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Published: 2014-11-19 03:56:30 +0000 UTC; Views: 771; Favourites: 27; Downloads: 0
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Description
On a trip to Kansas we popped over to Topeka on the way and visited the Combat air museum.This image was shot inside one of their more interesting exhibits, an EC-121T Warning Star N4257U (AF Ser No. 52-3418). This aircraft has a nice 50's feel to it even though they were in service into the late 70's. It doesn't look like she has received allot of love since being delivered to the museum in 1981.
From this angle you can see the AN/APS-95 search radar on the bottom. What you cannot see is the vertical radar that was removed from the top. You can also just about make out the Airforce outstanding Unit robbon with two oak leafs just aft of the flight deck windows.
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Comments: 11
Even it it's current state she still looks dignified, nice capture!
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Indeed. She is a very interesting aircraft and still standing tall.
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Disco. Their call sign in SEA during the Vietnam war.
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I had a good read of this on wikipedia. You can see as the war progressed, they started to react more to the changing of the situation rather than one flight, each day at the same time, in the same place.
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The Vietnam war was a very strange political war.
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"Sky King, Sky King, Sky King...this is Red Crown, Red Crown... do not answer..break-break..."
Oh, yeah.. how well I remember.
And this is what the country does to it's old warriors, both human and mechanical--it leaves us outside in the cold to rot.
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It's sad to see although whilst reading about these old birds, I have found a few nice examples dotting the continent.
It does look like this museum restores where they can but I guess limited funds, man power and time might leave this one out in the cold.
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All of the museums are like that...limited funds...limited number of skilled helpers, etc. When I lived near the Confederate Air Force museum in southern California, I used to go and spend a few hours helping where I could. I was raised in an automotive body & fender shop, so I was able to help do some of the finish work, and I've always been a mechanic, so working on the engines was great fun for me. Now, the closest place that does any reconstruction work is about 150 miles south of me--a bit too far to just pop down and help for a day or two, and I'm about as old as a lot of the planes, so crawling around inside their innards probably isn't going to happen any more. 
I'm going to make a trip back down there soon, though, because they should be about finished with the complete restoration of their F-4J Phantom.
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Good on you. These aircraft were made to rot so it is up to us to save them. It is always the way though that when you want to help you are to damn far away to help them.
The F4 is well worth a visit regardless and a new one to display all the more so. I look forward to seeing some snaps!
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I'm still yet to see a civi Constellation. In fat this aircraft was the sole reason for me to visit this museum. Totally worth it!
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