Operation Headstart (1959)

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Air Force Film Report 33, "Operation Headstart - Airborne Alert" by U.S. Air Force
Covers activities of ground and flight crews during a three-month test conducted at Loring Air Force Base, Maine, to demonstrate conclusively that an airborne alert force can be maintained successfully.
Source of original: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Motion Pictures Unit, Record Group 342
The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

[@robertheinkel6225]

I pulled alert duty on the tankers for many years. When the klaxon goes off, you don’t think, you just go. The next few minutes are pure adrenaline.

[@MrWolfTickets]

Hey how often would you do drills? All i have to go off of is the scene in First Strike when the crew is playing cards and drops everything and runs. Was it like that?

[@geoffholmes7291]

Thank you Mr Heinkel

[@robertheinkel6225]

@@MrWolfTickets We would have a base practice drill once a week. You never knew when. About once a month, headquarters would hold a SAC wide drill. Each drill could be just starting engines, or starting engines and taxiing to the runway, or even taking off. After each drill, it took about two hours on each aircraft, to get it fully alert ready again. We had to refuel it, preflight it, and have the flight crew cock the plane for alert again. On our base, we had 13 tankers. We planned on getting all 13 airborne from one runway, in three minutes. Any inbound nukes would destroy the base in under 13 minutes from when the klaxon sounded. We planned on being long gone by then.

[@coldwarconcealment]

Every base I was stationed at (except Kunsan AB) from 87-07 had previously been a SAC alert base. I remember the base theater at SJAFB had an "alert crew" sign and klaxxon in the corner by the screen

[@MrWolfTickets]

@@robertheinkel6225 thanks for that detail. Man, I can't get over that 13 min clock...

[@dennissvitak6453]

I was a SAC weather officer, and prepared hundreds of SAC Form 500's, in a flight folder, covering every aspect of their expected flight. Winds, temps, turbulence, icing, precipitation, just all kinds of stuff.

[@jamesroets800]

I gave pilot weather briefings as part of my job in the National Weather Service. They were not nearly as in depth as the briefing you did. We were in awe of you guys. Although, this was later in the mid to late 80's, before the briefing function went to FAA EFAS specialists.

[@dennissvitak6453]

@@jamesroets800 - Thanks. I turned down an EFAS position in Alaska when I retired from the USAF. Tired of shift work. It WAS fun to help the planners in Desert Storm, with alpha strike packages. First time ever the weather guys were involved in the decision making process, to help decide which weapon systems would be most effective, based on the met conditions.

[@jamesroets800]

@@dennissvitak6453 I hear ya about shift work. I retired in 2015 after 37 years of rotating shifts. I had had enough. Being retired is better. I worked for The Weather Channel for a bit, and may again, doing TAFs for airline partners. That was fun. Nice to meet another weather weenie, Dennis!

[@dennissvitak6453]

@@jamesroets800 - I worked for a private wx company for 15 years, after I retired from the USAF. I wrote a 210 page FAA Technical Manual, accepted and approved for use to train Flight Dispatchers, in a program called EWINS.

[@jamesroets800]

@@dennissvitak6453 I am very familiar with that publication! I had to get EWINS certified to do the contract TAF job.

[@timmotel5804]

I miss the security of SAC and the airborne readiness that America once had. Thanks Guys for keeping us (U.S.) safe for so many years.

[@caroll.higginson4195]

Me, too. Grew up on sac bases

[@timmotel5804]

@@caroll.higginson4195 Serious Business. When America was focused on Reality, unlike today...

[@thomthumbe]

I remember listening to SAC on HF radio. “Sky King, Sky King, do not answer…..” or some such verbal message. Almost scary, but fun to track the messages. Of course I had no idea what it all meant.

[@glennpearson3056]

Alas, Babylon!

[@mikestanley9176]

@@glennpearson3056 Exactly.

[@BeechSportBill]

4 years on ICBM missile alerts…. We took each message like it was the real thing.

[@jamessimms415]

Love the irony @ 11:29 talking abt the Flight Surgeon & the health of the crew while someone lights up a smoke…

[@derickmarroquin7836]

They used to air cigarette commercials with doctors encouraging to smoke too lol

[@rtqii]

@@derickmarroquin7836 "The Doctors Choice... The Micronite Filter" -- And on top of the smoke, Micronite in the filter was crocidolite asbestos, also called blue asbestos.

[@triuman]

Love the B 52s. Nobody wanted to go to Loring!!

[@kdkatz-ef2us]

The REAL air force. I did a lot of data entry in my glorious USAF hitch

[@damanyocum149]

Time for the in flight meal of tv dinners for those hearty appetites! Yum!

[@widescreennavel]

These guys were served a fucking four-course meal during these flights! There is more food discussed in this film than I expected! They relaxed, ate good food, and then they put out the boom and re-fueled...ahh, life!

[@robertheinkel6225]

Most of the time we just got box lunches. The oven, as we called it, had six trays inside. Each tray was its own heater to heat up the oven. At best, it might get warm. If you wanted a hot meal, canned soup in the hot cup worked best.

[@samuelfariss1401]

I knew a B-52 command pilot. He told me that every time they took off they knew it may be their last flight and everyone they knew and loved could be dead by the time the mission was over. He told me that when they got new orders while in flight they never knew if it was drill or real attack orders. He said the stress was always in their minds.

[@widescreennavel]

@@samuelfariss1401 It is simply too much to ask a human being to do. Grim business. Let's hope for a time when cooler heads prevail. It would be good to spend less on our military and more on health care. We need them both.

[@lolshark99b49]

aint nobody got the go code yet

[@petertimmins6657]

Hahahahaha. Ok, Major Kong…..

[@billjames3148]

@@petertimmins6657 Good one Col. Ripper

[@tommyluvstraci]

Initiate Wing Attack Plan R!

[@rogerd777]

Operation Headstart was an experimental program from mid-September to mid-December 1958 to proved the concept of airborne alert. It was replaced by Operation Chrome Dome, operating from different bases that ran from 1960 to 1968. I am not sure, but I think full time airborne alert was ended in 1968, but ground alert was continued.

[@LoganShmogan]

There was a massive uptick in accidents during Chrome Dome, namely the '61 Goldsboro incident and the '66 Palomares incident in Spain, among many more. That, coupled with the growing advancement of ICBMs, ended the viability of the bomber alert system. But I am no expert, so I may be misinformed about some aspects.

[@Name-ps9fx]

Flightline security had an M1 Garand!

[@mikestanley9176]

Security detail on a frigate in 1980. Carried a Winchester 12 gauge and a Colt 1911 A1.

[@lindycorgey2743]

General Lemay bought something like 9k M16 Rifles to replace the M1 Garand and M1 Carbine the Air Police carried. This was around 1963. When I was in 1981-1992, the USAF Security Police carried the original M16 without the forward assist. Started with the S&W M15 .38spl Revolver. In 1988 SPs converted to the Beretta M9 9mm Pistol.

[@rlicon1970]

Cool video

[@DirtyLilHobo]

The “looking glass” and E-3 aircraft were up most of the time during the seventies and into the eighties during my ATC controller duties (ZAB,ZDV). B52’s on low level IR routes and the SR-71 too. They don’t do these alert flights anymore, since the demise of the USSR, do they?

[@arnoldgraham4218]

Bring back SAC

[@timmotel5804]

America has lost it's edge.Useless politicians and Military leaders. They cut back instead of keep in the Lead. Presently, I feel helpless and America is in Danger. Best Regards to You

[@nickthurlow4456]

Amazing video , can't believe the size of that B52 ! Nick from England

[@sarcasmo57]

Thank you for your service.

[@Mujangga]

A 15 hours pre-flight check followed by a 20 hours mission. No wonder pilots are given meth.

[@Mujangga]

@Steve Sharpe Indeed, I am aware that the pre-flight check itself did not take 15 hours; I meant that re-jigging your circadian rhythm based on the scheduling of a mission then being scheduled to sleep and relax followed by 20 hours of alertness would certainly cause the mother of all jet-lag.

[@ashman187]

What ...?... What ,,.. I'm ready to fly , where's the plane ..?

[@jamessimms415]

@Steve Sharpe Was up 36 hours straight out in the desert@ KKMC@ the start of the Air War (Desert Storm) for DS/DS in Saudi Arabia. After 36 hours, I was a zombie & ragged out after that time.

[@sirclarkmarz]

at the 5:30 mark you can see the medical officer holding a bottle of speed [ probably meth] to use if the flight crew should start feeling fatigued.

[@rapman5363]

Pilots were issued amphetamine pills in their flight packet

[@rapman5363]

I can’t stand being in the air on a 3 1/2 hour flight to Florida, I can’t imagine being airborne for 20 hours.

[@timmotel5804]

Those guys were very special and dedicated. They understood the reason.Airmen today, would do the same if they had the Leadership. America needs more "Curtis LeMay's". Best Regards

[@tripjet999]

"There is nothing to worry about.... worry about.... worry about....

[@BeechSportBill]

Chrome Dome…

[@mikeboxall7955]

Yes, it may come! Not sure about the steak though?

[@Thex-W.I.T.C.H.-xMaster]

🤔

[@tumbullweed]

Flying high for real when did you last work 20hrs straight ?

[@JDAbelRN]

As a nurse, I work 14 hour shifts frequently, and no picnic, so definitely twenty hours a bitch! A steam and rub down would be great after a shift, especially the feet. Wish we were allowed a small dose of amethaphetimine, only coffee 😂🤯😵‍💫 my salute to the men and women guarding are land keeping the peace 🇺🇸 USA.

[@GroovyVideo2]

noise filter for hiss

[@hoganrichard9627]

the narrator sounded so ominous saying: "no one is allowed to bring food from home". I guess they didn't want mama's fried chicken to be a "grease fire" danger or make the instruments malfunction. Those hot meals didn't look too bad. But, I'll bet some of those guys sneaked a few candy bars or peanuts. 20 hours without a smoke! kudos to those disciplined, dedicated airmen who kept watch 24-7 during those tense years of the "cold war".

[@Dwendele]

That was done to ensure that no crew could be poisoned by foreign enemies. Paranoia was high in those days. It is still policy for Air Force One. All food is traceable and documented from source to serving.

[@davidfisher12865]

Remember Dr Strange Love.

[@triuman]

Security in an alert KC-135 restricted area. If you were walking the close boundary and the klaxon went off, you better hurry you ass back to where the gas mask was stored 😃

[@uberkloden]

Seems like the AWACS and Bombers could be nullified by airborne nuke explosions.

[@robertheinkel6225]

The aircraft are hardened against the electromagnetic effect of the nukes. The nuke would have to go off at pretty close proximity to take down a bomber. Most bombers are now hauling nuclear cruise missiles.

[@buckhorncortez]

That's why every plane type was EMP tested on The Trestle at Kirtland, AFB.

[@RAINbowLollipopzzz]

Man these guys ate good. Why is modern day chow hall so ass?

[@johncholmes643]

Does anyone else ever piss on the side of the toilet so it makes less noise???

[@AmericanIdiot7659]

Yes

[@ashman187]

Ninja stream ------...... , when it turns yellow ; it become ineffective until re launch ed.

[@complexblackness]

Lmao

[@asmodeus0454]

Not bad. Jet travel, free meals, and a post-flight steambath and rubdown. Where do I sign up?

[@godoftheinterwebz]

And all you have to do is spend 23 hours at a pop in a cockpit the size of a phone booth wondering every second if you were going to get the order that would obliterate the world including everyone you know and everyone you love

[@lindycorgey2743]

Swanson TV Dinners

[@richardoliver1468]

I feel that SAC should never have been deactivated.

[@timmotel5804]

Today, America is week in leadership and unfocused on reality. Our current President is one of the few who actually served America in those times and understands. It's a shame that he is so old as there aren't many left like him. We need to build up our Navy also, rather than dismantle it and the necessary support facilities.

[@asmodeus0454]

"This is it! Toe-to-toe nooclear combat with the Ruskies!"

[@ashman187]

I was in the headstart program at my junior high school.

[@billjames3148]

crayons or paste...........

[@alexanderlawson1649]

What a terrible waste of humanities resources. Imagine all that discipline, engineering assets, highly skilled technical expertise, put into the productive capacity of the people who inhabit this planet, instead of working for its destruction. Its so depressing, to see such negation of our existence , dressed up as progress.

[@Smokey298]

Nuclear deterrence prevented any destruction of human life and encouraged one of the longest periods of widespread peace in modern history.

[@jamielacourse7578]

I'd say that we should be thankful for two unsung heroes.......Leslie Groves for getting the weapons made and Curtis Lemay for getting them readied.

[@dziban303]

Ah yes two of the most famous names in the field, definitely unsung. C'mon man

[@rickybobby7285]

I like peanut butter m m’s