Hello! I am stationed at McGuire AFB, NJ and am doing research for a possible historical book or paper on the BOMARC accident that took place here. I am looking for assigned personnel and first responders to the June 7, 1960 fire and nuclear material melt-down. I understand there are some instances of heroism and sacrifice with regards to this incident and I would like to make sure it is well documented. Please email me at james.warrick@mcguire.af.mil if you have any info or know of personnel that can be of assistance. Thanks in advance!

MSgt James Warrick
305th Security Forces Squadron

Musta been some of that 'spook' radar we kept hearing about in the early/mid 60s. Geez!! Although, as an earlier hinted, what do you expect from CBS?

I cannot imagine a navy ship-borne radar (or any ground-based rotating radar) being equipped with a range greater than about 250 miles, at any altitude. Very few radars can handle elevations of 80,000 feet, either. The longest range ADC radars I knew about were the "FD" ("Frequency Diversity") radars of the 1960s and they had a PRF of 333 pulses/second (PRT of 3000 microseconds), which gives a maximum range of just under 250 miles. Now, it is true that a very high-power radar (the FD radars were) might be able to detect a return from a target beyond maximum range (if high enough to be above the horizon), but the range displayed for such a target would be equal to the real range minus the maximum PRT-limited range (i.e., a target at a real slant range of 350 miles would appear to be 100 miles away). Such a target would also appear to be moving more slowly than it really was (unless moving radially to the site) because angular displacements at excessive range are small and look like less distance at the second-time-around range.

I don't wonder about discrepancies on the History Channel--it's owned by CBS.

flashguy

I agree with John Tianen's assessment below on Navy ship-based surveillance radars. My understanding is that those radars indeed had the same basic ranges and altitude capabilities (or maybe a little less) than Air Force land-based long-range radars. I, too, watch The History Channel, I also agree that their shows on UFOs and other ''urban legends'' tend be rather tabloid-like. I notice that a fair number of The History Channel's so-called ''facts'' are technically and historically inaccurate to one degree or another. Disappointing, in my opinion -- I guess I expect better from a network that calls itself ''The History Channel.''

Regarding the History Channel...One of my biggest gripes is that their documentaries often show footage that is inaccurate as it relates to the story. For example, they will show footage of foreign weapons or aircraft when talking about U.S. weapons or aircraft or show footage of 1950s vintage automobiles when they are doing a program on the 1930s. When you see things like that, it makes you question there credibility.

I was watching the History Channel with a program dealing with UFOs. Some information about radar capability caught my attention. Before I submit it for comment, let me say that I am not a believer in UFOs. In my opinion, television programs that deal with this subject tend to take a small grain of truth and extrapolate all kinds of wild reasons for the occurence. I also think they try to present half truths and fiction as fact when dealing with this subject.

Here is the claim: A "radar technician" on a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier claims to have observed a UFO on his radar scope at a range of 600 miles at an altitude of 80,000 feet. This occurred in 1962. I am familiar with the capabilities of Air Force radars of that period and I assume that the Navy used similar technologies. For several reasons, those range and altitude numbers seem bogus. This same person also claimed to have routinely observed the passage of meteors across the face of his PPI. Knowing the speed of meteors, I find that claim especially ridiculous. What is your opinion of these claims?

I am looking for anyone that was stationed with Bruce King (636th AC&W), in the years 1957-1959 in Condon Oregon. Thank you. If you have any info please email me.

Obie, where were you stationed in Iran? I was with ARMISH/MAAG at Doshan Tappeh AB (Tehran) from mid-1969 to early 1971. I was the advisor on Radar.

David

Would like to locate Major Owen P. (Barney) Farmer, Commander of the 903rd AC&W(Radar)Squadron, Gettysburg AFS, SD. Barney was Commander from Mid 1957 to Mid 1958.

According to zabasearch.com Owen P. Farmer lives in NW Florida near Niceille. Good Luck.

News Item: Radar stations outlive their usefulness (various sources)

By ELIZABETH BLUEMINK

Published: January 18th, 2008 06:27 PM
Last Modified: January 18th, 2008 06:30 PM

The Air Force is cleaning up contamination at old radar stations along the Arctic Coast, but not all of them are threatened by erosion. Many radar stations are getting closed because they are no longer useful, according to the Air Force.

Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line stations were built in the 1950s to provide the first alert of an ''over the pole'' invasion from the former Soviet Union.

Most of those are closed or were abandoned decades ago. But 17 military radar stations in Alaska remain in use. The Air Force operates stations between King Salmon and Fort Yukon, part of an early-detection air defense system that extends to the far side of the northern Canadian coast.

Within the last six months, two radar stations - Bullen Point and Wainwright - were closed by military order after they were deemed no longer necessary. Their radar components will be provided to the Canadians, according to Col. Brent Johnson, commander of the 611th Air Support Group at Elmendorf Air Force Base.

I was at Nikolski det #1 in 1967 -1968.I WOULD LIKE TO GET A PATCH OF THE714TH NIKOLSKDO YOU KNOW OF ANY PICTURES OR IF MY SITE IS STILL THERE?i REALLY LIKE YOUR SITE!

Hi I am British, based in the UK near Norwich and worked on ELINT in the 60`s. Today I am a volunteer with the Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum. We have a small display of Radar and EW equipment from 1940 to 1980`s. Our website is www.aviationmuseum.net.

very nice site. thank you I spent a year at top camp cape Lisburne AK and enjoyed your photos. Would like to find more and personell that was there 1969 - 1970. thanks again

Operations Officer for BUIC III from its initial operation until
leaving for Iran in the fall of i969.

I would have not volunteered for the site . But I am glad I went. P.S. sorry about the tin city rooster. Also thanks for this web site

Good article in the current "Air & Space Magazine" about the upcoming retirement of the stealth F-117A aircraft. Also discusses some of the latest concepts for radar.

http://www.airspacemag.com/issues/2008/december-january/stealth.php?page=1

Amazon.com has a paperback 1960 Air Force publication entitled 'Handbook, Siting Procedure, Radar Facilities' listed in their inventory.
Are any of you old radar installation troops familiar with this publication, and can tell us anything about it? Please respond with any knowledge you might have to Gene McManus, Tom Page, or myself, or simply reply as a Guestbook entry. We're thinking it might be a useful addition to Radomes.

Stationed at two Air Defence sites in Germany. 604th AC&W Sqd. in Freising,Germany 1964-65. 615th AC&W Sqd. Birkenfeld,Germany. 1965-67. Borfink was the CRC in the 86th Airdivison.

This is just a test to see if maybe it is the first posting in 2008--there don't appear to be any in the new year yet.

David

In memory of my late father, John C.Reeves.

"He walks through the jungle,
with his scope in his hand,
He's a mean S.O.B.
He's a RADAR MAN!

I am the author of recently (2007) published book "THE DEW LINE YEARS,
Voices from the Coldest Cold War"; it is a collection of human interest stories contributed by DEW Liners who served from Alaska to Greenland. Congratulations on a comprehensive and user-friendly web site.

thought I was the only teletype operator interested in this ac&w site. Glad you guys liked the Christmas trees made with x's. these type things used to go around the world during the holiday season and really took a lot of time from the local operators thru the tape relays. The NCO'S turned away while awaiting important message traffic during this operation. glad someone enjoyed it and God Bless our troops today. I have 481 months in grade as an airman second anyone beat that ha ha

I just wanted to say that I was stationed at Murphy Dome Alaska from February 1962 through March 1963, and was with the ADA. I can be reached at my email address of allen_j5@yahoo.com.

Happy New Year to all, and all good things to all old Radar types.

Just had to start the new year out on this forum.

Best to all.

Walt

I just wanted to say that I was stationed at Murphy Dome Alaska from February 1962 through March 1963, and was with the ADA. I can be reached at my email address of allen_j5@yahoo.com.