e-mail, 01.11.2013 02:20 I was stationed at Kirkland 1962-1965 crewed 837 (short wing)& then 292 rb57f when delivered.Spent time at Johnston atoll'indian springs nev. & Fairbanks.I was there when capt lafoon & maj parr (sadly crashed)I also remember maj red cambell.That was a wonderful time in my life;tw0 of my kids were born there.Chief gullo was the top enlisted man then;I still keep in touch with a few of the guys'nottingham'pastore'I also remember Cassidy he crewed one of the D-models.best regards to all reply

Jeff Powers, e-mail, 17.08.2013 03:34 My great uncle, MSG John Supple, helped to develop this beautiful aircraft while working at General Dynamics in Ft. Worth. I still have his "official" Model of the plane as well as his zippo lighter that has the RB-57F Silhouette on it. reply

Gordon Blevins, e-mail, 22.06.2013 02:29 I flew the "F" while stationed at Kirtland AFB, NM. I was also the safety officer and part of the accident investigation team for the 292 accident. Of all the airplanes that I flew, the "F" was my favorite. The WC-135B and the WB-47 (my e-mail address is the tail number of the last WB-47E Bob Sprecher, Curt Norden, and I took to the "Bone Yard" at Davis-Monthan. I also took two of the RB-57F's there. THis was /still is I guess (Yea NASA) a fantastic airplane. Hello to those of you who left comments here whom I know!! reply

Lester Johns, e-mail, 18.04.2013 22:03 I found these articles while I was looking for a good desktop pic. I was at Rhine Main when the first (F) arrived and until after when we had lost one in the Black Sea. The squadron must have disbanded not too long after I left. It was an awesome aircraft for sure. I can't say what the mission was or my job. I was told to forget, although I have seen articles talking about it since. reply

CMSgt (ret), e-mail, 06.03.2013 07:44 Earler I posted my email address wrong. This is to be corrected copy. Anyone wishing to contact me please use this addres: jrpenz@windstream.net Anyone know the address of Dan Templeton,lease give me or h the address above. Thanks for you help in advance John R. Penz reply

John Penz, CMSgt ret, e-mail, 24.02.2013 06:04 The F was and still is a most beautiful plane to watch take off and go almost straight up. NASA still has 3 of our planes in their stable (295 renumbered 927 is going through it's final stage of a ramp to ertical stabilzer will be virtually a new aircraft when it is flown to Ellington ready to go to work.If anyone is interested in purcasing repr\\int of the 1974 Squadron book, I have 6 left. These books will be sold for $30 each incuding insured Priority USPS mail. I will be bringing them (if left) to this year's reunion in Branson. MO in June and will wave the postage and handling charge for direct delivery. Chief Snelson (ret) and I have had approximately 100 new patches direct copies of the RB-57F Black ball Patch, the RB57F patch a d the WB-57F patch both in true colors.See post number 2 in this link for prices. These are being sold as a non-profit venture.CMSgt John R Penz,email jrpenz@windstream.net reply

Joe Devenport, e-mail, 31.01.2013 02:27 Hello fellow F troops I was in the 58 WRS from Jan 69 go Aug 72. I didn't know it at the time but the 58 was the best SQ ever with a bunch of good guys. I got out and worked in the Gulf of Mexico for while, made good money at that time. I came back in 2 years later became a flight engineer on C5s and loved it! I remember Basil, E Cook, R Cook, Mike Hong, Wooler, Step, Harroll, Pride, McKey and Short, plus several others. Currently, I live in Oklahoma. I was forced to retire two years ago, the company I worked for lost the contract and my job was done away with. I can't say that I'm broken up about it, I help out around town, church and work in my wood shop and visit family often. reply

CMSGT John R. Penz, e-mail, 24.12.2012 07:00 Hi FTroopers all. I must say that the squadron book sale went quite well after the word got out. Matter of fact 2 troops requested books after they were all gone. So I put myself in the hole again and ordered 10 more copies and now have 8 left. The price is $22.00 for the book and priority mail and insurance will total $30.00 if you want one, contact me at jpenz@windstream.net. CMS ret John Snelson came up with a suggestion that maybe their are some folks out there that might like a brand new patch. He and I have put up the front $ so he and I have a limited number of 3 different patches. First was the "Black Ball" patch which I wore from '64- 65 /66. The 2nd was the familiar RB57F patch, and the third was the WB57F patch.The "Black ball"patch is $3.00 plus shipping and handling, the other 2 patches will be $4.00each. These patches are true copies of the original. If you are interested emaIl me at jpenx@windstream.net and I will email pictures of the patches. reply

Curtis D. Dale, e-mail, 29.11.2012 11:11 I flew in the "Longwing" from Albuquerque for 1968 to 1972. I was Chief Navigator, Chief of Command Post, and Special Assistant to Commander during the period of Don Wolf, Doug Campbell, (and, UGH, Click Smith).It was a wonderful assignnment and airplane, in many ways the ultimate flying assignment of my flying career, even though all the others were terrific. The 58ths was a collection of the finest crews, maintenance, life support, flight surgeons, and civilian tech reps that could possibly be put together. it was my honor to fly with such people Dana Kelly, Vern Duenas, Leroy Gray, Doug "Red Dog" Campbell, Don Wolfe, Ed Wolf, Earl Heal, Gene Durden, Sam Van Dyke and so many other great pilots and to lead the finest collection of navigator /mission director /special equipment operators that could possibly be assembled. These GIBs were able to do what you asked of them, every time, to the very extent the equipment provided was capable of doing. I saw times when their equipment failed, and their innovations still gathered incredibly valuable information, matching or exceeding what the failed equipment provided by the customer was designed to do. Greg Korczak, Rich Wojick, Jack Booth, Larry Champion, Norm Bockledge, and so many others have become legends to me. Flew them out of Albuquerque, Panama, Mendoza Argentina, Alaska and Hawaii. Colonel Curtis D. Dale, PhD, USAF (Ret) reply

RICH, e-mail, 26.10.2012 11:38 I was station at Yokota Air base from 1966 to 1968. There were RB-57F's assigned to the 56 WRS and 6091st RS. I worked on the EB-57E's that shared the hanger with the 6091st RB_57F's. There is not much information on their mission in the 60's and I guess it will be lost to history. reply

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