8th Air Force Museum Barksdale AFB, LA
Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:10 pm
I went back and visited my old stomping grounds at Barksdale and visited a few of my old friends. I volunteered at 8 AFM while stationed at BAFB and eventually became the Director of Maintenance (volunteer). We always struggled to get support from the base and from the local community to raise funds to put a roof over the aircraft and it still seems a way off in the future. With that said, they are making progress. Thanks to a former 2nd Bomb Wing Commander they now have a nice size, well equipped shop to work in and are getting some much needed support from the base. Here are some pictures I took.
Here's part of thier shop, small but it beats working outside like I had to back in the day.
Jeep that I would love to get my hands on
They have the tail off of the B-29 repairing some corrosion. I helped put that B-29 together back in '88 -'89. It was severly corroded back then, having come from the Aberdeen Proving Grounds.
"The Pad" outside the shop. The T-33 is a former ABDR (Airframe Battle Damage Repair) trainer so they whacked holes in it and practiced putting some not-so-pretty patches on it.
The plan is to replace the nasty patches with flush patches.
Inside they have a movie theater set up like a WWII 8th AF Briefing room
Piece of a wall from an 8th AF base in England. I don't remember which base this came from but if anyone is dying to know I can call the curator and find out.
Earl Williamson was a crew member on B-17 "High Ho Silver", and this is his jacket. I remember when he donated it, top class gentleman. He's still around and still comes by the museum once a month or so.
Mmmmm....Parts.........
The only remaining piece of a B-6A Panther Bomber. It was found on the East side of the base back in the '80's by some hunters. The east side was a bombing and gunnery range back in the '30's and '40's and this was a target.
Ok this may seem dumb, but these are bomb shaped salt and pepper shakers from the Barksdale Field Officers club. Someone had them at thier house and the grand kids used to play with them and drop them like bombs (make sense that's what I would have done as a kid)
The SR-71 was painted not that long ago, but the paint faded unbelievably fast. Word has it they are trying to get warranty from the contractor.
This is a mixture of real Mustang and lot of fiberglass. "Chicoartist" aka Wade can tell you anything you want to know about this one.
I was shocked at how rough the B-17 looked. This was the 2nd to last one off of the Douglas line. They are working on recovering the flight controls with aluminum, but there is a lot more work to do.
They are putting reflective shades in all the plexi on all the planes to minimize the heat damage.
Gotta love Base Environmental. My only guess is the Iridium in the instruments.
This is the last Ford built B-24J. They are working on fabbing the missing cowling. Not all of it is missing, most of it was in the shop being worked on.
I remember when this AT-11 was donated and flew in. The "Follow Me" driver said, "This guy doesn't know how to taxi, he's swerving all over the place!". I just laughed. She's on the short list for a paint job.
B-58 Rocket Sled used for high speed ejection seat tests.
FB-111A I remember when this one was retired and joined the museum too. The guy that took it on as museum crew chief did a great job.
Scott, here's the B-29. I wish she was in better shape.
And the KC-97 cousin,
Avro B.2 Vulcan XM606
B-52D 57-0629 - she was my bird when I was there. Sadly there are places in the top of the flap wells that you can see daylight through the corrosion now.
Houndog Missle - predecessor to the ALCM
Makes you feel old to see planes that you worked on in active duty sitting in a museum. B-52G 57-6509 it was recently painted and they haven't finished putting the markings on yet. It has the Nine-O-Nine nose art.
KC-135A being prepped for paint.
They're doing the best they can with what they have. It's a lot to take care of with basically a couple of retired CMSgt's and one or two other guys. With that said, I think that taking care of the B-17, B-24, B-47, C-45 and AT-11 should take priority of repainting B-52's and KC-135's.
Here's part of thier shop, small but it beats working outside like I had to back in the day.
Jeep that I would love to get my hands on
They have the tail off of the B-29 repairing some corrosion. I helped put that B-29 together back in '88 -'89. It was severly corroded back then, having come from the Aberdeen Proving Grounds.
"The Pad" outside the shop. The T-33 is a former ABDR (Airframe Battle Damage Repair) trainer so they whacked holes in it and practiced putting some not-so-pretty patches on it.
The plan is to replace the nasty patches with flush patches.
Inside they have a movie theater set up like a WWII 8th AF Briefing room
Piece of a wall from an 8th AF base in England. I don't remember which base this came from but if anyone is dying to know I can call the curator and find out.
Earl Williamson was a crew member on B-17 "High Ho Silver", and this is his jacket. I remember when he donated it, top class gentleman. He's still around and still comes by the museum once a month or so.
Mmmmm....Parts.........
The only remaining piece of a B-6A Panther Bomber. It was found on the East side of the base back in the '80's by some hunters. The east side was a bombing and gunnery range back in the '30's and '40's and this was a target.
Ok this may seem dumb, but these are bomb shaped salt and pepper shakers from the Barksdale Field Officers club. Someone had them at thier house and the grand kids used to play with them and drop them like bombs (make sense that's what I would have done as a kid)
The SR-71 was painted not that long ago, but the paint faded unbelievably fast. Word has it they are trying to get warranty from the contractor.
This is a mixture of real Mustang and lot of fiberglass. "Chicoartist" aka Wade can tell you anything you want to know about this one.
I was shocked at how rough the B-17 looked. This was the 2nd to last one off of the Douglas line. They are working on recovering the flight controls with aluminum, but there is a lot more work to do.
They are putting reflective shades in all the plexi on all the planes to minimize the heat damage.
Gotta love Base Environmental. My only guess is the Iridium in the instruments.
This is the last Ford built B-24J. They are working on fabbing the missing cowling. Not all of it is missing, most of it was in the shop being worked on.
I remember when this AT-11 was donated and flew in. The "Follow Me" driver said, "This guy doesn't know how to taxi, he's swerving all over the place!". I just laughed. She's on the short list for a paint job.
B-58 Rocket Sled used for high speed ejection seat tests.
FB-111A I remember when this one was retired and joined the museum too. The guy that took it on as museum crew chief did a great job.
Scott, here's the B-29. I wish she was in better shape.
And the KC-97 cousin,
Avro B.2 Vulcan XM606
B-52D 57-0629 - she was my bird when I was there. Sadly there are places in the top of the flap wells that you can see daylight through the corrosion now.
Houndog Missle - predecessor to the ALCM
Makes you feel old to see planes that you worked on in active duty sitting in a museum. B-52G 57-6509 it was recently painted and they haven't finished putting the markings on yet. It has the Nine-O-Nine nose art.
KC-135A being prepped for paint.
They're doing the best they can with what they have. It's a lot to take care of with basically a couple of retired CMSgt's and one or two other guys. With that said, I think that taking care of the B-17, B-24, B-47, C-45 and AT-11 should take priority of repainting B-52's and KC-135's.
Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:21 pm
The F-84F still looks sharp. I enjoyed scrolling through those photos. Thanks for posting them!
Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:34 pm
Old nose art
Buff's
Buff's
Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:37 pm
I always preferred "Laden Maiden", I'm not sure why they changed it. Probably some P.C. crap. 
The BUF will get the same nose art repainted.
The BUF will get the same nose art repainted.
Tue Aug 18, 2009 7:03 am
I had to do NVG training over at Metro a few years ago, and got the chance to spend a part of the day walking around the museum. Really nice people.
Tue Aug 18, 2009 11:17 am
A shame that that B-24 couldn't be with a museum that could fly it. Say like the Yankee Air Museum? 
Tue Aug 18, 2009 11:28 am
Thanks for posting, looks like they could use a few more volunteers to help keep the a/c clean and tidy... 
My personal view is that no WW2 types should be still kept outside, just my 2 cents worth...
My personal view is that no WW2 types should be still kept outside, just my 2 cents worth...
Tue Aug 18, 2009 1:39 pm
Thanks for the update and photo's. 
Tue Aug 18, 2009 4:27 pm
Thanks for the photos. I really appreciate them, as I don't know that I will ever have the chance to go down there.
Tue Aug 18, 2009 5:55 pm
I wish there were more viable B-24 projects around. I love the "Lib"!! I guess we can't thank the Indian AF for the ones that are still flying.
BTW - there were 12 B-24 groups that trained in Wendover (308th, 445th, 448th, 451st, 456th, 458th, 461st, 464th, 467th, 489th, 490th and 494th)
Tom P.
BTW - there were 12 B-24 groups that trained in Wendover (308th, 445th, 448th, 451st, 456th, 458th, 461st, 464th, 467th, 489th, 490th and 494th)
Tom P.
Tue Aug 18, 2009 11:55 pm
The only remaining piece of a B-6A Panther Bomber. It was found on the East side of the base back in the '80's by some hunters. The east side was a bombing and gunnery range back in the '30's and '40's and this was a target.
Man, this made my day! I'd love to see one of these old Keystones recreated. What else is out there on the range (I know, besides UXO)? Has any excavating been done where they found it, or is it too dangerous?
Wed Aug 19, 2009 4:37 am
Thanks for posting the pic's! The B-29 is looking rough. With some work and money, it could be brought back...
Wed Aug 19, 2009 7:24 am
Thanks for the pictures.
Their weather has been better than ours, the grass is the best I have ever seen it.
Their weather has been better than ours, the grass is the best I have ever seen it.
Wed Aug 19, 2009 8:48 am
Chris Brame wrote:... Has any excavating been done where they found it, or is it too dangerous?
People are out on the old gunnery and bombing range all the time. Over the years lots of bombs and bullets and aircraft parts have come out of there. EOD has to go out whenever a bomb is found. Many bombs can be seen inside the museum. The B-6A Panthers were flown there - all of them - to be bombed as targets in the late 30s or so (no WIX or AMARC back then!). Thus, all the B-6 parts in existence are either in the museum, buried on the range, or were trucked out and melted down for scrap after they were blown to smithereens.
Barksdale was one of the major WWII training bases, including a B-26 school. Several Marauder parts have come out of the range and are now in the museum. The film "How to fly the B-26 Marauder" was shot there. The former B-26 crews who trained at Barksdale will always 'complete' the famous phrase, "One a day in Tampa Bay ... and two a day the Barksdale way!"
Barksdale is one of the AF's oldest (dedicated Feb 1933), and remains one of the Air Force's premier bases. 8th AF has been HQ'd there since 1975, and the 2nd Bomb Wing, direct descendants of the 1st Day Bombardment Group (their 96th Bomb Squadron was the very first US outfit to drop a bomb in combat), has been there since 1963.
Oh, one final thing - inside joke/bone of contention to those of us who have lived there: Barksdale is NOT IN SHREVEPORT, dammit!
Wade