[Milsurplus] Re: RS-6

[Hue Miller]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Smith" <smithab11@comcast.net>

> Hue, do you know of any article or document that confirms that
> these RS kits actually went in B-47 and B-52 aircraft. I have heard the story
> many times and have talked to personal friends of mine that flew these aircraft
> in the 1950's and early sixties but can not find any real proof.
> 
> breck k4che

I think the program was over by the time of the B-52. This only
applied to B-36 and B-47 and then only ones that would carry
nuclear weapons to the USSR.  The article on this was titled
same as the bombing-then-rescue-aircrews program name,
"Operation Armageddon", the article appeared in Air Classics
magazine in 1983 i think it was. I say, "i think" because the 
pages do not bear any date, unlike most magazines. I have the
date elsewhere but don't know where i have filed it. The article
was by someone named R. W. Koch.  He either interviewed 
people who were in the program or he maybe was in the USAF
around that time, because he has the facts and some photos.
(No photos of the RS-6, however.)  The other radio the article
discusses is the URC-4 vhf talkie, which was used for the close-
in work.
I don't recall when the program was ended. I do recall an article
in CQ about some ham on a sailboat Pacific Ocean cruise, who
had the RS-6 transmitter, this was about 1957, if i recall correctly,
so the sets were already leaking out by then.
I also have an unpublished, earlier article (or text for a talk) by
R W Koch, that states the manufacturer was Motorola.
We still have to actually find someone who can say, yes, i 
repaired RS-6's, i was at the factory and built RS-6's, i loaded
RS-6's onto B-47's.  How swiftly even recent history can become
a mystery.
Hue Miller