.
PETERSON
AIR AND
FOUNDATION
NEWSLETTER
PRESERVING THE HERITAGE
VOLUME II, NO. 8 APRIL 2008
FROM THE PRESIDENT
MIKE DRENNAN, PRESIDENT
Another wonderful and productive period comes to an
end and I am pleased to be able to recount some of the great accomplishments
made during this period.
On 11 February we had the opportunity to say thanks to
our many wonderful volunteers. Without
your efforts we would not be where we are today. This year alone we are already
hitting 1000 hours of volunteer time and we are barely into March. As most of you know we named our 2007
Volunteer of the Year, John Cawood.
Please take the time to thank John again for his many dedicated hours of
service and for his superb contributions to enhancing our museum.
Work on the ICBM PEACEKEEPER Missile Procedures
Trainer (MPT) continues with over 2,000 volunteer hours of service so far. If you haven’t had the opportunity to see the
display please take the time because you will be amazed and delighted with the
progress that has been made. When you
see the MPT you will also see the recently assembled PEACEKEEPER Shroud. The MPT and the Shroud provide an outstanding
exhibit and Ron Gray eloquently captured the significance of the display with
these words:
“This Missile Procedures Trainer operated at
Vandenberg Air Force Base from 1986 until 2006, providing a high degree of
fidelity to the actual weapon system, for use in training and evaluating
Missile Combat Crew Members. It was
disassembled and moved into this museum to recognize and preserve the heritage
of the Missileers who spent thousands of hours developing the exceptional
proficiency required to safely and reliably operate the PEACEKEEPER Nuclear
Weapon System. Through their efforts in
this trainer, these Cold War Warriors were able to significantly contribute to
nuclear deterrence and the national security of the
We also updated our Strategic Plan which outlines the
museum priorities for the next five years.
Our number one priority for 2008 is to complete the exhibits in the City
Hangar and we are well on track to accomplishing that goal.
So as you can see, it has indeed been another very
productive period. My thanks again for
your continued great support and help in capturing our heritage for current and
future generations.
VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION DAY
ED WEAVER
More than fifty Volunteers and their families gather
in the Museum’s City Hangar in early February to celebrate their
accomplishments during the past year.
Museum volunteers provided an increditable 9,520 service hours during CY
2007 or 171,836 dollars of donation in kind. Since CY 2003 more than 45,000
hours or 812,250 dollars have been donated.
Foundation President Mike Drennan
remarks included “I want to thank each and every volunteer for your
efforts. Each person makes a difference
and we wouldn’t be where we are today without every member of the
Foundation. The reason the year was so
great was because of the many volunteers who contributed their time and energy
to making sure that our heritage was preserved.”
Vice President Ron
Gray and Director Gail Whalen
were the Masters of Ceremonies while Chairman of the Board George Douglas and President Mike
Drennan made the presentations. Deputy Museum Director Jeff Nash assisted during the presentation. Once again this year, the Peterson AFB “Club”
provided an outstanding catered luncheon.
The Museum’ Volunteer of the Year was
The Chairman’s Award is presented to an individual or
group of individuals that made extraordinary contributions to achieving the
Museum’s
President’s Awards were presented to individuals for
outstanding achievement in support of the Museum’s many activities.
DOCENTS (3,247 Hours of Service): Dave
Austin, Jimmy Bowden, Dick Burns, John Cawood, Ann Foster, Gus Freyer, Al
Horne, Dave Lankford, Norm Moyer, Dan O’Connell, Jim Palmer, Gordon Scott
and Ed Weaver. Special Mention was made about Trent Harding for his 148 hours.
BLACK GANG (1528 Hours of Service): Dave
Austin, Ed Kelley, Scott Lee, Tony
Roman, Ralph Spraker, Ron Gray and Ed
Weaver. Special mention was made
about TSgt Tom Dishion for his many
hours of service.
RAMP RATS (736 Hours of Service): Jerry
Kovach and Ed Mika.
MODELS & SPECIAL PROJECTS( 852 Hours of
Service): John Cawood & Terry
Galbreath.
ARTIFACTS & LIBRARY: (1158 Hours of Service): Skip
Lynette, Charlie McCarthy, Jack
McKinney, Jim Swalley, and Jane
Newman.
WEB SITE & AD Exhibit (449 Hours of Service): Erv
Smalley.
VIDEO SUPPORT: (85 Hours of Service): Ernie
Newman
S.Parks Deming was cited for his years of service as a member of the Museum Foundation’s Board of Directors.
In keeping with Foundation policy, a number of
volunteers earned membership for their service during this past calendar
year: Norm Moyer (172), Jim Bowden (836), Trent Harding (148), Al
Horne (217), and Gordon Scott
(170).
WHO AM I
ED WEAVER
I came off the Boeing Aircraft manufacturing line in
The “A” models had liquid-fuel
boosters that took 2 minutes to fuel before launch and its hypergolic fuels
were dangerous to handle, leading to several severe accidents. The “B” models corrected this problem with
new solid-fuel. Guidance was provided by
ground control equipment until we were near the target when internal seekers
took over. We were also outfitted with
the world’ first pulse Doppler search radar, the Westinghouse AN/DPN-53. All of the “Bs were equipped with the W-40
nuclear warhead. In June 1961, the first
of the “B” model squadrons became operational and the “A”s were quickly
replaced. We were stored in a
coffin-like shelter whose roof opened to permit vertical erection and
launch. All of us were fueled and launch
ready when placed into the shelter. By
1962 a total of 700 of us had been delivered to the
Now for a little more of my personal
history. I was proud to carry Serial
Number 59-2051 as my tail number. In May
1961 I went on alert duty with the 6th Air Defense Missile Squadron
(ADC) at Suffolk County AFB New York. I
was an “A” model and guarded the
ENLISTED HERITAGE
JEFF NASH
In his monthly
"Enlisted Perspective" released in January, Chief Master Sergeant of
the Air Force Rodney McKinley
challenged today's Airmen to be "proud of our Air Force heritage" and
encouraged the development of unit displays illustrating that heritage.
The new "Airman's Creed" includes a passage saying "I am
faithful to a proud heritage, a tradition of honor, and a legacy of
valor." A couple of organizations on base have taken Chief McKinley's challenge to heart and asked for the museum's
assistance with those displays.
The Peterson Top Three are embarking on an enlisted heritage
display at the Consolidated Club here at Peterson (formerly the Officer's
Club). The display will be in a meeting room called the "Ishmael Lowe Room". I
know some of you knew or worked with CMSgt Ish Lowe, the Peterson Officer's Club manager, among other
things, back in the 1970s. The room is to be completely remodeled
with a more contemporary decor, and the display will show, through images and
text, a timeline of enlisted contributions to the Air Force missions here in Colorado Springs
The other
display on Peterson is an initiative of the 21st Mission Support Squadron, and
constructed in the Customer Service area in Bldg 350, the Mission Support
Facility. This is where you get a new ID card or take care of other
personnel matters, and is a very high-traffic area. This display will be
a bit more ambitious. Along with images of Air Force enlisted people
doing the Air Force's business, we're also looking at setting up three uniform
displays from different periods (since 1947) showing an Airman, an NCO, and a
senior NCO. Complimenting the uniform display will be personal or
equipment items indicative of the period the uniform represents. One of
the uniforms displayed will be a female.
RAMP RATS REPORT
JERRY KOVACH
We redid the P-47 cockpit armor plate with the correct
pattern for protection – courtesy of the folks across the field at
NAWC/WestPac. They have a p-47 that
flies.
We also removed the dummy AIM-4Ds from
the CF-101B – they were full of bird nests and beat up; not feasible to
fix. The real AIM-4D is on display in
the Old City Hangar.
Repainting of the CF-100 may take
place this summer; we will then redo the intake covers to make them look more
realistic.
In need of new decals this summer are
the F-86, F-15, and F-106 ( plus roundel).
The replacement of the complete
horizontal stabilator on the F-4 is expected to take place soon; it suffered
damage when a tractor collided with it.
Waiting
for warm weather!
WANTED!
In
order to present to our visitors the true picture of the heritage we hope to
preserve, we are in need of a 1950s – 1960s era white, missile crew
uniform. If you have one stored away in
that box in the closet, attic, basement or garage please consider donating it
to the Peterson Air and
Our
ICBM exhibits continue to grow with the completion of the Missile Procedures
Trainer and the Peacekeeper shroud. We
have received other donations from that era and hope to have mannequins ready
for display soon – that’s why we need your white crewmember uniform.
DRENNAN DEPARTURE
ED WEAVER
We are
pleased to acknowledge and congratulate the promotion of Mike Drennan. However, as a
result, he will be moving to Los Angles to assume his new position.
Mike has submitted his resignation from the Foundation effective
immediately.
Although he was unable to attend the March
Volunteer Staff Meeting he send the following message. "Please give
thanks to all the volunteers. I have been privileged to have been
associated with all of you. I will truly miss the great professionals who
volunteer so much at the Museum.”
He has
served as the Foundation’s President since June 2002. During his tenure the Foundation has
flourished and Museum upgrades abound. We thank him, we wish him all the
best and we will surely miss him! God
speed, Mike.
ARTIFACT OF THE QUARTER
‘GIBSON GIRL’
JACK
The AN/CRT3 Emergency Transmitter, affectionately
named the “Gibson Girl” was designed to enable ditched air crews to communicate
their whereabouts. Rescue crews could
take bearings on the distress signals to determine its location or just “home”
on the signal using the rescue radio compass.
Our “Gibson Girl” came from an original design that the German Luftwaffe
introduced in 1941 – it was then completely self contained, buoyant,
practically waterproof, small and powered by an internal hand driven generator.
Our modern-day “Gibson Girl” evolved from a captured
German NSG2 set together with development specifications. Bendix Aviation Limited was approached to
manufacture a slightly revised package and an initial order of 11,600, sets to
be delivered “…as soon as humanly possible”, was placed at the beginning of
America’s entry into World War II. The
first sets were delivered in the last week of May. This set was dubbed USA SCR-578 which
remained the official designation until the 1970s when later updated versions
became the AN-CRT3.
Components of the set include transmitter unit and
accessories such as a kite aerial with two balloons (in sealed cans), survival
radio, and signal lamp, all completely packed in a single padded bright, yellow
vinyl bag. Power is derived from a
double-voltage hand generator with a quoted range of 200 miles to aircraft
flying at 2000 feet.
DIRECTOR’S
REPORT
GAIL WHALEN
A Farewell to Long Arms
The Peterson Air and Space Museum Foundation
President, Mike Drennan, is leaving
I met Mike
Drennan when I was sent to Malmstrom AFB,
I
walked away very impressed without really knowing why. But everyone I’ve met
since who’ve worked with him have had exactly the same impression. They’ve all
said exactly the same thing: “a true gentleman, never seen him get mad, always
supportive.” He’s still a true
gentleman, I’ve still never seen him get mad, and he is always supportive. Mike is a gifted facilitator, and one
of the primary reasons the Peterson Museum Foundation is as successful as it
is. I know everyone in the Foundation will join me in wishing the best to Mike Drennan, and send our greatest
respect with him.
Static Display Updates
F-4
Phantom. Ramp Rats Jerry Kovach and Ed Mika were all over the Phantom after
her injury last Summer at the hands (or bars) of an evil lawn tractor. As you
may remember, a chunk of the left rear stabilator was peeled up like a sardine
can as a lawn maintenance contractor collided with it. Our big brothers over at
the 302nd Airlift Wing Structures Shop worked with Jerry and Ed to get the stabilator stabilized. Their patch job has held up
beautifully, no corrosion or water damage seeped through during the winter
months; no squirrels or pigeons managed to squeeze in. 0n March 14, we received
the new horizontal stabilator assembly from AMARG. Again, the 302nd
AW came to our rescue, and took the parts immediately into the Structures shop.
They’ll be cleaning, painting and installing the assembly for us. We hope to
have it completed by May.
Meanwhile, Jeff
Nash, assistant director, has been converted by the Ramp Rats (its only
taken them three years) and like a true convert, has been burning the Bone Yard
in an attempt to find replacement parts for the Phantoms’ nosecone/radome,
ailerons and spoilers. He’s found them. Now we’ll try and get them here and
bring the Phantom back to a little more dignity.
F-100
Voodoo. Unfortunately, our Voodoo is still guarding the McDonald’s restaurant
off
We’re waiting to see where Air Force Space Command
commander Gen Kehler decides to
install the Minuteman III ICBM static display before we move the Voodoo. Our
plan was to bring the Voodoo to the lot next to the Building 982 parking lot
this spring for cleaning and prep work prior to its restorative painting. However, we’re looking at different options
now that the Minuteman III might be emplaced at that very spot. If we can get
the right permissions, we might be able to move it next to the Old City Hangar
this summer. We’re hoping to have the Voodoo emplaced and rededicated in the
fall of 2009 or 2010.
CF-100 Canuck. The venerable Canuck is
showing bare metal and that’s not at all good. As soon as we can get a good
contract, we’re going to have it painted this Spring/Summer. The Canuck will
keep its current colors and squadron markings of the 414th Squadron.
The Black Knights used CF-100 Mark 5D, and were the Canadian Forces Electronic
Warfare unit. It fits in very well next to our EC-121T Warning Star.
Meanwhile, Ginger,
our Museum Pigeonator, made another verified pigeon kill on April 3rd.
While the Museum director was crawling beneath the Canuck’s right landing gear
(taking photographs for Color Marking Indicator package), she accidentally
flushed a cooing pair – right into the surprised but waiting muzzle of Ginger.
Two more and she’ll qualify as an Ace.
Adopt-A-Plane
Jeff Nash has been coordinating the
2008 Adopt-a-Plane schedule with the varying units on base. The 544th
IG is leading the way on April 23, our first wash day of the year, with the
EB-57 Canberra. If you’d like to come out and support them, or thank them,
they’ll be starting around 0930. As always, a safety briefing precedes the
washing and waxing, followed by an early afternoon snowstorm. We’re still looking for adoptions on both of
the Nike missiles and the EC-121T Warning Star.
Missile Procedures Update
The Peacekeeper Missile Procedures Trainer (MPT) is
about as complete as it can get. A few minor additions to go: the instructor’s
equipment in the “Cab”, and a Launch Enable Panel in the student section. The
Black Gang managed to install the infamous prison toilet, a delicate operation
indeed, just before the base electrical shop completed the power connections
from the MPT to the Hangar. The Gang has improvised a number of solutions that
I dare you to figure out. Like the old saying goes, “nothing a little wood
putty and paint can’t fix.”
Hand-in-hand with the MPT assembly was the Peacekeeper
shroud assembly. It took the Black Gang and several additional volunteers to
put that together in one day. Kudos to John
Brown for stepping in and applying some streamlined management to the
efforts. And kudos also goes to Scott
Lee and Jeff Nash for stepping
in, literally, into the shroud during several of the mating procedures. This
was a training shroud from Vandenberg AFB,
As we get nearer to the dedication date, 9 May, the
Black Gang will be completing any finishing touches. After the dedication,
she’ll be open for tours. We haven’t received the finalized time, but for now
the dedication is scheduledto start at 1500 on Friday, 9 May. Representatives
from Air Force Space Command, 20th Air Force, and the 21st
Space Wing will be there. Please plan on coming to the dedication and join us
in opening our newest exhibit.
Wall to Wall Inventory/ Staff Assistance
Visit/ Museum Certification
The
Consider these facts:
Meanwhile, the calmest men in the world, Jack McKinney and Charlie McCarthy, have done an eternity’s worth of work to get us
ready. Add to the team Skip Lynnette
and Jim Swalley, and this quartet
has moved our inventory and artifact collection into the 21st
Century. Now we have almost 5,000 items. Each one has to be photographed,
tagged and numbered. Each one also has to be classified as an item that will be
used for display, research, or “hands-on” educational use.
It’s a time consuming, seemingly never ending process,
and it is our most important tool of accountability. It’s what gives us
credibility. If we lose our credibility, we lose the public’s trust. I hope
everyone will extend a little more patience with the team as we try and prepare
for this important milestone.
Museum
Research Room
(Team
Jane) Right now we refer to it as
the library, but it’s really gearing up to be a research room. Jane Newman has taken on the
organization and physical preparation of this area. The last week of March it
was accidentally put to the test. The Museum has been assisting NORAD personnel
during their preparation for its 50th anniversary. NORAD historian, Dr. Tom Fuller requested some help finding early NORAD images. He spent two
full hours here and was extremely impressed with the set-up. This is turning out to be a very valuable
asset to the entire base. Thanks Jane!
Minuteman III ICBM Static Display Update
The Minuteman III ICBM static display is being
finalized. A newer perspective of the two siting options is going before Gen Kehler this week: near the Museum
and near the East Gate. Gen Kehler’s goal is to have the
display in place by September 2008.
Extra
thanks to Jack McKinney for being our News Man, and to the members and
volunteers who contribute stories and ideas.
MEET OUR VOLUNTEERS
JACK
Lt.
Col. John C. Cawood (USAF, Retired) was born in Big Stone Gap, VA, on
In January 1957, John transferred from
His assignment after Otis was to Air
Defense Command Headquarters in January 1970, in the Standardization,
Training and Evaluation shop of ADC,
until retirement in May 1973.
Post retirement years found him
involved with the US Postal Service, Aero Club at Peterson, Westair Corporation
flying charter and corporate missions, Halle Mortgage again flying corporate
flights, Continental Express Airlines, and at the Air Force Academy where he
flew as a tow pilot for 11 years and some 12,000 tows. His total flying hours in all those years and
jobs equal over 18,000 hours.
In 2000, John started spending a few hours at the
John
and his wife, Gretchen, have a
son and daughter and one grandchild.
NEW
FOUNDATION PRESIDENT
ED WEAVER
Major General G. Wesley
Clark (USAF, Retired) has accepted the
position as the Peterson Air & Space Museum Foundation President. The Foundation is a 501c (3) nonprofit
organization dedicated to assisting the development and expansion of the
PEACEKEEPER ICBM SHROUD AND BUS
RON GRAY
A PEACEKEEPER ICBM Reentry Vehicle (RV) shroud and
Post Boost Vehicle (PBV) Bus have been received from Vandenberg AFB. They were reassembled in the Old City Hangar
next to the PEACEKEEPER Missile Procedures Trainer. You can’t miss it since it stands fourteen
feet tall and ten feet across.
The assembly was used for training
purposes at Vandenberg. In an operational configuration, it would be stacked
atop the third stage of the missile. The
shroud would protect the warheads during alert in the silo and after
launch. When the third stage burned out,
the shroud would be jettisoned and the PBV would then deploy up to ten warheads
against ten targets. The accuracy was
excellent.
Obviously, this weapon system was a
very powerful part of our nuclear deterrent force during the Cold War.
In our exhibit, the RV Assembly
provides a good complement to the MPT.
The amount of hours they can give to service at the
Museum also varies but the main thing is they volunteer and give
willingly. Volunteers usually work in
specific areas as teams, i. e. Ramp Rats, Black Gang, Docents,
Inventory/Artifacts Processing,and Special Projects; however, there are times
when all come together for a specific project or event.
These factors are indeed the
connectors that make the Museum function as a well coordinated , motivated,
skilled, and proud team. Examples to
date are the refurbishment of the P-47, construction of numerous display cases,
tables, etc, movement of archival storage into the Broadmoor Hangar, servicing
and care of our aircraft fleet in their outdoor homes, hosting many promotion
and command change ceremonies, and other important VIP visits and celebratory
events in Museum facilities and on our beautiful grounds.
The future promises other changes to the
displays and artifacts. Some will
require changes to the grounds as well as inside our buildings. We are confident that we will meet those
challenges as well as the day-to-day requirements with competence,
pleasantness, and willingness on the part of all members of the team.
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The Peterson Air and Space Museum
Newsletter is published by the Colorado Springs Peterson Air and Space Museum
Foundation, Inc., a private entity no way connected to or with the United State
Air Force. Contents of the Newsletter
are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the
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G. Wesley Clark, Maj Gen (USAF, Retired),
President
Jack L. McKinney, CMSgt (USAF, Retired), Editor
Peterson Air and Space Museum Foundation,
Inc.
Peterson
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Peterson Air and
Peterson