Atomic Sex Symbols

1952 - YB - 60 bomber, photo: courtesy of James Vaughan/x-ray delta one

The strategic bomber! The YB-60 Bomber was something of a less successful precursor of the iconic Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, but still - what an outstanding shot!! Both aircraft were long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bombers, forever associated with the Cold War.

1954 - Miss Atomic Test, Las Vegas Photo: courtesy of James Vaughan / x-ray delta one

Ummm... errr... uh, as you can see, this particular atom bomb test was, umm... hugely successful *cough*

The Red Phone at Strategic Air Command, head-quartered near Omaha, Nebraska, alerts nuclear bomber and missile crews in event of war. The individual buttons light as bases respond.



A 1955 Convair ad proclaiming the Nation's protective military defense:

"All over America these days the blast of supersonic flight is shattering the old familiar sounds of city and countryside. At U.S. Air Force bases strategically located near key cities our Airmen maintain their round the clock vigil, ready to take off on a moment's notice in jet aircraft like Convair's F-102A all-weather interceptor. Every flight has only one purpose - your personal protection!"



In stark contrast - did you know a nuclear bomber went down on U.S. soil? This photo shows the MK 39 nuclear bomb retrieved after the 24 January 1961 Goldsboro B-52 crash. The weapon's parachute deployed, resulting in a soft landing and the weapon being recovered intact.


The YB-49 Flying Wing - at the time it promised to be the symbolic next big step in the future of aviation. It was simply an idea too far ahead of its time to become the ultimate jet-powered strategic bomber of the Atomic Age. It took another age, the Computer Age, to help the flying wing concept to finally obtain it's goal.

Men On Guard! The Unicorn Book of 1953

No self-respecting fighter jet pilot would be caught in front of the camera without the latest advancement in military issue pressure suit - now available with figure flattering two-way stretch!


And that ultimate symbol of the Cold War, the looming Mushroom Cloud, circa 1953.

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(Sorry for the delay in posting - Technical difficulties have NO respect for deadlines!)

Strategic Air Command

As requested by the Atomic Ranch Lady, for the first time ever here's my old snapshots of a bit of Cold War history.


I took these shots of the S.A.C. Air and Space Museum back when I was a mere kidlett, so remember that when you browse through! The whole museum complex (as well as the Base) was still located near Bellevue at the time and we visited the museum a couple times over the years since my Grandma E. lived in town.

Today the museum has moved to an entirely indoor modern facility 20 miles down the road, near Ashland, Nebraska.

It would have been one of the first times my Dad let me use his 35mm Pentax camera, and we probably developed the roll ourselves in our storeroom/darkroom as we often did.

Here's the Flickr link to all 15 photographs: SAC Air & Space Museum in the 70's/80's
And apologies in advance - Flickr is having loading issues today :(