The White Falcon - 07.01.1961, Blaðsíða 2

2
WHITE FALCON
Saturday, January 7, 1961
1961 Here
Let's make It Best
As we change our old calendars for the new 1961,
let’s not forget to transpose “the number of days to go”
and at the same time let’s resolve to make them the best
we’ve put in at Keflavik Airport.
And as we change the calendar, for posterity it is
well to record the events of the Christmas holidays. Dur-
ing the year Keflavik airmen and saliors had donated a
sufficient amount of money to make Santa Claus real to
the needy. Santa Claus visited homes for the aged, the
disabled and the orphaned. His bag was full of gifts for
everybody; even useful items for the homes having tiny
tots.
And 34 families in the United States anxiously
watched the clock and listened for a telephone ring. Daddy
or a son stationed here would be calling. The Icelandic
post office reports that most of the calls were made on
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Call reservations cov-
ered the Dec. 23 to Dec. 28 period.
And near telephones at Keflavik Airport, the scene
was the same. Many were waiting for phone calls from
home.
On base, a Christmas decorations contest induced all
to join in giving the base a Christmasy look. The real
Call for observing Christmas was well covered by religious
activities in the Chapels, over the radio and on television.
Christmas cards from long forgotten friends and
thoughts of home however left all in a quite subdued
mood. Christmas 1960 at Keflavik Airport with its skele-
ton crew work schedule was one in which there was time
to meditate—about the birth of Jesus Christ and about
home, too.
★ ★ ★
To Opportunity
He Opened the Door
Lt. Col. Elam W. Wright is proving to skeptics that
a serviceman can get an education in the service. And
not just a mediocre one.
For the second consecutive time, the Army officer,
assigned to the J-3 Plans of Headquarters, Iceland De-
fense Force, has made the University of Maryland Dean’s
list. To make that list one must maintain at least a 3.5
average for five consecutive courses.
At the end of the last semester here, he was main-
taining a straight 4.0 average. That’s equivalent to 10
straight A’s. No doubt this requires a lot of midnight
oil burning.
When the Colonel completes French 2 and History
172, he will have finished 12 courses, plus those he took
in 1960. These two courses should fulfill his requirements
for a bachelor of arts in Political Science and a History
minor.
Colonel Wright, in his pursuit for a college education,
has attended the University of Texas and Loyola Uni-
versity of Baltimore.
The same opportunity enjoyed by the University of
Maryland honor student is available to all just for the
asking and the diligent pursuit of the desired goal.
THE WHITE FALCON
Col. Benjamin G. Willis, USAF
Commander, Air Forces Iceland
The WHITE FALCON is an official Class II Armed Forces newspaper published weekly at
Keflavik Airport, Iceland by Air Forces Iceland of the Military Air Transport Service for
all contingents stationed at Keflavik Airport. The WHITE FALCON receives AFP8 and
AFNS materials. Views and opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the
Department of Defense.
Information Officer................Capt. Warren J. Papin, USAF
Editor ........................... SSgt. Clarence J. Bizet, USAF
tsafoldarprentsmlflja h.f.
Aerospace Power for
AF History
Outlined
in Volume
AFNS — Three new volumes
treat phases of flight history that
will be of interest to the general
and professional reader.
Charles H. Gibbs-Smith compil-
es the first general survey of the
airplane from Sir George Cayley
to the achievement of the practi-
cal flying machine in the early
1900s. THE AEROPLANE (Lon-
don, H. M. Stationery Office,
through British Information Ser-
vices, NYC $6.50) is a study set
within a framework of general
aviation history from Greek myt-
hology to the earth satellites of
today. Sandwiched between the
early and the present are chapt-
ers detailing Practical Powered
Flying, The First World War,
Between the Wars, and the Sec-
ond World War.
The author has unraveled some
of the curious and complex influ-
ences which flowed back and forth
between the United States and
Europe, and finally brought about
the full development of heavier-
than-air-aircraft.
THIS WAS AIR TRAVEL, by
Henry R. Palmer (Superior Pub-
lishing Co., Seattle, Wash., $11.95)
is an exciting travelogue of dram-
atic pictures enlivened by a crisp,
readable text of adventure in the
air. The entire history of man’s
struggle to fly is covered, from
the earliest balloons to the present
multi-jet liners. This is a travel-
ogue through history in which the
full, nostalgic glory of the air
pioneers is recounted for every
fancier of flying machines,
More recent history is encount-
ered in HELLBIRDS, by Wilbur
Morrison (Buell, Sloan and Pearce,
NYC $3.50) the story of the plane
that brought an end to World War
II—the B-29 Superfortress. From
its inception on the drawing board
before the war began, until its
first flight in 1944, through the
drops of Hiroshima and Naga-
saki, the exciting narrative un-
folds. It is also the story of the
men of the 20th Bomber Com-
mand, who flew the B-29, the air-
men who carried the war to the
heart of Japan.
The atomic bombs which de-
stroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki
were only the climax to the ter-
rible toll which the B-29s exacted.
And here, another startling fact
emerges; aircraft losses on com-
bat missions against Japan, under
the direction of Gen. Curtis E.
LeMay, were less than they were
in training groups in the United
States. Strategic air operations
were perfected in the crucible of
war, operations which precluded
an amphibious invasion which
authorities estimate saved a mil-
lion American casualties.
(These books have been recom-
mended by the USAF Book Pro-
gram for sale in the “Airman’s
Bookshelf” at popular BX prices.
AF B-70 Position
We'll Share Experiences
(Ed’s Note—General Thomas D. White spoke to the American
Ordnance Association in December. Amid talk of using the B-70
Valkyrie as a commercial aircraft, here’s how the Air Force stands.)
While I am on the subject of future aircraft, I would like to
turn for a moment to the question of the development of a super-
sonic aircraft for commercial use—because some misunderstanding
apparently exists on the position of the Air Force in this matter.
The Air Force has a very lively interest in a national program
to develop a supersonic transport. In the first place, only through
such a program can the United States maintain its overall leader-
ship in aviation—a leadership which is mandatory if the Air
Force is to continue to be preeminent in aerospace power. Sec-
ondly, although we cannot at this time justify the funding of
a supersonic transport program on military grounds alone, we
can see several interesting military applications for such an
aircraft, and we would certainly make good use of it if it were
made available through a national program.
It has long been our conviction that the development of a
Mach 3 bomber such as the B-70 would open the door to higher
speeds and performance by the civil aircraft of the future. This,
however, should not be construed to mean the Air Force feels that
a national supersonic transport must be a derivative of the B-70.
There is no doubt that the experience and knowledge gained in the
B-70 program will reduce the total cost and effort of the super-
sonic commercial transport development program. Furthermore, un-
less the aircraft which is first developed under this program takes
full advantage of the advanced technology of the B-70 in terms of
speed and growth potential, it cannot, in my opinion, remain com-
mercially competitive for very long. I feel that an economic Mach
3 transport is inevitable—whether this country or some other deve-
lops it. It does, however, necessarily follow—and I want to make
it very clear that we in the Air Force do not contend—that the
first of these commercial aircraft must be a modified B-70.
On the other hand, the Air Force has been working for some
time with the Federal Aviation Agency and the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration toward the formulation of a
national program in the commercial supersonic air transport field.
Should such a program be initiated, the Air Force stands ready, if
called upon, to make available its existing capabilities and to con-
tribute to this program in the area of development management
or any other way it can. The beneficial effects on the national
economy, and the aerospace industry in particular, fully warrant
such a program. As a matter of fact, there is no alternative if we
are to maintain our leadership, not only in commercial aviation—
but in military aerospace power as well.
The X-15, the B-70, the supersonic transport, missiles, satellites
and probes toward other planets—all of these are kdditibnal rungs
in the ladder reaching ever upward in the sky. Nevertheless, bur
current ventures into this vast expanse are as meager as Columbus*
first boat ride compared to his eventual discovery of a new world.
Like that boat ride, however, our current efforts have opened a
fascinating new challenge to further discovery and exploitation of
the unknown. The difference lies in the fact that in pace with the
challenge is a growing threat. As a result, pushing our capabilities
skyward is more than a challenge—it is an absolute requirement for
national security.
★ ★ +
Book Program

Designed fro Serve
AFNS—While the nations of the world were passing one avia-
tion development milestone after another with ever-increasing speed
since the introduction of powered flight 57 years ago, telling the
story of the men and machines involved was largely a leisurely-
gaited, hit-or-miss proposition that attracted few authors or pub-
lishers.
This condition was corrected in September 1954 when the Air
Force launched its book program with the combined aim of stimul-
ating the production of aerospace books of all kinds—from school-
arly and professional tomes to fiction—and making them easily
available to readers.
In the past six years the program has assisted in transforming
some 325 books from idea stage to published volumes, a figure
slightly greater than one book per week. In the works at the present
time are an additional 125 books.
One major function of the Book program is to get together
an idea, an author, and a publisher.
Official help is offered in planning a book, developing the
subject, arranging access to the Air Force Archives and other
sources of information, including personal interviews, locating
and making available research materials, providing pictorial docu-
mentation, advising on content, reviewing for accuracy and secur-
ity, and guidance in placement for publication.
When travel is essential to the project, officials guiding the
book program take the necessary steps to arrange space-available
flights in military aircraft.
Once the book is published the Air Force continues its interest
in it. A vigorous promotion campaign brings notice of each new
book publshed to the Air Force family world-wide through reviews
published regularity in some 425 base newspapers. In addition,
program officials see that publication notices go out to all official
magazines, newsletters, bulletins and pamphlets, Air Force radio
and TV stations, and Air Force libraries.
Peace Through Deterrence